Salem is a Geologist's paradise, surrounded by hills and the landscape dotted with hillocks. Salem has a vibrant culture dating back to the ancient Kongu Nadu. As a district, Salem has its significance in various aspects. There are many things in Salem that are noteworthy by virtue of its location and social set-up.

Salem has a greater concentration of Large Scale Industries compared to other Districts in Tamilnadu with the exception of Madras, Chengleput, Coimbatore and Madurai Districts. Salem got the name of STEEL CITY because of the Salem Steel Plant a unit of SAIL.  It produces world class Stainless Steel having customers spanning 37 Countries worldwide. A steel SEZ is proposed to be established by the Government of India.

The district is rich in mineral deposits like Magnesite, Bauxite, Granite, Limestone, Quartz and Iron ore. Allied industries like Magnesite mining, cement manufacture, refractory bricks manufacture, Aluminium smelting etc thrive well. Many agricultural products from Salem have a wide spread market throughout the country.

There are more than 20000 registered Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in Salem District  and  more than 30000 unregistered unit

Salem District is known as the land of Sago, even in the international forums. Due to the yield of tapioca in and around Salem there are so many sago industries functioning in Salem Districts. Tamilnadu, this crop is being cultivated over an area of about  82000 hectares    providing employment for thousands of workers over fields and in 800 processing units. In Salem District alone, 34000 hectares  of land is under tapioca cultivation and there are 650 units engaged in tapioca processing. The District offers good raw material, cheap labour and good sunshine for a longer period of the day throughout the year; helping manufacturers to produce more tapioca finished products eg. sago and starch

 

Making of Silver ornaments and artifacts by hand work is an important cottage industry in Salem. Silver anklets made in Salem are popular throughout the country Making of Silver ornaments and artifacts by hand work is an important cottage industry in Salem. Silver anklets made in Salem are popular throughout the country. Nearly 10,000 units are functioning  in the silver anklet-manufacturing hub of Salem in Tamil Nadu, employing 2 lakh people. nearly 2,000 kg of silver articles are manufactured per day in the Salem The Salem belt accounts for over 60% of silver anklets produced in the country and the products are supplied to retail outlets countrywide. Besides, it is also exported to Singapore and the US . Some of the units also manufacture toe rings and lamps

 

Salem has abundant mineral resources such as Bauxite, Limestone, Quartz, Feldspar and Granite, etc.,  Based on the abundant availability of the above resources some big Industries like Burn & Co., JSW, MALCO etc., are functioning in Salem District providing employment opportunities to the People of Salem District.The Magnesite reserves in Tamil Nadu are about 73 million tonnes. Magnesite is used mainly for refractory purposes and in chemical industries. The major Salem district based players in this field are Tamil Nadu Magnesite (TANMAG), a State Government organisation, Burn Standard, a Government of India organisation and Dalmia Magnesite. Bauxite occur in the Yercaud and Kolli Hill ranges and the reserves are about 26 million tonnes.  Madras Aluminium Company (MALCO) a company of Vedantha  Group is based at Mettur manufacturing Alumina

 

Salem is being the textile processing hub of Tamilnadu. In Salem District large number of powerlooms and Autolooms are functioning in Salem, Idapady and Mettur Taluks. Also handlooms are functioning in high numbers at Omalur, Edapady and Salem Taluks. Also like Tiruppur District which is famous for Knitted apparel, Salem is famous for its Readymade Garments Manufacturing and Exporting the Readymade Garmets to various Europian Countries, USA , Canada and Australia . Also sizable number of spinning mills are functioning in Salem District. After having the huge water resource Cauvery the main element used in Textile processing there are huge no of textile processing industries are in and around the Cauvery bed.

 

Salem is the leading city in garments exports in India . There are numerous Exporters functioning in the city in Gugai region

 

Salem Ammapet and Elampillai are very famous for the Handloom weaving of silk Dhotis'. There are many Co-op societies functioning in the district with direct marketing of the silk dhoti's produced at Salem. The Ammapet weaver's co-operative society has a turnover of 2.40 crores and its main products are cotton sarees, bed sheets, towels, silk sarees and dhotis.

 

Salem houses two cement production factories. One at Sankagiri The India Cements (Brand : Sankar Sakthi) and the other Dalmia Cements at Karuppur These two factories cater for the domestic as well as Export of Cements.

 

Salem is the main market for Coir yarn. Coir rope making is aother major cottage industry. Ropes are made by people out of the fibres of coconut, Aloe vera, Cotton, Jute. Salem has a sizeable weaver population and weaving is an important house hold industry here. Both silk and cotton fabrics woven in Salem find popular market throughout the State.

 

Apart from the above the other predominant industries functioning in large numbers are es functioning in the Sizable number of General Engineering workshops are situated in and around Mettur. Other Industries that are comingup in the District are PVC Pipe manufacturing, Paper cup manufacturing, Fly ash bricks manufacturing, Modern Rice mill, Granite cutting and Polishing. The District provides enough enough scope for the development and growth of Industries engaged in Readymade Garments manufacturing, Granites monuments and slabs, Stainless steel products. Floriculture, Engineering goods, Value added Sago & Starch Products, Minerals and chemicals, Silver ornaments and Silk reeling and Twisting.

* Salem Steel Plant * JSW Steel (SISCOL ) * MALCO * Chemplast SANMAR * Burn Standard & Co * Tata Refractory's * Dalmia Magnesite Ltd * TANMAG Ltd * SAGOSERVE * Indian-Oil Bottling Plant * POWERGRID * India cements, * Madras cements, * Paragan chappals * Rasi seeds * Narasus Exports * Spinning Mills( Sambandam, JP, Kandagiri etc)

Being one of the fastest growing tier II cities, the Tamil Nadu government and ELCOT are planning an IT park in Salem covering about 160 acres. SAIL is planning a Steel SEZ inside the Salem Steel plant covering about 277 acres. There is an exclusive Electrical and Electronics Industrial Estate in the Suramangalam area of Salem city