Bamboo Incense Stick Cluster, Nalbari - Design Clinic Scheme

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Design Awareness Programme (Need Assessment Survey and Design Clinic Workshop) Checklist for Design Expert(s) to conduct Need Assessment Survey Name and address of MSME unit: Bahumukhi Incesne Stick Cluster (Under Bahumukhi Pratibha Vikas Samiti, an NGO, Registration no. NAL/246/C/70), Tihu Village, Dist, Nalbar Contact Person with designation and contact details: Mr. Dilip Dakua, office assistant and general overseer. Phone: 88768 67620 Product range: Hand‐rolled raw incense sticks Nature of work: Splitting and sizing of bamboo into sticks, hand‐rolling of agarbatti mix onto sticks and wholesaler of raw incense sticks Turnover: 7000 kg annually @ INR 60/‐ per kg = INR 4,20,000/‐ Infrastructure set‐up: SSI unit Employee strength: 50 (F‐32, M‐18) Date of visit: 15‐07‐13, 16‐07‐13, 18‐07‐13 Sl. no. Opportunity areas for design intervention Covered? Remarks 1 Product design, redesign, product development Y Scope for better quality products. Can introduce scenting process 2 Technology, modernisation and collaboration Y Research into better rolling of masala methods + automation of process indicated. Can collaborate with organizations providing training in scenting process as well 3 Research and development directions for future initiatives Y In the areas of scenting, brand development and packaging. Also development of small bamboo products for use with agarbattis 4 Innovation in process and related areas for design intervention Y Need to better the rolling process for more quality products. Also standardise the size of the bamboo sticks used 5 Workstation and tooling design Y Study for more comfortable posture indicated while rolling agarbattis, perhaps a higher rolling table? Also no protective gear used while operating machines. Areas involving mixing of powders can enforce use of masks to prevent inhalation of fine powders and charcoal dust 6 Market and competition study for design advantage and distinction Y Thorough market analysis required if they want to step into retail. At present the local markets are flooded with agarbatti from Bangalore. Need to conduct research into which segment they want to enter in terms of retail 7 Training and skill upgradation, if any Y Better training indicated, especially for units which job‐work for BISP. Can introduce a skill development program with better workstations and including visuals and movies as part of awareness of product quality 8 Ergonomic and environment factors Y More comfortable posture and more efficient working table required. Also better lighting in the work areas 9 Packaging, logistics and storage related design opportunities Y Packaging reqd if they plan to enter retail. Storage is haphazard ‐ need to streamline, have dedicated areas for certain materials. Easy access to material and dry storage areas also indicated. Storage of finished goods is in the same space as the working area causing excess clutter. 10 Infrastructure and capability enhancement from design perspective Y Replan the factory to streamline the manufacturing process ‐ a sequential series of operations from the entry of raw material to exit of finished goods. 11 Exhibition / display design opportunities Y Can participate in exhibitions of which there are a number every year. Can design appropriate and aesthetic props for display of the product 12 Visual identity and branding from communication design point of view Y Can develop an area appropriate branding and packaging ‐ highlighting the north east. Use of better quality raw material. Development of unique products ‐ all natural / unique scents / agarbatti + stands / gift sets. 13 Inter cluster communication Y Fairly good, with job‐workers in the area. However better training indicated 14 To create a visible impact and effectively develop capabilities of MSME Y Covered in points 2, 4, 6, 10 15 To improve the process of manufacturing and productivity Y Covered in points 2, 5, 7, 10 16 To increase market share and profitability Y By introducing scenting, improving product quality and product packaging. Even in case of wholesale, product quality need improvement. 