Interview Mr Kishor Jobanputra -Chairman, Southern Range Nyanza Limited (Nytil), Picfare Group
Head quartered in Jinja -Uganda, Southern Range Nyanza Limited (SRNL), and also popularly known as Nytil, is an integrated textile mill with a vision to be the first mover, premium contender in market and become an “Aspired to be worn” brand.
With state of the art integrated textile & garment manufacturing unit, facilities for dyeing, washing & embroidery, comprehensive resources for product development, expert managerial and technical staff to ensure world class standards, and extensive use of SAP ERP across the business, Nytil offers a vast range of products including uniform and fashion fabrics, home furnishings, knitwear, sports wear, casual wears, lingerie and institutional uniforms. The company is a textile subsidiary of Picfare Group - Uganda’s largest printed paper-products solutions provider and a multi portfolio business entity.
Mr Kishor Jobanputra is the Chairman of board of Nytil, Picfare Group. He is a dynamic entrepreneur and a hard core businessman who started a simple business career as a trader about four decades ago only to diversify and grow the business into one of the Region’s most respected manufacturing groups. The business has further expanded to cover real estate development in all the Regional capitals as well as Europe and the Middle East while in services he is brain behind a chain of hotels in Belgium, a leading sourcing company in Middle East and a successful clearing and forwarding business headquartered at Mombasa servicing much of East and Central Africa.
In the interview with Face2Face team, Mr Kishor Jobanputra reveals more about the textile industry at Uganda.
fibre2fashion:
Your company marks its modest beginnings 2 decades back in a small premise at Kampala, in the sector of paper products, where today, it is the largest printed paper product solutions provider of the Country. What story goes for your niche in textile business?
Mr Kishor Jobanputra
Some time in March 1996, we took over the former Government parastatal then known as Nyanza Textile Industries Limited (NYTIL). We had a false start as the assessment of the state of the machineries had been totally wrong. We embarked on the journey to scrap and modernize the mill. On the coming into force of the AGOA Law in the USA, we tried a quick shot on this. Still, the land locked nature of Uganda edged us from competition as the logistical aspects were just not adding up. Then, strategy changed to high value organic made-ups and or knits to avoid undue competition with China or India on price. This has clicked so far. Above that, cognizance was made of the absence of largely scale capacity to supply institution uniforms to especially the Armed Forces and other Government departments like Hospitals and Wild Life Authority. This prompted the investment into a modern garmenting facility to explore the potential. Today, this segment contributes at least 25% of turn-over.
fibre2fashion:
Uganda is a basically an agriculturalist country; how is it established in arena of textile and clothing? In your view, how is this industry moving on the course of present time?
Mr Kishor Jobanputra
Textile industry is on the move. Cotton is abundant and more than 80% of the cotton is still exported raw. This has prompted the Government to come up with a comprehensive Textile Policy packaged along the lines of Asian textile policies that emphasize local value addition and consumption through mandatory public sector purchase. This should turn around the sector in the medium term period.
fibre2fashion:
What all are core competencies of Nytil (Picfare Group)?
Mr Kishor Jobanputra
Speed to market guaranteed by excellent machinery and world class human resources. The combination of the two invaluably makes it possible to service any order.
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