RSWM Limited, the flagship company of LNJ Bhilwara Group, is one of the largest textile manufacturers in India offering yarns (dyed, greige and melange), denim and knitted fabric. With 11 manufacturing units and more than 16,000 team employees, the company had 64 per cent growth in FY ’21 and revenue of Rs.3817 crore in FY ’22. With around 37 per cent of its business from exports, the company has a client-base in around 78 countries. Continuously growing, just a few weeks back, the group started state-of-the-art 100 per cent combed compact cotton yarn unit in Rajasthan, with an investment of Rs. 315 crore. The unit aims to produce the best quality cotton yarn in the world.
The company is steadfast in its commitment to renewable energy. Through the utilisation of green energy, it persistently invests in sustainable energy resources, generating approximately 1100 lakh KWh annually. With products made from recycled fibres (it recycles 183 crore PET bottles every year) and manufactured with responsible processes, RSWM Limited annually saves 4,92,750 kilolitres of water. In an exclusive discussion with Apparel Resources, Riju Jhunjhunwala, CMD of the company and flag bearer of the organisation’s growth, touches upon the key issues that are drawing attention of the textile industry and the company.
Global scenario and India’s growth scenario
India today is very well poised to take advantage of all the confusion that is going on in the world. Europe is suffering because of energy crisis and the power costs there have gone up by four to five times, thus making all industries there face extremely high inflation.
Earlier there was no stock with the companies but now they are full of inventories. Few of the economies are improving also, so India’s exports will grow now. As efforts for FTAs with the UK are in full swing, it will give us very good result.
The US does not want to do enough business with China, so they have very clearly made a China plus-one policy whose effects we have started seeing very lately on all our businesses.
We are getting inquiries and businesses that we were never getting before. India has managed to keep its energy costs low. So geopolitically and economically, I think, post-0 Covid, India has really rebounded very well.
And with schemes like PLI and PM MITRA, the Indian textile industry is motivated to invest. So we are in for some good times. The domestic market is supporting the industry, and looking forward, international brands are also coming to India. Hence, overall things will be better.
Though there are ongoing issues like logistics cost and other regular teething problems, but the Government’s focus remains unwavered on the apparel and textile industry.
Sustainability at the core
We are hearing a lot about sustainability for the last ten years. But now in the recent few years, it is being taken up seriously. Many prestigious brands working with us only or majorly want sustainable products.
We have a dedicated focus on sustainability at all levels.Our processing units conserve water at all levels; we invested in zero liquid discharge units even before they became the norm. Now, of course, you cannot even set up a unit without it. We have a recycled polyester fibre unit in which we are using almost 60 lakh bottles everyday recycling those into polyester fibre. We are converting them 100 per cent to make our own yarn.
Solar energy is also one of our top priorities. We are using biomass instead of fossil fuel, post-consumer and pre-consumer waste, recycled fibres etc. None of the areas are missing from our radar.
From all aspects, we are preferred suppliers to all the brands because we follow all the norms which are required by those people.
Synergy across the company and leadership development
Focusing on top leadership and strategies, we recently held a leadership conclave ‘Ignite2026’ where key leaders and experts had two power-packed days of brainstorming on how leadership and brand both can embark on their next big mission.
We had two factors in mind – one is of course is related to numbers and growth. And the other was how we as a company can make use of all the synergies.
Our company has a strong portfolio including a variety of yarns, knitted fabric (cotton and synthetic), and denim fabric which is also the core strength of our business. All these businesses are in different locations and have different aspects. So our focus is how to come across as a company in showcasing ourselves to the buyer as a one-stop shop for all the requirements. If a big brand is buying denim from us, it should also buy knitted fabric from us.
We are in the growth phase and we are constantly learning of course. We’ve just started a new unit of 55,000 spindles in a state-of-the-art cotton unit. Before that, we expanded into melange yarns and denim. Now we are looking at how to forward integrate. Things are in the pipeline.
