ok then try this:

loc_TYPE=$(echo $data_type_SQL | awk -F "|" '{print substr($2,1,1)}')
ware_HOUSE=$(echo $data_type_SQL | awk -F "|" '{print substr($3,1,4)}')
local_ID=$(echo $data_type_SQL | awk -F "|" '{print substr($3,1,4)}')

you should also note that even if the size in the database is defined as 4 or 5 or 6, the actual data may be lesser than the defined size.

cheers,
Devaraj Takhellambam