Coimbatore’s Kumaraguru Institutions, along with Bengaluru-based Envitest Laboratories, is set to launch a new testing lab and innovation centre on October 4, aimed at supporting MSMEs involved iin the defence supply chain.
Named the KCIRI Envitest Technology Centre (KEnTec), the facility will be housed at Kumaraguru College of Technology (KCT) in Coimbatore. It aims to assist MSMEs and startups in the region by providing testing services for defence sector products, helping them accelerate time-to-market and meet strict regulatory standards.
KEnTec will officially be launched October 4, in an event that will see participation from CII Tamil Nadu, CODISSIA, TIDCO, industry representatives MSMEs and start-ups.
KEnTec is being established with an investment of around ₹3 crore, and will be equipped with testing infrastructure such as Thermal Chambers, Vibration Shakers, and Heating Ovens for advanced defence product testing.
While Envitest has contributed capital, KCT is providing the space and related infrastructure. Industries can also benefit from the shared resources and knowledge available at the centre including technical expertise, design improvements and quality control.
“Coimbatore is one of the five nodal points of the Southern Corridor designated for the defence sector,” C Vasantharaj, Director, Kumaraguru Centre for Industrial Research and Innovation (KCIRI), told businessline.
“Our internal survey shows that the region has over 200 MSMEs working on products related to defence and while large companies have advanced testing centres of their own, the MSMEs can benefit from KEnTech’s testing labs, he added.
Besides defence, it will also support enterprises building and supplying products for the aerospace and automotive sectors too, he added.
Given the advanced testing environment it hosts, KEnTech will help provide services such as climatic simulations, materials/metallurgical testing, and aircraft electrical testing among others.
Kumaraguru already has the Kumaraguru Centre for Industrial Research and Innovation (KCIRI) at its campus for industry-specific applied research and product development.
KCIRI hosts the Centre for Surface Coating and Nanotechnology, Centre for Propulsion System and a Centre for Aero-Mechanical Systems among others.