Cycle industry pedalling out of lockdown, big manufacturers to begin production in Ludhiana

Rusting at a time of nationwide crisis, the local cycle industry, which manufactures over 1 crore bicycles per year and has a major share in exports, is slowly pedalling out of the lockdown with the major players, including Hero Cycles, Avon Cycles, Neelam Cycles among others opening their plants with permission of the government on Monday to start production.

The industry is currently working on stocktaking, reprogramming and lubrication of the machinery, which was put to a halt on March 22, and production is expected to start in a day or two. At present, the industry will not run to its full capacity due to the constraints of non-availability of material, social distancing of workers, etc.

But, moving out of the unprecedented lockdown, which, as per industry representatives, was not witnessed even during Indo-Pak wars, emergency period and Operation Bluestar in 1984, industrialists are confident that the industry would come out of the crisis soon and plants would run regularly.

“We have to learn to live with the virus and we will live with it. We will deal with the problems with a positive mindset and the industry will surely move out of this crisis,” said Onkar Singh Pahwa, chairman of Avon Cycles, adding that production at the unit would commence in a day and everything would come to normal in the coming days.

Managing director of Hero Cycles SK Rai said the Hero Cycles plant was established in 1956 and since then they had never seen this kind of nationwide lockdown, not even during the Indo-Pak wars and emergency period.

Both the plants situated along the GT Road and the Mangli area are being made operational and the plants would be working to full capacity by the end of this week, said Rai, adding that the industry was following all the guidelines issued by the government and the administration.

With the lockdown entering into the third phase, the industry also sees no other option than to open the factories even when the supply chain has not been restored and the small and medium industry is facing shortage of manpower.

“The industry has to take a step forward as we cannot sit idle for long and labour is also dependent on the industry. We will still run the plant at 25% capacity as we will also face trouble in storing the manufactured itemsl,” said KK Seth, chairman of Neelam Cycles.

He said the supply cannot be made to the traders as shops are closed and even if the shops open, there is no customer. They are commencing production in a day or two but cannot comment on the future at present viewing the present scenario, said Seth, adding that the small and medium industry would also go the large industry was in a few days and open the units.

President of the United Cycle and Parts Manufacturers Association (UCPMA) DS Chawla said, “Owners of small and medium industrial units are getting approval to run their units, but they are facing a shortage of labour. The government should make efforts to stop the migrant labour from shifting to their home states and the labourers should be provided facilities in Punjab.”