17 To reduce rejections, wastages in material, process, resources and drudgery in labour Y Covered in points 8, 10 18 19 20 To improve product manufacturability, servicability, manufacturing process, packaging, logistics operations etc. Y Covered in points 2, 10, 12 To add value to the product or services concerned and increase their competitiveness Y Covered in points 3, 12 To create a positive difference to the MSME, either in absolute revenues (indicating higher profits) or in percentage terms Y Covered in points 2, 4, 6 Remedial design solutions suggested Research into improving the rolling of agarbattis ‐they are currrrently rolled on a wood table using the flat of the hand. However on being shown a video of agarbatti rolling i Vietnam, using a planed piece of wood, helped in the realization that a small intervention can have a large impact of the quality of the rolling of the agarbattis Strict quality controls and standarisation in size and thickness required. Need of better, more ergonomic workstations and comfortable working positions. Also cleaner, better lit and more organized working space will improve output Study of sequence of operations and accordingly reworking the factory layout to improve overall production. Also laying of a permanent flooring will enhance cleanliness Ample scope for product development including finishing processes such as scenting and packaging ‐ need to initiate collaborations with organizations with know‐how in scents and the scenting process. Product development in terms of size, colour, packaging and branding need to be worked out
Introduction to the MSME unit The Bahumukhi Incense Stick Product factory, established in 2009, is located in Tihu village, Nalbari dist., Assam. It is one of the initiatives of the Bahumukhi Pratibha Vikas Samiti, an NGO run by Bani Kalita, a Guwahati based businessman.Mr.Kalita also owns a bamboo round stick making unit in Sonarpur area near Guwahati The Bahumukhi Incense Stick Product (henceforth referred to as BISP) is the first to initiate the business of incense stick making in the area. They supply raw incense sticks to buyers in Guwahati, Tejpur and Bangalore. They outsource part of their manufacturing to small home based units in and around nearby villages ‐ Makhibaha Palitana and Nathkuchi as well as to villages in Darrang, Chirang and Baksa districts. They source raw materials for the agarbatti mix (called masala) locally or from Meghalaya, Hyderabad and the Assam‐Bhutan border. The grinding and mixing is done at BISP and supplied to local units. Once the masala is rolled onto the sticks, a process known locally as 'leping' and dried, it is sent back to the BISP premises, where it is packed and sent out. The BISP round stick making factory at Sonarpur is highly mechanised and has been in operation since June 2013. Hence no data was available regarding turnove and other issues. However, a separate report on the machinery and processes is provided. Questionnaire for each unit visited Sl. No. Topic Covered Remarks 1 Problems in product / process Y 2 Problems in packaging / visual identity Y Level of awareness of new processes / 3 machinery Y 4 General observations 5 Workstation and tooling details Y 6 Ergonomic Issues Y 7 Lighting in work areas Y Labour shortage. Production process not streamlined. Disorganized work areas. No dedicated area for drying of agarbattis No dedicated visual identity ‐ they are wholesale manufacturers. Packaging is in form of 1/2 kg packs bound and wrapped in newspaper. Transported to Guwahati in sacks of 40kgs. At factory level: Not high. No exposure to the internet. However the owner, Mr.Kalita is a savvy individual, keen on developing a strong marketing framework Most productive months are between November‐April, the non‐monsoon months. Also, labour availability is better as this is a low period for agricultural activities. Tools consist of a small wooden table usually 15"x10"x4" for the rolling. However, no set sizes. Stick making tools consist of a small wood‐handled knife called a katari. Manual cutting of bamboo with a hacksaw and splitting with a large wood‐handled knife called a 'dao'. Working position is squatting or cross‐legged on the ground. Though the workers claim no discomfort, the neck is craned downward for long periods of time. Very poor, 4 medium CFL lamps in a large shed. However, work is limited to the daylight hours between10 am to 4 pm max 8 Worker oriented facilities (Canteen / toilets) Y Canteen present. Toilets present 9 Skilled / semi‐skilled labour Y Mostly semi‐skilled, with about two skilled hand rollers 10 Wages Y Did not divulge 11 Gender distribution in workforce Y F ‐ 32, M ‐ 18 12 General obsevations They train new employees in house as well as send trainers to other units in the state. 13 Raw materials Y Jigat powder, leaves/bark powder consisting of 'bagnal' bark, teak leaves, 'amar lata', wild tulsi, charcoal powder 14 Raw material procurement Y Jigat powder / leaves and bark powder: locally, Baksa and Chirang districts, Arunachal Pradesh. Charcoal powder : Hyderabad, Wood coal: Meghalaya. Bamboo: Locally. Transportation is by means of trucks 15 Method of purchase Y Agents, who supply them 16 Storage facilities Y Large bamboo walled and asbestos sheeted sheds. Adequate storage area. Unplanned means of storage. 