When it comes to the leading manufacturing and industrial hubs in south India, Coimbatore conjures up as the city at the helm of business and entrepreneurship. Blessed with a highly conducive business environment, the exceptionally high entrepreneurial spirit of the dynamic business community is renowned across the country. The Coimbatore region is home to more than fifty thousand large, medium and small scale enterprises doing thriving business over the years.

Work Culture

The city is blessed with excellent infrastructure which facilitates business as well as draws in fresh investments. What makes Coimbatore a welcoming destination for investments is the peaceful, participative and highly professional work culture which is endowed with global standards. The high quality of life and a salubrious climate round the year ensures high levels of productivity and a sense of fulfillment in the workforce. Additional to all these amenities is the presence of high order health care institutions which complete the healthy business ecology of the city.

The city beautiful has the highest density of high quality educational institutions in the country which churn out about 40 000 graduates in various disciplines. This explains the easy availability of skilled manpower which facilitates industry and entrepreneurship in the region.

The highly ersified economy of the city comprises light engineering, IT, Health care, Auto components, pumps and motors. The city has one of the six major centres for foundries in India. The IT and ITES industry thrives on the readily available skilled manpower graduating from the prestigious engineering colleges here. At present there are five IT parks and several more are in the pipe line.

Thus the region is growing at a a fast pace with several small and medium enterprises having started their operations in the region.

The City's Pride, the Textile sector

The crowning glory of the Coimbatore industry is the textile sector. Coimbatore flaunts the highest textile activity per sq km in the world and proudly accounts for 84% of the textile machinery manufactured in the country. The region is surrounded by centres specializing in spinning, weaving, power looms and knit wear. With the opening up of the textile sector, the knit wear manufacturers of Coimbatore and Tirupur are expected to double their business in the next two years. Coimbatore is on the fast track, treading a speedy march towards being labeled as the textile hub of the world.

The Hottest Auto components Destination

Coimbatore has emerged as the hottest auto components outsourcing destination in the world. Cost effective components with highest reliability, provided in the fastest turn around time are the strengths of the industry. The high concentration of readily available resources has facilitated Coimbatore to become the world's leading destination for auto components.

Setting Benchmarks in Engineering

The entrepreneurs at Coimbatore deserve all the credit for developing state-of-the-art machine tools with high accuracy. The engineering industry of Coimbatore is credited with offering customized and cost effective engineering solutions. Engineering operations began in Coimbatore with manufacturing textile motors. Thanks to the growing demand for high precision engineering, Coimbatore has evolved as the most sought after destination for pumps, cast components and industrial valves.

Foundry

The foundry industry of Coimbatore cashes in on the increasing demand for quality casting components around the world. Contemporary machines and pollution control equipment have been installed to modernize the foundries in Coimbatore.

Coimbatore Pumps

A Brand to Reckon with 'Coimbator Pumps' is the enviable brand which has captured over 48% of the pumps market in the country. Coimbatore pump is a reliable brand trusted for its high quality performance.

The pumps and motors industry, the earliest and largest engineering activity in Coimbatore, has won recognition for high quality and performance abroad.

The CII Coimbatore Zone

The non-government, not-for-profit institution Confedration of Indian Industry (CII) has an important role to play to bring the city in tune with global standards and set best practices in business and entrepreneurship.

The CII Coimbatore zone comprises the districts of Coimbatore, Erode, Salem and the Nilgiris and has members representing the sectors of Engineering, Auto Components, Pumps, Information Technology and related sectors, Motors, Foundries and Educational Institutions.

CII has a proven track record in playing a pro-active role in the development of Indian Industry. CII works closely with the government and facilitates and empowers industrial and entrepreneurial development. CII Coimbatore zone is the largest zone in the country with a huge membership of around 300 companies ranging from small, medium and large corporate houses.

CII is a catalyst effecting change by closely working with the government on policy issues, enhancing efficiency, competitiveness and expanding business opportunities for industry through a range of specialized services and global linkages.

