All the light we cannot see: Tamil Nadu’s match industry faces threat from cheap Chinese lighters

A buoyant safety match industry celebrated its centenary last year. One of the biggest job providers in the southern districts of Virudhunagar, Thoothukudi, and Tirunelveli — after agriculture and fireworks — match production has been mechanised over the years. Yet, the industry remains labour-intensive, thanks in large measure to the smaller feeder units in different parts of these districts. Conducive climatic conditions and a strong workforce have helped the industry thrive.

The tale of how the area became a hub for manufacturing matches for the entire nation is interesting. Entrepreneur cousins A. Shunmuga Nadar and P. Ayya Nadar travelled to Calcutta in 1922 and stayed there for eight months to learn the know-how of match manufacturing. Returning home, they opened the first match unit in Sivakasi in 1923. They reduced the dependency on foreign technology and imported raw materials to make cheaper matches.