[ Buying & Selling. ]

The concept of building a textile mill by the local politician was after several such mills were built and were working and those politicians were grinning from ear to ear on seeing other politicians. So, he met a man who gave him a project which showed that a special yarn producing textile mill was a viable project, with this project he went to a bank and secured a loan and asked the man who gave him the project what to do with money from the bank. This person a textile technocrat did everything to start a mill and never bothered to see the project did go on smoothly however, things were going on limping and came to a halt when there was no technician to carry on work on ground zero. The technocrat was pressurized by the chairman perhaps that's when I met him and everything was on my lap the whole mill. I completed everything from building construction which was partially done was completed, machines were erected, set, production commenced, and marketed as no one from directors were conversent with as to how to do the basic things which was buying raw material and selling, draw contracts and procedures required as required by the Bank which had given a big loan. The accounts department was pure local language and I could understand the talk but could not talk. However I was knowing Hindi and could talk. They understood my Hindi.

I talked to two directors and explained how I purchased raw material and sold yarn and told them to take over the work from me and I would help them. I sent them to Bombay Yarn Market and the merchant explained to them how I was selling the yarn. I gave in writing the complete procedure to buy raw material and sell the yarn as they had spent several days studying the method. I instructed the Secretary to see the purchase is made after looking in to my procedure with immediate effect. A note was sent to chairman on the handing over of this job there was no comment and they tried to buy polyester fiber and they did not know fiber properties and they said to despatch what ever was despatched early. I did not orally talk on my requirement but sent letters and goods were despatched through Bank by the supplier. The invoice was sent to Bank. Our Bank people were keeping the Invoice and the Mill had to Pay the Bank and get the Invoice and show it to carrier and that the amount is fully paid and he would unload the goods and take the Paid Invoice Copy and go after taking the weight of all bales and giving a copy to the mills. Actual weight of the Bales were written on each Bale at the time of packing and at the delivery point weight was checked any difference was calculated taking allowance given for humidity. If there is any difference it was adjusted and amount was paid by the raw material supplier. The Go Down Clark would keep the record with all details of the raw material. I had prepared the raw material book and he followed. The book contained technical specifications also as per STANDARD for our quality of product manufactured.

The same method was adopted for cotton and this was kept in a separate go down.

Selling of Yarn.

Yarn selling is very complicated and needs lot of experience one has to offer his product to a merchant and if he knows the quality of our product A  he fixes the price of another  mill's  same product A's  price as Rs.Y. If some other mill is making product A and if it has a better Quality the price of that Product will be higher. The Best mills product price few mills can only get. The quality of yarn is measured by the breakages in Warping and the correct Specifications to get the required length of cloth as per STANDARDS.

The Directors who went to Bombay Yarn Market to study yarn selling procedure were told all these technical issues but they could not understand the warping breaks, cloth length or cloth color in gray state standard. 

The Directors must have told Chairman  that they find it hard to understand the buying and selling of yarn or raw material.

The Chairman must have met some other mills political mill Chairman and he must have told him he will help. I had a visitor who came to mills and told me that he will buy all the yarn from our mills and was prepared to pay to clear any stock if available.

I told him to meet the Directors and they would help him.

That ended my SELLING & BUYING OF MILL PRODUCTS.

Stores Organized.

I now started to organize store dept which was looked after by a local village educated boy who did not know how to maintain stores stock.All parts of various machines were kept on first come first served basis,Fitters used to pick up their parts and take them after it was noted down in a book. The person in-charge of the dept himself would come pick up the part and walk out. Some parts were thrown on the wall and heaped. I sat in stores with fitters and told them to keep the parts department wise and write the name of the part on a paper paste it keep it on the shelf in a order. As most of the machines were new there also there were some parts that were in the stores but not on the machine. It took few days but it was organized and the local boy was smart he learned it well. The electrical department engineer arranged his dept on a similar system. This included general Department like Civil and Silk Department.

Testing Department.
I had located a nice vacant area to set up testing dept and had completed all machines installation to set the machines so two local persons were working and I had taught them statistical quality testing since auto testing machine was not in the project and there was no budget. ASTM Yarn   appearance Test Boards would give the quality of yarn.By this time two technicians had joined and they were taught yarn testing in their college and they would read the tests and make any change required and report it in a book first thing in the morning when I came to the mill a girl had joined and she would bring this book to show me. I taught her how to set the calculator to get Random Numbers and pic samples only using random numbers.She could also calculate Co-efficient of Variation and use of these tools all tests were made. I ordered Twist Tester and this was also done by some body to whom I gave this Job laboratory assistants and spinning assistants also could do this test.I also got yarn samples from other mills of the same quality of yarn I was making for testing and these reports I would send to my yarn merchants.

