Indian plant to roll out spinning machines for global market
Kirloskar Toyota Textile Machinery Pvt. Ltd. (KTTM) is steadily expanding its presence in the Indian market. Started in 1997, KTTM was primarily manufacturing ring frames for the Indian market. Today it has become the global manufacturing hub for spinning machines for Toyota Industries Corporation (TICO), exporting to all major global markets and catering to the requirement in the domestic market as well.
The company recently achieved yet another milestone of manufacturing and selling 4 millionth spindle out of its Indian facility in Bengaluru. In many ways, TICO has been endorsing the Prime Minister’s ‘Make in India’ program.
Mr. Masafumi Kunito, Managing Director of KTTM, has seen much of KTTM’s growth in the Indian market in the last two decades. He and his team have been instrumental for the success of the company’s business in India in the last decade. He says: “We are happy to announce the landmark of 4 millionth spindle manufactured and sold from the plant in India. Today the Indian plant has become the global hub for Toyota spinning machines and will continue to play a very important role in the future”.
KTTM’s maiden machine produced indigenously at its Jigani plant was handed to Mr. S.P. Oswal, Chairman & Managing Director of the Vardhman Group, coinciding with the plant inauguration held on June 1, 1997. Subsequently, the one-millionth spindle in 2005 and the two-millionth spindle in 2010 were delivered to Mr. Sachit Jain, Executive Director of the Vardhman Group, and Mr. Manikam Ramswami, Chairman & Managing Director, Loyal Group respectively.
The three-millionth spindle was handed to Mr. Shameem, Managing Director of K.A.S. Industries of Erode in March 2014, and now the four-millionth spindle was handed over to the Vaibhav Laxmi Group. KTTM has been growing consistently at 12-15 per cent year on year.
Since inception, KTTM has been a pioneer in developing and introducing the latest technologies in ring spinning frames with the support of TICO. The introduction of highly successful SCD (Auto Doffer), e-lift, longer versions of ring frame, namely, 1440 and 1824, are the few unique features which set the trend for the Indian spinning industry.
Globally TICO has made India the manufacturing hub for spinning machines. As a result, KTTM has also been aggressively expanding capacity at its plant in Bengaluru. Today the company has capacity to produce 60,000 spindles per month, which is over seven lakh spindles per annum. The target is to triple this to two million spindles over the next five years. “We are seeing increased demand from both domestic and overseas market for our machines. Currently 40 to 50% of the total production goes for export”, says Mr. Kunito.
KTTM has also started exporting machines to countries like Brazil, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Turkey, Philippines, etc. Global customers continue to accept the machines with the same level of acceptance as those made in Japan. We have been able to maintain the same quality and increasing the level of indigenisation of components from India, says Mr. Kunito.
Some of the key customers of KTTM in India are Vardhman, NSL, the Ramco Group, GTN, Sai Balaji, Ruby Mills, Nandan Denim, Gujarat Ambuja, Nitin Spinners, Ravali Spinners, Rajaguru Spinning Mills and SKS Mills. Most of them have gone for repeat orders, the reason being technological superiority of the machine.
KTTM is currently manufacturing RX 300 model at its plant in India. The R&D in spinning technologies and the designing aspects of the machine will be given more importance at the headquarters in Japan.
At ITMA 2015 in Milan, TICO showcased its newly developed “MOSAIC YARN” device. The outstanding uniqueness of the so-called “MOSAIC YARN” effect will enable the TICO customers to create a completely new market for highly value-added spinning products. Mosaic yarn is manufactured using injection slub yarn attachment. It is double-color yarn manufactured in a single process. The company has received many enquiries for the new machines, both from Indian and global customers.
The 4 millionth spindle
KTTM handed over the golden spindle to Vaibhav Laxmi to mark the completion of the 4 millionth spindle manufactured and sold from its plant in India. Started in 1990 as a ginning unit, Vaibhav Laxmi set up its spinning plant at Kadi, is 40 km from Ahmedabad. It started commercial production in March 2015. Initially the company has been selling organic cotton to major global brands like H&M, IKEA, Marks & Spencer. As these global companies were looking for consistent quality yarn suppliers, the company decided to set up its own spinning unit.
Vaibhav Laxmi has partnered the best of global brands for setting up its spinning unit, namely, KTTM, Trützschler and Murata.
“We started production in March 2015, and from the very first day we had a healthy order book on hand. Our customers are most satisfied with our superior quality and on-time delivery. We have established a very strong reputation for both ginning and spinning in the market. We are very happy with the decision to go with KTTM machines. The quality and performance of the machines have been top notch”, says Mr. Ramesh Bhai Patel, Chairman of Vaibhav Laxmi.
“When we work with the best global customers and brands, they expect us to offer the best and consistent quality and on-time delivery. Hence there is no compromise on quality and manufacturing infrastructure. In cotton we have been in the export market. 100% of production we have been exporting to all major market”, he added.
KTTM is steadily building a strong customer base and a good portion of its machines are the Indian market. In fact, it took 10 years for the company to sell the first million spindles, five years for the second million and three years for the third million and less than two years for the fourth million. The next million is expected to happen much faster.
Toyota’s decision to move the manufacturing base for spinning machineries from Japan to India is a big boost to Indian operations. This further reinforces Toyota’s confidence and commitment to the Indian market.