Trident promotes resource conservation and waste reduction

Trident Group is a $1 billion Indian business conglomerate and global player. Headquartered in Ludhiana, Punjab, Trident is the largest terry towel and wheat straw based paper manufacturer in the world. Trident has frequently received accolades from its patrons in recognition for delivering high quality standards and for its customer-centric approach. In this interview, Rajinder Gupta, Chairman Emeritus, Trident Group, shares Trident’s present achievements and future endeavours with Divya Shetty.

Could you share an overview of the recent updates and developments in Trident Group, highlighting any significant milestones or achievements?

We are strategically expanding our production capacities as well as increasing capacity utilisation to fuel the business growth as per our 2025 vision. With focus on sustainability, quality and automation of processes, the company is adopting lean practices through digitisation of processes. We are aggressively moving ahead by working under our 3 core principles that are Great Place to Perform, Digital Trident and Global Brand.

Apart from being the largest terry towel manufacturer, our company is doing great innovation in paper segment with highest operational margin among key listed players in India.

Trident Group has also been conferred with Best Workplace for Women by Economic Times and we have taken focused initiatives for complete transformation of Trident into Great Place to Perform.

You will see a plethora of innovative products coming up in our major industry segments like home textile, paper, stationary to capture maximum market space in India.           

How does Trident Group foster innovation within its operations and product offerings? Can you share any recent examples of successful product innovations?

As the Chairman Emeritus of Trident Group, I am delighted to share our remarkable innovation recognised by the United States Patent & Trademark Office. Our Air Rich yarn and fabric manufacturing method embodies our commitment to excellence. With high breathability, quick absorbency, and fast drying attributes, Air Rich fabrics and yarns redefine comfort. Our towels remain soft and plush wash after wash, while our bed-sheets offer a lightweight, cool, and blissful sleeping experience. The revolutionary Air Rich spinning process, with its intricate air pockets, ensures enduring softness.

Moreover, we lead the industry with our use of sustainable yarns like hemp, enhancing both environmental stewardship and consumer well-being. Our pioneering spirit and dedication to innovation continue to revolutionise the textile landscape.

As the Chairman Emeritus of Trident Group, what are your key strategies and goals for the company’s future growth and expansion?

Our growth in the Asia-Pacific region is driven by key strategies that set us apart. We prioritise thoughtful design, curating a range of home textiles that blend sustainability, wellness, performance, technology, and luxury. Our competitive pricing strategy ensures that our quality products are accessible to a wide customer base, fostering satisfaction and loyalty. Sustainability is at the core of our operations, from eco-friendly sourcing to careful manufacturing. We constantly research and innovate to understand and fulfill customer demands, staying ahead of market trends. Our global market presence, particularly as a top supplier of bath linen to the US, fuels our growth. We are committed to delivering exceptional quality, value, and sustainability, while continuously adapting to meet customer needs. With these strategies in place, Trident is poised for ongoing success and remains dedicated to exceeding customer expectations in the dynamic home textile industry.

How is Trident Group positioned to cater to the evolving needs and demands of the textile industry? What steps have you taken to stay competitive in this rapidly changing market?

We have taken vital steps to stay competitive in the rapidly changing market. We invest in continuous research and development to offer innovative products that align with evolving customer preferences. Embracing technological advancements enhances our efficiency and productivity. Sustainability initiatives showcase our commitment to ethical practices and appeal to environmentally conscious consumers. Market diversification reduces dependency on specific markets. Strong supply chain management ensures timely product delivery. Our customer-centric approach drives tailored solutions and fosters strong relationships. These strategies position Trident Group as a competitive player, focused on innovation, excellence, and responsible business practices.

What are the key factors that contribute to Trident Group’s success in the textile industry, and how do you differentiate your company from competitors?

Trident Group’s success in the textile industry can be attributed to several key factors. Firstly, our relentless commitment to innovation and research allows us to develop unique technologies like the spinning process, creating fabrics and yarns with exceptional functional attributes. Secondly, we differentiate ourselves from competitors through our focus on sustainability, using eco-friendly materials and implementing responsible manufacturing practices. Additionally, our customer-centric approach ensures that we understand and fulfill the diverse needs of our clients. By combining innovation, sustainability, and customer satisfaction, Trident Group maintains a competitive edge and continues to thrive in the textile industry.

