SIMA reinforces leadership structure for 2026-27

The Southern India Mills' Association (SIMA) has reinforced its leadership structure for the 2026-27 term, returning S Krishnakumar and K Sivaraj to their respective posts as deputy chairman and vice-chairman. This continuity at the apex body takes place as spinning units across Southern manufacturing clusters face persistent operating margin pressures and fluctuating global raw material costs. Experts are actively utilizing their positions to advocate policy adjustments, emphasizing that long-term viability requires accelerated digital automation and advanced fiber diversification rather than short-term relief measures.

Addressing stakeholders during the leadership announcement, sector executives underscored the critical need to scale up sustainable processing capabilities, particularly circular textile inputs and recycled polyester variants, to meet stringent international compliance requirements. Securing manufacturing competitiveness demands aggressive integration of smart factory frameworks and automated quality controls across the entire fiber-to-fabric value chain, noted an association representative. With major spinning mills facing tighter liquidity margins due to unpredictable global demand and volatile cotton parity, the leadership aims to engage the Union government on long-term buffer stock mechanisms and technology upgradation funds.