Social Responsibility

CII Coimbatore zone has been playing an active part in the development of entrepreneurship in the region. CII is also working on a large scale skill development programme in the Coimbatore region to increase employability of youth in the region. CII Coimbatore zone in association with Tamil Nadu Corporation for Development of Women (TNCDW) launched Entry Level Skills Development Initiative in the zone. This programme targets rural unemployed youth with standard 10th and standard 12th background from below poverty line families.

CII has been embarking upon several social development and infrastructure development initiatives in the Coimbatore region. These initiatives range from organizing training and development programmes for youth and women to making representations to the state government for the construction of IT parks and flyovers.

Coimbatore is an educational hub of the region. As of 2010, the Coimbatore district is home to 7 universities, 54 engineering colleges, 2 medical colleges, 35 polytechnics Colleges and more than 70 Arts and Science Colleges and a large number of schools. The city has reputed state owned universities like Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (est. 1971), Bharathiar University (1982), Anna University Coimbatore (2007) and private universities like Avinashilingam University (1987), Amrita University (2003), Karunya University (2004) and Karpagam University (2005). The city also houses research institutes like Central Institute for Cotton Research.

The first college opened in Coimbatore was the Government Arts College (1875–76). The Forest College and Research Institute was opened in 1916. The first engineering college in the city was started by G.D. Naidu as the Arthur Hope College of Technology in 1945. Later it became the Government College of Technology, Coimbatore. PSG College of Technology was established later in 1951. The Air Force Administrative College was established in 1949 to train Indian Air Force personnel.

Coimbatore Institute of Technology (CIT) was started in the 1950s. Coimbatore Medical College was opened in 1966 and the Government law college started functioning from 1978. The agricultural school established in 1868 was converted into a full fledged agricultural university (Tamil Nadu Agricultural University) in 1971 and the Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History was opened in 1990. Several private engineering and arts & science colleges were started during the education boom in the 1990s. There are three types of schools in Coimbatore - 1) government run schools (corporation schools) 2) schoolsore funded by the government but run by private trusts (aided schools) and 3) schools funded and administered by private trusts.

Coimbatore and its people have a reputation for entrepreneurship. Though it is generally considered a traditional city, Coimbatore is more diverse and cosmopolitan than all other cities in Tamil Nadu except for Chennai. The heavy industrialisation of the city has also resulted in the growth of trade unions. There are numerous temples in and around the city including the Perur Patteeswarar Temple, Konniamman temple, Thandu Mariamman temple, Vazhai Thottathu Ayyan temple, Echanaari Ganesh temple, Karamadai temple, Marudamalai Murugan temple, Panchamuga Anjaneya Temple (Hanuman with 5 Faces) and the Dhyanalinga Yogic Temple. The Mariamman festivals, at the city’s numerous Amman temples, are major events in summer.

The mosques on Oppanakara Street and Big Bazaar Street date back to the period of Hyder Ali. Christian missions date back to 1647 when permission was granted by the Nayak rulers to set up a small church in Karumathampatti. It was destroyed by Tipu Sultan’s army resulting in a new church in 1804. In 1886, Coimbatore was constituted as a diocese after bifurcating with Pondicherry. Sikh Gurudwaras and Jain Temples are also present in Coimbatore.

Coimbatore is the third largest city of TamilNadu. Coimbatore City (Kovai) is one of the top 10 fastest growing cities of India. Coimbatore district has a population of about 42.25 Lakhs (Census in 2001). Coimbatore is also a district capital. There are more than 30,000 small, medium, large scale industries, textile mills and Jewellery Manufacturers. Coimbatore supplies over 30 per cent of all the automotive components used in the country; several companies also cater to the international market. The city makes over 60 per cent of the water pumps and 45 percent of the motors used in India. Another recent study on the feasibility of setting up an Information Technology (IT) park in Coimbatore, by Pricewaterhouse Coopers pointed to the city as one to be watched. Coimbatore has also proved that it can take on competition, both domestic and international. The district, has an excellent academic infrastructure that churns out over 20,000 engineering and 28,000 non-engineering graduates every year, is poised to emerge as one of the largest knowlegable human resource power house by 2008.

