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CONTENTSFOREWARD ........................................................................................................... 5INDIAN TEXTILE INDUSTRY ........................................................................................................... 7INTERVIEWS WITH TITANS ......................................................................................................... 17THIAGARAJAR MILLS (P) LIMITED ---Mr. KARUMUTTU T.KANNAN ....................................... 18SHRI RAMALINGA MILLS LIMITED ---Dr. DINAKARAN ................................................................... 22EASTMAN EXPORTS ---Mr. CHANDRAN ................................................................... 26KG FABRIKS LIMITED ---Mr. K G BAALAKRISHNAN .............................................30POPPY’S KNIT WEAR ---Dr. SAKTHIVEL ..................................................................... 34B.K.S.TEXTILES PRIVATE LTD ---Mr. SENTHILKUMAR ......................................................... 38JANSONS INDIA - TEXTILE DIVISION ---Mr. NATARAJAN ................................................................... 44ASIAN FABRICX PRIVATE LIMITED ---Mr. VENKATAACHALAM ................................................ 48KAY VENTURES PVT LTD ---Mr. SUSINDRAN .................................................................. 52KPR MILL LIMITED ---Mr. K.P.RAMASAMY .......................................................... 56MCR TEXTILES ---Mr. M.C.ROBIN & Mr. M.C.RIXON .............................. 60K.K.BALUSAMY & CO ---Mr. K.K. BALUSAMY .......................................................... 66FOUR SEASONS INTERNATIONAL ---Mr. VISWANATHAN ............................................................ 70VISHAL BHARATH TEXTILES ---Mr. MURUGESH .................................................................... 74SURYA COTTON FABRICS ---Mr. DURAISAMY .................................................................. 78RAJAPALAYAM MILLS LIMITED (RAMCO) ---Mr. VENKETRAMA RAJA ................................................ 86PALLAVA TEXTILES PRIVATE LIMITED ---Mr. DURAI PALANISAMY ............................................... 90PREMIER MILLS PVT. LTD ---Dr. SRINIVASAN .................................................................. 94WARSAW INTERNATIONAL ---Mr. RAJA SHANMUGAM ................................................. 98RAMARAJ COTTON ---Mr. NAGARAJAN ................................................................ 102SCM TEXTILE SPINNERS ---Mr. VINAYAKAM .................................................................. 110SHOBIKAA IMPEX PVT LTD ---Mr. SIVASAMY ...................................................................... 114SSM ACADEMY OF TEXTILE MANAGEMENT ---CAVALIER’ Dr. M.S.MATHIVAANAN ....................... 118LOYAL TEXTILES ---LATE Mr. MANIKAM RAMASWAMI ........................ 122VIKING ---Mr. EASWARAN .................................................................. 124PENQUIN APPARELS (P) LTD ---Mr. ANBUKANI .................................................................... 128JVS EXPORTS ---Mr. BRITTO ............................................................................ 132ATLAS EXPORT ENTERPRISES ---Mr. NACHIMUTHU ............................................................ 136

‘‘Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.’’ —Margaret Mead

Dear Friends, India and Tamil Nadu have been well-known as strong textile centers ever since the ancient eras. Like our languages and rich and flavor-ful cuisines, our textile products also have a strong connection with every one of our regions, lifestyles, and climates. Over the years, the Indian textile industry has harnessed this strength to evolve as a for-midable force, breaking many barriers and boundaries in the world. Fashion and design are becoming universally popular, which proposes a unique opportunity for countries like India and states like Tamil Nadu. Textiles have become a major economic acti-vity in the country, with high quality raw mate-rials, good climatic conditions, and skilled wor-kers available. As a result, a large number of our manufacturers and traders have established themselves as world leaders. Young entrepre-neurs looking at this activity as an avenue to explore and make an impact in their careers can learn many positive lessons from industry leaders who have pioneered the space and paved the way for rapid growth.

In order to encourage and motivate young entrepreneurs, we thought of capturing the experiences of textile industry leaders in a book. These leaders are not only successful business people, but role models for the industry and bud-ding young individuals. We are proud and thankful to all of the top-class veterans for their time and for their encouraging words in the creation of this project. We believe that Texvalley as a trading center will continue to move in the right direction by ta-king all the guidance administered by industry leaders, government officials, and elected representatives to make Erode among the top destinations for quality textile product sourcing. Best wishes and greetings from Texvalley,

Vazhga Valamudan

ForewordFo

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Indian Textile IndustryIndia’s textile industry, dating back several centu-ries, is one of the oldest industries in the country’s economy. With hand-spun and hand-woven textile sectors at one end of the spectrum and the capital-intensive, sophisticated mills sector at the other end of the spectrum, the textile industry in India is rich with variation. The largest component of the industry, however, is comprised of the decentra-lized power looms and hosiery and knitting sectors.

The close link between the textile industry to agricul-ture as well as ancient cultural traditions make Indian textiles unique in comparison to industries of other countries. Because of its rich history and variety of sectors, India has had the capacity to produce an array of products suitable to different market segments, both within the country and across the world. During the 2017–18 fiscal year, India’s textile exports stood at US $39.2 billion.

Market Size The Indian textiles industry is currently estimated at around US $150 billion. It is expected to reach US $250 billion by 2019. Textiles contributed to 7% of all industry output in India (in value terms) in 2017–18. In the same year, it contributed to 2% of India’s GDP, employed more than 45 million people, and contri-buted to 15% of India’s export earnings.

The Road AheadThe future for the Indian textile industry looks promi-sing, buoyed by both strong domestic consumption as well as export demand.

With consumerism and disposable income on the rise, the retail sector has experienced a rapid growth in the past decade with several international players entering the Indian market. The rising disposable

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income is a result of economic growth. This has led to a rise in the demand for products, creating a huge domestic market. The textile and apparel industry can be broadly divided into two segments: 1) yarn and fiber and 2) processed fabrics and apparel.

The domestic textile industry in India is estimated to reach US $223 billion by the 2021 fiscal year from US $150 billion in November 2017. India’s cotton production, on the other hand, is estimated to have reached 34.9 million bales in the 2018 fiscal year. In the 2019 fiscal year, growth in private consumption is expected to create an even greater domestic demand for textiles.

An increase in organized retail, favorable demogra-phics, and rising income levels are likely to drive the demand for textiles as well. Cloth production stood at 28.9 billion square meters (provisional) in the 2019 fiscal year, making India the world’s second largest exporter of textiles and clothing.

Textile and apparel exports from India are expected to increase to US $82 billion by 2021. India’s textile and apparel exports reached US $13 billion in the 2019 fiscal year. Manmade garments remain the largest contributor to India’s total textile and appa-rel exports, contributing to 24.53% to all textiles.

“ Textiles contributed to 7% of all industry output in India (in value terms) in 2017/2018.”

The fundamental strength of the textile industry in India is its strong production base of a wide range of yarn from natural fibers like cotton, jute, silk, and wool to synthetic or man-made fibers like polyes-ter, viscose, nylon, and acrylic. India’s textiles in-dustry contributed to 7% of the country’s industry output (in value terms) in 2017–18. It contributed to 2% to India’s GDP, employed more than 45 million people, and contributed to 15% of India’s export earnings in 2017–18.

India’s home textile industry is expected to expand to US $8.2 billion in 2021 from US $4.7 billion in 2014. India accounts for 7% of the global home textiles trade. The superior quality of products that Indian companies produce make them desirable in the US and the UK, contributing to two thirds of their exports. In the past few years, Indian products have gained a significant market share in global home textiles. With growing household incomes, increasing populations, and growing sectors like housing, hospitality, and healthcare, the home textile industry is expected to

Indian Textile IndustryIndian Textile Industry

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grow even more. In 2018*, the Indian home textile industry reached US $4.95 billion.

Textiles in Tamil NaduThe textile industry of Tamil Nadu has a significant presence in national and state economies, as it is the forerunner in industrial development and in providing massive employment to the state. Han-dlooms, power looms, spinning, processing, and garments and hosiery encompass the various sec-tors of Tamil Nadu’s textile industry.

Specifically, the handloom sector occupies a place of pride in preserving the country’s heritage and culture. It plays a vital role in the economy of the state with its long tradition par excellence in its craftsmanship and also provides employment to half a million weavers. The handloom sector in Tamil Nadu has played a crucial role in meeting people’s

clothing needs and stands next to only Assam in terms of number of looms. Various plans for clusters of handlooms have been launched in Tamil Nadu with central and state assistance under the Integrated Handloom Development scheme.

The readymade garments and home textile sectors, which are mainly geared toward foreign or interna-tional markets, are heavily dependent upon power loom sectors to meet their fabric requirements. The textile sector in Tamil Nadu is predominant-ly spinning-oriented. There are large, medium, and small spinning mills in India, many of which are located in Tamil Nadu. The yarn they produce accounts for 40% of India’s total yarn production and stands as the number one producer of various varieties of yarn in the country.

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Erode is the heart of the region’s textiles, as it is surrounded by a huge number of textile manufac-turing industries located in Salem, Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Karur, Namakkal, Palladam, and Pallipalayam. A large number of spinning mills are located in Coimbatore, also known as the Manchester of South India. Tiruppur is the country’s largest exporter of knitwear. The Erode region produces a wide range of textile products, including greige fabrics, yarn and woven fabric, handloom and khadi, finished garments, and more, which caters to the demand of both domestic and international markets.

Erode is in fact South India’s largest textile trading hub with a 200-year-old heritage of cotton, produ-cing about 47% of the state’s total textile needs. With over 5 Lakh artisans and over 2.5 Lakh looms, this region has been directly involved in the supply of rich cotton products for ages. The cluster produces 15 million meters of fabric every day.

From Kanchipuram silk sarees to Bhavani carpets (Jamukkalam) to Madurai sungudi and Salem silk dhotis, Erode and Karur home textiles continue to be universally recognized for their excellent quality. The cities of Coimbatore, Erode, Tiruchengode, and Tirupur in Tamil Nadu are the largest garment exporters in India. More than 7,000 garment units in Tamil Nadu provide employment opportunities to more than one million people.

“Tiruppur is the country’s largest exporter of knitwear.”

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The Industry ForecastThere is a rise in demand for exports. The increasing demand in the domestic market is due to evolving tastes and preferences. Growing populations are driving demand for textiles, and rising incomes have been a key determinant of domestic demand for the sector; with incomes rising in the rural economy, the upward push upon demand from the income side is set to continue. Rising industrial activities will also support the growth in the per capita income.

India is the world’s second largest textile exporter. Export capacity, built over many years, has led to a low cost of production per unit in India’s textile industry, and this has given the country a a strong competitive advantage relative to their key global peers. The strong performance of textile exports is reflected in the value of exports from the sector over the years. In coming decades, Africa and Latin America could very well turn out to be key markets for Indian textiles.

«India is the world’s second largest textile exporter.»

OpportunitiesThere is an immense potential for growth, as the Indian textile industry is buoyed by both strong domestic consumption as well as export demand. The popula-tion is expected to reach to 1.34 billion by the 2019 fiscal year.

Urbanization is expected to support higher growth due to changes in fashion and trends. With consu-merism and disposable income on the rise, the retail sector has experienced a rapid growth in the past decade with several international players. The organized apparel segment is expected to grow, and India and Bangladesh plan to increase their coope-ration in order to increase investments and trading of jute and fabrics.

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Indian Textile Industry

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"You must be very patient, very persistent. The world isn’t going to shower gold coins on you just because you have a good idea. You’re going to have to work like crazy to bring that idea to the attention of people.”—Herb Kelleher

Titans of Textiles celebrates the great people who have pioneered Tamil Nadu’s textileindustry.

The textile industry prides itself on providing one of the three basic needs to mankind. But our world of textiles and fashion can sometimes feel pretty de-humanizing. It’s easy to forget that every garment or fabric we wear and use are the result of hard work and struggle by real people. That’s why we put together Titans of Textiles—to offer a window into the lives and work of those people.

Through face-to-face interviews, we learned about 26 titans and their journeys in the wor-ld of textiles, their talents, their abilities, their successes, as well as their opinions on market opportunities and forecasts for the future of the industry. We looked beyond the conventional definitions for ‘success’, putting a spotlight on the people, projects, and ideas that have shaped textile companies.

IntroductionIn

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Mr. T. Kannan serves as Managing Director at Thiagarajar Mills Limited and has had an enormous impact on the textile industry.

«But over a period of time, I am afraid, our industry is losing some of our strength mostly due to entrepreneurial defaults.»

