In the field of weaving there is none to beat Picanol, the Belgium-based weaving giant. Over the years, the company has not only grown in volume but also in introducing a new range of products. In India too Picanol is the undisputed market leader, and most of the high quality fabrics produced for domestic as well as export markets are woven on Picanol machines. Among several leading textile mills in India, Bharat Vijay Mills, Kalol, Gujarat, is one of the major beneficiaries by acquiring Picanol technology for its growth and development. Recently, The Textile Magazine had an exclusive interview with Mr. Ashoke Maitra, President (Operations), Bharat Vijay Mills.
Excerpts:
Question: At the outset, would you please give an overview of your company and its main strength?
Answer: Bharat Vijay Mills, popularly known as BVM, is a Textile Division of Sintex Industries Ltd. For more than seven decades it is a leading manufacturer of fashion fabric with varied product mix both in cotton and blends. It is equipped at all levels with state-of-art micro-processed controlled technology. Known for its broad range of high-end yarn dyed structured fabrics, it makes a variety of weaves comprising dobby, jacquard, leno, double beam and double creel. The products are exported to a number of international buyers across the globe. The company also enjoys a 70 per cent share of the domestic fabric market, addressing the growing needs of premium men’s shirt brands.
BVM has emerged one of the largest corduroy manufacturers in India and the third largest in Asia. It manufactures a variety of corduroy fabrics, including yarn dyed corduroy.
Over the years, the company has strengthened its operational efficiency through several initiatives like timely modernization, process integration, balancing of resources, raw material management, installation of captive power, quality assurance management, continuous audit discipline and with an effective and efficient utilization of all available resources.
The company’s major strengths lay in its boutique business, quite flexible with capability to offer small batches of even 500 to 600 mtrs; most modern state-of-art micro-processed controlled latest technology with very minimum human intervention, cost and time saving and assured quality; availability of more than 30 different fabrics finishes, both chemical and mechanical; seasonal collection more than 36,000 designs in a year with superior quality; and excellent understanding of the fashion trends and customer preferences.
Q: The Indian textile industry is currently facing several challenges due to the global economic crisis. What about your company strategy to tackle the problem?
A: In 2008-09, the textile industry scenario in India was pathetic because of global meltdown. Currently the industry has started making a positive move. The industry is likely to do much better in the coming days.
We do believe that the best performer would be able to avail this improved opportunity. Our major strategy would be to do something different from others. We believe in active thinking, and we always plan for tomorrow. We, therefore, will give priority for new product development with creative and innovative designs and product as per the fashion trend. Consistent quality and timely delivery are part of our strategy.
Q: With fluctuating yarn prices the textile industry is really finding it difficult to sustain growth momentum. How do you propose to manage this situation?
A: Yes, this is true that the textile industry is really finding it difficult because of a steep rise in cotton and yarn prices. The cost of production has increased about 30-40 per cent, whereas the prices of finished products are not rising to that extent. So many of the textile units are having the tremendous problem of how to look at the current scenario. Those who are in export trade normally sell their products for 60 days in advance, meaning it is already contracted and have to honor the commitment.
On top of it, many of the end buyers and brands in the US and Europe are not ready to change their selling prices because a they are afraid of losing to other brands. In the current context we have a few options.
l Do not make long contract with the export and overseas markets
l Concentrate more or divert more towards domestic segment where the price revision may be absorbed for certain qualities like yarn dyed shirting.
l The most important thing in such a situation is to see how cost cutting measures can increase internal efficiency.
l Look at the alternate source of procurement or value engineering product by substituting various raw materials.
l Select the best option out of the available customers in terms of realization and offer major capacities to sell.
We are trying to adopt all the options mentioned above. However, Bharat Vijay Mills has a flexibility to do innovations to the product mix and the segment which are possible for better value addition. Hence we are moving towards such areas like ladies wear, jacquard, furnishing and domestic retail operation which will help us to get higher realization.
Keeping these areas and product mix in mind we are looking at a positive growth in the coming years, and we presume that all the buyers will have to gradually accept the price rise since the demand is consistent and the cost of cotton and yarn is not likely to come down. Keeping this trend in mind we are also planning our expansion as far as yarn dyed shirting is concerned.
Q: It is learnt that your mill has a special reputation in the Gujarat region, thanks to its long history. Please mention a few of your milestones and achievements.
A: Something different from others is a philosophy of Bharat Vijay Mills which always believes in “active thinking”, and we plan for tomorrow.
Major milestones of BVM:
1931 – BVM started as a composite textile unit in Kalol
1955 – Acquisition of the company by the present management
1959 – First composite textile mill in the country to introduce high quality printed fabric in the market.
