Colorant : India’s Top Dyestuff Company with Global Outlook
Colorant – based at Ahmedabad and well-known for it’s Colron range of high efficiency reactive dyes – is poised to become first Indian Company to offer it’s clients in India and overseas a range of Fluorine based Reactive dyes, thanks to the global outlook of Mr. Subhash Bhargava, promoter and managing director of the company. Mr. Bhargava, a technocrat having B.Text. degree from prestigious TIT, Bhiwani, ventured into the manufacturing of reactive dyes by incorporating his own company “Colorant” some thirteen years ago. Mr. Bhargava started his career with Delhi Cloth Mills, Delhi and also served Atul, Pidilite and Metrochem in senior positions for more than 20 years before plunging into his own business enterprise.
Colorant recently concluded an MoU with the Color Root of China – the biggest manufacturer of Fluorine based Reactive dyes in the world. Under the agreement Colorant will have exclusive marketing rights for these dyes in India enabling the company to offer most modern and environmentally green chemistry to it’s customers for the first time in India thereby revolutionizing the dyeing industry due to the energy saving and emission reduction.
The Color Root is a young but one of the fastest growing dyestuff companies in the dyestuff world. With their first phase of construction completed for a capacity of 20,000 tons of dyestuffs, they are now working on Phase II to reach a capacity of 30,000 MT per year. Color Root offers largest range of Fluorine based Reactive dyes. The company employees 290 people.
Color Root is headed by Mr. Liu Wei Bin. With the experience of more than 26 years, he is a well known figure in the field of dyestuffs chemicals. He is one of the CPPCC members in Hubei province. He is also the guest professor at the Wuhan Textile University.
We are presenting below the excerpts of the interview with Mr. Subhash Bhargava that we had with him in Ahmedabad recently.
Please give your introductory details (both – personal and organizational)
I started my career with Delhi Cloth Mills, Delhi after obtaining my B.Text. (Textile Chemistry) from TIT, Bhiwani. Later, I served Atul, Pidilite and Metrochem in senior positions for more than 20 years before venturing into the manufacturing of reactive dyes by incorporating my own company.
Colorant, which is now thirteen years old, is engaged in manufacturing and exporting of reactive dyes and Optical Brightening Agents (OBAs). Colorant is an ISO 9001:2008 & ISO 14001:2004 certified Company and one of the leading Manufacturers and Exporters of Dyes in India. Most of our products are “GOTS” Certified and Pre-registered with “REACH”. Company also enjoys status of Government recognised “Export House”.
Specialties of your company. Please provide information on your products/production pattern specialties, market reach etc.
Colorant has the most comprehensive and versatile range of reactive dyes for the cellulosic substrate under the brand name ‘Colron’. All products are eco-friendly and completely AZO-free. Colorant has modern manufacturing facilities and headquarters ideally situated at one of the world’s foremost textile and dyes hub, Ahmedabad. This is a city that in turn enjoys the vantage position of being in Gujarat, the state largely responsible for putting India in the big league – among the largest reactive dyes producers in the world.
Colorant’s manufacturing facilities are furnished with the latest equipments like Spray Dryer, Reverse Osmosis System, Digital pH and Temperature control system etc. Apart from quality of the product, Colorant gives importance to safety and environment also. This is the reason why we can custom-make dyes to the most stringent international parameters, like those of global clothing labels.
Colorant Laboratory
These are plus points that are quite clearly finding favour at many places. Colorant is presently one of the fastest growing companies in India with an expanding volume of products bound for foreign shores.
Colorant has entered into an exclusive agreement with M/s. Color Root (Hubei) Technology Co., Ltd. for marketing of their Fluorine based Reactive Dyes in Indian market. The Colorant is the first Indian company to offer Fluorine based Reactive Dyes in India.
Steered by a plucky technocrat with considerable standing in the market and driven by a bunch of eager, technically qualified professionals, Colorant is well on its way to realizing its vision of emerging a major player.
What is your opinion about the Indian dyestuff market? Please share your experience.