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I studied at the Thiagarajar Model School and Thiagarajar College at Madurai. Madurai has a unique culture, which is built around the temple and other institutions around it. In 2004, I was invited to head the Temple Trust Board quite unexpectedly by the then-Chief Minister Dr. Jayalalithaa. Later, when the change of government occurred, Dr. Kalaignar was magnanimous in asking me to continue serving, despite the fact that I was appointed by the earlier regime.

My first priority at the temple was to ensure its cleanliness. A view prevailed at that time that lakhs of people came to the temple every day, so it would be a futile exercise to attempt any deep cleaning. This was a major challenge, and we set out to inspire a serious mindset change amongst the temple staff. I am happy to say that this was possible in a very short time. Our staff rose to the occasion, and we were able to install a whole new culture, which is now deep-rooted at temple. As a result, last year we were able to win the “Swachh Iconic Place Award” (all India basis).

Later, I realized that we could provide better value to the Sevarthis if the temple made its own prasadams. At that time, it was being outsourced and fetching an annual revenue of Rs. 25 Lakhs. When the temple started to do this in-house, the quality and sales skyrocketed. Ten years later, I am happy to say that the temple is netting Rs. 3.00 Crores and more out of the avenue of prasadam alone.

Next, we had the challenge of the “Potramarai Kulam” being filled with water. The solution to this was provided by Prof. Gettu of IIT, Chennai. He gave a very simple solution: he asked us to pour pure clay instead of concrete on the floor. I am happy to say that for the last 6 years and more, this has been a success, and we have been able to restore the Potramarai Kulam. I was uniquely privileged to conduct the “Kumbabishekam” in the year 2009.

«But looking back, I have to say that I learned more from my parents at home than from formal education.»

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Looking back, I have to say that I learned my way of solving problems from my parents at home rather than from formal education. Our group was founded by my father, Shri Karumuttu Thiagarajan Chettiar, who in his time (1893–1974) went on to establish 18 textile mills, a bank, and an insurance company, in addition to institutes of higher learning and over 10 schools. His value system was unique and clearly still guides us to this day. Fairness to all was a guiding light of his business principles, as well as charity. A percentage of his profits were always earmarked for charity.

I was once asked by my father to explain why the two sides of every company’s balance sheet are equal. He went on to ask me why profit is considered a liability and losses are considered an asset. If one can answer these questions, then he understands the fundamental principles of accounting. Today, I pose these questions to commerce graduates who come in for interviews, and I am sorry to say that 9 out of 10 of them are unable to answer me.

When you do your schooling at home—provided that your family has the right atmosphere and culture—you can learn a lot and gain more from that learning than you might from a hostel warden or a modern-day school principal.

As far as textiles goes, Tamil Nadu has great stren-gths when it comes to textiles. It’s up to us to make the best out of those strengths. The country’s most productive textile companies are situated there, and we have accomplished one of the highest producti-vities and quality levels in textiles. But over a period of time, I am afraid, we are losing some of our stren-gth mostly due to entrepreneurial defaults.

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This is a competitive industry with low margins. Any mistakes we make undoubtedly erode the profit margin. Many entrepreneurs have not paid due attention to modernization and efficiencies, and this has costed the industry. Innovation in products and in marketing are absolutely essential, but often ignored or taken for granted.

Another issue in this industry is herd mentality, which is very prevalent. Many people don’t follow due processes in day-to-day management. They tend to follow rumors and advice from middlemen. This has cost many companies dearly. B-2-B approaches have to be developed and must become the norm for this industry. If we keep these ideas in mind, then things will dramatically improve. The next genera-tion must drive these changes rather than follow the time-honored approaches. ROCE—Return on Capital Employed—must be every manager’s mantra.

Often, people take shelter under the excuse “that there is a textile crisis.” People have to get themsel-ves out of that mindset. The job of a manager is to see opportunities, not look for excuses! I believe that if you set your mind to achieve something, you are likely to achieve it rather than fail.

«I believe that if you set your mind to achieve something, you are likely to achieve it rather than fail.»

Side NotesCompany NameTHIAGARAJAR MILLS (P) LIMITED

Founded1936

LocationMadurai

FounderMr. KARUMUTTU THIAGARAJAN CHETTIAR

Key PersonMr.KARUMUTTU T.KANNAN

IndustrySpinning

MarketsDomestic & Export

Websitehttp://www.tmills.com

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Mills Limited

Renowned in the textile industry, Mr. T.R. Dhinakaran is the Chairman of Shri Ramalinga Mills Limited.

“I believed that maintaining good relationships between employees and their employers was the backbone of success.”

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I was introduced to the textile industry by my father, who ran a ginning factory while I was growing up. My exposure to the industry inspired me to complete my schooling at Ramakrishna Vidyalaya Mission, Coimbatore, finish my intermediate at Anna University, and then join the PSG Institutions. In 1961, I graduated as a mechanical engineer.

I was a good learner. I accepted an opportu-nity following my studies to serve as a trainee in Sengottaiya Balram Verma Textiles for six months. I then leased and led the Shanmugar Mills. Around that time—the year was 1965—the great leader Mr. Kamarajar established the Shri Ramalinga Mills Limited, and the mills, which were primarily built to support weavers and their craft, began operating that same year.

I was very much interested in labor management. I believed that maintaining good relationships between employees and their employers was the backbone of success. So, I made it my mission to mentor the handloom weavers.

It wasn’t an easy task, though, and I faced several hurdles. For one, working at the mills required an intimate knowledge of the machinery. Our weavers needed to be put through rigorous training and

trials before they could work effectively and safely. We also only had one bus to pick the laborers up and drop them off at their different work stations.

To solve these issues and develop stronger relationships with our employees at Shri Ramalinga Mills, we brought in the worker’s education

“Necessity drives invention.”

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department. Every week, teachers arrived and showed the weavers how to properly operate the machinery, which helped tremendously. We also eventually acquired eighteen buses, started the Pattabi Textiles to understand the nuances of handloom weaving, and received help from a labor welfare committee. Through work committee meetings, we were able to understand what basic amenities our laborers needed and how we could drive them to succeed in their lives and in the workplace.

Due to the rise in cotton’s value, we’ve since bought yarn from Guntur, Ahmedabad, and Gujarat and have spun and promoted our products in domestic markets. And with development and modernization, the power loom has come into play, which has sharply raised the value of cotton and fiber. Necessity drives invention—the price of cotton has now reached high levels, and modernization has brought viscose and polyester and cotton blends into the market as well.

Even though machinery is more advanced these days, we haven’t abandoned our employees. Rather, we’ve promoted them or moved them to more appropriate work departments, on top of continuing to focus our attention on supporting handloom weaving. We’ve also worked on optimizing worklo-ads to benefit our employees.

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Side NotesCompany NameSHRI RAMALINGA MILLS LIMITED

Founded1951

LocationAruppuKottai

FounderMr.T. RAMASAMY NAICKER

IndustrySpinning

MarketsDomestic & Export

Today, we at Shri Ramalinga Mills continue to work toward the growth and betterment of the textile and spinning industries. I believe that the government has to work on the fixed subsidies and taxes for the growth of power loom and that industry leaders should focus on pollution control management. For us, it’s all about maintaining a balance between accepting change and staying true to our roots and our legacy.

“We were able to unders-tand what basic amenities our laborers needed and how we could drive them to succeed in their lives and in the workplace."

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Exports

A formidable force in Tamilnadu’s textile industry, Chairman and Managing Director of Eastman Exports Sri. N. Chandran shares his pre-eminent journey from being a

graduate of arts to becoming an esteemed industrialist.

«My happiness lies in giving employment to more people»

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«Behind every great success there is a humble beginning.»Behind every great success there is a humble beginning. In the year 1976, I began a small-scale dyeing business with my brothers. Years passed. The business flourished. And with time, my brothers left the company to begin their own businesses.

I had foreseen the winds of change and staked the future of my business upon deepening my knowledge of textile chemistry, setting out to receive technical training at a British company called the Imperial Chemical Industry. Then, in the year 1983, everything changed for my company. We were entering the garments export. In spite of the fact that we faced a severe impediment over the course of one year following this move, my staff and I endured the ride with passion and persistence, and so the company thrived.

Ever since then, Eastman Exports has catered to leading brands, department stores, boutiques, and high street retailers all across the globe. I owe the dynamic growth of the company to the valuable staff members here. They leverage diverse competencies and perspectives, reaping the benefits of synergy while modeling organizational unity by sharing and collaborative efforts.

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Our exceptional team of professionals consistently creates high-quality products, satisfying the needs of our customers and delivering products before deadlines with support from our modern techno-logical systems. We all stay close to the market and constantly monitor worldwide requirements and also follow a strict ethical code of conduct. Our business deals are always transparent.

During the budding period of Eastman Exports, I realized that a business needs to be consistent-ly unique and innovative to succeed. That is the reason why I have traveled all over the world: to gain exposure to new ideas and seek out inspiration that will ultimately benefit the company. I’ve met international designers who inspired me to start a

«I have a motto. It is “employment for everyone.”»

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designing studio in Amsterdam, an endeavor that has allowed me to understand the in-depth nuances of the fashion industry. I have also been inspired to develop an innovative production process at Eastman, where we use sustainable, eco-friendly, and organic products. As a result of that practice, our group has created several benchmarks and established many milestones for the forthcoming generation. We also support research and develop-ment for the advancement of sustainability in manufacturing apparel products, highly regarded by the Government of India.

I have a motto. It is “employment for everyone.” The quantum energy of Tirupur propels all of its entrepreneurs forward in the voyage to success. These senior entrepreneurs of Tirupur have inspired me, and I am proud to have a positive and friendly relationship with them, as they are the strength of the city.

Side NotesCompany NameEASTMAN EXPORTS

Founded1983

LocationTirupur

FounderMr.N. CHANDRAN

IndustrySpinning, Knitting

MarketsDomestic & Export

Websitehttp://www.eastmanexports.com

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Limited

Sri K.G. Balakrishnan, Executive Chairman of KG Denim Limited, is a prominent industrialist and altruist.

«My advice to all buddingentrepreneurs is simply this: work hard and be honest.»

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Sri K.G. Govindasamy set foot on a remarkable journey in 1932 when he founded KG Denim Limited. While KG Denim was growing, so was I—in a family of five brothers. The year was 1954, and I was fourteen, beginning a magnificent journey of my own in the textile industry by helping my father in his ginning factory. In 1971 and 1974, we acquired Kannapiran Mills and Kathir Mills, respectively, and so our work with spinning mills began.

Individually, KG Denim produces 10,000 pairs of jeans per day.The year 1991 marked the beginning of the striking expedition, and KG Denim had by then become the first of its kind in India and second in Asia. KG Denim had flourished with cotton supplies culti-vated in Coimbatore, and Coimbatore’s mild climate had helped the growth of spinning mill industries manifold, making it one of the reasons for the vast growth in spinning mills around the area. But due to a fall in cotton cultivation, KG Denim started impor-ting materials from Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, as well as other places from Northern India and elsewhere in the world.

«G Denim’s sales achie-vements are the result of hard work and extensive traveling to gain customers across the globe.»Today, KG Denim caters to nearly half of the world. They have expanded their sales to places like America, Europe, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Turkey, and Egypt, to name just some countries. High demand for their products makes their stabilized growth

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most favorable in the coming future. And I’m proud to say that KG Denim and Kannapiran Mills together have manufactured sixty million meters of products. Individually, KG Denim produces 10,000 pairs of jeans per day.

One of the major reasons for our growth as a force in the textile industry is our team of exceptional technology specialists and engineers. They define standards not just in India, but in various other countries like Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Vietnam. Similarly, our sales achievements are the result of our executive team’s hard work and extensive travels to gain customers across the globe. The team travels boundlessly to maintain customer relationships, which we consider to be a core value of the company. Our team also travels prevalently to Italy and Germany to retrieve excellent machinery for production.

We foresee a massive growth in the industry due to high demand. In this period of growth, we continue to aid our employees and listen to their needs by giving them all of the basic amenities and a handsome pay in par with industry standards. We are also working towards the expansion of other fibers like nylon and polyester to keep up with the times.

My advice to all budding industrialists is simply this: work hard and be honest.

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Side NotesCompany NameKG FABRIKS LIMITED

Founded1994

LocationCoimbatore

FounderMr.K.G. BAALAKRISHNAN

Key PersonMr. SRI HARI

IndustryDenim

MarketsDomestic & Export

Websitehttp://www.kgdenim.com

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Padmashri Dr. A. Sakthivel, Chairman and Managing Director of Poppys Knitwear (P) Ltd. A pioneer in the field of knitwear manufacturing and exports

and an altruist, shares his insights and experiences.

«Hard work anddetermination were my keys to a sucessful career in the trade and knitting industry.»

