In the field of textiles for pretty long years, A.T.E. is not only a most popular brand but is the only marketing company to offer end-to-end solutions. Certified to ISO 9001, A.T.E. Marketing Private Ltd. (ATEMPL) is also a professionally managed organisation with core competencies in industrial sales, distribution and after-sales services in the domains of textile engineering, flow technology, and print & packaging solutions. However, the textile engineering group, backed by seven decades of experience, contributes much to the company’s overall revenue. This has become possible because ATEMPL has capabilities to provide complete solution across the entire textile value chain: spinning, weaving, processing, knitting, embroidery and garmenting.
The company has also become an established player in the fast emerging technical textiles and nonwoven areas with world-renowned representations, leveraging the synergy between apparel and home textiles and technical textiles / nonwovens.
The promoter of the A.T.E. Group, Mr. Atul Bhagwati, is a doyen in the field of textiles and an honoured industry leader. He has contributed a lot for Indian industry’s growth by involving himself in several activities, including those of the Textile Machinery Manufacturers’ Association (TMMA), Indian Merchants Chamber (IMC) and the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce (IGCC).
Mr. Atul Bhai has been ably assisted by his son, Mr. Anuj Bhagwati.
An M.S. from Cornell University, Mr. Anuj has been actively involved in a wide range of activities in the group. For example, he introduced IT into the group and has been responsible for various group-level functions, managed several companies, put together joint ventures and has been part of divestments, turnarounds, start-ups and scale-ups. He is active with various non-profit bodies too as well, such as the Urban Design Research Institute and the Kala Ghoda Association, and is also a co-founder of the Praja Foundation.
In an exclusive interview to The Textile Magazine, Mr. G.V. Aras, the young dynamic Director of A.T.E. Marketing Private Ltd., said his is the only marketing company in textiles, offering a host of products, including the world-renowned international brands like Trützschler, Zinser, Karl Mayer+Benninger, Mahlo, Stork-Stovec, Luwa, Monforts, Fongs as well as the well-established Indian brands, namely, Inspiron, MAG, Skaat, etc.
It is interesting to note that A.T.E. almost maintains a long and fruitful association with all the principals for over 25 years. Riding on the success of spinning / processing machines marketing, A.T.E. has today emerged a single largest player in textiles offering end-to-end solution.
According to Mr. Aras, 2009 was an year of consolidation for the company with its major focus on customer relations and product range expansion. In the last 1½ years alone, the company has gone for massive expansion of its marketing activities by adding new lines such as dyeing machines of Fongs, Gorella, Then, the knitting machine of Pilotelli, processing machine of Corino, rapier looms from Levibao and humidification equipments from Luwa.
With all the recent additions, A.T.E. is in a position to offer value-added products to the entire textile industry. The company has even be able to get orders for 12 projects for the Luwa equipments within a short span of six months from leading mills like Nahar, Aarti International, etc. Though the company has started dealing with Luwa mainly for humidification products, it has now become a marketing arm in India for the company’s other products, namely, overhead travelling cleaners (OHTCs), heat recovery equipments, etc.
Referring to the response to the Skaat slub yarn system, Mr. Aras pointed out that due to price advantage as well as the fitment of drive that offers easy operation of the product, the response is really encouraging. After establishing its strong presence in the spinning and other areas, A.T.E. has started shifting its focus to technical textiles with its huge potential.
In the area of spinning, the company has not only sold several Trützschler machines but also more than 500 Zinser speed frames in just four years. As far as the warp preparation machines of Karl Mayer are concerned, it is already enjoying 70 per cent market share in India. Similarly, the Fongs dyeing machines as well as Stovec printing machines enjoy undisputed market leadership in their respective fields.
Since A.T.E. has recently started marketing Levibao rapier looms, Pilotelli knitting machines and Osthoff singeing machines, Mr. Aras is very confident that with the experience and expertise at its command, the company can do very well. It has already sold 150 knitting machines, including 30 units in Tirupur alone, in the last six months.
During 2009-10, the Textile Engineering Group alone accounted for major revenue of Rs. 600 crores, and the company is aiming at a minimum 25 per cent growth in the current year.
A.T.E. is well connected all over India with its sales and distribution agencies, and its well-equipped regional offices in all major metros. A.T.E. has also established its subsidiary, A.T.E. Technologies (Bangladesh) Pvt. Ltd., Dhaka, to take care of its operations in that country. It has already had its strong dealer network spread across India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
Mr. Aras, who is the guiding force behind A.T.E.’s Textile Engineering Group activities, has been responsible for its accelerated growth and its emergence as a successful marketer of No.1 brands of textile products.