Can you discuss any sustainability initiatives undertaken by Trident Group, focusing on how the company promotes environmentally friendly practices within its operations?

Trident Group is committed to sustainability and has implemented several initiatives to promote environmentally friendly practices within its operations. Here are some key sustainability initiatives undertaken by Trident Group:

Sustainable manufacturing: Trident Group embraces sustainable manufacturing practices to minimise its environmental impact. The company has dedicated over 10,000 acres of land for cotton farming and has planted more than 6 lakh trees on its premises. By utilising recycled paper, approximately 85 per cent of cartons used by Trident Group are made from recycled materials.

Zero liquid discharge: Trident Group has established a Zero Liquid Discharge facility, which is one of the largest environmentally friendly benchmarks in the textile industry.  This facility ensures that no liquid effluents are discharged into water bodies, minimising pollution and preserving water resources. Since inception, we have recovered over 2651 Million gallons of Wastewater and are continuously aiming to adopt newer technologies to make our manufacturing plants water neutral and sustainable.

5R concept: Trident Group practices the 5R concept, which includes Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Re-engineer, and Redesign. By cutting fuel usage to optimise emissions, reusing water through effluent treatment, utilising waste fibres to make yarn and other products, developing in-house technology for best practices, and adopting eco-friendly methodologies, Trident Group promotes resource conservation and waste reduction.

Circular approach: Trident Group has adopted a sustainable and circular approach in its operations. This approach encompasses the entire value chain, from sourcing raw materials to the delivery of the final product. By implementing sustainable practices at every stage.

We are also the largest manufacturer of wheat straw based paper in the world with a capacity of 1,75,000 MTPA. This enables us to save huge amount of Air pollution by minimising the instances of stubble burning. This not only supports the environment with cleaner air but also empowers over 1,00,000 farmers to earn extra income.

6 We have also installed 18 MW Solar Power Plant as an initiative to adopt sustainable sources of energy for our manufacturing units. We are all in support of our country’s goal of net-zero carbon emission. More projects are lined up to increase renewable energy capacities and we are putting a close watch on newer technologies that are coming up in the market.

These initiatives demonstrate Trident Group’s commitment to environmental sustainability. By focusing on sustainable manufacturing, water conservation, waste reduction, and adopting a circular approach, the company promotes environmentally friendly practices within its operations.

How has Trident Group embraced digital transformation in its business processes? What role does technology play in enhancing the company’s efficiency and productivity?

Trident Group has embraced digital transformation in its business processes by implementing Industry 4.0 standards in all its manufacturing facilities. Therefore, integrating technology across various aspects of its operations through 6S, Search Free Count Free (SFCF). Technology plays a crucial role in enhancing the company’s efficiency and productivity in several ways:

Advanced manufacturing: Trident Group has made consistent investments in the latest technology to optimise its manufacturing processes. By leveraging automation, robotics, and advanced machinery, Trident improves operational efficiency, reduces manual labor, and enhances productivity in its textile production, including terry towels and bedsheet manufacturing.

Customisation and personalisation: With a wide variety of fibres, yarns, dyes, colors, finishes, and decorations, Trident offers customisable products as well as packaging options to meet the unique needs of its customers. Technology enables Trident to efficiently handle customisation requests and tailor products according to specific requirements, ensuring customer satisfaction and enhancing the overall value proposition.

Research and development: Trident Group emphasises deep research and an innovative approach to production. By utilising technology in its research and development activities, Trident gains insights into market trends, customer preferences, and industry advancements. This information helps the company create innovative products that meet evolving customer demands and stay ahead of the competition.

Quality control: Technology plays a vital role in maintaining and improving the quality of Trident’s products. The company adheres to best-in-class standards and certifications, ensuring that its products meet professional quality standards. Advanced technology and automated quality control processes enable Trident to consistently deliver high-quality products to its customers.

