S. Kumars Nationwide (SKNL) is one of India’s leading textile and apparel company with expertise in multi-fiber manufacturing. The company has extended its presence in multiple product categories from Fabrics to Apparels and Home Textiles. From a turnover of Rs 5 million in 1948, today, the group has come a long way in achieving a turnover of Rs 17 billion. SKNL has set standards of excellence, acquiring many ‘firsts’ to its credit and crossing a number of ‘milestones’ in its journey.

The transformation of SKNL took place when Nitin Kasliwal took over the reins of his family run textiles business, of which SKNL was the flagship company. Since assuming control he has created a strong textiles focused company that is completely professional in structure and management. With a vision to clothe the world, SKNL is arguably the only Indian textiles player today that is operating across all fiber categories and market segments. The company became a purely textiles and apparel company with no other businesses. With a strong focus on manufacturing especially it set up in addition to its existing manufacturing facilities in Dewas MP, a state of the art luxury suiting plant at Mysore in 1998. With over 4 units spread across these 2 locations, the company was set to achieve bigger heights.

Challenging circumstances not withstanding SKNL grew at a scorching pace. It developed a wide distribution network of more than 30,000 agents and dealers. Its deep penetration in all retail formats helped it ride the boom in consumer spending and growth of organized retail. To keep pace with brisk growth in business, teams were strengthened and infrastructure modernized. Offices, plants, machinery were updated in line with the growth outlined for the company.

Currently the company owns 4 state of the art manufacturing units located at Mysore (Karnataka) and Dewas (Madhya Pradesh). Collectively, it has a production capacity of 200,000 meters of high-quality fabrics each day.  Two new plants at Bharuch, Gujarat for Cotton have been recently established. SKNL plans to introduce yet another facility, of the Ready-to-Wear SBU, near Bangalore to cater to the international market. Today, the company owns millionaire brands like Reid & Taylor, Belmonte, etc.

Strategic business units of SKNL

Consumer Textiles - Consumer Textiles include Uniforms, Work-Wear and Suitings made from blended polyester viscose and polyester cotton fabrics. Belmonte, the mid premium menswear brand offers a wide range of polyester and viscose blend fabrics for office, leisure and evening wear. Uniformity by Belmonte offers work-wear and uniform fabric while S.Kumars offers work-wear and daily wear for the common man. The company provides unparalleled range of Uniform fabrics for schools, the armed forces, hospitals, airlines and a host of other industries. Its plain weave blends of polyester viscose and polyester cotton are available in more than 150 classic shades, the largest spectrum of colors available.

The company offers lightweight, durable, polyester viscose work wear available in several different weaves and shades. This range comes with specially developed attributes like wrinkle-free and moisture-absorbent fabrics for easy maintenance and comfort. To complete the perfect work wardrobe, the company also produces a vast range of polyester viscose, polyester cotton and high-end spun shirting materials. Solids, checks and stripes vie for attention in an impressive range of shades. SKNL exports blended fabrics to United Kingdom, Middle East, East Africa, Syria, Europe and Latin America. The company has successfully increased its presence in the blended suiting market by producing and marketing quality products.

Total Home Expressions - Total Home Expressions division manufactures and markets home textiles - bed sheets, sheeting fabrics, made-ups with significant emphasis on the export market. The products made include Damask, Grey Sheeting Fabric and Cotton Jacquard for the domestic and international markets. The primary manufacturing facility, Chamunda Standard Mills at Dewas, Madhya Pradesh and another state-of-the-art (in the vicinity) have a combined capacity to manufacture 1 million metres of 100% cotton, single yarn damask fabrics, annually. The company is reported to be the sole manufacturer of fine count Damask in India.

The company launched Carmichael House in the mid-premium segment. The brand offers a wide range of bed covers, bed sheets and pillowcase sets, variety of terry towels, duvet covers and upholstery for use in the entire home. The brand is distributed through multi-brand outlets and exclusive brand stores. The company plans to launch a brand in the economy segment to meet the growing demand of the middle-class consumers for quality home linen products. At the top end of the market launch of an international brand by SKNL is in the pipeline. This will enable SKNL to cover all segments of the entire market spectrum.

Total Wardrobe Solutions - Total Wardrobe Solutions implies a complete offering in terms of formal, leisure, evening wear and accessories. This is in contrast to the prevalent practice of launching a limited range of products and reflects SKNL's understanding of the consumer. The company has positioned Reid & Taylor apparel brand in the premium men's wear market. This reinforces the existing premium positioning of the Reid & Taylor fabric brand. The brand is targeted at the discerning male customers who believe in the best and belong to the upper-end and upper-middle strata of the socio-economic segment. Reid & Taylor apparel offers two distinct lines of fashion - Legends (Formal wear) and Sport (Smart Casuals). Premium accessories like ties, belts and cufflinks complement these lines.

