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INTERVIEW
KUSUMGAR CORPORATES IN GROWTH EVADING PANDEMIC CHALLENGES
MR. SIDDHARTH KUSUMGAR Managing Director Kusumgar Corporates is presently recognised as a market leader in the highly specialised Technical and Specialized Textiles sector. Mr. Yogesh Kusumgar recognised the enormous potential of a business that was still in its infancy in 1970. He founded a company to suit the complex needs of an ever-changing textile industry, starting small but thinking big. The company’s agility in offering bespoke solutions, together with world-class quality and incredibly competitive rates, drove it to a leadership position in a short period of time. Kusumgar Corporates has a solid track record in the field of specialist textiles, offering a wide range of textiles for a wide range of applications. Cordura fabrics, custom fabrics, geosynthetics, recreational fabrics, parachute fabrics, protective fabrics, ballistic fabrics, filter fabrics, parasail fabrics, impression fabrics, and medical textile fabrics have all thrilled clients throughout the years. The company’s phenomenal performance in the early years allowed it to further solidify its market position. Manufacturing capacity was continually increased by utilising the most advanced technology and equipment. The corporation also moved forward to allow for greater value addition to its product line while maintaining complete control over quality standards and delivery timelines. The move from weaver to coater of specialist fabrics provided the company with the confidence to advance to the next level. Today, Kusumgar is a skilled maker of specialty textiles as well as a well-known knowledge supplier and whole solutions consultant in India’s difficult technical textiles business. How would you describe your company in a few sentences? Could you please provide us information about the products in your portfolio?
AUGUST 2021
DR. M.K. TALUKDAR Consultant
In 1970, Mr. Yogesh Kusumgar, Chairman of Kusumgar Corporates Pvt. Ltd (KCPL), realized the need for textiles for non-apparel application, that is presently known as technical textiles, and started a business to meet the ever-growing needs of a burgeoning industry. Today, Kusumgar has completed 50 years and is regarded as a pioneer in the industry, synonymous with the development, production, and supply of technical textiles. KCPL has been recognized for its many awards including the National Award for indigenization conferred by the Ministry of Defence. The other honours that the company has received over the years are the Gold Vendor Award by Garware Bestretch, Supplier Excellence Award by Parker Hannifin, and Quality Promise to Zero Defect Award by Johnson and Johnson. Despite the huge potential in the market, technical textiles are growing at a slower pace? Why? The global demand for technical textiles is estimated at $180 bn and growing at a CAGR of 4%. The Asia Pacific is leading with 40% share, while North America and West Europe stand at 25% and 22% respectively. On the other hand, the demand for technical textiles in India is meager $20 bln. The main reasons for low growth are: i) Consumer awareness has not been created and the market is not growing for technical textiles. ii) Textile Industry is fragmented and low scale; the majority of the manufacturing units do not have proper infrastructure and quality consciousness to meet the stringent requirement of technical textiles. iii) There is a lack of R&D culture. iv) Mandate of compulsory use for protection, environment,