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Every successful person has a story filled with hurdles, and I am no exception. I hail from Tiruppur in Southern India, where I started out as a young and ambitious entrepreneur. I was the eldest of five children in a closely-knit family. During my first attempt at pre-university, I didn’t get through. I had insisted on choosing a different field of work than my father—I didn’t want to work in the police department like he did—and one of my family friends suggested that I complete an automobile course at TELCO (TATA Engineering and Locomotive Company) in Jamshedpur. So, at sixteen years old, I traveled to Jamshedpur from Coimbatore, did an interview at TELCO, and enrolled in the automobile course.

«Hard work and determination were my keys to a successful career in the trade and export industries.»My early days at TELCO were physically and mentally demanding. After all, I had grown up in a close-knit family and missed them. But enduring that difficulty made me stronger. My experiences paved the way for me to gain exposure to engineering, study Hindi and English, and learn many, many life lessons. Once I completed the course at TELCO, I started a job at NM Group as a work manager, which I did for two years. I then started a workshop of my own in Chennai. As it was the early 70s, though, people didn’t fully understand my educational background or the caliber of an engineering graduate with experience. I wasn’t taken very seriously.

In 1973, I took the capital of 50,000 from my father and started a knitwear unit collaborating with Gandhi Agencies. I was primarily running the unit for domestic markets, which was focused on North Indian markets where they traveled up to Kashmir. In the period of 1973–1977, I gained contacts in the North Indian market, and one of my friends brought

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an international buyer who ran merchandising exports through various sources. In 1978, I started my own export unit called Ashoka International along with the North Indian partnership.

Things were looking up. By 1980, Poppys Knitwear had become an established company in India. But an obstacle awaited me. One of my partners at Ashoka International left due to a difference in opinion, which landed me in some debt.

Though I paid my debts within three years, Ashoka International was closed due to the losses we incur-red. It was a difficult time. My father had passed away in the service, and as the eldest son, I needed to support the family. My determination to prove myself filled me with courage, so I started an export unit under Poppys Knitwear (P) Ltd.

Hard work and determination were my keys to a successful career in the trade and export industries. I’ve always kept target achievements and have worked hard to meet those targets. That hard work has paid off. In 1990, my company’s value raised to 300 crores. I’ve also made it my mission to serve others. I’ve been a member of the AEPC Organization for three decades and thrice I have been elected Chairman. With the help of AEPC and the Tiruppur Exporters Association, I have encouraged young minds and small-scale exporters to get involved in internatinal and big-scale export.

«But enduring that difficulty made me stronger.»

I’ve also worked with Central and State Government officials, bringing in industrial parks, an inland container depot, and schools like the National Institute of Fashion Technology–TEA. I’ve helped bringing additional water to Tirupur for both Industrial and Domestic usage, and setting up of an effective drainage system in the district, which was acknowledged by the Union Government of India. I was also invited by UNIDO to present speeches about establishing a successful trade and export industry.

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I’m honored to have been the first recipient of the PADMASHRI award from the textile industry. I will continue to be involved in visionary projects and initiatives and help the industry and our society grow.

Side NotesCompany NamePOPPY’S KNIT WEAR

Founded2003

LocationTirupur

FounderDr. A. SAKTHIVEL

IndustryKnitting, Process, Garment, Printing

MarketsExports

Websitehttp://www.poppysonline.com

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Sri. M. Senthil Kumar, Chairman of BKS Textiles, shares his magnificent journey

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BKS exports started as as a proprietary company in 1983 focusing mainly on the exports of home textiles otherwise known as made ups and fabrics. Our early business was to concentrate and facilita-ting the sales of handloom products - Khadi. I slowly moved on to power looms - started manufacturing on contract basis and sold the fabrics domestical-ly to Mumbai, Ahmadabad, Jaipur and few others - these locations had good number of processing houses and facilities for printing and dying and one of the large buyers of greige fabrics.

On the due course of working with the domestic buyers, i was contemplating myself on the opportu-nities in the export market - but to export the basic requirement was high quality and reasonable price and delivery consistency. Soon i decided to get myself into export; fortunately i was able to quickly align with many importers, customers, and process houses in Europe where the good demand for greige fabric, it was a smooth ride till 2000.

During 2000, the European countries started to shut down their processes houses due to rise in produc-tion costs and competition emerging from china. The greige fabrics and finished garments from China were reaching them at much lower prices; it wasn’t great idea for them to continue.

Interviews

So most of the plants in Europe closed and they stopped buying greige from us. At that time we were exporting to almost 20 countries, then we thought we will change the product portfolio - we choose made ups; we started exporting finished products for the first time. Now we do sales of about 150 Cr and about 90% are exported.

I had witnessed many ups and downs in the past 4 decades such as policies changes, changes in international scenario, etc.. One particular instance changed the way i ran business completely; during 1986 we were supplying fabrics to a Mumbai based

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merchant exporter who had a quota to send goods to US & UK markets. All of a sudden US has imposed Ban on that particular fabric we were supplying to the merchant who had to send it to the US client. I had invested all my production and have about half million meters of fabric; I was not sure of what was going around as i had very little knowledge about it; I was fully dependent on this merchant exporter.

These products were made as per the specification of the exporter; we were not able to sell it domesti-cally, as it was a made for special requirement.I tried taking to him and to meet him and my attempts were not fruitful, it was a tough very scenario which was

also a trigger for me realize that i shouldn’t be relying on someone and try to do it on my own. I stared establishing contacts on my own and exports grown steadily ever since, we now manufacture made ups, mostly into home segment - home textiles; also caters to hotels. We are also manufacturing fabrics for leading brands - we do have vertically integrated production units end to end, but stayed away from finished garments.

In the world every country wants to protect their employment - they all want to make in their country. So the potential of countries making garments are higher, but is not the case with fabric manufacturing;

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as it requires good raw materials available in volumes. Cotton, Polyester, Viscose are available in high quality and India is fiber rich, we have the technical skills; not to mention our spinning and weaving infrastructure being one of the best in the world. It is almost impossible for many countries to have all this in favor. Having said that there will be good demand for fabrics and as a company we want to align with it.

Looking at the current scenario global demand is growing, we are witnessing increased spending patterns, good market demand. Some tech disrup-tions like online are here to stay - the method of sale has gone for a change but the materials remain the same. My daughters Sangeetha Velkrishna, and Sudha Anand joined our business during 2005, and helped the company reach new heights. They are second-generation entrepreneurs of BKS Textiles, following in my footsteps after being exposed to the textile industry and becoming fascinated with it in

their youth. Now they form a united support system and work as a happy team of three in making landmark achievements.

As part of the younger generation, my daughters believe that innovative practices result in a stron-ger, more exciting business. That’s why they are committed to introducing automated machinery and upgraded software systems to the business. Constantly striving to remain a step ahead of the competition, my daughters are working on impro-ving productivity all the time.

In recognition of its continual improvement in export performance, BKS was awarded Star Export House status by the government. We stand out for our use of sustainable products and sense of responsibility toward our customers. The BKS Group also foresees the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and robotic engineering implementation in the textile industry. Since we welcome innovation, we are excited for that implementation to come.

«Even after we experienced setbacks, I still believed that a business could go global even while being based in India.»

Side NotesCompany NameB.K.S.TEXTILES PRIVATE LTD

Founded1985

LocationTirupur

FounderMr.M.SENTHILKUMAR

IndustryWoven Fabrics, Home Textiles

MarketsExports

Websitehttp://www.bkstextiles.in

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Nature & City Scape

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«Even with all of the success we’ve experienced, we remain grounded and modest.»

Mr. T.S. Natrajan, a celebrated textile industrialist and benevolent person, is the Founder and Chairman of Jansons Group.

Jansons India

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I was born in Tiruchengode in the year 1934. My parents had moved to a place called Hatton in Colombo when I was one year old. When I was seven, we returned to Tiruchengode, and I conti-nued my schooling until I received my SSLC. I began working at a drug store in the year 1952 with hopes of starting a pharmacy in the future. Destiny, however, had other plans for me.

«Destiny, however, had other plans for me.»When I was working for this drug store, an official in the Taluk office recognized my potential and recruited me to the Taluk office for a daily wage of Rs 2. I managed to continue my work for a year. In the years 1953–54, I started practicing for the post of Sanitary Inspector at Stanley Medical College, and I continued my work as Sanitary Inspector in the public works department for ten years after that with a salary of Rs 200.

My life pivoted in the year 1964 after a proposition from my brothers. That’s when I started contributing to my family’s weaving business. This turned out to be a foundation for magnificent success. We had 10 to 15 weaving units and expanded to a power loom unit. In the early stages of the business, I used to travel to Andhra and Karnataka to take orders. I stayed for 15 days a month, coming back home to support production for the other 15 days. This was our monthly routine. The travel was irksome but it was necessary to create a successful foundation for

Interviews

our business. We also learned Telegu and Kannada to expand our business’s potential.

We began selling dhotis for INR 2 or 2.50, and closed the deal for Rs 200 per shop. Our partnership turned out to be very sturdy, and we expanded our business by starting a sizing unit in 1971. We were successful in this new venture. Our sons joined hands to enrich the business in the year ‘81. In ‘83, we split the partnership to form the prodigious Jansons Group from the original Nalvar Tex groups.

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Even with all of the success we’ve experienced, we remain grounded and modest. Enthusiasm and supporting our employees remain the bases for our group’s sensational success. Jansons has always especially supported youngsters and fresh minds; we’ve brought our grandsons to the company, and after six months of experience and training, added them to the leadership team. Young generations have helped us expand boundlessly to places like Dubai.

As a brand new idea, our grandsons have even started fifty exclusive menswear showrooms in places including Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, and have introduced new kinds of dhotis, too. These experiences have shown us that innovation as opposed to traditional ideas has a tremendous positive impact on businesses.

«I stayed for 15 days a month, coming back home to support production for the other 15 days. This was our monthly routine.»Jansons, being a colossal success, helped us bring new technologies from Mumbai and Ahmedabad to Tamil Nadu. Along with these technologies, we brought back experts from Somanur working in Mumbai and started printing dhotis and lungis in 12 colors. We started units in two locations with around 3,000 employees. The idea of introducing polyesters came as an inspiration from an exhibition in Pondicherry.

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Side NotesCompany NameJANSONS INDIA - TEXTILE DIVISION

Founded1983

LocationTiruchengode

FounderMr.T.S. NATARAJAN

Key PersonMr.T.N.THIRUKUMAR

IndustryDhoties, Lungies, Finished garments

MarketsDomestic & Exports

Websitehttp://www.jansonsgroup.com

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«Learning starts with asking and exploring.»

N. R. Venkatachalam, talks about his incredible journey on becoming a leader in the textile industry and shares revealing beliefs about being a self-taught student.

Asian FabricxPrivate Ltd

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I was born in 1941 in a remote village in Nalli Goundanur, Kavinthapadi, Erode District, where weaving was a very popular activity. I recall, in my childhood memories, the buzz of looms. Naturally, I developed an affinity for the industry.

Many years later, my brother-in-law advised me to start a home textile business in Karur. Karur is known for its exports of home textiles, and he saw the potential of the Karur region to serve as a strong home base for a textile manufacturing business. Taking his advice, and confident in my belief that Karur was the right place to achieve my dreams of becoming a successful entrepreneur, I founded Asian Fabricx in 1974.

I faced difficult hurdles in the first couple of years in my business. In order to get a firm understanding of the industry, I had to learn the processes of spinning, winding, and wrapping, as well as the differences between various fabrics and techniques. By embra-cing this challenge and even failing a few times, I became a stronger person.

At first, we focused on domestic markets—but not without a keen eye on the export market. We got our first breakthrough with a customer from Denmark. I performed the best I could, using all of my efforts to deliver the product as I had promised to. It was appreciated for its high quality, and this transaction motivated me to expand even more. Currently, we export to such places as the United States, Russia, the Middle East, and the Far East.

«I recall, in my childhood memories, the buzz of looms.»

Interviews

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We have successfully collaborated with and supported as many as 1,000 handloom families.

In the year 2000, due to a decreased availability in the work force and an emerging demand for more production, we upgraded to power looms, auto jet looms, and air jet looms. We still maintain a few

handloom collaborations to make specific products like rag rugs, sarees, and special effect weaves.

My son, V. Ashok Ram Kumar, joined the business in the late 90s in an active role as Managing Director. Now, he runs the day-to-day business affairs with his professional team. He has been instrumental in upgrading our facilities, adopting new technologies and modernizing the machines. We make it a priority to grow along with technology in order to match the latest trends, which in turn satisfies our buyers. Now, our facility at Karur has been transformed to surpass international standards and supply global brands and Fortune 500 companies.

