HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF MATCH INDUSTRY:

            Safety matches are one of the most important necessaries for human life. Safety matches, which are found today, have undergone so many changes. Technically and otherwise, after the people first learnt to produce fire by striking stones with each other. It will be interesting here to refer to the development of matches in the beginning and its growth later. The pocket fire career containing sulphuric acid for the dipping match was the earliest form of matches. The method adopted for the generation of fire in the pocket fire carrier was very simple. When the matchsticks, the tips of all of which has been coated in potassium chlorate ( an exidying Agent) is dipped into sulphuric acid they get readily ignited. This type of match was invented in 1805. It was from the ‘Lucifer Matches’ and later the safety matches are evolved.

            Western countries made so many researches of chemical composition in the year 1827. As a result, the production of matches came into practice. The first firm set up solely to produce matches was M/S.R.Bell and Co. of London in 1832. In 1855 John Lenderstorm of Jonkoing in Sweden devised the method to solve this problem and manufactured the first safety matches packed in containers namely Match Boxes. The new type of matches came to be known as safety matches, which is in current use. Later in 1892, John Pusey, an American Attorney, developed “Book Matches”. These were the first manufactured on a commercial basis in 1896. Later I 1935, Travanmy found out a mixture containing di-oxide, which replaced potassium chlorate.

         Since John Lendetorm of Johnkoping belongs to Sweden, Sweden is universally acclaimed as the home of the Match Industry. Sweden got the initiative in developing technique of match manufacturing  and was the pioneer of matches, Because of it’s pioneering in match production, Swedish firms and their agencies supply the Lion share of the world market in safety matches. At the same time Japan was  also promoting match production is small but competing with Sweden.

DEVELOPMENT OF MATCH INDUSTRY IN INDIA

            Being a small-scale industry, match industry in India is contributing a lot to the Indian economy. Safety matches are a century old in India. In 1884 the Amrit Match

Factory at Ahemedabad were set up with the technical assistance from Sweden. Around 1910, a few families, who were trained in match production from Japan, came to Calcutta and imparted necessary skills to the local people in the manufactures of matches on small-scale, using simple and hand operated machines.

            In the year 1913, another factory was started in Calcutta. In India WIMCO at Ambernath near Bombay in 1924, Calcutta in 1924, Dhubri in Assam in 1926, Madras in 1929 and Bereilley in Uttar Pradesh in 1930 have promoted five large-scale match factories. The quality of matches was very low in India. So the whole demand of 15 millions was mostly met with imports from Japan and Sweden. But imports of the matches were curtailed due to the breaking up of the First World War. It gace impetus for the growth of the Indian match industry. Machinated match industrial units imported splints and veneers were supplied to other match industries.

            The Government of India imposed a revenue duty on the imported matches in the year 1922. It has served as an incentive to the home industry. It has helped to start many industries in different parts of our country viz., Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Assam, etc

MATCH INDUSTRIES IN TAMILNADU   

            Tamil Nadu  produces a  major share of the total all India production. In Tamil Nadu, Virudhunagar District is the leading match producing centre. Really it is the Sivakasi, which is the birthplace of match industry in Tamil Nadu.

            Virudhunagar District is a drought prone area. It has no cultivation for six months in a year. The remaining half of the year does not have good cultivation. So they could not earn their daily bread very easily. At that time, two business enthusisastic men MR.P.Ayya Nadar and Mr.A.Shanmuga Nadar went to Calcutta to study the production techniques of the match units.

            After that, they set up few match factories in Sivakasi. They were successful in running their business. Their successes have helped to spread match units in Virudhunagar, Sattur, Vembakottai, Kovilpatti, and Srivilliputhur etc.

            Now, Sivakasi, a small municipal town of Virudhunagar District occupies the highest position in match production. In national level, the share of non-mechanised is 27% only. It is worth mentioning here that, 60% of the total production of non-mechanised sectors, is from Sivakasi.

            Sivakasi is naturally having dry climate and such a climate is essential for the production of safety matches. Easy availability of labour and cheap availability of lands facilitate the growth of this industry. The Match industry is classified into the following two sectors:

            1) Mechanised sector

            2) Non-mechanised sector

a)      Small-scale units

b)      Cottage units

1)      Mechanised Sector

                        It includes match units that produce matches by machines.

2)      Non-Mechanised Sector

The Match units that produce matches, only by labour are included under non-mechanised sector. Under the non-mechanised sector, there are small-scale factories and cottage match factories.

a)      Cottage Match Factory

Cottage match factory is one that produces not more than 3600 Match bundles per year and does not use machines for production. They pay central excise duty of Rs.1.60 per gross on production.

b)      Small-scale Match Factory

The small-scale match factory is one that produces matches using labour and having no limit on production.

In Sivakasi town small-scale units are concentrated. In the villages surrounding Sivakasi, there is a cluster of cottage match factories. These cottage and small-scale match factories have been considered for this study.