Fueling our growth with business knowledge
When I joined the business in 2008, we wanted to extend our distribution network. So I began seeking out retailers within a few hundred kilometers of our Panipat factory. It was a struggle to find stores to stock our products. We then decided to take a more systematic approach and explore government tenders and tie-ups with corporates and retailers.
The business really took off after we became a supplier to Walmart India’s Best Price Stores (now a part of Flipkart Wholesale) in 2017. You can now find Arch Fab bedsheets, mattress covers, cushions, chair pads, box cushions, and other items in Best Price stores right across India—giving us a presence in a host of new states. The association with Best Price has another benefit, too: it helped me keep ahead of market trends and understand how market dynamics work. I also became more aware of the value of complying with industry standards, and this led to great improvements in our business management and culture.
Maybe it’s because I have an engineering degree, but I’m a great believer in hands-on learning and a great admirer of technology. Acquiring new skills demands your time, focus and patience. Blending your hard-won knowledge and experience with the latest technology helps you develop new things for a better tomorrow.
The Vriddhi program brings you valuable knowledge and the chance to exchange ideas with your fellow MSMEs. Thanks to the program, we’ve learnt more about the importance of an efficient value-chain system in our business and gained new understanding around business management and new product development. We’ve also been guided to adopt relevant best practice and digital technologies to help us improve our business operations.
Coming through the crisis stronger than ever
This was all brought into sharp focus by the Covid-19 pandemic. Like many companies, Arch Fab found it difficult to fulfil our pending purchase orders due to the lockdown. I was feeling pretty stressed. Then the Vriddhi team reached out to me. They shared knowledge of markets and value chains, and this guidance proved invaluable during the crisis. They even organized webinars that offered advice on the financial schemes and government programs that could support us.
With the support of Vriddhi and a desire to help India’s anti-pandemic efforts, Arch Fab began to manufacture health and sanitation essentials such as disposable shoe covers, face masks and gloves during the lockdown.
The clarity of purpose and the guidance that we received from Vriddhi at this crucial time benefited our internal operations as well as sales. It helped us set an example for others. We have aligned our systems with Walmart’s, and we can now focus on innovation.
The pandemic encouraged us to accelerate our digitization journey and explore the e-commerce channel for sustained growth and business continuity. With the help of the Walmart Vriddhi team, we will now strengthen our marketing on Flipkart. We will also expand our product portfolio and focus strongly on exports.