17 Transportation details Y All movement of finished goods from the manufacturing unit is by road by tempos or trucks. Transport between village units and BISP is by cycle, motorbikes or tempos. In‐house facilities / indigenous innovations / 18 collaboration within units Y Machinery details: Pulverisers, Mixers, Round saws, Splitting and sizing machines, Polishers, Vibro screen (for sifting), Testing lab for quality of charcoal 19 Automation in manufacturing process Y Mostly in the pulverizing and mixing of raw materials and for cutting, sizing of bamboo 20 Means of communication Y Phone 21 Methods of quality control Y Small lab for charcoal quality testing, otherwise none observed 22 General observations Factory layout needs to be better, storage is haphazard, general lack of cleanliness 23 Mode of selling product Y Wholesale only. Raw agarbattis supplied to buyers in Guwahati, Tejpur and Bangalore, Mathura 24 Designated marketing person / agency Y None mentioned 25 Electricity Issues Y Fluctuating supply. Cited as inadequate to run machines regularly 26 Raw material procurement Y Locally, or through agents 27 Labour Y Cite shortage of skilled labour 28 Space Y No shortage of space. However very poor planning and utilization of it. 29 Government support Y None mentioned 30 Mode of financing operations Y None mentioned 31 Business development plans Y Interested in retail for domestic and export markets 32 Willingness to collaborate with designer + other units for future initiatives Y Interested in developing a brand identity and packaging. Mr.Kalita cites the requirement of a plan to launch a brand into domestic and international retail markets. 33 General observations Very competitive market. In case of venturing into retail, will need to acquire know‐how for scenting processes
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Bamboo Incense Stick Cluster, Nalba
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Acknowledgements My experience of c
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Abstract The project Bamboo Incense
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Incense or agarbatti in India Incen
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About Tihu town and the cluster A c
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Introduction to Incense Incense is
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Bamboo culm is sawed into lengths o
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List of regular employees Podumi De
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Topic Layout Workstations, Workspac
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Poor storekeeping - lack of order.
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Storage areas like these can have s
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Poor cleaning practices Workers in
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Square-core stick making machine. I
Page 27 and 28: Unit 2 - The Northeast Incense Powd
Page 29 and 30: Topic Workspace and Ergonomics Mach
Page 31 and 32: Bamboo slicer Slicer in action Tabl
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Page 37 and 38: List of regular employees No. Name
Page 39 and 40: Topic Layout Observations • Work
Page 41 and 42: Lack of space to comfortably accomo
Page 43 and 44: List of employees involved in both,
Page 45 and 46: Topic Layout Workstations, Workspac
Page 47 and 48: Storage shed for cut bamboo Tools u
Page 49 and 50: Unit 5 - Saujhi Self Help Group Con
Page 51 and 52: Resultant sticks mostly of equal le
Page 53 and 54: Bamboo slicing machines Circular sa
Page 55 and 56: Study of scented sticks from the wh
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Page 59 and 60: No change in designs Lack of storag
Page 61 and 62: Products suspended from the ceiling
Page 63 and 64: Observations and suggestions on the
Page 65 and 66: Unit 9 - Sunita Cycle Stand Observa
Page 67 and 68: Small wholesale dealer, main Fancy
Page 69 and 70: Brands on display at wholsale store
Page 71 and 72: Observations REGIONAL Suggestions
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Page 75 and 76: Suggested Future Initiatives In 6 m
Page 77: List of handicraft artisans, Nalbar
Page 81 and 82: Design Awareness Programme (Need As
Page 87 and 88: List of workers under each Agarbatt
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Bamboo Incense Stick Cluster, Nalbari - Design Clinic Scheme

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