Interview with Rajat Kumar Kedia

Technical textiles and nonwovens are dependent upon innovation. Novel materials have prospective applications in commercial products, particularly in medical, health, hygiene protection, home textiles, agriculture, geotextiles, and construction material applications. These textiles are used for performance purposes, where design, colour, and fashion are not as essential. Wipes and diapers are examples of disposable products that are proving to be both time-saving and convenient. In conclusion, the primary drivers for technical textile products are innovation, efficacy, price, economic climate and the country’s population.

Change is permanent and progress is an ongoing process. A few decades ago, the emphasis was on developing inexpensive and time-saving products, which resulted in the use of non-biodegradable plastic materials. Environmentalists grew extremely concerned because of the devastation caused by limited natural resources and a vast quantity of disposable products. Consequently, the industry is now focused on sustainable products.

Over 6-8 distinct nonwoven technologies exist, each with its own advantages and limitations. The future will be shaped by hybrid and composite technologies that combine the benefits of various technologies. Best example is wet-laid, which utilises paper and hydro-entanglement technologies to develop sustainable nonwovens for wipes and hygiene applications.

With a five per cent proportion of the global textile market, India is ranked fourth worldwide. In contrast, the country is not even in the top 20 for technical textiles and nonwovens. Technical textiles and nonwovens necessitate sophisticated technologies and raw materials, which we lack; as a result, we must import them in order to compete, which makes us even more expensive.

At present, the Indian government is warming up to the use of technical textiles for the industry. It is encouraging entrepreneurs to invest in sophisticated technologies to produce high-quality goods. They should mandate the use of technical textiles and nonwovens of the appropriate quality for maximum applications.

We have a firm belief that health and wellness are the new sunrise sectors. Hence, we wanted to pursue a business expansion in this area. On the other hand, our extensive know-how in polymer processing and decades of collaboration with technology leaders like Reifenhäuser-Reicofil led us to believe in the evolving spunmelt nonwoven technology.

We conducted a detailed market study and global mapping, which identified medical disposables and hygiene as core areas to grow with huge potential for innovation.

Our machine and technology are massively flexible to produce the entire range of spunmelt nonwoven products for widest range of applications, which include medical hygiene and industrial fabrics. Our line is highly agile, can changeover within a short time and has the ability to service low MOQs.

Manjushree has always been an organisation committed to social responsibility. The benefit of a greenfield initiative is that it prioritises sustainability from the ground up. The building’s design is optimised for natural illumination and fresh air, and it features comprehensive contamination control. In addition, almost all of our energy comes from renewable sources, and ESG (environmental, social, and corporate governance) is one of our core guiding principles.

We can provide our customers with consistently high-quality goods at the most competitive prices, thanks to the application of smart technology. Our smart and agile technology allows us to manufacture products with minimal downtime and waste.

Due to our technologically sound production, process, and engineering team, we did not face any challenges during its implementation.

SMART technology-based nonwovens are comprised of finer filaments, almost 25 per cent finer than existing products, resulting in nonwovens of superior quality for medical and hygiene applications.

We are committed to providing the highest level of safety and comfort with our innovative products, and our entire organisation is aligned with this objective. Similar to our other business under Manjushree Technopack Ltd, we have entered the nonwovens market in an effort to attain the market-leading position.