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‘Computerisation, automation has helped in increasing productivity, reducing costs’

Mr Kaushik Desai, MD, Ridham Synthetics

Computerisation and automation have been the areas that we have been working in, over the last one year. We have set up a high tech three-dimensional laboratory, and have computerised all our production processes. We have installed an ERP software system which helps us to achieve ‘right-first-time’ production. The lab, which has the latest equipment, facilitates fast and correct sample dyeing. All of this has been done with an investment of Rs 75 lakh.

Automation and computerisation is proving very beneficial. We have reduced the human element to the minimum, so human errors have been done away with; we can now do the dyeing and processing at night too, without any hassles. Repeatablity of quality is very high, almost 80 per cent, this was not possible earlier as recipes were made manually, and dyeing, processing, etc was also largely manual. Now, with computers feeding all the chemicals, colours into the recipes in exact proportions every time, we get very good results, defects have also come down. Our clients can now get information about their stock positions online. Productivity has improved by almost 7-8 per cent, taking our production capacity to 56,000 metres per day, since the last 15 days.

Our aim of focussing on automation was to supply the perfect quality to our clients, and get the quality right first time. Right-first-time is very helpful as it leads to savings in costs, by reducing wastages. Also, it helps in fast delivery of orders, which is crucial if our clients have made export commitments. The high tech lab helps us to adhere to whatever standards our clients want, be it ISO, AATCC, etc. The failure rates have come down.

At present, we jobwork for some mills, and also supply to wholesalers in Kalbadevi, and to the RMG manufacturers. Our thrust in the future will be to increasingly meet the fabric requirements of the RMG sector and the exporters, especially of processed cotton fabric. In fact, processors in Bhiwandi, Navi Mumbai, Mumbai, Umbergaon, Tarapore, Vapi, are concentrating on improving the quality of cotton dyeing, and moving into higher value fabrics, many are also moving into the home textiles segment.