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I feel that everybody should be motivated to learn. If they don’t understand something, they should ask questions or explore opportunities to become self-taught. I tell this to everyone: learning starts with asking and exploring. I also believe that teamwork is very important. Talent wins games, but teamwork paired with intelligence wins championships. The markets have changed a lot. Without updated knowledge and infrastructure based on customer demand, sustainability becomes impossible.

Modernization plays a crucial part in this industry, as consumer demand drives new products at a rapid pace. However, manufacturers and traders should understand that in certain occasions, the demand might rise or slow down, and they should prepare themselves to embrace these changes positively.

Side NotesCompany NameASIAN FABRICX PRIVATE LIMITED

Founded1974

LocationKarur

FounderMr.N. R. VENKATAACHALAM

Key PersonMr.V.ASHOK RAM KUMAR

IndustryHandloom Textiles, Made-ups

MarketsExports

Websitehttp://www.asianfab.com

Companies from India are renowned the world over for their workmanship and quality product delivery. I believe the future of the Indian textile industry is highly promising. With the government’s support, the industry will grow multifold, which will in turn benefit the country’s growth and employment. Those who focus on lean, automated, technological advancements and workforce development will see bright opportunities.

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Kay Ventures

«The essential requirements forsustainable profit as I see it are sufficient funds, manpower, a good environment, and adherence to new techniques and technology.»

Mr. Susindran is the CEO of Kay Ventures, which produces knitwear products predominantly for leading global brands

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After I did my chartered accountancy, I started Sabare International Limited, a mini-multinational textile company. I ran the company for 20 years with Rs 300 crores of sales at its peak. We leveraged an innovative business model that offered complete end-to-end solutions in textiles and apparel for global customers and Fortune 500 retailers.

We mastered the forward integration approach.Sabare’s model introduced a paradigm shift in the ways that we serve global brands, as it addressed both cost efficiencies and value creation from a customer stand point. We ran world-class facto-ries in different parts of India, USA, and China that upscaled our position to a strategic vendor with retailers such as Walmart, IKEA, Target, and H&M, just to name a few.

We mastered the forward integration approach. Running a business with a sustainable profit is very important, and it’s even more crucial for the textile industry, where the trends and requirements are constantly changin at a very rapid pace. The essen-tial requirements for sustainable profit as I see it are sufficient funds, manpower, a good environment, and adherence to new techniques and technology. I especially believe in that last point; technology combined with experience can create wonderful success. Other necessary components for success include understanding your own strengths and focusing on satisfying your customers.

Interviews

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«The essential requirements for sustainableprofit as I see it are sufficient funds, manpower, a good environment, and adherence to newtechniques and technology.»

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I struggled hugely during the first 3-4 years when I was starting Sabare. Patience and hard work are what that brought me to this position. Rushing will never bring you success—it takes time to lay a strong foundation for a good business. Stick to the basics for the first 3–4 years; the growth during this time will be slow, but once your foundations and systems are set, the resulting growth will be exponential.

My experience as a strategic partner coupled with the history of building and running world-class textile plants across the world has endowed me with a rich knowledge and understanding of global trade, resources, and the systems that drive them. As the past Secretary of the Karur Exporters Association and Chairman of the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) Karur Chapter, I’ve played my role in shaping the textile destiny of the region. The smart business owner who avoids short cuts will too be able to reach such large heights.

Side NotesCompany NameKAY VENTURES PVT LTD

Founded2015

LocationKarur

FounderMr. SUSINDRAN

IndustryKnitted Garments

MarketsExports

Websitehttp://kayventures.co.in

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Limited

Shri. K.P. Ramsamy, a veteran industrialist with 36 years of experience, is the Chairman of KPR Mills Limited and an enthusiastic, well-spoken leader.

«At the heart of our organi-zation is the belief that we must nurture and care for our employees.»

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I was born in a hamlet named Kaliyur, near Perundurai. I grew up in an agrarian family—my father was a tough, ardent agriculturist. After I finished my schooling in Vijayamangalam High School, I pursued my BA through distance colle-ge, but later had to discontinue due to unforeseen circumstances. I tried my hands at contract and lorry businesses, but finally realized that the textile industry was where my heart was at, and so that’s where I settled down.

My father did not support me financially during my initial venture. I had to borrow Rs 8,000 from my maternal uncle. With determined willpower, I started my business with just four power looms. It was an unfaltering uphill battle…but my business eventually expanded multifold.

I supported my eldest brother, Mr. Sigamani, to complete his master’s in mathematics and my second brother, Mr. Natraj, to pursue his chartered accountant aspirations. In 1984, after my brothers completed their studies, I joined hands with them in business. We began our journey in Coimbatore with an investment of six lakhs in power loom produc-tion and then began exporting products. By 1989, we were thriving in business. We had come to be number one in exports.

This success empowered us to expand and start a garment export business in Tiruppur. In 1996, we started our own mill in Sathyamangalam with 6,000 spindles, which tolled an investment of 8 crores, and in the course of another two years, business boomed. We increased to 8,000 spindles, then 14,000 spindles, then 30,000 spindles.

And the business kept on growing. In the early 2000s, we had the opportunity to expand our spinning mills to Karumathampatti with 30,000 spindles. In 2003, in Nelambur, we had 50,000 spindles, and in Arasur, 100,000. By 2011, we had aggrandized to three and a half lakhs of spindles total. We had 2,500 machines in Arasur and 3,500 in Thekalur, totaling 70 tons

of product production per day in SIPCOT near Perundurai. During 2012, we magnified our ventures with sugar mills in Karnataka, which now produces 7,500 tons per day. Our aggregated turnover is 3,500 crores per annum.

At the heart of our organization is the belief that we must nurture and care for our employees. Being a highly responsible social contributor, I know that money is not enough. I realize the importance of education. For that reason, our organization paves a great path for our employees’ families by offering them educational opportunities, which we started doing in the year 1998. We also believe in environ-mental responsibility and know the importance of planting trees. I have 1.5 lakhs of saplings planted to date for this reason.

«My success is the result of outstanding support from my family.»

Interviews

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My success is the result of outstanding support from my family. Mr. Natraj now heads SIIMA as the President of Purchase Management in the accounting division. Mr. Sigamani previously led the Tiruppur garment business with the extended support of his son-in-law. Now, he also takes care of 30 construction units. In the year 2011, we started an engineering college in Arasur that performs really well. We also own an IAS academy through which 11 aspirants got into posting.

Our success story is amazing. But rest assured, we had to face many challenges with heavy competition in the beginning. Between the years 2000–2005, things looked great for us, but by the end of 2005, we had potential threats with e-auction and had to increase our productivity and expenditures.

«My advice for smallindustries is to concentrate on producing hard, quality work—big industries cannot accommodate small orders like small-scale industries can.»

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My advice for small industries is to concentrate on producing hard, quality work—big industries cannot accommodate small orders like small-scale indus-tries can.

From my experience, I feel that the future of this industry is going to be evergreen since the increase in daily wears will never reduce and will thrive in the future.

Side NotesCompany NameKPR MILL LIMITED

Founded1984

LocationCoimbatore

FounderMr. K.P.RAMASAMY

IndustryYarn & Garments

MarketsDomestic

Websitehttp://www.kprmilllimited.com

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Chairman of the group, and Sri. M.C. Rixon, Managing Director of MCR, set out to build their now exceedingly successful enterprise.

MCR Textiles

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«Even as children, we brothers dreamed to be industrialists.»

It all started with just a vision. Even as children, we brothers dreamed to be industrialists. The person responsible for allowing us to dream of such success was our mother. She supported us to take on the business. My father hails from a well to do family, he came to Erode to start the textile business and had to undergo a big loss which affected the livelihood of our family. We were born and raised in Erode, on realising the family situation.

We took part-time jobs in the power loom textile industries of Erode as teenagers and learned about the machineries, yarn and the fabrics. Despite our poverty, our passions and dreams always remained a driving force. Erode as a buzzing marketplace always stayed in our hearts and minds and we always dreamt of being part of the industry. We closely watched the trade in the markets, customers visiting from the nearby states and its activities.

Moral support from our mother and industrial knowledge from our father enabled us to begin our humble journey in a small outlet shop during 1997. And, being diligent, we worked tirelessly every day; we both use to get there around 6am for work and start the packing, folding works before we receive customers and stayed late after business ends to prepare goods for the next day. We never took sunday offs, and operated with less expenses to sell our products at competitive prices.

Interviews

We kept asking ourselves how do we do things diffe-rently to standout in the competitive marketplace; so our customers will come back for more. We got constant advice and wisdom from my mother; she wanted us to focus on delivering high quality products by keeping affordable price to consumers, we also got great support from the entire family as they supported the business to prosper.

That tireless work eventually paid off. Today, we manufacture and supply products all over India as well as in Middle Eastern countries. Our brand is committed to delivering excellent, quality products. Even as a renowned brand, we manufacture products at a low cost without compromising on quality, thereby serving as an affordable brand for everyone.

The pivotal moment for MCR was when we first manufactured Narasimha dhotis for actor Mohanlal’s new flim, we heard from sources that the new movie starring Mohanlal is going to use coloured dhotis. We reached out with some samples and presented to the crew and it was immediately accepted; subsequently we stocked about 50000 dhoties and planned to release about 2 weeks before the movie releases.

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We reached out to our main wholesalers with the dhotis; they were not excited about the idea of colored dhotis and we had to promise them that we will take back the unsold ones and requested them to place at least 100 dhotis per outlet. The movie was a great hit among the Keralites and the demand for the product rose exponentially, at one point we were supplying about 50000 dhotis per week and the trend went on for about 5 years.

From then on, we started coming up with more novel and creative ideas to satisfy our customers’ needs and expectations. It is that ingenuity and innovation that helped us navigate failures that we encounte-red on the heavily competitive road to success. Our untiring dedication and perseverance also helped keep many loyal customers.

Our marketing efforts began with wall paintings, TV advertisements, and naming products after popular trends such as regional movie stars or movies to attract customers. Over time, we had brand ambas-sadors, who are now considered a part of the MCR family. The actors Sri. Mohanlal for Kerala and Sri. Prabhu for Tamilnadu personally use and like our products. These connections link the reputation of our brand directly to that of the star and build a positive image that customers appreciate.

«It is that ingenuity and innovation that helped us navigate failures that we encountered on the heavily competitive road to success.»

As leaders in management, we constantly encou-rage transparent communication and harmonious relationships with employees, which unites people to work as a team towards the same goal. We adopted software systems for billing and stock maintenance from the beginning, and strategies like fast decision making to run the company in a professional way. Our family stood as great support and we regarded our employees as part of our family.

We are persistent in transforming the traditional styles to create trendy statements. We believe that success favors innovation and hard work.

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Side NotesCompany NameMCR TEXTILES

Founded1995

LocationErode

FoundersMr. M.C. ROBIN & Mr. M.C.RIXON

IndustryFinished garments

MarketsDomestic

Websitehttp://www.mcrtextiles.in

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&Co

Now we hear from an industry expert who had humble beginnings in Erode before eventually realizing that the textile industry and uplifting his family

business were what really mattered to him.

«As pioneers in the production of printed lungi, we have guided small-scale and newer entrepreneurs to start up and find their own space in this industry.»

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I was born in a Kanakambalayam village in Erode. Growing up, I had dreams of becoming a doctor and pursued my Pre-University (PUC) at PSG Institutions. But my parents had other ideas regar-ding my future. My father was a master weaver who supplied raw material for 1,000 handlooms and received fabric outputs. During my PUC, he bought a commercial building in the center of Erode and had me start working on it when handloom weaving faced a downfall due to the introduction of power looms.

In the early 1960s, we got into roller printing, but the fabrics were fading after a few washes. So the market and clients demanded standard colors. We brought in printed lungi production and used batik printing. During 1965, the printed lungi became popular and remained so for a few years. Over time, we updated our batik printing technique with handmade artwork, employing exclusive artists from Chennai. Then our techniques evolved to include rotary printing. We began exporting the lungi to Kerala, and from Kerala they reached Sharjah, Dubai, and Ceylon. As our production capacities increased, we reached new markets in Tamilnadu, Kerala, Andhra, Karnataka, Assam, and Mumbai, as well as a few other areas.

The city of Erode was developing with the textile industry; we followed the developing trends by creating new printing patterns in response. We concentrated on lifting the market value of our products by bringing in newer ideologies in patterns and printing with new technologies. And because of the demands in the market, we started adding the products to our venture production.

