The Product Group Matrix
     
      There are about twenty-one major industry groups in the small scale sector. These are listed below :

        - Food Products
        - Chemical & Chemical Products
        - Basic Metal Industries
        - Metal Products
        - Electrical Machinery & Parts
        - Rubber & Plastic Products
        - Machinery & Parts Except Elecetrical goods
        - Hosiery & Garments - Wood Products
        - Non-metallic Mineral Products
        - Paper Products & Printing
        - Transport Equipments & Parts
        - Leather & Leather Products
        - Miscellaneous Manufacturing Industries
        - Other Services & Products
        - Beverages, Tobacco & Tobacco Products
        - Repair Services
        - Cotton Textiles
        - Wool, Silk, Synthetic Fibre Textiles
        - Jute, Hemp and Mesta Textiles
        - Other Services
       
      A survey of indices of industrial production (IIP) maintained for these major industry groups reveals what the sunrise industries  are and on what segments the sun has set. SSI units produce an amazing variety and type of products. Over 7500 products are known to be manufactured in this sector. Even in a particular product, there would exist a wide range of  qualities or specifications catering to different market  segments, particularly in consumer/household products. Small Scale sector has emerged as a major supplier of mass consumption items like
        - leather and leather goods
        - plastic and rubber goods
        - ready-made garments
        - hosiery goods, sheet metal goods
        - stationery items - soap and detergents
        - domestic utensils
        - toothpaste and toothpowder
        - safety matches
        - preserved foods and vegetables
        - wooden and steel furniture
        - paints and varnishes etc.,

      Among the sophisticated items mention may also be made of


        - Television sets
        - calculators
        - microwave components
        - plastic film capacitors
        - carbon film registers
        - electromedical equipments
        - electronic teaching aids
        - digital measuring equipments
        - air-conditioning equipments
        - optical lenses
        - drugs and pharmaceuticals
        - electric motors
        - pesticide formulators
        - photographic sensitised paper
        - razor blades
        - collapsible tubes,etc.