One of the oldest textile research centres in India – The Ahmedabad Textile Industry's Research Association (ATIRA) is all set to open an incubation centre for weaving which will develop products for the burgeoning technical textiles segment on May 10.

The incubation centre which has been set up at a cost of Rs 180 million will help entrepreneurs in the technical textiles sector to develop and test new product innovations before commercially launching these products.

The centre has been set up with active support from the government of Gujarat, which is very keen to provide a boost to this high potential category of the textile industry in the state.

ATIRA was the first institute to start a technical textiles testing laboratory in India. Amongst many activities, it provides testing services for geotextiles and protective textiles, that too as per the latest standards.

Dr AK Sharma – Director of ATIRA had told fibre2fashion last year, “We are in the process of setting up the first of its kind incubation centre for the technical textiles weaving sector”.

“This centre will help entrepreneurs develop, produce and understand the viability of their products in the market, before setting up their own plants”, he had informed.

Earlier the government of Gujarat had designated ATIRA as a ‘Centre of Excellence’ (CoE) in technical textiles.

The incubation centre will be inaugurated by Mr Saurabh Patel – Minister of Industry in the government of Gujarat.