Supply chain management: Technology-driven supply chain management systems optimise the flow of materials, inventory, and finished products. Trident utilises digital tools and software for efficient procurement, inventory management, logistics, and distribution. This streamlines the supply chain, reduces lead times, minimises wastage, and enhances overall operational efficiency.

E-commerce and digital platforms: Trident Group leverages technology to expand its reach and provide convenient online shopping experiences to customers through its e-commerce platform named www.mytrident.com. Customers can explore and purchase a wide range of Trident’s bed and bath linens, enhancing accessibility and convenience.

Data analytics and insights: Technology enables Trident to collect and analyse vast amounts of data from various sources, including customer preferences, market trends, and operational metrics. By harnessing data analytics and insights, Trident can make informed business decisions, improve operational efficiency, and identify opportunities for growth and innovation.

In summary, Trident Group’s embrace of digital transformation has enabled the company to leverage technology in various aspects of its business processes. By incorporating advanced manufacturing, customisation, research and development, quality control, supply chain management, e-commerce, and data analytics, Trident enhances its efficiency, productivity, and overall competitiveness in the textile industry.

In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges or obstacles that Trident Group currently faces, and how do you plan to overcome them?

I see challenges as opportunities to learn and grow. So bigger the challenge, greater we will perform and overcome it together. While in recent times we have seen challenges in availability of raw material, our well-integrated systems have always made sure that we sustain through all such issues.

Trident is prepared and future ready in all the possible ways and I firmly believe that we can overcome anything with hard work and honesty at work.

Can you provide insights into Trident Group’s international presence and its global business strategy? How do you approach international markets and ensure success in different regions?

Trident Group, a leading manufacturer and supplier of bed sheets and other textile products, has established a significant international presence and implements a robust global business strategy. Here are insights into Trident Group’s international presence and its approach to international markets:

Market expansion: Trident Group has actively expanded its presence in international markets by strategically targeting regions with high demand for its products. The company identifies regions where its offerings align with the preferences and requirements of customers, allowing it to establish a strong foothold.

Market research and analysis: Trident Group conducts extensive market research and analysis to understand the needs, preferences, and trends in different regions. This enables the company to tailor its product offerings, designs, and materials to meet the specific demands of international customers effectively.

Customisation and Localisation: Recognising the diversity and uniqueness of international markets, Trident Group focuses on customisation and localisation of its products. By adapting its offerings to cater to local tastes, preferences, and cultural nuances, the company ensures that its products resonate with customers in different regions.

Quality assurance and compliance: Trident Group places a strong emphasis on quality assurance and compliance with international standards. The company ensures that its products meet or exceed the required quality benchmarks and comply with the regulations and certifications specific to each target market. This commitment to quality helps build trust and reliability among customers worldwide.

Distribution and supply chain management: Trident Group has developed a robust distribution and supply chain network to effectively reach international markets. By establishing strategic partnerships with distributors, retailers, and online platforms, the company ensures a seamless flow of its products to customers in different regions, thereby optimising its market reach.

Collaboration and partnerships: Trident Group actively seeks collaboration and partnerships with local businesses, distributors, and retailers in international markets. These collaborations facilitate market penetration, enhance brand visibility, and enable the company to leverage the local expertise and knowledge of its partners.

Customer engagement and support: To ensure the success of its international operations, Trident Group places significant importance on customer engagement and support. The company invests in building strong customer relationships, providing responsive customer service, and addressing the specific needs and concerns of customers in different regions.

Overall, Trident Group adopts a comprehensive and tailored approach to international markets. By understanding the unique characteristics of each region, adapting its products accordingly, and establishing strong partnerships, the company ensures success and sustained growth in diverse international markets.

Could you share any plans or initiatives in the pipeline for diversifying Trident Group’s product portfolio or exploring new business opportunities?

Trident Group has always tailor-made products as per client requirements. Post covid, consumer needs are more focused on health, hygiene, and sustainability which opened gates for us to explore and expand more. We have come up with a wide range of sustainable products that are luxurious as well was responsibly manufactured.

Trident Group is an ever-evolving organisation, may it be introducing products with some ground-breaking technology or spreading our wings in a new, futuristic venture, we are growing rapidly. I can assure you we have some strong projects coming up very soon.