News
Tile makers, facing raw material shortage, request tank clay
View(s):Pix and text by Jayaratna Wickremaarachchi
Clay roofing tile manufacturers say their business has been affected due increasing production cost, shortage of raw material as well as increasing expenditures on excavation permits and transportation.
A price increase of clay roofing tiles due to scarcity of raw material and other costs had been one of the key reasons that led to the decrease of interest among the public.
They explained that their business had further been affected as the high prices of the tiles had caused people to turn to the use of other types of roofing materials.
W J Baptis Fernando
Once many clay roofing tiles factories were in the Wennappuwa and Dankotuwa areas. According to the Clay Tile Manufacturers Association there had been over hundreds of roofing tile factories in the area. However, at present there are less than 100 roofing tile factories remaining operational. Of them around 50 contribute to roofing tile manufacturing.
Most factories remain closed, or in a dilapidated state while the equipment worth hundreds of thousands of rupees remain unused.
The association said the closure of the clay roofing factories would affect 500,000 people directly and indirectly involved in the industry.
Association president W J Baptis Fernando pointed out that shortage of raw material is the biggest problem, and suggested the government select the tanks in Puttalam District which are rich with clay, so they would obtain the clay and deepen the tanks following engineers and farmer association directions.
He also suggested the government to use clay roofing tiles in state constructed buildings as it would help the industry remain active.
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- W J Baptis Fernando
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