From a small store on the streets of Old Delhi to a nationally recognized brand for tailoring accessories and sewing notions called ‘JYOTI’, BDR Products (India) Pvt. Ltd. has come a long way since its inception in 1951. The company established by Raj Kumar Jain to supply knitting needles was initially catering to the domestic market through a wholesale business, but soon after his son Niraj Jain joined in the company, BDR ventured into exports in 1995 and is currently going in for a major branding exercise with the entrance of the third generation, getting its systems in place, while incorporating new innovative changes and products to its current setup. Talking exclusively to Apparel Online, Niraj shares how his sons Tushar Jain and Chintan Jain have brought a new vision to the company, right from branding to the production.
[bleft]“I want to keep the handmade sewing and tailoring tradition alive by providing superior products to the households, tailors and craftsmen for carrying out precise work.” – Niraj Jain, Managing Director, BDR India[/bleft]
With a huge portfolio of products, currently the company caters in sewing needles, knitting pins, crochet hooks, dress hooks, tape measure, tailor tape, safety pins, elastics, sewing threads, sewing machine oil, scissors, trouser hooks, hanger, embroidery hoops, buttons, snap buttons, sewing kits, sewing machine parts and sewing accessories. “I want to keep the handmade sewing and tailoring tradition alive by providing superior products to the households, tailors and craftsmen for carrying out precise work” says Niraj.
In its growth, the company has relied on a business model of partnering with factories for production and outsourcing its complete capacity, but now the company is looking to get deeper into manufacturing with its own setup to cater to the increasing market demand. “In outsourcing, there is only so much of quality that can be brought in with existing machines, to enhance the product, investments need to be made and no one wants to take extra pain for somebody else’s brand or business. Therefore a need to setup our own factory was felt and since we have been working in this industry for a long time we knew exactly what we wanted,” says Niraj.
Though its share of the domestic market is larger than that of the export market, still the company heavily focuses on the quality of its products. Contrary to market belief that products made for the domestic market are low quality, the company invests huge money to maintain its quality standards. With a pan India presence, the company also exports its products to 35 different countries through it brand ‘Jyoti’ and also on OEM for some leading brands.
The move to change the quality and presentation of the products being offered by the company sprang into action when, Tushar and Chintan joined the family business. The two focused on the branding of the company’s products bringing in a new business approach, while putting the current systems in place. “Within the last five years, we have expanded a lot due to Tushar and Chintan taking up added responsibilities, and bringing in new ideas for better brand positioning,” exclaims Niraj.
The biggest USP of the company is that it offers a huge basket of products and is a one-stop solution for all sewing notions and accessories. Further, the company works with a wide customer network in all the major cities, though many suppliers and manufacturers feel more comfortable working with distributors, Niraj is very happy to have direct contact with the customers who are his eyes and ears. “We take feedback, complaints or suggestions from our customers, and this helps us improve not only our products but also our service levels,” adds Niraj.
[bleft]The biggest USP of the company is that it offers a huge basket of products and is a one-stop solution for all sewing notions and accessories. To pursue a vision to convert the business from sourcing to manufacturing, the company has put a vision strategy in place by starting its own unit manufacturing products such as tape measure, dress hook, etc. which are small but yet get noticed as they are really important for the garment industry.[/bleft]
To pursue a vision to convert the business from sourcing to manufacturing, the company has put a vision strategy in place by starting its own unit manufacturing products such as tape measure, dress hook, etc. which are small but yet get noticed as they are really important for the garment industry. In fact, BDR India is offering tape measures made from fibreglass thread cast in plastic PVC, which has passed the entire test procedure prescribed to get a certification on accuracy by the Weights and Measures Department. “Though the law requires that every tape measure should pass stringent test to ensure that it gives correct measurement and the non-use of such tape is punishable, since it is a very small item, the same is largely ignored,” continues Niraj.
Now, with a monopoly in the tape market, the company is confident that its brand image will get a huge thrust. As fitting is a major issue in the garment industry, “It is vital for the industry to be at par with international standards in terms of measurement of sizes, as wrong sizes can lead to rejection of the whole shipment.
Propelling the company’s growth is also the relationship of trust with old customers who have been with the company since its inception. “My father Raj Kumar Jain had taught me one thing that one should not break old relationships and bonds. Till date none of my relationships have gone bad, due to which our number of customers have increased manifold. We have come a long way from where we started and going forward my sons will carry forward the legacy with the same values intact,” concludes Niraj.