As pioneers in the production of printed lungi, we have guided small-scale and newer entrepreneurs to start up and find their own space in this indus-try. Even though we were the masterminds and pioneers behind the printed lungi, we did not get hold of patents or copyrights. We wanted to be easy and compassionate with our fellow industrialists in the textile industry.

Interviews

To keep up the textile business as our family legacy, in 2001, my son Arun was also brought into the industry. Like me, he had different dreams. But to keep our legacy alive, he started his career at K. K. Balusamy & Co. As a newbie, he put himself through training in various departments like production and marketing. The training and trials that he went through taught him about the industry and nuances of the market. He looks up to me as a father, and now we work together to come up with new ideas for market development.

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As I look to the younger generation, I see that many—like me and my son in earlier days—are driving themselves towards “smart work” to achieve what they think is a good social state of living. I would advise them to keep family legacies alive instead and work to grow their family’s business. Leaving causes family businesses to stumble, which is why we should push younger minds toward different fields of work and encourage them to keep legacies alive. This will also give them the experience they need to understand the difference between being an employee and being an employer.

After being in the textile industry for so long, I can say that I believe this industry is equally important as the agriculture industry. The growth of clothing usage and affordability has increased, and there will be more updates in the fashion industry. Fellow owners and industrialists should keep businesses active and stay involved, as they will see more growth soon.

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Side NotesCompany NameK.K.BALUSAMY & CO

Founded1961

LocationErode

FounderMr.K.K. BALUSAMY

Key PersonMr. ARUN

IndustryFinished garments

MarketsDomestic

Websitehttp://www.kkbstore.com

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International

Four Seasons International is one of the largest manufacturers of home textiles and is a force in Tamilnadu’s textile sector. For over four decades, the group has been a leading textile exporter. They have created an impressive track record of

value creation in comparison with their industry peers.

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My thousand-mile journey in the textile industry began with a single step in 1968 by my father, Sri. Vaiyapuri Mudhaliar, a true altruist and courteous person. Initially, my father worked as textile agent. But with passion and a clear, focused vision, he eventually started his own firm. Some people believe that if you dream of being successful and want it badly enough, nothing can stop you. My father is one such person. For three years when he came home from work, he used to study English, since export trade deals were mostly made in English. My father’s first export was to the United Kingdom. He not only built and expanded his business but built a formidable company in a short span of time.

«I was driven by passion and perseverance to strive for constant productdevelopment.»

Interviews

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Following the footsteps of my father, and under his guidance, I joined the business in the year 1981 along with my brother. I was driven by passion and perseverance to strive for constant product develop-ment. From using handloom to high-productivity power loom to autoloom production techniques, the company has a long track record of highly professional approaches while maintaining ethical business practices and upholding our morals. We have a diversified approach toward home textiles and outdoor textiles, and we design our products for warmth and comfort using eco-friendly dyes, as we insist on socioeconomic sustainability.

Today, we export our products to the US, Japan, and all over Europe. We’ve also made successful forays into modern-day technologies in the textile industry. This was made possible by my son, the third-ge-neration entrepreneur of Four Season who is now pursuing our next level of growth by committing to adopt new technologies to provide a wider range of products and better experiences for our customers. His knowledge of and exposure to global markets adds new growth perspectives to our company.

Future initiatives of Four Season International are to implement technology wherever possible to meet world-class standards. We also believe that develo-ping quality products will put us ahead of our global competitors. We seek customer satisfaction through excellence in manufacturing and also implementa-tion of plans from the government for the welfare of the textile sector while preserving our natural resources.

My advice to budding entrepreneurs is this: focus on domestic markets to acquire in-depth knowledge of the textile industry before trading internationally. And while studying prospects, look beyond current opportunities. Find partnerships that are based on future values and sustainability.

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«My advice to budding entrepreneurs is this: focus on domestic markets to acquire in-depth knowledge of the textile industry before trading internationally.»

Side NotesCompany NameFOUR SEASONS INTERNATIONAL

LocationKarur

FounderMr. VAIYAPURI MUDALIAR

IndustryHome Textiles

MarketsExports

Websitewww.four-seasons.in

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Textiles

Vishal Bharath Textiles was established in 1972 and is now one of the most renowned textile companies in all of India.

The founder, Mr. Murugesh, discusses his unique journey tosuccess, the importance of traveling, and his family values.

«Successful people keep moving. Even when they make mistakes, they don’t quit.»

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This is my business’s story. During the years 1974–1975, the textile industry experienced a lag and huge losses. I, however, never accepted failure. After all, stars can’t shine without darkness. I never lost hope, and in the year 1976, my business slowly started to rise again.

I regarded the customer as my boss. I made sure that I understood my customer’s needs, caring for my customers as assets and nurturing them. It was during the years 1980–1981 that I extended my business, enlarging my factory to produce a wide variety of greige fabrics, and marketed mostly to places north of India. For months, I traveled through the cities and countrywide. Having good people in your life is a gift from God, and I was blessed during this time to have abundant good people around me. This is the most important factor of success in business—having good people around you. Learning Hindi was one of the key advantages I had to connecting with various buyers and having a large market share in the U.P. and Bihar states. It was during this year that I also entered the education world. I am now one of fourteen trustees of Kongu Institutions, Erode.

While traveling, I used to take my son Shiva along with me during my holidays. Shiva has had a passion for this industry from a very young age. After completing his board exams, he pursued his higher education in B. Tech textile engineering and later completed his MBA from a foreign university. In the year 2006, my son joined me in my business. Shiva strongly believes that a man becomes complete when he travels. Traveling helps you understand different cultures, which is very important for this industry. He traveled a lot extensively and met buyers in person; this helped him understand the

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market and the pulse of the people. Now, Shiva calls his workers his extended family.

Based on my experiences, I believe that achieve-ment seems to be connected with action. A river cuts through rock not because of its power but because of its persistence. In other words, successful people keep moving. Even when they make mistakes, they don’t quit. A champion is simply someone who did not give up, and we are such champions, striving to work hard through all obstacles that come our way. Success in life comes when we simply refuse to give

up, with goals so strong that our obstacles, failures, and losses serve as motivation. Having this attitude helped me succeed.

I also think often about how previously, there were only four seasonal trends. But a season is comprised of three weeks of time, which means that 15–20 trends exist. You can never predict the market or judge people. Trends happen in the here and now, so it’s very impor-tant to understand people and their current needs.

I foresee that the infrastructure of Erode will evolve in line with industrial growth, which will provide much-needed acceleration and sustainable support functionalities for the textile ecosystem.

Side NotesCompany NameVISHAL BHARATH TEXTILES

Founded1972

LocationErode

FounderMr. MURUGESH

Key PersonMr. SHIVA

IndustryFabrics

MarketsDomestic

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«Success in life comes when we simply refuse to give up, with goals so strong that our obstacles, failures, and losses serve as motivation.»

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Fabrics

Shri M. Duraisamy explores his journey in the textile industry as a diligent, well-respected leader and his techniques for establishing real, sustainable

relationships in business.

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I was born into a middle-class family of agricultu-rists in Sankarnampalayam, a rural village situated between Kankeyam and the Dharapuram district. I completed my SSLC and moved to Tiruppur in the year 1971 for PUC. I graduated with a Bachelor of Mathematics in the year 1976.

Before starting my prodigious journey in the textile industry in 1978, I took over my uncle’s job as a cattle and poultry agent, but unfortunately, I lost all his money due to an outbreak of disease in our livestock. Even when the odds were stacked against me, I was stubbornly unyielding. I was encouraged by my friend named Bluehill Kanthasamy, and as a result, I set foot on the power loom textile industry.

I was diligent and gained experience before setting up my own manufacturing industry. I started my striking expedition at 1989 with three of reliable friends: Velusamy, Narayanasamy, and Bhaskar. Without having machineries of our own, we started our first supply and willed ourselves to succeed with

sheer willpower and determination. Years later, our friends moved out of the business, and I became the sole proprietor.

I believe in maintaining authentic and valuable relationships beyond business, which helped me begin my magnificent journey in exports in the year 1996 with support from Navneet Lal & Co., Mumbai. I traveled around Europe, especially to countries that had a large number of processing factories like Italy, France, and Belgium. High demand for the products made a stabilized growth for the progression of the trade, and I expanded my business efficiently around Europe, USA, and Mexico. Years later, the company faced a serious setback due to a drastic reduction in Europe’s processing factories, but again, I refused to give up.

Interviews

«My secret mantra is “quality and cost.”»

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«I have witnessed the growth of Tiruppur and proud to be a part of it.»

How did I bounce back? I turned my focus on the developing industry in Africa. I also took over the processing factories, manufacturing clothes dyed in indigo that benefited the West Africans with protec-tion from UV rays and resistance against harmful insects native to Africa.

Since then, I have excelled in international trade and successfully achieved ‘Star Export House’ status. As an enthusiast, I actively participated in associa-tion-related works that paved my way to becoming the Joint Secretary of the District Powerloom

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Manufacturers Association in 1996, and thereafter, General Secretary of the association until present. I am also a member of the export promotion council of India and was elected as Vice-chairman of the council.

It was my dedication that led me to become Chairman of the council, serving from 2014–2016. At present, I serve as Immediate Past Chairman of PDEXCIL. I have witnessed the growth of Tiruppur and proud to be a part of it. I foresee industrial challenges forthcoming, not only locally but also globally. I’ve put on my metaphorical armor and await these challenges.

My secret mantra is “quality and cost.” The textile industry of India faces competition from organi-zations around the world, especially in China, Bangladesh, and Vietnam. Hence, I anticipate good support from the government to the textile industry.

Side NotesCompany NameSURYA COTTON FABRICS

LocationTirupur

FounderMr. M. DURAISAMY

IndustryFabrics, Knitted garments

MarketsExports

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Handloom

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Mills Ltd (RAMCO)

Mr. P.R. Venketrama Raja speaks about the Ramco Group’s Textile Division from its humble beginnings in 1938, the journey

so far; his succession to the group and advice he has for up-and-coming industrialists.

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«We have succeeded due to our commitment to quality and customer satisfaction, plus our more than seven decades of spinningexperience.»

Sri P.R. Ramasubrahmaneya Rajha, the Chairman of the RAMCO Group, built a formidable enterprise on the foundation laid by his illustrious father. Under his dynamic leadership, the RAMCO Group has been progressing to great heights in textiles.

I succeeded P.R. Ramasubrahmaneya Rajha as Chairman of the Group. I’m proud to say that we have a spindle capacity of around 400,000 with an annual turnover of around 175 million USD, deriving 60% of our turnover from exports.

We’ve also been successful in entering markets that are conscious of high-quality products, like Japan. Our long-term relationships with trading house giants like the Mitsubishi Corporation and consu-mers like Unitiki Limited and Doboko Limited are standing testimonies to the high-quality yarns we produce. We have succeeded due to our commit-ment to quality and customer satisfaction, plus our more than seven decades of spinning experience.

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At the inception of our group, we focused on spinning and yarn, then later introduced value-added yarn. We have been able to successfully run the company from the 1930s until now because we were one of the few employment generators in the area. It was a mutually beneficial venture to us and others.

The current markets—domestic and global—are highly competitive. There are rising global demand and supply options from various nations. This industry needs to plan meticulously for the future if it hopes to be sustainable. We tackle that problem by working hard with other brands in order to fulfill their requirements and demands. In order to have healthy relationships with our buyers, be competi-tive, and stay in the game, we strive to add value and new design solutions all the time.

My advice to young entrepreneurs and industria-lists is that they should understand the way of the market—it’s going to get even more competitive in the future. I would say that small business houses should form good ties with MNC and provide exclu-sive offerings.

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They should also understand that technology is nowadays so pervasive in business. It has become a commodity and can no more be leveraged by indus-tries to achieve competitive advantage. It is just an essential tool that you must have—because now, everybody is technologically advanced! Businesses are being forced towards automation, which is a very expensive proposition, but the only way to grow with the emerging demand and competitive landscape.

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The younger generation has less patience, in my opinion—it seems they have no clear mindset and are tied to social media. Those who will adopt more systematic approaches and go against the norm will be more likely to succeed in the workforce. And as far as industries go, companies must be selective and hire the right people and train them well to get ahead.

Side NotesCompany NameRAJAPALAYAM MILLS LIMITED (RAMCO)

Founded1938

LocationRajapalayam

FounderSRI P.A.C. RAMASAMY RAJA

IndustryYarn

MarketsDomestic & Exports

Websitehttp://www.rajapalayammills.co.in

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«We believe that shifting with the rise in technological changes and refusing to give up are the secrets to thriving in this competitive environment.»

