Magazine
The Leather industry holds a prominent place in the Indian economy. This sector is known for its consistency in high export earnings and it is among the top- 10 foreign exchange earners for the country. Though the growth has been relatively steady until recently, it has suffered greatly after the Covid outbreak. Both International and domestic market demand dipped during the pandemic, and so did the Leather industry business. However, after the pandemic receded, things started returning to normalcy, and the leather goods market began showing an upward trend again.
Sharing his insights into the industry, Nirmal Banerjee, Founder of LeBanz (A Brand of Banbros Exports) says, “For any business, the primary growth factor has always been cheap labor. With improved craftsmanship and advancements, India is now producing high-quality leather goods on par with international standards yet cheaper which would certainly contribute to upcoming market growth to a great extent, and more so for the domestic market because the taste of the consumers gradually influenced by the International trend and thus they tend to buy more to match with different occasions”.
Headquartered in Kolkata, Banbros Exports is a leather goods manufacturer catering to various countries in Europe, USA, and Canada. The firm’s location gives it a vantage point. Since Kolkata is the heart of leather goods industry in India, Banbros got direct access to Tanneries, Design studios and highly skilled workforce. The leather is procured from reputed suppliers. It starts from raw hides to finished leather and processed with care with approved chemicals, free from health hazards using state-of-the-art machinery and technology. All chemicals used to confirm EU norms and free from AZO dyes, PCP, formaldehyde, and related.
Banbros has its own in-house manufacturing facilities with modern machinery and its own designing facilities. The firm is in continuous pursuit of making innovative designs according to the going trend of the market and keep on developing new models. The product range includes, Bags, wallets, Credit card Holders, Pen cases, and similar other products in top layer genuine leather.
Addressing the Gaps
One prominent area that India has problems with is the availability of good-quality leather. That is because, in India, animals don't get quality nutrition and care during their lifetime, and cows or goats are primarily milk-producing sources. Thus, the hide quality is inherently poorer than what we get in Brazil, Argentina, Italy, Turkey, and so on. The second issue is the delivery period. Here in India, the leather industry continues to be an unorganized sector. Moreover, the labourers' wages are meagre, which is reflected in their lack of commitment and professionalism.
Although there is a gradual modernization of most tanneries, we, as an industry, still have a long way to go before achieving excellence in this avenue.
To combat these issues, Banbros sources its leathers from modern, well-equipped tanneries, pay its craftsmen well, and provide labour welfare benefits per existing laws.
Product Quality
Banbros maintains rigorous manufacturing processes. Once the order is received, it is issued to production with detailed instructions. Banbros follows up its production without any lapses, reflecting on the products' quality.
Banbros uses leathers free from hazardous chemicals as per EU norms and suitable for skin contact applications. All input materials are quality checked before forwarding them to production. Quality checks are done at every stage of production, called DUPRO. After the goods are made, the firm moves them to the quality check table. Every product undergoes stringent checks and scrutiny. The Quality team doesn’t report to the production supervisor but to the sales team, eliminating the potential for the production supervisor to hide any manufacturing defects.
The products move to the packing department and then to the sales team, which sample checks them per AQL 2, an international quality standard, in the presence of the production head. “We never got any claim any time. However, sometimes if some small little problems occurs, we immediate take care of it or give replacements and always deliver on time. If we ever fail, we always give intimation to our customers. We also update our customers about the progress of the order and intimate them as soon as the goods are delivered. We maintain a cordial relationship with our workers at a very personal level, treating them with respect. That boosts their morale and commitment levels, while increasing their loyalty towards our company”, explains Nirmal.
Quality control and delivery commitments are also the key factors contributing to Banbros’ steady growth. Banbros’ quality team has explicit instructions not to pass anything they wouldn't buy. Nirmal particularly mentions, “I also always tell my people, while I negotiate with my clients, I represent my company. But once the deal is settled, I represent my client inside my company. That helped. Now, I can proudly say that in last three decades of our existence, we have never suffered any claim from our customers. I believe attitude and ethicsmatter, and that's how we have grown together with our coworkers and clients”.
Epic Quality Standards Maintained
Banbros has all the necessary, advanced imported machinery and equipment for high-quality production. However, it is essential to note that the leather Industry is significantly labour-intensive, and worker techniques and skills carry more weight than mere modern machines. All products are finally handmade using the latest sewing machine by highly skilled workers. Banbros maintains strict quality control at each and every step of production and then each and every piece is checked after production followed by sample checking again, as per international norms, before delivery. The firm also takes ample care of its workers, their welfare, abide by the labor laws and does not employ child labors.
The leather goods market shall remain ever-growing despite the influx of alternative materials, like artificial leather, in various misleading names like Vegan leather, Faux leather, Leatherette, and more. Even many leading brand players are into it. But genuine leather has timeless appeal and class, and they would like to stick to it.
In the initial days, Nirmal faced his share of problems & obstacles. During those days, e-mail did not exist. Nirmal used to communicate through fax. After he could connect some buyers, he took up his first marketing tour to Europe and the USA for about six weeks. He stayed in cheap apartments, ate cheap food only twice a day, and traveled almost door-todoor on public transport, lugging two big bagfuls of samples in his hands but with no initial success. However, that did not end in vain, that taught a lesson. Nirmal learned exactly what he was doing wrong in his business and took steps to fix it and make necessary changes. After some time, he obtained a small order from one European country and gradually expanded the presence in many countries, including France, Italy, Poland, Turkey, the UK, and even the US and Canada. “Like in any business, we have had our ups and downs. The path has challenged us several times, but it could never deter us from moving forward. Every time we fell, we tried to find a way to get back to the path again with more energy. My survival instinct had always led me towards the light at the end of the tunnel. And I am fortunate to have the solid backing of the team, which is how we stand where we are today”, adds Nirmal.
Future Roadmap
Nirmal is adding one more geographical location to his blueprint for the future roadmap- India. India has a huge market but continues to be fully unorganized. People get confused with fake leather products and are unsure where they can get genuine leather products. Nirmal intends to enter this market. He realized that even the leading brand players are getting their products made from India and selling them at phenomenal prices with just their brand name added. This aspect pushed Nirmal to venture into the PAN India market with his new online brand– ‘Le Banz’ as the mark of genuine leather product.
With his international exposure and experience of working with many global brands, Nirmal stands tall with LeBanz. LeBanz offers excellent quality products with the grit to compete with any recognized global brand, but at far more affordable price tags. LeBanz’s USP is the use of genuine Italian leather in many models ensuring the customers get the best. “I'm happy to state that we now have a solid footing in the market”, affirms Nirmal, and signs off.
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