Exclusive Interview with Mr Ashutosh Gilra, Indian Representative of Geron Card Clothing (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd.
Brand name : Geron
Company name : Geron Card Clothing (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd.
Brand Tagline: Blue Diamond – Heart of Blowing- Carding
What inspired you to start this company?
The company was started in the year 1965 by the Chinese Government as there were no private enterprises as such, at that time. The company was established to cater to the needs of indigenous Chinese card making industries. The company provided them with card clothing. Our product is a part of bigger machine called card. We have been the suppliers to all the production of card that was taking place in China since 1965. Later on, in 1987 we expanded and set up our second plant with European technology. Subsequently when private entrepreneurship was encouraged in China, the company embraced it.
What are the segments in which your company operates? How diverse is your market?
We are primarily into spinning and textile machineries. We have our presence in all countries that are in the spinning segment such as China, US, Vietnam, Thailand, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Egypt.
What are the challenges or hardships faced by your company over the years?
In the initial years, our company enjoyed a smooth sail under the patronage of the Chinese government. Once, the company moved to the open market economy, we had to face certain challenges. We never perceived them as hardships. It only motivated us to do better. Our challenges were mainly pertaining to upgradation of our products. We were working with the vision of making our products world class and in order to achieve that we had to invest in acquiring better quality raw material, advanced machines with latest technology and highly skilled technicians. Winning over these challenges has helped us move beyond our home country China and expand our presence in several countries.
What do you consider as the biggest achievements of your company?
Our company enjoys 65% market share in China and 22% in India. We enjoy majority leadership in the North India and we have also grown exponentially in the central and southern regions of India.
What is your future plan for the next 5 to10 years?
We are aiming at setting up our manufacturing units in India. We see great potential in India, especially with the Make in India initiative which is a big boost for the future plans of our company. We are yet to decide where we will be setting up our units, but we have shortlisted a few places.
What is the USP of your brand?
The USP of our brand is technical competence and technical advancement.
What is your review towards the TEXFAIR Exhibition?
This is our third time here. We find this exhibition to be very useful.
