Arthanari Loom Centre (Textile) Pvt. Ltd. (ALC), Salem, is a reputed textile mill and Government-recognized export house with a rich tradition of manufacturing excellence in yarn dyed fabrics since 1982.
Under the visionary leadership of Mr. A. Alagarasan, its Managing Director, the company continues to evolve as a major player in the manufacturing of yarn dyed fabrics, with an annual turnover of $30 million.
Started in a humble way with manual yarn dyeing and operating nearly 2,000 powerlooms on job work basis, ALC grew bigger over the years.
The manufacturing plant at the present location was started in 1991, and currently it has most modern yarn dyeing machines, excellent weaving preparatory machines, 184 state-of-the-art air jet looms and rapier looms and latest fabric processing and finishing machines.
ALC was exporting yarn dyed fabrics to the tune of 80 per cent since inception. After 2000, with the change in the textile scenario in India, it started supplying high quality yarn dyed fabrics to international buying houses in India.
The products are exported as brand garments by Indian garment manufacturers. At present, the company is commanding 30 per cent direct exports and 70 per cent deemed exports and has carved a niche for itself in the yarn dyed fabric sector, catering to a wider global audience within the textile vertical.
ALC’s manufacturing set-up is an avant-garde ensemble of five vertically integrated production units. It has combined best-in-class infrastructure by sourcing contemporary machineries in yarn dyeing, weaving, fabric processing and finishing from reputed machinery manufacturers across the world, comprising top brands like SSM, Fongs, Dettin, Stalam, Benninger, Karl Mayer, Picanol, Toyota, OSTHOFF, Motex, Comet and Lafer.
In a casual chat with The Textile Magazine, Mr. Alagarasan said: “When the company was in its initial stages, I had an ambition to manufacture at least 1,000 meters per day. Today, ALC manufactures a whooping 42,000 meters per day, about 1.3 million meters in a month”.
Right from sourcing of raw materials to final product manufacturing, quality is the very basic principle that drives the organization. This is achieved by infusing stringent quality control measures, checking and validation processes across the entire manufacturing mechanism. An efficient ERP system lends professional competence to the company making it a world class woven yarn dyed fabric manufacturer in India.
The company works closely with international brands like Gap, Abercrombie & Fitch, Esprit, Jockey, Adidas, Tommy Hilfiger, Nautica Jeans Company, Liz, Philip, Van Heusen, Arrow, VF Corp., American Eagle Outfitters, Wrangler, Levis, Polo, Otto, Wall Mart, Khols, Timberland, Edie Beur, Marlboro, M&S, Next, Mother Care, JC Penny, Structure, S.Oliver, Columbia Sportswear, Federated, LLB, Sears, Nike, Best Seller, etc., either directly or indirectly through garment factories in India and abroad.
ALC is very keen on good house-keeping, eco-friendly activities in their production plants and honouring delivery commitments. All the visiting buyers from India and abroad are extremely impressed with its manufacturing plant.
All the existing prestigious customers feel very comfortable to work with ALC and more new customers are coming in year after year. ALC says that China is their only competitor to them in the pricing angle.
ALC strives hard and does not leave any stone unturned to reduce the production cost in order to match Chinese price range and attract more market in the near future.
In spite of global recession, fall in European and US markets, price fluctuations in the yarn market, acute labour shortage and crushing power crisis prevailing in Tamil Nadu, the company showed a revenue growth of 10% in the last two years and expects to grow by 20% in the coming years.
Owing to the management’s ability to anticipate trends in the market demand and supported by talented people who continuously develop new products and ideas and strong belief in speed, innovation and technology, quality consistency and keeping up delivery commitments are ALC’s mantra of success.