The roots of the Pallavaa Group date back to 1976 in the picturesque town of Erode. Mr. Durai Palanisamy shares about the ethos of the company and their

road to success

Pallavaa Group

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My parents and extended family used to work in handlooms in their early days and subsequently moved on to work in power looms as the transfor-mations has already begun. In 1976 they decided to start their own weaving venture with help from a reliable friend, Sri. R. Pongiannan Gounder. In 1989 they established their business in spinning and fortunate to have their yesteryear boss to come support the venture.

The beauty of the region is that they come together to start business, sometimes two, three or even five people join hands to establish business; this mitigates the capital risks and reduces the capital requirement. It also helps in bringing in more ideas and opinions to make where its hard to make any mistakes as the idea or suggestion to undergo healthy deliberation among the partners. In 2007 the extended family ventured out to set up their business., my fathers and uncle began to take Pallavaa forward.

But it their vision and desire to reach new heights that has transformed this small-scale business to a renowned enterprise. The Pallavaa Group has been persistently present at the bottom of the supply chain and has been responsible for significant changes in the textile industry. Being persistent, we stand out from the ordinary while still being grounded by our core value of quality.

I have had quite the journey as a second-genera-tion entrepreneur. Following my father’s footsteps and driven by an entrepreneurial spirit; growing up in the textile family i was groomed in the trade and mentored to pursue textile engineering. By 2000 i joined the business full time, the business landscape was changing and we had to adapt ourself quickly - we tried to focus on non-cotton, which was not a segment to have great demand in the domestic market but we got good traction abroad.

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One point of time the business at UK & US were dropping we sharted shifting gears towards the domestic market. It was tough in the beginning but we progressed well and the business started to pick up

I believe that happy and united teams are able to make great achievements. For that reason, the Pallavaa Group works as a team along with our staff to tirelessly to achieve our goals. The strength of the organization lies in our diligent and trustworthy staff members, some of whom have been working for over 25 years. The group strongly stood against all of the odds and major setbacks over the years.

«But it is our vision and desire to reach new heights that has transformed this small-scale business to a renowned enterprise»

The company has taken the fullest advantage technology-based innovations and we were one of the forerunners to implement Air Vortex spinning, which and emerged as a peerless competitor in the industry as a result. Consistent growth and confi-dence to take on new technologies have helped our group attain higher levels of success. Now we produce a various variety of yarns (Viscose, Modal, Lyocell) in spinning, weaving and knitting. These are supplied to both domestic and international buyers, process houses and exporters. We are also nominated as preferred source by some of the inter-national buyers for their product requirements

Guidance from the preceding generations have helped the younger generations on the board get involved in the full spectrum of our business activi-ties. The third generation of the Pallavaa Group are also graduates of textile engineering. They are trained from the bottom level and exposed to every department of the company.

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No matter what generation our employees are part of, everyone at Pallavaa makes a continuous effort to make values such as reliability, integrity, and reverence the heartbeat of their existences. In doing so, not only have our values been strengthened, but also our business.

We’ve seen success, but also foresee future challenges in the textile industry. We will further break barriers with bringing in more technological advancements to each department of the company. Pallavaa will always experiment new things and takes tall risks, however keeping in mind that these risks are not made at the cost of existing business and we are very careful about it.

«I believe that happy and united teams are able to make great achievements.» Side Notes

Company NamePALLAVA TEXTILES PRIVATE LIMITED

Founded1976

LocationPallipalayams

FoundersMr. VS MUTHUSAMY,Mr. VS PALANISAMY,Mr. GM PALANISAMY

IndustryYarn

MarketsDomestic & Exports

Websitehttp://www.pallavaagroup.com

We always want to follow the values set by the founders and be empathetic, honest and simple and strive hard to build confidence and trust towards both the internal employees and our customers.

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K. V. Srinivasan, Managing Director of Premiere Mills and an inspiration in the textile industry, talks about the history of Premiere and the reason it turned out to

be such a successful enterprise.

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«Being ethical, planning for the long-term, considering customers as our partners, upgrading our technologies, and maintaining our reputa-tion for quality productsremain our top priorities.»

Premiere Mills was founded by the late Shri N. Damodaran, Shri V.N. Ramachandran, and Shri L.G. Balakrishnan in the year 1949. From day one, Premiere branded itself as a high-quality manufac-turer. Quality, ethics, and supreme customer service were the founders’ values.

During the 70s, the group grew and expanded its product ranges from producing high quality yarn and subsequently in the mid 70’s it diversified itself to bring weaving, value added products, finished products. Few years later we started manufactu-ring divisions to produce textile equipments and instruments for the manufacturing industries for yarn and raw cotton testing and now we are one of the leading manufacturer of production monitoring systems in the country. After establishing ourselfs as a leading supplier of yarn, we began our expansion and ventured into finished products like dhotis until the 80s and set out to become the leading expor-ters in yarn, contributing to 80% of exports, later emerging as forerunners in the fabric export market. We were the leading suppliers of value-added yarn, which was globally accepted as one of a kind in all aspects in 40 different countries.

It was a very pioneering effort by our founders to put up spinning mills in a remote area where people basically had backgrounds and experience solely in agriculture. The first unit of Premiere was located in Pulankinar near Udmalapet; it started with 10,000 spindles and grew multifold. Now, that same campus has a capacity of 120,000 spindles—that shows how our founders had foresight.

In the beginning, Premier predominantly served the domestic market. Later, they expanded to exports at a time when yarns produced in India were not really preferred due to their lack in technical ability.

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Premiere Mills specialized in producing various types of yarns being different from the basic yarns of yesteryears. They built themselves up in a period of 10–15 years. They invested a lot in welfare plans for their laborers and in technical upgrades. Even though it was difficult to manage, they had made it possible, and has productivity has continued to explode ever since.

In 1999, we started competing with countries like Vietnam, Bangladesh, and China. We had a no-cost or productivity advantage in India, but competitors and customers remained unpredictable. China always comes up with cheaper retail prices, for instance. Texprocil was an response initiative to promote cotton yarn and fabrics with pioneering efforts.

We take our journey seriously by setting goals of being competitive, promoting welfare, and making products that have high values in the marketplace. One challenge that we continue to deal with is managing the low availability of workers. In the year 2010, we also challenged ourselves by endeavoring to enter the sheeting business, manufacturing 8,000 sheets per day out of which 90% are exported to outside of India. To this day, we still follow those core values that our founders laid out for us. Being ethical, planning for the long-term, considering customers as our partners, upgrading our techno-logies, and maintaining our reputation for quality products remain our top priorities.

The textile industry is ever-flourishing due to advances in automation and new concepts.

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Side NotesCompany NamePREMIER MILLS PVT. LTD

Founded1949

LocationCoimbatore

FoundersLATE Mr. N. DAMODARAN,Mr. V. N. RAMACHANDRAN,Mr. L.G. BALAKRISHNAN.

IndustryYarn & Fabrics

MarketsDomestic & Exports

Websitehttp://premiermills.com

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International

Raja M. Shanmugam, founder of Warsaw International, reveals the crossroads of his life.

«I believe in teamwork rather than dictating plans to people.»

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«Every loss is for good. Every disappointment is for your betterment. And yes, you can get up.» I am a first-generation entrepreneur in my family. I hail from an agrarian family. My father was primarily a cotton farmer, but also cultivated other seasonal crops in good old Tiruppur, which, until the 1970s, was more like an overgrown village. It had little of the urban characteristics that it boasts today.

I studied at Bishop Ubagara Swamy School in Tiruppur. When I did not get an engineering seat, I decided to get my BA with ambitions of cracking the IAS. After graduating in history from St. Joseph’s College, Trichy, I left for Delhi in 1987 to join a coaching center in order to prepare for the UPSC exams. I was enrolled in the three-year LL.B course at Delhi University and planned to acquire a law degree while preparing for the UPSC exams. I cleared the UPSC prelims in my first attempt but failed in the mains.

I had many failures like this in my life. If you think that you have hit a dead end and cannot get up, then my experiences will give you a different perspective. Every loss is for good. Every disappointment is for your betterment. And yes, you can get up.

My mother was the driving force in my attempt at becoming an IAS officer. (I happily owe my entire success to my mother and family.) The experiences that I had during my preparation for the UPSC exams groomed and paved my way to becoming an entrepreneur with great insights.

During the blooming years of the exporting industry, pioneers made successes of themselves through sheer mental strength, and I was inspired by that. It was a period of time when technical strength and monetary strength were lesser compared to determination. In yesteryears, small-scale expor-ters couldn’t make it as big as they can now. Since I am a first-generation entrepreneur, I started from scratch, which makes me stronger and more practi-cal because I had the opportunity to learn from

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«I cannot emphasize enough the benefits ofretrospective analysis.»

my mistakes. With exposure to UPSC, I learned to accept my failures and gain knowledge from them.

Right from the first year, my venture was a profitable one. In passing years, we bagged our first export order from Textile Puttemans, a Belgian company. The first order was huge. It was a good break, and after that, we started getting more orders. By 1995–96, the turnover reached Rs 4.5 crore. So, we planned to slow down our growth rate. We put our gears in reverse and just catered to two customers: Textile Puttemans and Tom Tailor. Within two years, we achieved a healthy balance sheet. Then, instead of ramping up, we chose to focus on a single client: Tom Tailor. Until 2017, we were singularly, focused “Tom Tailor,” but now, due to changes on the client’s

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side, we’ve opened doors to other clients like Puma and Marco Polo.

The domestic market is still growing swiftly, and monetary support from banks have given us a strong foundation for accomplishing growth in the textile industry, all of which bodes well for us.

I believe in teamwork rather than dictating plans to people. The urge and drive of our team has helped me grow and make better plans and decisions. I also believe that management should mentor their employees and work on improving the company culture to inspire change and development in their ventures.

Side NotesCompany NameWARSAW INTERNATIONAL

Founded1989

LocationTirupur

FounderMr. RAJA M SHANMUGAM

IndustryKnitted Garments

MarketsExports

In the textile industry, business necessities are increasing exponentially and constantly changing. Since India is a leading cotton-growing country, leaders should create better plans to work on subsi-dies and taxes to become and represent ourselves as a prominent nation in the field of textiles. With changes in the taxing and subsidy systems, we are still facing challenges. Thus, we must work hard and produce what the industry needs, which is to be obtained with help from the government administra-tion. Clothing and fashion play major roles in today’s world, so I’m confident that the textile industry will never fall.

My words for younger minds and budding entrepre-neurs are this: “discipline, devotion, and determina-tion” will work wonders in your career and life.

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Ramaraj CottonRamraj has been consistently delivering quality products since its inception.

Sri. K. R. Nagarajan, vividly shares his triumphant journey

«Our aim is to improve the livelihood of people in the handloom industry»

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I was born into a farmer’s family in the beautiful village of Kaikattipudhur of Avinashi. I did my schoo-ling in Avinashi, but wasn’t interested in my studies. In fact, I failed my SSLC exams. But I proved that every failure is a stepping stone for success.

Being a commerce student, I worked in the marke-ting department of Vijayalakshmi Kadhi Enterprise. As a result of my talent and hard work, I was quickly promoted to higher levels of work, and had the opportunity to meet people from all walks of life and get exposure to the life of a laborer.

I witnessed what the weavers had to go through. They would wait for their wages without eating from morning until evening. This affected and impacted me. I couldn’t get it out of my mind. After gaining some more experience, I set out to start my own business, one that would improve the lives of these weavers. Though I had family members in textile exports, I started my expedition in dhoti manufac-turing without moral and financial support from

anyone. I named my business ‘Ramraj’, combining my own name along with Sri. Ramasamy, my father’s name.

I bought fabrics from weavers for double the price that they were paid in the market so that weavers could have their basic needs such as food and clothing. I pushed past nay-sayers and went against the grain in business. Ramraj was the first brand to remove the conventional dhoti logo and print brand names on the dhoti.

«I pushed past nay-sayers and went against the grain in business.»

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This made our brand popular among customers. My business was successful, and many weavers benefited from it, which was wholly satisfying to me.

Because the dhoti is more traditional, most people prefer to wear pants. I’ve faced many insults and have been disrespected for wearing dhoti. But I turned this personal pain into growth, strategizing and planning to develop trademarks for dhoti. I advertised my personal humiliation in a positive way, which has helped Ramraj reach its level of excellence.

Abolishing poverty is the motto of our group. I advise others to see poverty as an opportunity for employment and encourage entrepreneurs to work to abolish it.

Building transparent organizations based on hard work, finance, productivity, management, and good advertising are the five things that every business needs to do to reach phenomenal achievements. Honesty and tax compliance are also virtues of successful businesses.

