Over the decade, the tissue industry has been weathering the volatile market conditions. Making his mark through successful strategic marketing and sales acumen, Hemant Kambli, CEO, Dhofar Global Tr. Co. LLC, has not only won accolades for the company but has also bagged the coveted honour of “Most Promising Category” at the Asia Pacific Entrepreneurship Awards, UAE 2015. In an exclusive interview with Clean India Journal, Kambli divulges the success story.
Having worked with the consumer industry for 23 years now, Hemant Kambli, has been a successful performer on a winning streak against all odds. Taking Dhofar Global from just AED30,000 to a AED100 million business house in five years has won the company Star of Business Award in “Excellence in Trade” category at the SME Event during November 2014 and more recently, the Global Award for Perfection, Quality and Ideal Performance” by Omac based in France during March 2015 in Berlin. The awards judged among 22 business categories and concepts like Customer Satisfaction, Leadership, and Continued Education & trading respectively, has taken Dhofar Global to a much higher pedestal.
“Receiving such awards, both for the company and at a personal level, is big motivation in itself and it further boosts my zeal to achieve many more feats,” said Hemant in a telephonic interview from Dubai.
“Working with MNCs like P&G and Motorola in Oman, and leading tissue companies like Excel International, helped me analyze and understand the challenges and opportunities. As a strategy, it is essential to consolidate before expanding. Despite, not-sofavourable market conditions and just a start-up with just three of us, we took bold steps with making intelligent tieups and business plans to move ahead. We tied-up with two powerful brands of Celtex and Carind.
“Our first big order was imported Turkish Towels valued at AED 60,000 for InterContinental Hotel, Dubai. But the market was tough. Innovation was largely lacking and hence, we delivered quality customized products.”
The awareness created for innovative, quality and customized products has enabled Dhofar Global to reach every segment right from purchase managers to chefs, hospitality to corporates to airports, malls to utility companies.
“Another business strategy that worked in our favour was investing in changing all the tissues at the Za’abeel Palace in Dubai; that is more than 300 cartons free of cost. However, the going was tough with no financial backing and recession. But by building confidence in consumers, providing different sizes as per market requirement, focusing business and increasing awareness, we were able to bring in more than five times the investment in just one year.”
Today, setting new service standards in the tissue industry, Dhofar Global is known for delivering orders the very next day. “We have about 35 trucks that ensure timely delivery of products. Now we have expanded to Qatar and Oman too this year. The company has been registering 50% consistent annual growth rate.”
Expanding the business into newer lines, Hemant has taken new product initiatives. “We are coming up with the Recycled product line, keeping in view the Go Green and Happier Environment initiative.
“E-Tissue line is certified both Eco Label & has Food Certificate (dry & wet), only such certified tissue in the market. No presence of chlorine or chemical additive and has a low impact in terms of energy consumption. E tissue line is produced with waste paper derived from the conversion of pure cellulose products and some Kraft paper. We collect the waste of Kraft paper directly from the production plants, so they are clean (not used). Its peculiarity is the “sand” colour.
“As our paper mill produces paper only with the use of high temperature, we do not use any chemical product.”
With such products in the pipeline, Hemant and Dhofar Global are set to grow much higher than the Rs. 200 crores business that it does today.