Apart from its own offices in Tirupur, Ludhiana, Delhi, Calcutta and head office in Ahmedabad Colorant is using a network of distributors covering all important Textile centres in India. Colorant also has its presences in more than 10 countries Everywhere Colorant offers its Reactive dyes in its brand name of ‘Colron’ only.
Indian dyestuff industries are having its presence through its Reactive dyes globally. The industry have seen sea changes in terms of its product profile, capacities and global competitiveness. The number of units being decreased but overall manufacturing capacity of production have registered its slow but steady growth. During the same period the dependence for dye intermediates have increased on China. This situation is definitely a threat for future of Indian dyestuff industries.
Colorant Factory
At environmental front dyestuff industries are yet to achieve satisfactory level of Effluent treatment facilities. However, industries as well as pollution control boards are working together to register improvement. Very frankly commitment to “Green” is desirable than the technology alone.
How do you view the export potential and opportunities available globally for your company’s products?
So far Indian exports were limited to multinational companies and different trading companies in all over the world. Therefore, ‘Made in India’ logo was totally missing. But now globally this is accepted that Indian manufactures are producing at par qualities to MNCs, and emerging as one of the major player. Some of the Indian brands can be seen globally as well known brands.
Colorant always emphasises on its brand identity and misses no opportunity to showcase its brand through media and exhibitions etc. The response is over whelming. We are present in more than 10 countries under our own brand name and we hope that our growth story will continue in the coming years.
Colorant Factory
One of the key factors in the global market is having various certifications and registrations like GOTS, ISO 9001, ISO 1400 and REACH. We are among the first few in India to have all these certifications which confirms that our products are of ‘world class’ quality. Colorant has developed its own process chemistry for various types of simple, bi-functional, polyfunctional as well as special reactive dyes – each with suitability for specific end-user applications. About 50% of the company’s sales are derived from domestic sales. Apart from domestic and trading sales, the company also exports dyes to various textile manufacturers in Brazil, Iran and Africa.
To what extent the ‘China’ factor and the current global slowdown affecting the Indian industry?
Chinese dyestuff industry is having advantage in its size and backward integration. Very frankly to challenge them in global market is very difficult. We feel that instead of competing with them we can work together for complementing their strength with our strong points. In fact on the same line we entered into an exclusive agreement with M/s. Color Root for their fluorine based reactive dyes. This collaboration will bring changes in Indian market. Colorant is now the only Indian company to offer complete range of Reactive dyes including fluorine based reactive dyes. Colorant will also export certain reactive dyes to China where we are stronger than China and have an edge over Chinese producers.
Your comments on the government policies and your expectations from the policy makers.
Dyestuff industries situated in Ahmedabad are now being threatened by growing population surrounding different industrial estates. In my opinion Gujarat Government should provide some alternative location near by Ahmedabad so that industry can be relocated there in next 3-5 years. This will alone be a boost to industry because most of the manufacturers are unable to expand and upgrade their facilities due to lack of space. Introduction of GST will be helpful to industry in general. Lower excise duty and simplified procedure (paper work) will save industry from extra burden.
Mr. Bhargava and Mr. Liu with Team Members
What is the secret of your success?
Colorant’s success lies in its understanding customers expectation and responding accordingly. We have taken leadership in introducing many new products in the market since beginning. Even today we are the first Indian company to introduce complete range of fluorine based reactive dyes. We prefer to work with our end users, understand their requirements and work towards making things simpler at their end. We are known for our quality consistency and as a responsible supplier.
What are your future expansion and other plans for Colorant?
We have one unit ready for commencing production by December 2012. It will double our capacities for Reactive dyes. We are confident that our partnership with the Color Root will open up new vistas of growth for us and will prove to be very fruitful for both the companies.
The Color Root is one of the newest dyestuff companies that has made it’s presence felt on a global scale. With their first phase of construction completed for a capacity of 20,000 tons of dyestuffs, they are now working on phase II to reach a capacity of 30,000 MT per year. Color Root offers largest range of fluorine based reactive dyes. The company employs 290 people.
Color Root is headed by Mr. Liu Wei Bin. With the experience of more than 26 years, he is a well known figure in the field of dyestuffs chemicals. He is one of the CPPCC members in Hubei province. He is also the guest professor at the Wuhan Textile University.
