In 2012, Sagar Group ventured into the textile business by setting up a spinning mill, Sagar Manufacturers (P) Ltd. Ever since then it has steadily moved ahead at a rapid pace using the latest technologies to deliver superior products. Rajesh Balkrishna Padalkar gets the details
In a posh modern building in Bhopal, India, a man is about to enter inside his office. At the entrance the man takes off his shoes and bends down to touch the ground as is the tradition while entering temples. This gesture is enough to know that traditional Indian culture and values are followed here in this company. The gentleman is Sudhir Kumar Agrawal, Chairman, Sagar Group. He says “I have always had a firm belief in our strong value system and this is put into practice at Sagar Group. Our biggest strength and treasure comprises our people.” Agrawal, a first-generation entrepreneur with dynamic leadership, commitment and integrity as core values, has taken Sagar Group to great heights.
Starting from a humble beginning with a one-room office, Sagar Group today is the fastest growing conglomerate in Madhya Pradesh. For more than 35 years Sagar Group has maintained its position as a dynamic and vibrant entity. The company started with its first real estate project in 1983. Later, in 2001, it ventured into the education field by establishing Sagar Public School. At present they are successfully operating three leading schools, three engineering institutes, one B-school and one pharmacy institute. They also have a rice milling unit near Bhopal.
In 2012, Sagar Group ventured into the textile business by setting up a spinning mill, Sagar Manufacturers (P) Ltd. In this project, Sudhir Agrawal, a visionary person, was ably assisted by his son, Siddharth Agrawal, who is the company’s Managing Director. A Civil Engineering graduate from (NIT) Bhopal, he says, “We are working in diversified sectors like infrastructure, education, food and textiles and all these contribute towards the basic needs of any civilisation. So, when we started the spinning mill, we required the best technology available and Truetzschler fitted the bill perfectly.”
The man at the helm of affairs at the mill is Vinod Kumar Jain, Executive Director, SMPL. Jain has been associated with the spinning mill project right from its inception in early 2012. He is a well-known technocrat in India and leaves no scope for any ambiguity when it comes to quality. He says, “At Sagar Group we strive for optimum utilisation of technology and resources, targeting quality production with the aim of exceeding customer expectations. For instance, our workers are well-versed with the Truetzschler technology and therefore all our four units comprising 1,50,000 spindles have Truetzschler blow-room and cards. We have completed a century of Truetzschler cards and at present we have 115 Truetzschler cards running in our four units.”
Technology at the Forefront
SMPL believes in opting for world-class technology with less expensive automation which should last long in order to remain competitive in the market on all fronts. Meanwhile, training and development is the key skill used for the optimum use of technology and controls. “We hire both males and females and our facilities include good dormitories and a beautiful campus for employees to accommodate more than 1,200 people with all the amenities for a comfortable stay,” Jain states. At present SMPL makes about 85 tons of super quality yarn per day of which 65% is for the export market and the rest to cater to the domestic demand.
The count varies between Ne 20s and 40s which includes 100% cotton-combed fancy slub yarns, BCI cotton yarns, and combed compact yarn for weaving and knitting, including grey knitted fabrics, normal cotton and lycra blend. Regarding the recent pandemic-driven crisis and the company’s effort to face the challenge, Siddharth Agrawal states, “The recent business environment has affected international as well as domestic demand. Weak consumer sentiments and the fear of the virus led to a financial slump for us also. However, there is a change in the offing.” “After a sluggish start the textile industry in India is showing an upward trend and we at SMPL, on account of our strengths, have already consolidated our manufacturing operations,” he adds. SMPL leads all their products in a niche market where customers demand very high quality. This is what spurs them to further raise the benchmark. As for their future plans, Jain informs that the company is expanding by 42,000 spindles this year while an order for further 22 latest, wider width Truetzschler TC 15 cards has already been placed.