Workers in the coir sector could soon get a labour saving device in the form of a one-touch automatic pneumatic loom to weave geo-textiles.
The National Coir Research Management Institute (NCRMI) developed the women-friendly loom at its research facility in Thiruvananthapuram and has displayed it along with an array of other machinery at the ongoing Coir Kerala 2015 trade expo in Alappuzha.
The machine, which can easily be operated by a single person, will especially benefit women who account for more than 80 per cent of the workforce in the coir sector.
The fully automatic loom machine has several advantages when compared to the looms currently in use.
Most existing machines are operated using foot pedals and have a capacity of eight metres per day. They are very labour intensive and require at least two people to operate them.
The new loom can weave up of 128 metre of two-metre wide geo-textiles. It has a single touch operation and can be worked by one person without any assistance, K.R.Anil, NCRMI Director said.