FASHION ROOTS

Chairman K.P. Ramasamy's calibrated yarn-to-garment vertical integration of KPR Mill has made it one of India's largest knitwear garment manufacturers, which exports to top brands such as H&M, M&S, and Primark

- Vidya S.

CHAIRMAN K.P. RAMASAMY stitched up KPR Mill, much like piecing together a T-shirt-one step at a time. First, the front and back pieces were sewn together with its yarn and fabric businesses; the sleeve attachment came next with the garment business; the addition of fabric processing, printing, and embroidery capacities reinforced it like the side seams and neckline; and the sugar and ethanol business to fulfil power requirements served as the hem for a good finish.

"We didn't bring in everything suddenly. We went step by step," says Ramasamy, the patriarch of one of India's largest vertically integrated knitwear garment manufacturers, which exports to top global fashion brands like Marks & Spencer, H&M, and Primark. The profitable family-driven business generates more than ₹6,000 crore in revenues annually. Founded four decades ago by Ramasamy and his brothers, it had evolved into a yarn-and-fabric maker by 2010, catering to both domestic and international markets, with a small garment export business churning out 50 million pieces. Given the low profit margins on yarn and fabric, it made sense to broaden the scope of garment exports.