Location of Coimbatore

It is located at the foothills of western ghats blessed with a wonderful climate and water. Coimbatore is 750MSL and average rainfall of 200mm to 300mm, temperature ranging from moderate to medium. Coimbatore district is fed with water from Noyal, Siruvani, Bhavani and Amaravathi. Siruvani, world's second purest water body is the main source of water in the city. Coimbatore district is surrounded by Nilgris District, Erode District in Tamil Nadu and Palghat District in Kerala.

Road

Coimbatore is well connected by Road, Rail and Air. Coimbatore being a business city with manufacturing and trading activity, it is a well connected to the Chennai, Cochin. Cuddalore and Tuticorin Ports. Lot of international carriers like Fedex, DHL, UPS and local carriers like Gati, Blue dart, Professional Couriers, Speed Post, DTDC operate from Coimbatore.

Coimbatore city is connected by national highway 47 (NH-47) from Salem leading to Kanyakumari, Coimbatore is 530 KMs from Chennai, Tamil Nadu State Capital (travel time of about 10 Hrs). Tirupur 60 KMs - 1.5 Hour, Ooty 80 KMs - 3 Hrs, Pollachi 40 KMs - 1 Hr, Erode 100 KMs - 2.5 Hrs, Salem 160 KMs - 4 Hrs, Bangalore 360 KMs - 7 Hrs, Buses ply to every major city and town in Tamil Nadu and other states from Coimbatore.

Railways

Coimbatore has three railway junctions (terminals) - Coimbatore Central, Coimbatore North and Podanur (15 KMs). There are everyday trains to major cities Bangalore, Chennai, New Delhi, Tirupathi, Cochin, Mangalore, Mumbai, Madurai, Trichy, Ooty, Palghat, Tirupur, Erode, Salem, Thanjavur and Kanyakumari.

Airport

Coimbatore has an International Airport and is connected to all major metropolitian cities in India, and Gulf. Indian Airlines, Jet Airways, Air Sahara, Paramount Airways, Go Air, and Air Deccan operate frequent flights in Coimbatore. Click to know more about Coimbatore Air timings.

In Coimbatore city, you can also find call taxis as economical as in any other part of the country. City has reasonably well laid roads and lanes. Traffic and Air pollution is increasing day by day and is a cause to worry.

Coimbatore has a pleasant, salubrious climate due to its proximity to thickly forested mountain ranges and the cool breeze blowing through the Palghat gap which makes the consistently hot temperatures more pleasant. Under the Köppen climate classification, the city has a tropical wet and dry climate, with the wet season being from October to December due to the northeast monsoon. Coimbatore is located at an elevation of about 411 meters. The mean maximum and minimum temperature varies between 35 °C (95 °F) and 18 °C (64 °F). highest temperature ever recorded is 41 °C (106 °F) and lowest is 12 °C (54 °F).Due to the presence of the mountain pass, more elevated parts of the district benefit from the south-west monsoon in the months from June to August. After a warm, humid September, the main monsoon starts from October lasting till early November. These monsoons are brought about by the retreating monsoon.

The average annual rainfall is around 700 mm with the North East and the South West monsoons contributing to 47% and 28% respectively to the total rainfall. This rainfall is not enough to sustain the needs of the city for the entire year and the shortage is made up through water supply schemes like Siruvani, Pilloor and Athikadavu.
The soil is predominantly black, which is suitable for cotton cultivation, but some red loamy soil is also found. Coimbatore falls under the Class III/IV Seismic Zone, having experienced a 6.0 Richter scale earthquake in 1900.