Innovative designs, coupled with aggressive marketing strategies and a widened customer base, have paved the way for the Tamil Nadu Small Industries (TANSI) Corporation Limited to scale newer heights in its furniture and metal fabrication business.
From an average turnover of ₹35 crore in the last five years, it crossed ₹113 crore in 2021-22, and has set itself a target of ₹120 crore in the current fiscal. Not confining its products to the conservative government client base, the corporation has not only stepped into the open market to showcase its quality but is also competing for and winning open tenders for supply of wooden and steel furniture and metal fabricated products.
Formed in 1965 to take over small-scale units from the government, TANSI Corporation was the first such body in the country to establish its presence in the small industries sector. The engineering units have been providing different types of furniture and fabrication to government agencies over the decades.
With not much market presence and dwindling business, the agency’s orders fluctuated between ₹30 crore and ₹33 crore in recent years. However, it has made a turnaround in the last one year. TANSI Corporation has received orders worth over ₹113 crore, and most of them came from government departments. The agency also bagged a contract for the supply of surgical spirit to the Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation and metal bins to the Greater Chennai Corporation.
Delhi model
The latest order book has hundreds of colourful school desks, inspired by the models in Delhi schools, for schools of the Greater Chennai Corporation. “After Chief Minister M.K. Stalin’s visit to Delhi schools, we sent a team to study the model and replicate it here. But our engineers made some changes, making the desk more affordable, durable and spacious. The structural quality and stability are better than the Delhi model,” says a TANSI official.
After the GCC school at Choolaimedu was furnished with the colourful desks, TANSI Corporation has got enquiries from other Municipal Corporation and State government schools. “We have registered ourselves in the government e-marketplace for procurement and sales. TANSI Corporation will soon have its own e-commerce platform to reach out to a larger segment of buyers. We aim for making quality products that are not only durable but also affordable. Our wooden furniture is made of pure teak wood that comply with ISI standards,” the official adds.
To match industry standards in product aesthetics and finish, TANSI Corporation would soon empanel product development and interior designing agencies. Special teams would focus on assessing the market requirements in quality, design and pricing.
‘Kalyana Parisu’
An attractive scheme introduced recently is ‘Kalyana Parisu’ or the marriage gift combo package. By paying ₹99,999, one can gift a dining table with four chairs, a dressing table with a chair, cot and living room three-seater furniture, all made of pure teak, and a steel almirah as a wedding gift. There is also a similar package for ₹67,200 comprising similar products made of steel.
S. Vijayakumar took over as the Principal Secretary and Chairman and Managing Director of TANSI Corporation a year ago. He initiated measures for recovering ₹8.84 crore in dues from debtors, revamping and operationalising three closed units and steer all the 18 manufacturing units to make profits.
He also proposed a joint venture with Small Industries Development Corporation for utilising unused TANSI land to form private clusters, skills development centres and business centres to promote industrial activities. This venture would help to put many vacant or unused TANSI land across the State to use.
“The focus was also on ensuring employment for the skilled labour during the pandemic. Quality control teams are making sure that the finished products meet quality specifications. We are launching an e-commerce portal for sale of TANSI products,” says Mr. Vijayakumar.
