Once again, Face2Face extends its warm welcome, Mr Gupta! How if we begin the talk with a piece of information from you on the business faring presently at Trident Group and also about the change your group has gone since 2006 – year when we had our previous talk on this channel?
At Trident, we have grown through the years, by questioning existing paradigms and by challenging assumptions. We also believe that success is the outcome of continuous improvement, perpetual edification and sustained reinvention. In the last few years we have conscientiously focused on and undertaken various resource-building initiatives like Capacity Expansion and Modernization, Corporate Governance, Stakeholder Engagement and a well researched shift towards Technological Excellence. We have set up the world’s largest wheat-straw based paper mill and expanded our Yarn facility in Budhni, M.P. Our project of the second phase of expansion at Budni, to take the total number of spindles to 1, 00,800 involving a total capital outlay of Rs. 3737 million is on track.
Impressive! But the year bygone had been very challenging for all industries across the globe. What say?
I am totally in agreement with you that the industry is getting challenged day by day and I am sure challenges are not over yet and they would continue but of different nature this year. Last year, it was recession in the market to which I must say Indian industry has coped up very well by really showing strong release in terms of value-additions and strong conviction towards bettering quality and cost. This time the challenges would emerge out of input cost, especially- Cotton prices.
So, how would Trident fight this challenge?
First of all, this is not just Trident’s challenge but one that every industry is going to face. And the challenges are not what we decide; the ultimate decision is going to lie with the customers & buyers. Practically, it has to be well discovered what we can do best for our customers and understand how customers are really willing to compensate for that; and this can’t happen over night.
DISCLAIMER: All views and opinions expressed in this column are solely of the interviewee, and they do not reflect in any way the opinion of Fibre2Fashion.com.