CFC facility in India’s largest jewelery cluster

Nayan Dave writes

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Friday inaugurated a state-of-the-art Common Facility Center (CFC) equipped with state-of-the-art equipment at India’s largest jewelery production cluster in and around Rajkot.

The country’s first-of-its-kind CFC facility was conceived and implemented by the Gems and Jewelery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) to provide access to small and large units with state-of-the-art technology at a fraction of the cost. , This enables them to improve their efficiency and improve the quality and yield of their output. The CFC is fully funded by the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

The availability of CFC facility will further enhance the quality of finished jewelery engraved by the jewelery unit in Rajkot, said Chandresh Patadia, President, Rajkot Jewelery Cluster Federation (JCFR). Spread over an area of ​​about 2300 square feet, CFC is equipped with the latest equipment imported from USA, Italy, Germany and Turkey. Cluster’s jewelery units can use CFC’s world-class facilities for a nominal fee, Patadia said.

Rajkot is one of the four largest jewelery production clusters in the country besides Kolkata, Jaipur and Mumbai, says Divyesh Patadia, former president of JCFR. With the CFC facility available to local jewelery makers, the brand Rajkot is poised to become even stronger as the intricately crafted gold and silver finishing will be further enhanced by the use of sophisticated equipment, he said.

Rajkot will provide services like CFC Jewelery Design (CAD), CAM (RTP), Laser CNC, Gold Purity Analysis (XRF), Laser Soldering, Laser Marking, Refining and Wire and Pipe Facing, said Dinesh Navadia, Chairman, Guinness. Of the Gem and Jewelery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC). Rajkot is well known for its simple gold and silver jewelery. The city has more than 15,000 jewelry units, mostly MSMEs that produce an average of 150 tons of handmade plain gold jewelry each year.

According to an estimate, the Rajkot jewelery cluster consumes 1000 tons of silver per month. Jewelry making units add value to gold and silver by making intricately designed jewelry of light weight from these precious metals.

Rajkot jewelery makers are working for most of the leading brands in India. With access to state-of-the-art equipment at their doorsteps at a discounted rate through CFCs, many manufacturing units are expected to start direct exports. Until now, expensive machinery was impossible for MSME jewelry makers. About 30 per cent of the total production of gold ornaments in Rajkot is being exported to different countries.

The jewelery cluster in Rajkot is providing employment to more than six lakh people. A large number of artisans migrated from West Bengal with these jewelery making units located in and around the commercial capital of Saurashtra region.