In Conversation

Polymerupdate : Tell us something about how you started in the business ?

Mr. Chandrakant Gala : My father Mr. Laljibhai Gala started the business of brooms in the Masjid Bunder area around 60 years ago. We have been in the coir and brush business since the early years of Indian independence. 

Polymerupdate : When did you diversify into the plastics brush business ?

Mr. Chandrakant Gala : We are the pioneers in the plastic brush business. We diversified into manufacturing plastic brushes in 1986. For the first two years, conditions were tough as production was on a trial basis. Our sales teams were put on high gear to persuade shopkeepers to display our products on the condition that if the products did not sell, we would take the products back.

Polymerupdate : When did market fundamentals start stabilizing for you ?

Mr. Chandrakant Gala : Things started stabilizing for us from 1988. This was also a period when we introduced several products in the market such as bodytone, bodybrush. We were the first to introduce dishwashing brush in the Indian market. The nylon scrubbing brush pioneered by us in 1988 became a hotcake in 1991-92.

Polymerupdate : When did you enter the international market ?

Mr. Chandrakant Gala : In 1990-91 we had participated in the Dubai Trade Fair. We received good orders at the fair within 18 months. It was from 1992 onwards that we started penetrating the Dubai export market. 1st shipment of 4000 pieces LCL cargo was exported.

Polymerupdate : What are the machines used for productions in your factories ?

Mr. Chandrakant Gala : We started with a hand operated clamping machine imported from Germany when we started production in 1986. From 1992, every 18 months, we have been importing one new machine. In 1997, we imported the first computerized machine from Italy CNC. Today, we manufacture our products on 11 CNC machines and 10 clamp operated machines.

Polymerupdate : What is the consumption of raw materials in your factories ?

Mr. Chandrakant Gala : We use mostly PP injection grade for manufacture of our products. The consumption of the material in 1986 when we started production was 2.5 tons which in increased to 35 to 40 tons when we introduced our first computer operated machine in 1997. Today the consumption is roughly 150 tons.

Polymerupdate : What is your share in the domestic market ?

Mr. Chandrakant Gala : We have a roughly 65 percent share in the domestic market segment for brushes. There are 161 distributors on an All India level for distribution of Gala products. 8500 to 9000 outlets including Big Bazaar and other supermarkets stock Gala products.

Polymerupdate : Which countries constitute your export market ?

Mr. Chandrakant Gala : Our products are exported to the USA, Middle East, UK, Australia and South Africa.

Polymerupdate : Have you won any awards for consistency in quality over the years ?

Mr. Chandrakant Gala : The Plastic & Linoleum Export Promotion Council, Government of India has awarded Gala Brush Limited the “Top Exporter Award” in the brush category for 1993-94, 1994-95, 1995-96, 1996-97, 1997-98, 1998-99,1999-2000, 2000-01, 2001-02 & 2002-03.

Polymerupdate : What are your future plans ?

Mr. Chandrakant Gala : We intend to tie up with a US based company in the future having a turnover of Rs. 600 crores. We will be manufacturing products on their behalf and re exporting to other countries. For the first time we would be introducing injection foam moulding machine in India which would be imported from Italy production on which will start after May end. This machine can manufacture around 10,000 big broom handles in a day. We intend to achieve a target of 25 tons per month before 2008. There are also plans for exporting monofilament products having an export market of 3,000 tons which will be manufactured in our in house monofilament plant. We are also planning for a public issue after 3 years.

Mr. Chandrakant Gala
Director - Gala Brush Ltd

Address : Hindustan Kohinor Industrial Complex
               Ground Floor, Opp. MTNL General
               Managers Office, L.B.S Marg,
               Vikhroli (West), Mumbai - 400 083.

Tel. No  : 40696666
Fax. No : 40696699
Email    : exports@gala-brush.com
Website : www.gala-brush.com