One of the oldest names in Kolkata textiles industry, the Kothari Group (Kothari Processors/Kothari Hosiery Factory) is expanding aggressively. With strong control on knitted fabric business, the company also does woven garments. With an investment of Rs. 7 crore, made 8 months ago, the company started digital printing (with printer of Reggiani Italy). Currently, the digital printing capacity of the company is around 2.5 lakh metres per month and by this year’s end, the figure is expected to double up.
Moving one step further in next two months, the company will also start rotary printing facility. The initial capacity of rotary printing will be nearly 4 lakh metres per month and there will be a total investment of Rs. 22 crore for the expansion. While in garmenting, with an installed capacity of 4 lakh pieces per month, the company is already doing well in kids and menswear segments. It is also coming up with a new factory of 200 machines in Serampore (Kolkata) to increase its thrust on womenswear (Pretty Honey) for export as well as domestic market. Once the new factory will be operational, total garmenting capacity for the company will be doubled. Focusing on yarn, the company will encash its strength on prints in womenswear.
“We are aggressively growing in prints and hopefully will be at the top position in Kolkata as far as printing is concerned. Currently, Kothari Processors is doing business of around Rs. 250 crore which is expected to be Rs. 450 crore after expansion,” told Vishwajit Devnath, HOD, Printing of the company.
Out of the company’s current printing capacity, nearly 80 per cent share is for in-house consumption. The company is supplying its printed fabric (woven) to many top exporters of womenswear and process for supplying knitted fabric is underway. Only in Kolkata, Kothari Processors sells 700 tonnes of knitted fabric per month and its major clients are those doing value added kidswear. “Our growth (in printing and fabric) is also associated with established and growing brands of Kolkata which motivates us to expand further,” added Vishwajit.
Not to deny the company’s state-of-the-art plant for processing gives an edge over quality. Garmenting is almost a 4-year old initiative of the company and currently, it has some clients in Dubai. It is also producing menswear for top Indian retailers like Pantaloons, Big Bazaar, and Vishal Mega Mart etc. In the approaching season, the company is looking for growth in domestic as well as export. “We are offering products for summer as well as winter season and the future is bright from a market perspective. So expansion is like a must for the organised company,” shared Mintu Bhatia, Marketing Manager, Kothari Hosiery Factory.