[ Sharry doing Shri.Swarna Gowri Pooja.]

I was at home for Sri Ganapathi and Gowri Pooja for a week and came back to see everything was normal and workmen were still sent home and nothing was done to stop this unemployment of poor workers who did nothing but went back to do work in farm lands. The few people to whom I did talk told me the workers were waiting for me to come back. I knew that and told the jobbers who ran the shift to meet me. They came from their home and I told them to allot work to all the excess workers ( after running all the mills machines fully )and take the excess workers to the go-down to segregate usable waste from waste kept in bags and showed them what is this usable waste and what was not usable.In the day shift the excess workers were to clean the entire mill windows, walls,ceilings,pillars and sweep the floor and remove all waste. This was done by set of workers who were youngsters. They would alternately work in and around mills also.I made 100 feet road in front of the mills and planted coconut trees and flower samplings and bordered the roads with stones available all around the mills.The people who were engaged were in a separate list and their wages were paid on the basis of their average earnings over previous 6 months earnings.They also cleaned humidification plants, power house and go-downs. Doors and windows in front were painted and walls were given brown color and all workers who were chewing pan were given an appeal not to spit on the walls.( I had the list of workers who were chewing pan )

With in a month the mill was looking better than before and the machine utilization increased as there were enough workers in all shifts to take care of absentees who were giving headache for machine utilization.The production increase compensated the excess wages paid and no body complained that I was engaging excess workers.The workers also were happy that no one was sent home with out a job.

[ Effect of Rationalization.]

The effect of rationalization was surplus workers in all the departments. They were sent home with out wages. That was a sad thing and it was going to be a problem. It was not only permanent workers but also few extra workers who were sent home. I knew this is going to be a problem and started my home work silently.

With in a few days I had all the data and made a note and sent it to The Chairman and all the Directors.

I took leave and came home as it was over a year that I had forgotten my family and my City.

[ Rationalization of work. ]

Only few workers were on high workload and others found out they were getting 50% more wages. A complete new work load was drawn and presented to workers leaders though they would do what I wanted still I told them that they will work on trail and if they could do it they will do it on the first day of the month. only in one shift and it will be for 30 days only.

I had told the floor supervisor to take efficiency test of all machine tenders and in all shifts.

Other Data they had to take was his age experience, family, bad habits, relatives in the dept if any, address. Any disease like Diabetes, Blood Pressure and serious illness in the past.

A few days later the higher workload was accepted and few workers leaders came to me and asked what was I doing. I am trying to increase your wages as you had requested if my method was not accepted you need not do what I say as I cannot pay more wages. They asked if all the mill workers will get more wages I said yes and it will be done with out any loss in production. They agreed and told me they will come back in few days.

Few days later these workers went to chairman and told him my plan. There were some workers who were known to him as they had sold their land to him since he promised jobs to them. I was asked by chairman that such financial commitments have to be discussed in the board and after taking the decision we can announce it to workers not like this. I told chairman I will explain to directors and if they do not agree I will resign and go and I will tell why I am going if I am going. The Chairman told the secretary to have a board meeting to discuss my plan. I don't know what happened but there was no board meeting at all. I asked one or 2 directors what happened they said you carry on your plan we will not bother and just let us have your plan to think but you can do what you want.

The 30 day trial was started and it was in one dept and one section.The extra payment for higher workloads was paid weekly on every Sunday.This was paid cash in New Notes on spot at the end of shift to those workers who had accepted higher work load for higher wages.

These higher workload workers would not absent on Sunday's which was a regular headache of shortage of workers on Sunday's.

These workers going home with crisp New notes of Rs.10/- bundles tied with Rubber Bands made other workers mouth watering scene and they kept watching but told themselves that they should meet me in group and demand that higher work load be offered to all workers and 30 day's trial was not required.

A few days later when I came to the mills I saw workers had gathered near Time Office but did not bother and went to my office and called the Spinning Master to my office. He came with the group but the group stood out side and he came alone. I asked him what was the matter with those workers. He said they want higher workloads to all the people.I called all the workers to my office and told them that the Directors had given permission only for 30 days on trial and I was helpless.They told me they will get permission from Directors and I must implement. I said I will but there must be a agreement signed between workers and management They said you make the agreement and we will sign. I knew it would be a cake walk rationalization and it was.All the workers signed the New Workload and got more wages in just two years.

