To start a business on a commodity, the marketability of which is unknown is not easy. But Sam Cherian Kumbakattu went ahead and established a manufacturing facility in Mysore to produce cleaning chemicals and disinfectant formulations, way back in late1980s. Cherian’s focused and unstinted effort saw the birth of Schevaran Laboratories Pvt. Ltd on December 18, 1998. “Quite fortuitously K.R. Narayan, the then Minister of State for Science &Technology was available in Mysore to lay the foundation store for the facility on that day. This proved to be in good augury for Schevaran’s growth and development in the following years,” says Cherian.
The initial products made were all purpose cleaners, degreasers, window cleaners, room fresheners and a few disinfectant-cleaners. Water treatment chemicals for boiler and coolant waters were also made. The company at this in time collaborated with a US company for technical support. All Schevaran products were subjected to stringent quality control and quality assurance parameters, for which a well equipped R&D department staffed with technically qualified staff was put in place.
Today, Schevaran manufactures and sells around 50 branded world-class chemical formulations applicable for housekeeping, hospital hygiene, pharmaceutical & food industries, water treatment and institutional & industrial maintenance. “All formulations are eco-friendly and user-friendly. Schevaran has presence in 20 states in India, and in south-east Asia and Europe.”
Schevaran is in the process of obtaining ISO 9001-2000 certification, membership of the international ISSA and collaboration with the Rochester Midland Company of USA.
Schevaran’s is focusing on to hygiene products for food & pharmaceutical industries and food catering & health care establishments. Towards this objective it has created brand new formulations, whose efficacy as cleaners and sanitizers been tested at Schevaran’s R&D department and also been vouched by reputed clients.
Schevaran has recently established a Scientific Research Foundation comprising of eminent scientists, academicians and industrialists to lay emphasis on hygiene and sanitation, creating knowledge in this area, and educate and train people on the practice of cleaning and sanitation.