KARL MAYER’s Warp Preparation Business Unit is supporting Rajapalayam Mills Ltd. in the setting-up of a weaving unit
The textile arm of the Indian Ramco Group – part of a US $1 billion group – is an important measure of the national economy and a significant global player. Its turnover is currently in the region of US $183 million, approximately 30% of which is generated by exports. But these results are likely to be surpassed even further. The group is counting on an annual growth rate of 7% to 8% and a doubling of turnover over the next five years. These ambitious plans should be achieved by expanding the associated textile operations. The textile arm of the Ramco Group includes mainly spinning works with a total of about 375,000 spinning units, as well as weaving operations. /1/ These companies focus consistently on high-end products and use high-tech machines to produce them. Textiles for medical applications, woven jacquard fabrics, shirting materials and bedlinen are produced at the Ramco Group’s Ramaraju Surgical Cotton Mills Ltd. The warp beams for these high-quality textile products are processed mainly on KARL MAYER’s direct warpers and sizing machines. This well-known textile machinery manufacturer was also chosen for this latest investment project in the weaving side of the textile business. The company is the sole supplier of a complete production line for weaving preparation to Rajapalayam Mills Ltd.
More vertical production – thanks to its own weaving operations
The expansion project at Rajapalayam Mills Ltd. focused on vertical integration, i.e. the existing spinning activities were to be extended to include weaving operations. The company concentrates on the production of yarns in a finer count range of from Ne 30 to Ne 345 by ring spinning, and from Ne 4 to Ne 24 by open-end spinning. Mainly cotton, Lenzing Modal and Tencel fibres are processed. The production repertoire also includes special processes to produce, for example, flame, core-spun, melange and mercerised yarns. These are aimed primarily at premium products and customised solutions rather than at commodity products. The high-quality, uniform yarns are sent to leading fabric producers in India, in other Asian countries and Europe. Many customers source from external companies if their own capacity is not sufficient. This is where Rajapalayam Mills Ltd. comes in. This company wants to become the preferred suppler of high-quality, yarn-dyed raw fabrics for textile producers with order backlogs. For this reason a yarn-dyed weaving unit with an initial capacity of 10 million metres of fabric per annum was to be set up.
High-tech machines for high-quality products
Rajapalayam Mills Ltd. looked at the technology of various different suppliers for equipping its entire weaving preparation plant. After carrying out intensive investigations, the company chose KARL MAYER. Its expertise in factory planning, strong service organisation, but especially the high-tech machines supplied by this innovative textile machinery manufacturer, were extremely impressive. “Quality is an integral part of the strategy of the Ramco Group. As part of the textile operations, Rajapalayam Mills’ weaving unit is also committed to delivering high-end, customised products. KARL MAYER’s warp preparation machines provide the technical perfection and flexibility that we need,” says N. Mohana Rengan, the Chief Operating Officer of Rajapalayam Mills Ltd.
Complete solution, thanks to a network of subsidiaries
KARL MAYER also scores points in terms of its strategy of clean project execution. Everything was provided by the same company, i.e. from the global subsidiaries in the group: a GIR-O-MATIC® sample warping machine and an ISOMATIC sectional warping machine from the German parent company in Obertshausen, a WARPDIRECT® direct warper with GV creel from KARL MAYER (CHINA) and a PROSIZE® sizing machine for processing spun yarns from KARL MAYER ROTAL in Italy.
Two ISOWARP conventional sectional warping machines, including five warping creels from KARL MAYER India, were also delivered. The machines were the first machines to be fully manufactured in India by the group. Rajapalayam Mills Ltd. was able to profit from its geographical location, since this manufacturer was able to study the features of its new acquisition before delivery. The machines in KARL MAYER’s factory in Ahmedabad were built and made ready for operation for approval by the client.
As well as the company’s sites in India, Germany, China and Italy, KARL MAYER Textilmaschinen AG in Switzerland was also involved in the project. The Swiss marketing experts were responsible for the commercial side of the order. “We are pleased that Rajapalayam Mills Ltd. has put its trust in our company. The order has strengthened our position on the Indian market. Thanks to our established inter-corporate processes, cooperative networks and project management structures, we were able to fully meet all the requirements of the project,” says KARL MAYER’s Senior Sales Manager, Peter Obrist.
The execution of the entire project was also actively supported by A.T.E., the machine manufacturer’s agent in the region.
All the machines are scheduled to go into operation in the second quarter of 2019.