I’m a follower of Yogiraj Shri Vethathri Maharishi, who has changed my perception and transformed my life. I contribute some of my profits to the Ulaga Samudhaya Seva Sangam.

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Side NotesCompany NameRAMARAJ COTTON

Founded1983

LocationAvinashi

FounderMr. K. R. NAGARAJAN

IndustryDhoties & Garments

MarketsDomestic

Websitehttps://www.ramrajcotton.in

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Machines Evolution

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«The textile industry is an evergreen industry. I consider the opportunity to be a part of it as a gift from God.»

Shri. A. Kulandaivel Mudaliar was a visionary founder with a rich legacy. His son, Mr. K. Vinayagam, the Managing Director of SCM Textiles,

shares his journey and thoughts.

SCMTextiles Spinners

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As a child, I often observed my father when he was weaving. In the year 1962, my father took his woven dhotis to Madurai and sold them, this paved the way for a wonderful future.

We owned and maintained a small shop that was around 200 square feet where we sold woven dhotis. It was a shop that we cared for dearly. Compare that to today. Now, we have 40,000 direct employees working for our organization. My father was a lively personality who started his business buying products from a wholesaler and retailing them, and his practices serve as a model for us even today.

In the early days of our retailing business, we had 10–15 small khadi shops in B-towns of Tamil Nadu. In 1991, we laid the foundation for our magnanimous journey, inaugurating Kumaran Silks in Tiruppur, which was a humongous success. We also began a new venture with jewelry showrooms that same year. We then opened branches in Coimbatore in 1996, in Erode in the year 2000, and more in Chennai in the year 2001. We renamed our venture Chennai Silks and now have 25 huge retail shops.

«It’s also very important for our business to pay attention to updates in global trends.»

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Each showroom is about 1 lakh square meters. We have around 15,000 dedicated employees working in the retail division. Our Tiruppur garments unit manufactures T-shirt’s with about 20,000 employees in 5 huge units. We also own a spinning mill in Coimbatore, which we had started with 15,000 spindles, but now have multiplied to 80,000 spindles. Additionally, we have a dyeing unit in Erode.

Our strengths and values are tied to our family structure. I am part of a family with 8 brothers and 4 sisters, making 12 of us total. Our monumental success is due to our hard work and honesty.

In any industry, a lot of manufacturers struggle due to the cost of the production cycle, raw materials, and maintenance. But we have found a way to get around that struggle by reaching out to the right manufacturers. When we bring a manufacturer into our company and make close ties with them, we thrive in our business. It’s also very important for our business to pay attention to updates in global trends, as trends have helped us create strong and capable customer bases in the last 10 years.

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Our major exports, which are taken care of by my younger brother, are centered around the United States. We always find inspiration from foreign buyers.

Over the years, quality has been our utmost consi-deration. Our strongest flourishing base is found in the retail industry. We use advertisements as part of our marketing strategy because we want to ensure our customers that our products are high-quality. As a result, huge masses of people are inclined to buy our products because they are economical and sold ethically. Of course, it’s also very important to maintain financial discipline in today’s world with all of the competition that’s out there. The days have changed since India desired products made from 100% cotton. Many new blends of materials are now sought after in this market. Still, globally, India has established itself as a leader in manufacturing textiles with 7–8% of contribution after China, who contributes a majority with 30%. The potential in local markets is very important because of this, and we welcome the extensive support that the government gives us.

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My advice for small-scale industrialists is to invest wisely, only after scrutinizing their decisions careful-ly, and to embrace merging with big industries as a part of modernization. Growing industrialists should also value being uniquely themselves and constant-ly work on self-improvement.

The textile industry is an evergreen industry. I consi-der the opportunity to be a part of it as a gift from God.

Side NotesCompany NameSCM TEXTILE SPINNERS

Founded2003

LocationCoimbatore

FounderSHRI.A. KULANDAIVEL MUDALIAR

IndustryYarn

MarketsDomestic & Exports

Websitehttp://www.scmspinners.com

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Mr. Sivasamy, Managing Director of Shobika Impex, is a first-generationentrepreneur, here he shares his story.

Shobika ImpexPVT LTD

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«Our method for success lies in upgrading technology.»

In the year 1989, I completed my college studies in textile engineering. I then started my endeavor in business with a bank loan of a lakh in the following year. The industry in Karur had options in the textile, mosquito net, dyeing, and body building industries, but I chose to work in the mosquito net industry. We produce a one-of-a-kind, long-lasting mosquito net with insecticide, which is approved and recognized by the WHO (World Health Organization) in the pursuit of eradicating malaria.

Over the course of 15 years, we became an unan- nounced monopoly in the domestic marketplace, where we had begun pricing exports at almost 550 crores INR. Our exports are geard toward African countries, as well as places like Orissa and Madhya Pradesh. (This is also a government requirement for our products.)

In the year 2000, the industry upgraded to a revolu-tionary change introduced in Japan with Permethrin injections. This inspired me to begin a business with a new concept. After we had begun exporting in the 2000s, we made a technical upgrade to the

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machinery that we had purchased from Japan to produce high-quality products.

Then we purchased a US-based brand called Duranet. By 2010, we had increased our business to 10 crores, which had been aggregated to 50 crores and in another 5-6 years’ time, manifolded to 500 crores.

The need for our product increased as the death toll due to malaria had risen, and its price had come down due to huge competition. We had seen a 300 percent growth in a period of 5 years, which is unachievable without a joint effort.

Our method for success lies in upgrading technolo-gy. I feel that old technology is something that’s diffi-cult for a business to survive with. I advise upcoming industrialists to invest wisely and understand the needs of their businesses before they start them. It’s also very important to be unique in business.

Government support has been immense—loans have been made easily available and subsidies were also offered by the government. I believe strongly in today’s generation.

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Side NotesCompany NameSHOBIKAA IMPEX PVT LTD

Founded2009

LocationKarur

FounderMr. M. SIVASAMY

IndustryInsecticide Incorporated Bed Nets

MarketsExports

Websitehttp://www.shobikaaimpex.com

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Of Textile

M.S. Mathivanan, Chairman of SSM Group of Institutions,shares his history with the textile industry along what the country should do to continue to thrive in textiles.

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I grew up in Kumarapalayam, a town in the Namakkal District. I grew up with textiles. My grandfather and my father laid our roots in this businesss, and my dad started his first textile business in Sri Lanka at the age of 14. Subsequently, he exported many products from India to Sri Lanka, especially to Yalpanam (Jaffna). He marketed dhotis with the brand name ‘YaalMark’ to attract local customers, which was a huge success. Today, the brand is popularly known by the name ‘Veena’.

The textile industry moved from handloom to power loom technology to increase output and decrease product cost, so that final products could become affordable. Power looms have many advantages, including lower production costs through increased production capacity, big-width fabrics, shuttle automatic looms, water jets, and auto jet looms, which enable us to produce more.

We proposed the idea of the ‘Cauvery Hi-Tech Park’ in Kumaralapalayam to the government and succee-ded in this effort. Thus, a High Tech park emerged.

Its core objective was to increase production from the region and supply for the global market demand. I believe that more parks should be launched to accelerate our production. We have about 65 lakhs of handlooms in the country and 30 lakhs of power looms, but only 1.5 lakhs of auto looms. To increase output, we must focus on bringing in more auto looms as well.

«Textile maunfacturing companies in India should producing precise, high-tech weaving machines and make it available in the domestic market»

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Looking at today’s global scenario, countries buy fabrics based on their needs and for luxury and fashion purposes. Fabric consumption in India is 15 meters per person, whereas America consumes 100 meters per person. Fabric requirements are growing because of more consumption per capita. For example, people have about 100–200 shirts in European markets compared to us—we have an average of 15 shirts. A good market possibility awaits us if we focus on increasing value-added products.

Countries like Bangladesh, Vietnam, Taiwan, Pakistan, and China are doing extremely well in the industry. Bangladesh buys fabric from India and exports their garments to the world, by which means, they are ahead of India in terms of exports, production, and quality. Moreover, they also have duty concession to the European markets. Vietnam showcases knitted and woven fabrics. Thailand and Indonesia are making quality garment fabrics and exporting them to the other countries as well. But China still holds the advantage, even with three

times the labor cost as compared to India. They are able to outscore us by focusing on productivity. For example, an employee in China produces 24 pieces on average, whereas an employee in India only produces 9 pieces. Though the quality in India is far better than in China, the major buyers choose China for its output and competitive rates.

We have to be prepared for our future by bringing in more machines, as we lack the technology needed to compete with other countries. The quality of our production should be improved too. Machines should be manufactured in India in the first place. Companies should make this their prime goal: producing precise, high-tech weaving machines for the Indian textile industry.

Training and skill development must be tailored to people from various industries, and the government should train people—especially weavers—so that production and targets are achieved along with quality.

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India has a unique advantage, however. We are number one in the world in terms of design, marking skills, fabric quality, and home textiles, which are generally from Karur and Chennimalai. Home Tex also has a very good global market potential.

India is the land of textiles. It has a history of saints who first extracted fabrics from the stem of the lotus and presented them this way to the world. I’m proud to be born into such a historically famous land.

«I’m proud to be born into such a historically famous land.»

Side NotesCompany NameSSM ACADEMY OF TEXTILE MANAGEMENT

Founded1993

LocationKomarapalayam

FounderMr. S.S.M. SUBRAMANIAM

IndustryTextile Industry, Educational

Websitehttp://www.ssmprocessing.com

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Mills

Late Mr Manikam Ramaswami was the Chairman andManaging Director of Loyal Group is a multi-faceted

conglomerate, providing an array of products andservices for textile and apparel industries.

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Late Mr. Manikam Ramaswami was the third genera-tion of his family and helm of the Loyal Group. His flagship Loyal Textile Mills is a BSE-listed, 1100-crore company with a wide product range that includes spanning yarn, fabric, garments, and home textiles. He had a huge hunger for technology and automa-tion. He was always the first to buy new technolo-gies and test them out. The following is an extract from one of his corporate talks.

It all started in the early 1800s when Sir Ed Sasson established Loyal Textiles with spinning and weaving mills. In the year 1953, Kalaithanthai Karumuthu Thiagarajar Chettiar, the doyen of the South Indian Textile Industry, purchased the mill, and ever since then, it has been growing steadily with cutting edge technologies and always remains very advanced in terms of textile industry technologies.

We are mainly concerned with the way that we create wealth and conduct our business. We don’t mean just being legally compliant in all of our practices—we mean that we are guided by our

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philosophical understanding of business as well as the laws. We follow certain patented processes that we have institutionalized, which has helped us gain the global recognition that we have today. Because of our governing compliance policies, which have to do with our management systems, environmen-tal compliance, and social compliance, we were the first textile business in Asia to be awarded the IMC certification.

Loyal is on a mission to become a large-sized textile company. This is why we aim to conduct our business ethically and comply with environmental policies in ways that far exceed basic requirements. It is our vision to become the largest garment producer in India and continue to grow at a rapid pace.

«We are mainly concerned with the way that we create wealth and conduct our business.»

As a global manufacturer and an exporter of quality products, the Loyal Group stringently adheres to international quality and employs best practices from all around the world. We have been recognized globally for our quality management, environmental management, and safety- related measures, and for this reason, we stand out from the rest of the world.

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Side NotesCompany NameLOYAL TEXTILES

Founded1956

LocationKovilpatti

FounderMr. KARUMUTHU THIAGARAJAR CHETTIAR

IndustryYarn & Fabrics

MarketsDomestic & Exports

Websitehttp://www.loyaltextiles.com

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Shri. A.C. Eswaran, the patriarch of leading hosiery companies Vikingsand Anand shares his experiences and challenges of building a

successful business In the textile industry

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After thoroughly studying all aspects of the industry, I started Anand Hosieries in the year 1964, creating the brands Anand & Viking in the upcoming years through persistent efforts. By the year 1976, we established our first factory in Tiruppur. After the launch of Viking, we reached every part of India. Consequently, in the year 1984, we started a bleaching and dyeing unit in Tiruppur, and in the year 1996 we opened Viking Textiles Private Limited, a spinning mill in Tiruppur that expanded our range of products to dhotis, menswear, and kids wear.

Our success lies in the evolution of changing trends. As evolution happens, we expand our products. For instance, youngsters these days have moved away from wearing vests—Vikings and Anand carry t-shirts and leggings in exchange, to meet these market demands. We concentrate more on domestic sales rather than exports. This is how we’ve created a huge market for ourselves in India.

