The COVID-19 pandemic has taught businesses many important lessons, and one such lesson is to be lean.
Arvind Ltd., a textile to retail conglomerate has reacted fast to the changing situation and is currently in the midst of ‘restructuring’ across its company, business verticals and various manufacturing plants right from Ahmedabad and Bengaluru to Ethiopia.
As per highly placed officials of the company, who don’t wish to be quoted, one of its units in Ahmedabad, which has around 600 stitching machines, has been closed down and merged with another.
There is talk of revamping two shirt factories in Bengaluru and in the coming days, some critical decisions regarding the functioning of these factories are expected to be taken.
The company didn’t reply to Apparel Resources’ mail in this regard.
Close sources also informed that the company is planning to merge its two factories in Ethiopia into one.
Meanwhile, the company has taken to the manufacturing of PPE kits – In fact Arvind Ltd. was among the first companies to do so within a week of the Government asking Indian companies to come forward for the same.
On the manpower front, company officials, who didn’t wish to be named, said that around 500 people from the textile and garment business have been laid off though there is no official statement on the same.
It is no secret that the textile, garment and retail side of the business have taken a major beating, like many others in the segment.
Besides, there are some changes in top-level management both in manufacturing and the HR department. In 2019, the company had already started the process of restructuring the management team, which has now got fast-tracked in the current situation.
Now Ashish Kumar, besides holding the portfolio of CEO, Arvind Advanced Materials and Arvind Envisol, is also responsible for the apparel manufacturing business. Ashish was earlier also responsible for the apparel manufacturing segment and the company hopes that his experience will help businesses tide over the crisis with minimum impact.
