In Conversation

Polymerupdate : Can you tell us something about your early life? How did you start your career ?

Mr. S.P. Roongta : I was born on 13th May 1936 at Bagar, Jhunjhunu district in the famous Shekhawati area of Rajasthan. After getting my Bacherlor’s degree in Commerce from the university of Rajasthan, I came to Mumbai in May 1957 and within a weeks time joined Prakash Cotton Mills Ltd where I worked for over 7 years in the stores department. I also worked in another company called Kurla Spinning and Weaving Mills in the stores department.

Polymerupdate : When did you decide to venture on your own ?

Mr. S.P. Roongta : It was the urge to do something on my own that I decided to leave my job and start my own venture. I started on my own in 1970 by trading in the plastics business. I was involved in the supply of stores items to the textile mills of Bombay and continued this activity till 1976. Alongside the trade business, I was also looking for a good product line as I wanted to get into manufacturing activity. I hit upon the idea of manufacturing clear PP films which were used to make bags for packaging of textiles and food products. In fact, I can proudly claim that I was the pioneer in India in the field of manufacturing clear PP films.

Polymerupdate : What were the problems you encountered during that period and how did you proceed from thereon ?

Mr. S.P. Roongta : When I hit upon the idea of setting up my own PP plant, I had absolutely no financial backing from my family or any industrial house. When I decided to start out, finance was a very big problem for me. It was then that the Central Bank of India sanctioned a term loan and working capital facilities of Rs 4 lakhs in November 1977 for setting up a small scale industrial unit in the name of Diamond Polyplast Pvt. Ltd in the industrial area of Daman. In those days, Daman was a backward area with no infrastructure facility. I was the first person to put my unit in Daman which was developed by the Goa, Daman & Diu Industrial Development Corporation (GDDIDC).

Polymerupdate : How did you start production ?

Mr. S.P. Roongta : I approached R H Windsor(India) Limited in May 1976 with the novel idea of manufacturing clear PP film for the packaging of textiles and food products whose application was unknown in India at the time. After tough negotiations with them, I persuaded them to develop the PP film plant. After that, the first 10 metric tonnes of Chisso grade PP was imported from Japan and I started production.

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

Mr. S.P. Roongta : The combined consumption of PP and HM/LDPE at our production facilities is nearly 400 tons per month.

Polymerupdate : How many machines are being used in your factories ?

Mr. S.P. Roongta : We have around 18 extruders in Daman in 2 sheds in one complex and another shed which is located some distance apart.

Polymerupdate : What is the export market for products manufactured by Diamond Polyplast Pvt Ltd ?

Mr. S.P. Roongta : We started the export of our products to Europe in February 1997. We now have an export market in UK, Australia, Ukraine and Dubai. Last year our export volume was 550 tons of PP and HM/LDPE.

Polymerupdate : Have you won any awards during the course of your operations in the polymer industry ?

Mr. S.P. Roongta : We have achieved second position for two consecutive years 1997-98 and 1998-99 for awards instituted by the Plastics Exports Promotion Council (PLEXCOUNCIL).

Polymerupdate : Apart from your business activities, what other activities are pursued by you ?

Mr. S.P. Roongta : I have always felt that one should give back to society what one gains from it. I have always lent financial support to the poor and needy sections of the society. I have assisted in the construction of a school building in the Adarsh Nagar village, Bagar, Rajasthan in 1999. The building was donated to the state of Rajasthan for a girl’s school.

Polymerupdate : What message would you like to give to the new entrepreneurs who would like to enter the polymer industry ?

Mr. S.P. Roongta : The Indian polymer industry has tremendous scope in the future. The food processing industry and auto components industry offers a lot of potential to the individuals who wish to enter this industry. However, I would say that they should have a sincere and hardworking attitude to succeed in this industry. They should be involved in every aspect of their plant.

Mr. Shiv Prasad Roongta receiving award for best customer from General Manager Central Bank during Bamk Silver Jubilee Celebration in December 2000.

Mr. Shiv Prasad Roongta receiving Plexcouncil Export Award from Mr. Suresh Prabhu Ex. Union Minister of Chemicals & Fertilizers in January 2000.

Mr. ShivPrasad Roongta - Chairman
Diamond Group of Companies

Office Address : 406, Vertex Vikas "A"
                        Sir M. V. Road, Andheri (E),
                        Mumbai - 400 069.

Tel. No  : 26835459 / 26835460
Fax. No : 26841038

Factory Address : A2/5 & A2/6,
                          Daman Industrial Estate
                          Somnath Road,
                          Daman : 396210.

Tel. No  : 0260 - 2252574 / 2252967

Email    : dhwani@diamondpolyplast.com
              rajesh@diamondpolyplast.com

Website : www.diamondpolyplast.com