My ideology behind concentrating only on domestic sales is this: I wanted to focus on creating a name for ourselves in the marketplace by offering products of high value to drive customer loyalty. Whenever we developed products, I concentrated on basics like perfect fit, comfort, high-quality fabric, fine stitches, and pricing products reasonably. I only focus on maintaining the quality of our products and keeping ourselves updated with customer needs by upgra-ding our facilities and workmanship. Sustainability and high-quality stand for generations as strong pillars of a company. Once a Viking customer, always a Viking customer.

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«Sustainability and high qualitystands for generations as strongpillars of a company.»

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I strongly feel in the first 5 years of a business startup, budding entrepreneurs should be let by the administrators and governing bodies to focus on developing quality products and understanding the market instead of focusing on following strict norms and running behind daily errands. The business policies they set should enable them to focus on their work and allow them to govern in a healthy way without losing any time.

In today’s evolving market, organizations should only choose to expand after thoroughly studying the market demands. All mistakes and pitfalls can be eliminated with well-planned moves. Automation is one of the most effective ways to sustain in this industry, but it also comes at a high cost. You need to think through a decision like that.

I still recall a piece of advice that I was given by a Japanese manufacturer in the early 80s. We were attending a machinery fair, and the Japanese were showcasing their new machines that they had just introduced to the market. To compete with global leaders, they offered the machines at a 30-40% lesser price. They positioned their products as an alternative to their competitors—they never positioned them as superior or better than any competitor. They asked us to consider them for their low entry value and to use them for 5 years before dumping the machines and upgrading for new ones.

Back in those times, we invested in quality machines and used them for many years, as the investment was higher. But the manufacturer’s idea was an instant hit in the market—everyone upgraded, as they had a point. Investing in high-priced machines is risky since technology changes at rapid pace. That idea is a game changer for us. Now, we upgrade our machines and tools at a rapid speed.

Creating a brand and developing brand loyalty is a very tough exercise. Sustaining these things are even harder to do. But the joy it brings when you realize that you have put out a quality product and customers happily associate with it? That’s worth it

Side NotesCompany NameVIKING

Founded1963

LocationTirupur

FounderMr. A.C. EASWARAN

IndustryInnerwear Garments

MarketsDomestic

Websitehttp://vikinginside.com

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Apparels

«Watching my dad live and breathe textiles while I was growing up motivated me to join the same line of work.»

Mr. Anbukani is the Managing Director of Penquin apparels, he shares his journey towards building a world class facility in Madurai to manufacture and

export products to brands like Hugo Boss, Ralph Lauren and many others

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I finished my post-graduate in 1985 at PSG Institutions, Coimbatore. Even during my studies, I had a strong desire to start something of my own. So, after finishing my studies, I joined a company as a management trainee and worked for about 6 months. Subsequently, I joined our family business where my uncles worked with automobiles.

My father had about 45 years of experience in textiles and was working for a leading cotton mill, Thiagaraja Mills Limited. Watching him live and breathe textiles while I was growing up motivated me to join the same line of work. So, drawing inspi-ration from my father and his years of experience, I decided to enter the textile industry. But I wanted to do something different to differentiate myself in the marketplace.

Ready-made garment requirements were growing at that time, there were also a lot of challenges related to that industry. I believed in this simple idea, however: that challenges are potential opportuni-ties. In 1989, wanting to better understand the trade

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«Now, we work with key players like Timberland,Hugo Boss, and Ralph Lauren.»

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overheads. The key factor is to think differently. My advice is to focus on complexities in areas where opportunities lie versus looking at this kind of business as an impossible challenge. We focused on the international market initially as we didn’t have a big brand and aligned ourselves to the quality expectations of international brands. Now, we work with key players like Timberland, Hugo Boss, and Ralph Lauren.

We’re located in a suburban area and most of our employees have received very little education, but their spirits are higher—they are eager to work and learn quickly—and they have shown great participation.

and prepare myself for what was to come, I began working in a garment factory in Bangalore.

After a while, I returned to Madurai to lay the road map for my own company. I discussed my plans with leading industrialists and experts, and they suggested that I look at Chennai or Bangalore as locations to establish a factory and attract visiting buyers. They thought that Madurai was an isolated place, and potential customers might not visit me, and that I wouldn’t have access to international markets being in a Tier 2 city. But I wanted to give something back to the place where I was born, to the place that raised me. So I started my company there anyway.

In 1991, I started Penguin Apparels in Madurai with about 40 people. Our first project was for about 35 Lakhs, and we fairly did well. But we still faced a number of hurdles and difficult situations like the experts had said I would. When I reached out to buyers, they would ask, “Why should I visit your place when we have so many options in places like Chennai and Bangalore?”

I started pondering ways to embrace these kinds of challenges. I decided that in order to open oursel-ves to international customers, we needed to do something different.

Initially, we started with shirts. Later, we invested in equipment to focus on bottom manufacturing, which gave us an edge. Back in those days, very few people had machines for bottom manufacturing. Slowly, we got into outerwear, ski jackets, and some specialty products. Eight or ten of our family members joined hands with us to be part in the business, and soon we had about 2,000 people, which I regard as a strong driving force. Now, we employ 3,500 people.

We proved everybody wrong by operating in a small town like Madurai - we reached the world. Now, companies in Tier 1 cities are looking at Tier 2 or 3 to cities to reduce their cost of operations and

«I believed in this simple idea, however: that challenges are potential opportunities.»

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All you have to do is establish a clear communi-cation line with your employees, teach them what is required of them, and they will be equipped to handle any kind of project in the company. Today, all of our staff members know international bench-marks, quality expectations, quality norms, and work safety practices.

There are many advantages to setting up industries in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. The Madurai region in parti-cular has got great potential: a good ecosystem, great manpower, a port, an airport, and connected roads. More industries should come to Madurai. Invest and help generate more employment opportunities as well as more balanced economic growth.

Side NotesCompany NamePENGUIN APPARELS (P) LTD

Founded1990

LocationMadurai

FounderMr. A. MARIAPPAN

IndustryApparels

MarketsExports

Websitehttp://www.penguinapparels.com

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JVS Exports are leading manufacturers and exporters of home textiles. They are a fourth-generation family business originating from the parent company C. Swaminatha Mudaliar Sons, which was established in 1931. Mr. M. Britto, Partner in

JVS Exports, shares his story.

«It was an instant hit: moving closer to the market resulted in more sales.»

JVS Exports

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I was born and raised in Madurai where I grew up in a textile family, which gave me the opportunity to experience textiles firsthand from a very young age. I used to come to my family’s shop during my school days on my annual vacation and work in almost all departments, earning wages from my father. With my earnings, I traveled in the last 15 days of my summer holidays.

My great grandfather had two handlooms in Erode. He worked all night to make bedspreads. During the day, he marketed the products. Slowly, he increased his number of looms to about 200 at one point, and in time he eventually moved to Karur. His initial focus was to serve the southern markets where these products were in demand. My grandfather later came into the business and established our first retail store in Madurai to sell directly to the consumers of the southern region.

It was an instant hit: moving closer to the market resulted in more sales. Subsequently, my father was brought into the business. Over the years, sales accelerated. The business had become a profitable venture because they delivered quality products at affordable prices. The initial focus was on turkey towels made from handlooms. Madurai used to be the only hub that manufactured them. Soon they saw an emerging demand in Mumbai and Kolkatta markets, so they tried sourcing the materials from local manufactu-rers in Madurai and selling to the buyers and retai-lers. Eventually, they got in touch with some export traders who wanted to source products from them and exported to traders in the UK and US. A commerce graduate, I entered the business in the year 1978. We were getting more export trade contacts and had increased our supply to fulfill the

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new requirements. Things were going just fine. Then, we experienced a setback in 1986. We had to undergo a big loss in one of our export orders. We regrouped ourselves and decided to launch our own product brand line in both the domestic and international markets. We removed the middlemen between us and the end customers and started working directly with customers. I believed in my confidence. The fire inside me drove me to push myself toward success. I had a huge family legacy to live up to and always aimed to achieve one step higher than what they had achieved over the years. We started a new state-of-the-art facility in Karur and invested in Italian shuttle looms to improve the quality of our production, which attracted talent along the way. It made our foreign buyers very confident in us, and they looked at us as partners in growth. Our efforts earned us the best international supplier awards from prestigious retail chains like Wal-Mart and Tesco; we won the awards by compe-ting with the world’s leading manufacturers and supplying materials to global leaders.

Somewhere along our journey we realized that faster service delivery is the key to future success, so we opened offices in the US and UK to cater to the inter-national buyer requirements. We hired designers from the same markets to collaborate with our in-house designers and developed products with high-design expertise that meet the preferences of customers from around the world.

Our efforts and my hunger to be successful gave me the motivation to reach the top. Now, our global reach has widened, and we supply to more than 25 countries. Our customers include Fortune 500 retai-lers and world-leading stores. Over time, we have made changes to our infrastructure, machineries, and other key divisions of our company to cater to international brand expectations. In doing so, we have transformed ourselves and become a company that exceeds global standards. My suggestion to business owners and young entre-preneurs is this: Businesses have to face fasting and feasting periods. One should accept this fact, and with this in mind, still work hard to achieve their dreams.

«We have transformed ourselves and become a company that exceeds global standards.»

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Side NotesCompany NameJVS EXPORTS

Founded1978

LocationMadurai

FounderMr. M. BRITTO

IndustryHome Textiles

MarketsExports

Websitehttp://www.jvsexport.in

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Shri M. Nachimuthu is the Chairman of Atlas Group of Companies. From his humble beginnings in Karur to becoming one of the leading exporters of home textile products, he shares the secrets of his success

and advice for budding entrepenurs.

«At the heart of our organization is the belief that we must nurture and care for our employees.»

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I was born in a small village near Karur. Only 25 families were living there at the time. Agriculture was the major activity. I remember there being no electricity during my school days, and I how used to walk to school and get back to the field in the evening to support my parents in agriculture.

In 1965, I finished my diploma in mechanical engineering and wanted to set up a workshop in Chennai. But these plans fell through, so I joined our relative Mr. Ramanathan to make plans to open up an electrical shop with a capital of Rs. 15,000. My father was not so positive about how it would turn out, but he agreed to help by giving me by giving Rs. 10,000. we ran the shop with fair success for about 10 years. During 1975, the export industry in Karur was witnessing early growth with about 10 companies focusing on home textile exports. Growing up in the region, I was always passionate about the textile industry and had the urge to get into it from a very early age. I joined hands with 3 friends and started a home textiles company, focusing on the domestic market for about 3 years. Soon, with the guidance of some friends and contacts we had acquired, we started our first export with an initial order of Rs.10 Lakhs. After experiencing some initial success, we remained persistent and saw steady growth over the years.

Our exposure to international markets began when we started visiting the Frankfurt textile fair. We’ve never missed one to this day. It gives us a platform to showcase our products to potential buyers and gain more export contacts. By early 2000, my friends left and started their own companies. At the same time, my son Senthil Prasath joined me—he had just finished his studies in London. Upon his arrival, we began modernizing the facility and added more products to cater to a wide variety of international buyers. In the year 2005, the government of India sanctioned 40 tech parks of which Karur had its share. We developed a world-class park of the highest quality, named one of the best parks in the country in 2011.

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We started working even harder and offered our buyers products of very high quality. We offered design solutions and timely delivery at a competi-tive price by building a strong team of professionals who understood the requirements and demands of our clients. That increased our buyers trust in us. We established an international standard facility of 2.5 lakh square feet in Karur along with a spinning mill of 4 lakh square feet and a modern dyeing facto-ry to integrate all of our manufacturing processes seamlessly. Our hard work has paid off; last year, we successfully reached about 175 crores.

Today’s business owners should take risks, but the right ones. They should learn the basics of the trade thoroughly and believe in themselves, as the world is filled with opportunities. One should seek out those opportunities and work hard to achieve success. Entry to the industry has become more expensive, so one must take calculated risks, but with challen-ges there is a potential for great rewards.

The future of textiles will not be without its challen-ges, so industry leaders should start developing new products, working with buyers, trying new fabrics, and bringing in innovations by value additions—whatever they can do to stand out and stay one step ahead of the game.

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Side NotesCompany NameATLAS EXPORT ENTERPRISES

Founded1978

LocationKarur

FounderMr. NACHIMUTHU

IndustryHome Textiles

MarketsExports

Websitehttp://atlas.in

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143Cotton to Yarn

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Yarn to Fabric - Weaving

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Yarn to Fabric - Knitted Garments

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Editor & Art DirectionSundarji Nandagopal - Clear Estate, Chennai

DesignMathilde André, Paris

ProofreaderSteph Spector, New York

PhotographyVijay, Chennai

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