1963 – First consignment of export order dispatched from the company
1964 – First composite textile mill in India to introduce polyester fibre in the product mix.
1979 – The only composite mill in the country to produce premium quality corduroy in different varieties.
1991 – One of the few textile composite mills as a high quality yarn dyed fabric manufacturer.
1991 – 2000 – Massive modernization and expansion
2002 – Entered into a joint venture with Canclini Tessile engaged in the production of quality textiles in Europe.
2007 – Installation of Omni Plus 800 air jet looms to expand weaving capacity
2008 – Installation of jacquard looms in weaving for home furnishing
2009 – Upgrading spinning technology with modern ring frames with auto doffing system and compact yarn attachment.
Q: Is there any special reason for running the weaving mills purely based on the Picanol Project?
A: We were in the process of selecting the most suited technology considering our product market segment. The objective was to produce world class yarn dyed structured fabric with boutique concepts where sometimes the order length could be as minimum as 500-600 mtrs. per design.
Considering this factor, we were trying to identify a partner from different reputed loom suppliers who were in a position to supply us suitable machines with qualities like sturdy, versatile, flexible to run various yarn qualities with higher speed. Our internal analysis ended with the result of zeroing in on Picanol.
One of the unique systems offered by Picanol which no other supplier can supply is its Unique Quick Style Change, particularly when we are running short length on yarn dyed shirting. A lot of style changes required to be done on a daily basis. In Indian conditions, normally style changes required at least 3-4 hours depending upon designs, whereas with Picanol Quick Style Change, we can reduce the total time to 45 minutes.
We believe Picanol is a research and development-based company and can be considered as leader of latest weaving technology in both air jet and rapier. As far as we know, their Air jet loom model Omni+800 and Optimax Rapier loom have been preferred by many in the fabric manufacturing segment, namely, bottom wear, shirting, sheeting, denim, furnishing fabric, etc. Besides the most advanced technology, Picanol provides all level after-sales service.
On top of that, the local office of Picanol India Pvt. Ltd., headed by Mr. P. Kasiviswanathan, always ensures quick services, training of technicians, support of spare parts and all information to keep us updated on the technology front.
Q: How would you compare Picanol weaving machines to the other reputed brands?
A: We understand that Picanol is the only global company that is operating as provider of weaving solution. Simplicity and the user’s friendliness are the key word of Picanol looms with modular construction and capable of any changes on demand basis. For example, after installation if anyone wants to change from cam motion to dobby or to jacquard or vice-versa, this is only possible with Picanol looms.
Q: Though fully matured in spinning, the Indian textile industry continues to depend on imported weaving machines. Why the Indian industry inability to make world-class weaving machines?
A: If we look back, we will find that during the 17th century only the Indian textile industry was capable of making the world class finest mul mul fabric from Indian made sophisticated looms. Unfortunately, that art was not taken further post industrial revolution in Europe. Otherwise, there was every possibility for Indian machine manufacturers to make world class weaving machines today.
However, the fact is that post-Independence the Indian economy had different priorities like steel plants and other big capital intensive industries. In the late eighties, other industries like software, telecom, automobiles, etc., took the lead.
On the textile front as you have rightly said that the Indian spinning industry is quite matured and is now capable enough of making international standard. The fact is weaving technology development requires more precision and high skill. For which India at the moment needs to join hands with the leading machine manufacturers and can start manufacturing weaving machines like China. So, we hope that in the near future the Indian textile industry will also make world class weaving machines.
Q: Could you throw some light on the company’s performance last year as well as its future plans?
A: As I mentioned before, in 2008-09 the overall textile scenario in India was not up to the expectation mainly because of global meltdown. Currently, the industry has started making a positive move. We hope that we will do much better in future. Now demand has also increased, and we have started utilizing our capacities fully to meet the increased demand. We will focus on new product development, consistent quality and timely delivery. Moreover, we will try to be a cost effective performer in near future.
Q: When can we expect greater brand awareness for your company as well as the products turned out?
A: We believe that the garment manufacturers in developed nations will evolve their role to branding and marketing, while those in developing nations like us will stick to manufacturing fabric and want to be in the supply chain, thus evolving from national to global platform. We have positioned ourselves as a preferred fabric supplier to the high end national and international brands. However, we have already started big retail business with our brand name.
Q: Are you looking for any tie-up with any foreign firm/firms to produce shirts of global brand like, for example, Madura Coats?
A: No. At the moment we are not looking at any type of tie-up. We are their vendors even today.