The Surat-based Dolphin Embro India Pvt. Ltd., set up in 2003, began by importing embroidery machines from China just when the boom in embroidery machines set in India, particularly in Surat.
Other than embroidery machines, today Dolphin supplies various textile technologies like airjet and waterjet looms, but is focusing more on the embroidery segment. In the words of Mr. Mukesh Chovatiya, Director of Dolphin Embro, the Surat embroidery market is the biggest in the world. His statement is supported by Ms. Julie Feng, the official in charge of India sales of the Chinese supplier of embroidery machines, Zhejiang Deyuan Electric Machinery Co. Ltd., who said Surat is also the biggest market for embroidery machines in the world.
Mr. Chovatiya further claims that Dolphin is the biggest embroidery machine supplier in Surat as well as across India with its more than 20,000 machines installed till date. This is despite the fact that its machines are priced much higher than those sold by the competitors. The machines are indeed sturdy and of high technology.
Dolphin Embro supplies the full range of embroidery machines like Schiffli machine, Sequin computerised embroidery machines, Flat (Multi) computerised embroidery machine, mix head computerised embroidery machine, coiling embroidery machine, high-speed flat embroidery machine, normal speed flat embroidery machine, etc.
Mr. Chovatiya has disclosed that Dolphin Embro will be shortly introducing for the first time in the Indian market a chain stitch with sequence device embroidery machine, in which it is offering 56 heads in a single machine as against the conventional 36 heads available in a machine in the market today. It has also recently introduced another chain stitch machine which runs at speeds of 1,200 rpm as against the normal speed of 700 rpm.
He claims that the company machines have important components imported from Germany and Japan. As against a normal lifespan of three years for other embroidery machine makes, the company technology offers a lifespan of more than 10 years.
Dolphin Embro has stationed 35 service engineers in Surat alone, who, apart from installing and providing training, also offer after-sales service support to customers.
Ms. Feng states that the current generation machines offer better embroidery finishing on the fabrics primarily driven by advancement in electronics and also mechanical parts. In the earlier machines there used to be a lot of challenges concerning software and electronics used, which have now been overcome with sustained R&D efforts.
According to Mr. Mahendra Patel, the major buyers of machines include Meera Creation in Surat which has 155 Dolphin-make embroidery machines under a single roof. Shalimar Creations, also of Surat, has installed 45 machines and Swastik Embroideries has 42 machines.
Dolphin recently received the single largest order till date for 158 machines from Sai Embroidery, a new client.