Belmonte’s range of ready-to-wear addresses the mid-premium consumer. The apparel is designed to meet the demands of the style conscious but value-driven young consumers. The key success factor is the creation of an intensive distribution network, which covers the top 100 cities in India backed by an efficient supply chain. For the mid to low price segment the company offers S.Kumars ready-to-wear which is available across multi-brand outlets, exclusive brand outlets and value shops in select markets. This apparel range offers the value-for-money proposition that is synonymous with the S.Kumars brand. Baruche Superfine Cottons - Baruche Superfine Cottons is a business initiative of S. Kumars Nationwide Limited, India’s leading textile conglomerate, focused upon the global market for high value fine cotton fabrics for shirts. In addition to the SKNL pedigree, Baruche has the competence to create best in class products for luxury and premium apparel brands. Baruche places specific emphasis on design and development, both collections led and customer-centric. Baruche has set up a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility with integrated quality assurance systems, led by a strong international management team. Following are the products:

• Baruche Superfine Cottons offers a wide range of shirting fabrics in Stripes, Checks, Warp & Weft Chambrays, Fil-a-Fils along with Dyeds and Optical Whites.
• Yarns used are only of the highest quality spun from the best quality cotton fibres viz. Giza, Pima & Suvin. The Baruche product range includes design collections based on seasonal trends and also customized as per requirements.
• Gassed cotton yarn shirting fabrics are available in double 80’s / 100’s / 120’s / 140’s count. Compact cotton yarn fabrics are available in single 50’s / 60’s / 70’s.
• Value-added fibre blends like Linen, Modal, Lycra and others are also available.Weaves offered are Plain, Twills, Oxfords, Matts, Piques, Dobbies, Highly Structured & Double Beam.
• Baruche Superfine Cottons has advanced technology to offer customized finishes. These include Easy-to-Iron, Wrinkle Free, Nano finishes, Anti-Microbial, Moist Cure and others.
• A wide range in the Never-out-of-stock collection is also available for quick shipments.
• Baruche will offer Full Package Solutions produced by a specially established in-house shirt making unit soon.

Subsidiaries

Reid & Taylor (India) Ltd - Reid & Taylor (India) Ltd., is a subsidiary of SKNL. Synonymous with British tradition, Reid & Taylor has been styling the world's elite for over 170 years. It all began in the 1830's with Alexander Reid, an enterprising Scottish gentleman, embarking on a journey to make his vision a reality. Using locally available Cheviot wool he created Cheviot cloth that soon caught on the fancy of the landed gentry. As the clientele and reputation grew, he was joined by financer Joseph Taylor. Thus, began the enduring partnership of creating finest cloths in the world, which today is better known as Reid & Taylor. Reid & Taylor continues the journey to create the finest fabric passionately and has thus carved out a distinguished name for itself in the industry.

Reid & Taylor was launched by SKNL in India in 1998 with the inauguration of a state-of-the-art fabric plant at Mysore. The discerning consumers in India now can experience international-quality garments in their own cities and towns. Today, Reid & Taylor has emerged as a leading brand in the worsted suiting segment. Reid & Taylor is the first brand in India to offer both fabrics and apparel under one label. The fine quality of garments and sharp styling has created a space for itself in the customer’s mind.

The apparel range includes formal and casual daywear suits, jackets, trousers, shirts ties and accessories along with a wide selection of T-shirts, jeans, and other weekend wear. Produced by Reid & Taylor at a dedicated facility in Bangalore, the apparel range upholds the finest tradition of quality and cuts in outfitting. Amitabh Bachchan, India's most well-recognised and admired film icon endorses the brand. The association with a Bollywood icon has translated into higher reach and stronger pull for the brand from the non-metro cities. High brand saliency and the positive affirmation from consumers have influenced demand in domestic market and the neighbouring countries.

Company's Products

• Fabrics
• Apparel
• Home Textiles

Milestones

1948 - S. Kumars Group was founded in 1948 by Abhayakumar Kasliwal and Shambhukumar Kasliwal by establishing textile distribution network and subsequently commencing textile manufacturing activities.

