NEW DELHI, January 30: It is only a unique product which can stand out in the world of intense competition. And if you can't invent a new one, then go ahead and innovate. Just like some of the entrepreneurs in Haryana have done. They are doing brisk business by treading on not-too-beaten paths. It is in differing that these people have found their fortunes.Rajiv Girhotra of Starlite Industries Ltd, a marbles manufacturing company in Sonepat, is running a successful business. But what is so special about humble marbles which probably don't have much use beyond being bounced around? "Well, the speciality is in what you make of it," answers Girhotra. Girhotra manufactures and exports marbles of different varieties to the US, the UK, Holland and Australia.
Marble has various uses, explains Girhotra. "It can be used in 25-30 different industries including soda, paint and games." Girhotra displays a mind-boggling variety of marbles of various sizes and colours which is sure to change the viewers narrow view ofthe round object. An innovative way in which marbles can be used is for sales promotion. "Logos can be printed on them advertising different products," explains Girhotra showing a big marble with the logo of Pepsi on it.
Girhotra has been trading in marble for the last six years and started manufacturing eight months ago. "As a trader I felt helpless as I did not have any control on the quality of the marbles. Sometimes my supply was rejected by foreign buyers because the quality did not match international standards. So, I decided to start manufacturing."
As the industry is labour-intensive and labour is available in plenty in India, manufacturing does not pose any problem, says Girhotra. "The only problem is that strict vigilence is required to see that the labour is not compromising on the quality of the product." Capital requirement is not much in the line. Sophisticated machinery is required only for grading of the marbles. "Grading is very important and I take it seriously," says Girhotra.Girhotra's turnover has increased mani-fold since he started. "My business has a growth rate of 20-25 %."
If you think pencils are boring and growth in this business is only limited, think again. Azad Singh Rohatgi of Asian Pencils will convince you that you can draw a bright future with them. And if a company is as innovative as Asian, then only the sky can be the limit for them.
Asian Pencils was started 30 years ago by R D Chawla. Catering only to the local buyers initially, Asian widened its network slowly. Today, it is supplying a wide range of stationary all over India and is also exporting to the US.
According to Rohatgi maintaining quality and making products attractive is the key to success. "Nobody likes a pencil which breaks on the second day of purchase or looks bland."
Rohatgi says that another important point which keeps a business going is innovation. Asian has started making customized pencils which are used by companies for brand promotion. "We print the name of the company or anyother thing that our customers want."
According to Rohatgi the future of the business is extremely bright. "We are growing at a very fast rate. At present, we are producing 1.5 lakh pencils daily." Asian has appointed distributors area wise who take care of the business in their particular zone. "Things are going on smoothly. If we improve our quality and think of newer uses, which we definitely will, our progress will be unbounded."
Unbounded success is what Abnish Singh of Woody's Shoes will have if his new product clicks. Everybody at one time or the other owns a pair of shoes or sandals made of a certain soft velvety leather called new-buck. The frustration that one faces when no polish seems to work on it, need not be mentioned. Singh has developed a product which will polish out this frustration for ever. He has come out with a shoe-polish which actually works on new-buck leather without spoiling the texture.
It has been only six months since he launched the polish and Singh claims that he hasreceived a tremendous response from buyers in Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi. "Since this product is the first of its kind, people have shown great interest". Running a shoe shop in Haryana, Singh says that he had often heard customers complaining that the new-buck shoes became useless, once the initial polish wears off. "I wanted to develop such a polish, but due to lack of technology I could not go about it."
Singh's big break came when he was just by chance introduced to a shoe maker from Germany, who had the required technology to offer. "I grabbed the opportunity and entered into a business agreement with the German manufacturer." According to the agreement, Singh has been handed over the formula for the polish. The concentrate for the polish is sent to him from Germany and the rest of the ingredients are added by Singh in his unit. "This arrangement is very convenient for me."
Singh says that he does not have the required funds for extensive advertisement. He is compensating it by visitingshoe companies personally and requesting them to display his product in their showrooms. Gradually, he also wants to start exporting. Says Singh confidently, "I will surely succeed. I have the will so there will certainly be a way."
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
