Bombay Dyeing, a flagship of the Wadia Group, is one of the country’s largest producers of bed, bath and home textiles as well as clothing for men, women and children, with over 350 retail outlets and more than 2,000 multi-brand stores in the country. With continuous innovations, latest designs and economical pricing, the company’s products are the most sought after in both domestic and international markets.
The Wadia Group’s first venture was in marine construction which later diversified into food, engineering, textiles, chemicals and construction industries. The group’s turnover showed a growth at Rs. 2,456 crores in 2012-13 compared to Rs. 2,348 crores in the previous year. The Textile Division registered a growth of seven per cent with a turnover of Rs. 462 crores as compared to Rs. 433 crores in the previous year. The Polyester Staple Fibre (PSF) Division registered a turnover of Rs. 1,328 crores compared to Rs. 1,349 crores in 2011-12. In order to give a boost to domestic retail business, the company has set up a new retail division.
PSF is produced from two major petrochemical intermediates, purified terephthalic acid (PTA) and mono ethylene glycol (MEG), and is used as substitute for cotton to manufacture spun yarns, either wholly with polyester or blended with cotton or with viscose staple fibre (VSF).
Demand and prices of PSF are to a significant extent linked to supply and prices of cotton. During the year, cotton prices remained depressed, leading to lower realization for PSF. Further, it also led to a large number of spinners keeping away from PSF, thereby adversely impacting the volume. Increased capacity in the recycled PSF industry also had a considerable impact on the business.
Over the past few years, the yarn industry has increased the use of recycled polyester fibre derived from recycled PET bottles and other waste material, with an inferior quality. Improving economic conditions both in the Western hemisphere and in Asia, combined with growing demand for textile products in general, both in apparel and non-apparel or technical textile segments, demand for PSF is expected to grow steadily over a long term. This would in turn help textile manufacturers like Bombay Dyeing to achieve higher capacity utilization and contain manufacturing costs.
In India, the overall polyester industry capacity utilization is 70-72 per cent, with Bombay Dyeing managing to deliver 81.5 per cent (as against 84 per cent in the previous year).
Research and development
In order to update itself with the latest technology and trends, the company has been initiating and introducing its new healthcare products and functional finishes in bedlinen, such as infused aloevera, aroma, vitamins, antioxidants, sanitised antibacteria, moisture management, mosquito repellant, special brightening, high bulk and bounce, silky properties, etc., all achieved through nano technologies. New product developments include reversible bedlinen, diwan sets, digitally printed cushions, bedlinen in organic cotton, co-ordinated comforters, bedcovers and topsheets, etc.
In the PSF business, the company is establishing its production process for speciality items like spun lace, super micro denier and super high tenacity PSF which also includes technical textiles. The company is also developing fibers for geo-textiles and for non-woven, including engineering product applications, air jet spinning, compact yarn spinning and industrial yarn applications. It has introduced spinnerets designed to produce fine and superfine (micro) deniers with optimal product quality and productivity. These new products with speciality fibers are expected to aid high capacity utilization of the company.