1990

• The company incorporated as a private limited company on September 28, under the Companies Act, 1956 and has became a deemed Public Company under Section 43 A (I) with effect from February 28, 1991.
• The company became a simplicitor public Company; vide special Resolution Passed on July 7, 1992 and fresh certificate of change of name as issued on September 28, 1993. It is engaged in the business of trading in synthetic/blended fabrics.
• With a view to meet the growing demand for its product, S. Kumars Synfabs acquired shuttleless looms and other plant from S. Kumar Enterprises (Synfabs) and is installing further shuttleless looms and other equipment at Dewas and setting up texturising and twisting plant at Pithampur in Madhya Pradesh.
• S. Kumars Synfabs was promoted keeping in mind the S. Kumars Group overall corporate strategy and given objectives of segregating the export business from the local business. It was promoted by the group with the intention of making it the flagship company of the group's synthetic textile business.
• S. Kumars Synfabs was promoted by S. Kumar Enterprises (Synfabs) and commenced its business in September.

1992

• The Group also established its presence in the Middle East and the U.K./European markets. The Group exported goods worth Rs 15 crore in the year.
• S. Kumars Group is among the early business houses that ushered in the widespread use of Polyester and polyester blends in apparel fabric in India, introduced 100% Polyester sarees and used Acrylic fibre in everyday Suitings and Shirtings. It was also among the first Textile Groups to take up systematic textile marketing by establishing a widespread network of dealers and retailers, and regularly advertising its products. It was amongst the first to establish India as a sourcde of fashion blended fabric in the United Kingdom.

1993 - The public issued 38,50,000 equity shares of Rs 10 each at a premium of Rs 26 per share aggregating Rs 1,386 lakh and issue of 1,66,000 Zero interest Zero dividend Convertible Preference Shares (CPS) of face value of Rs 100 each at par aggregating Rs 166 lakh has been oversubscribed.

1994 - The company privately placed 10 lakh Non Convertible Debentures of Rs 100 each aggregating to Rs 10 crore, with the Industrial Development Bank of India and the Unit Trust of India to complete the means of finance of the expansion project undertaken by the Company.

1997 - The company acquired from Standard Industries Limited, a spinning- cum-weaving unit situated near Dewas in M.P. The unit has an installed capacity of 38,564 Spindles and 64 Sulzer double width shuttleless weaving machines. The company is setting up a state-of-the-art Worsted mill near Mysore in Karnataka

1998 - The company entered into a technical and marketing collaboration with Reid & Taylor of Scotland for manufacturing and marketing of exclusive worsted suitings.

1999

• The company signed an agreement with National Securities Depository Limited (NSDL) for joining the Depository System, which facilitates scripless trading.
• The company introduced a novel concept in distribution called ‘Direct to Retail’ - DTR.

2000

• S Kumars Synfabs, the Rs 600 crore synthetic-textiles company decided to extend its Reid & Taylor brand to ready-to-wear segment.
• Rs 600 crore textile major S Kumars Synfab signed Bollywood sensation Hrithik Roshan to be their new brand ambassador for an undisclosed sum to mark their entry into the readymade apparel market.
• Chennai high court through an interim injunction, prevented S Kumars from using the brand name `Cinnamon'
• S Kumars Synfabs appointed Andersen Consulting to review its product portfolio in different market segments and maximise the company's strengths in marketing brand building and brand creation.

2001

• S Kumar's Synfabs, has been forced to launch a new ready-to-wear brand,
• ICRA downgraded the Rs 50 crore non-convertible debenture issue of S Kumars Nationwide to inadequae safety lBB rating from the previous lA.
• The company promoted Shree Maheshwar Hydel Power project in Madhya Pradesh has secured a $132.60 million (about Rs 610 crore) loan from the Power Finance Corporation (PFC)

2003

• Downgraded by ICRA `LBB' for its Rs 50 crore non-convertible debenture (NCDs) under rated `LD', indicating default
• Sanjeev Ghai has been appointed by IFCI, as Nominee Director on the board of the company vice R K M Prasad with effect from August 18, 2003

2004 - The company delisted its equity shares from Madhya Pradesh Stock Exchange Ltd, the Delhi Stock Exchange Association and the Ahmedabad Stock Exchange.

2006 - S Kumars wires in Alok Banerjee as CEO of textiles arm.

2010 - S Kumars Nationwide has signed a agreement with Donna Karan International to set up a Joint venture for taking care of DKNY's men's apparel range. The new joint venture will be responsible for the design, production and distribution for the entire range of DKNY menswear apparel all across the world except Japan. The life of the JV will be for 10 years.