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'Adapt to change' – Vikas advices young textile leaders

27 Feb '12

9 min read

SRSL is mulling forward integration and plans to set up a weaving plant in a joint venture with an overseas partner, negotiations for which are in progress. The basic idea is to add value to the yarn produced in-house. It is also in the midst of replacing around 20,000 spindles and other spinning machinery installed in 1992, which Vikas hopes to conclude within the next one year.

His mentoring has been mainly done by senior officials at the SRSL plant, although his father has also played a big role. His training started at the shop floor at a supervisory level, understanding the nuances of each and every machine. After a few months, he was included in the project team of Rajasthan Texchem. Later on he learnt about the commercial and finance aspects, before eventually becoming the Joint MD in 2002

He considers the setting up of Rajasthan Texchem as one of his key achievements, which began commercial operations on-time. Secondly, he created goodwill for SRSL yarn in the Indian and global markets which have helped SRSL earn a tag for being the preferred supplier of yarn for major textile mills buying yarn.

Though from an engineering background, he took to marketing, like a duck takes to water. In his opinion, his knowledge of the production process and being honest with buyers with regards to quality and time-bound deliveries, helped in the sales process. Vikas also went to extra lengths to build a relationship with buyers and despite modern communication devices, believes personal meetings do make a difference, whether with buyers or sellers.

The immediate priority for Vikas in the next 2-3 years is to scale up to Rs 5 billion in revenues, without adding new spinning capacity, but by adding value to the yarn that they produce. Weaving is also one of the areas of value-addition. Polypropylene is one more area which they plan to exploit, by adding new varieties of yarns to achieve the goal.

SRSL employs around 350 staff members and provides direct employment to around 3,500 workers and nearly 500 indirectly. They have provided residential accommodation for around 1,000 staff and workers on the sprawling campus at Dungarpur. As part of the initiative, a reading library, post office, co-operative provisions store, staff club and even hair cutting facilities have been set up inside the campus.

The entire staff has been given a uniform and despite being from the top management cadre, Vikas makes it a point to don the staff uniform, when in the plant.

A very large number of women work at SRSL. The company goes out of its way to employ widowed women, in particular. The women too have been provided separate living quarters. Food at subsided rates is also provided to all staff and workers employed in the mill.

SRSL has set up a CBSE school having around 1,000 students for its staff children and also for those from the town and neighbouring areas at very nominal fees, withstaff children making up for just about 15%. SRSL also helps local farmers each year with seed and equipment to improve farm yields.

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