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.