Garware-Wall Ropes Ltd. (GWRL) is one of India’s leading players in technical textiles with customers and end-users across the world. Deploying its expertise in engineering of polymers and its in-depth knowledge of customer needs, Garware provides application-focused solutions for various sectors, including deep-sea fishing, aquaculture, shipping, agriculture, sports, infrastructure, defence and transportation.
The company has integrated manufacturing facilities in Pune and Wai where a range of products are turned out, including ropes, nets and aquaculture cages for capturing and breeding fish, nets for sports such as tennis and soccer, insect and shade nets for high-value agriculture, coated fabrics for covers, tarps, tents and products and solutions for water management, waste management and erosion-control applications.
Driven by the mission to provide innovative, application-focused solutions to enhance value of customers globally, Garware has earned the trust of customers across all continents, in over 75 countries. End-users of its products include fishermen, shipping companies, oil drillers, agriculturists, packers, transporters, construction companies, municipalities, Government organizations, clubs, universities, manufacturing plants and many others. Its marketing offices in the US, the UK and Canada improve customer responsiveness in respective time zones and ensures better understanding of local needs. Apart from being a leading player in the domestic market, Garware has a dominant market share in North America and parts of Europe and Australia.
“Our company’s strong performance was the result of strategic plans executed with clarity, cohesiveness and commitment. The tangible outcomes of the efforts were that Garware successfully entered promising new geographies, deepened its engagements with customers and launched unique, value-added products”, says Mr. V.R. Garware, GWRL Chairman & Managing Director.
The company earned revenue of Rs. 829.20 crores for the year ended March 31, 2016, as against Rs. 786.60 crores the previous year. Domestic sales amounted to Rs. 449.04 crores and exports to Rs. 380.16 crores for the year. The company’s net profit after tax of Rs. 61.88 crores was 43.7 per cent higher than in 2014-15.
Expanding customer engagements
In FY 2015-16, GWRL expanded and enriched its portfolio of customer engagements in international and domestic markets. The South American market was tapped with smartly packaged applications that met customer needs at competitive prices. In North Europe, the company’s presence was enlarged with products that met demanding specifications. A potentially very rewarding foray was made in Mediterranean markets with a novel solution for cost-effective harvesting of an important aquaculture species in the region.
In the domestic market, the company set a new benchmark for safety nets in the construction sector with a product that has been highly appreciated by leading players in the industry. In the agriculture sector, Garware promoted its solutions for protected cultivation with an array of initiatives, including efforts to increase farmer awareness, development of a strong fabricator and distributor network, appointment of village representatives, setting up of model green houses, deployment of agronomists to give expert advice on crop management, and participation in high-visibility exhibitions. For the fisheries sector, the company devised products for optimizing efficiency of each section of trawls. All these efforts led to addition of new customers and reinforcement of relations with the existing ones.
Leveraging technological innovation
Application-based R&D is the bedrock of GWRL’s mission realized by paying keen attention to customer needs and expectations, and using expertise in technical textiles to engineer novel products that deliver multiple benefits. The highlight of the company’s efforts in this direction in FY 2015-16 was X2, a next-gen material used in the manufacture of ropes for towing, mooring and fishing. Lighter than ropes conventionally used for these applications, X2 ropes provide greater ease of handling with high strength and durability. These ropes make operations easier on ships and boats and are also very useful in aquaculture.
Other GWRL innovations included a highly reliable rope to lower and raise submersible water pumps, a strong and relatively lightweight rope to string transmission cables across broad rivers, and pond lining that can prevent seepage and withstand pressures in large and deep water-harvesting structures. Garware is currently working on other cutting-edge technology areas with revolutionary potential in the domain of technical textiles.
“ Our company’s strong performance was the result of strategic plans executed with clarity, cohesiveness and commitment. The tangible outcomes of the efforts were that Garware successfully entered promising new geographies, deepened its engagements with customers and launched unique, value-added products”
– Mr. V.R. Garware, CMD, GWRL