[ Quality Control Laboratory and Staff.]

>The project report had not made any budget provision for purchase of Yarn Testing Machines.

The festival of Navaratri and the Vijay Dashmiday day was nearing and training of workers I had taken with the help of few workers who had come from Bombay Mills they trained several workers and they learned well but they needed fine tuning in several departments so I ran most of the mill machines in slow speed only 67% Polyester & 30% Cotton needed good settings and testing was on the basis of standards as per yarns sold by best mills and we used to get that yarn from weaving factories and compare their tests and CV% was fixed for all machines and our CV % was almost as nearer to theirs. However I was suffering on production, continuous tests and periodic increase was made in speeds and Yarn Quality improved as also worker also took higher work load. The workers salary was Rs.45 per day for Spinning Worker, he was looking after 460 spindles, I told him to look after extra 230 spindles and take Rs.22/- extra per day since working was good with just 2 or 3 breaks per hour they agreed slowly and all spinning machines were working with 98% utilization.

[ Power House, Cables,Control Panels & Humidification Plants..]

The Power House was built away from the Mills ( a bad plan ) but I could not do anything about it. There was a advisor to the mills on electrical planning details who was living 60 KM from the mills I called him and asked him to give details of cable required from power house to mills. He wanted the details of machinery lay out of the entire mills. This was not available as the entire mill machinery was ordered by a man who never asked for machinery supplier to give a lay out plan. I wrote to all machinery suppliers and got the information needed and with the help of electrical engineer made a plan and asked the advisor to give cable and other details of required accessories for each machine. He never gave it and came to know he was not paid for his advise and he may not turn up at all. I went to his place 60 KM away from the mills and begged him to help me, he told me that his letter was not replied and I told him I will do whatever was his demand. He did gave me few sketches but not included the lights and cables required for entire mill lightings and the required plan to fix the lights and the expenditure on lighting which was so critical was not shown in the project report. A local electrical contractor recommended by the Gov't Electricity Board was called and with his help all work of electrical work was carried out which was also referred to Phillips and completed. Power to various departments and the positioning of Distribution Boards was mostly done as I suggested. The Technical Director who had made the project report who visited the mills when it had earned some reputation in yarn markets visited the mills and was impressed by the complete mills layout, process, testing and quality control.

The Humidification Plants for the entire Mills was just half installed or kept in crates.

This work was kept pending and completed 50% only as the order was more than what was required for the plant. The mill was working with out any humidification as I had taken up Polyester Cotton Yarn which required only outside air for recirculation which kept the temperature and humidity at a very comfortable level for workers and yarn quality parameters.

[ Mill to start on Vijaya Dashami day.]

I had one electrical engineer, one Civil Engineer and many skilled workers I talked to them as to how their work could be speeded up if done systematically and gave in writing how the mill could start production in a way that workers could see what they have achieved. It was now my job to guide them in how they could go on with out a break as everything including their personal time was taken care. A experienced mason soon built toilets as there was none and workers had to go some distance away from their work spot. Even drinking water was a issue solved.Lunch hour was staggered and I took my lunch from a villagers home near the site. I for the first time tasted what the food tastes which a farmer eats. I had seen a boy preparing only Tea for those working in the mills. I talked to him and asked him to go and see a canteen run in a sugar mill nearby and told him to keep packets of Biscuits also.Soon some tiffen was also available to all including my office staff 24 hours. A separate canteen room was provided. There was no limit to any resource all Directors were happy with my work the Chairman was a politician and he had a look different than others he could not give me any advise perhaps this was his anguish. I had all controls and he used to come sometimes and go while I was driven to mills.

[ Executive Director Resigns. ]

Nothing seems to please the stupid management. It was 7 months the Executive Director was a technical man but very mild manner person and though he was senior his work was slow and he did as he wanted neglecting important work in machine maintenance work which he wanted and management accepted and told me I should not bother about his designation as it was to discuss labor matters with labor officer he was kept since local language I did not know.

My wife had joined me leaving our daughter in a hostel and locking up our home which was upstairs and renting out the ground floor to a couple to earn some money which would meet our daughter's hostel expenses. I was staying in a house rented by the Mills for my use and it was a first floor and down stairs owners were living. They told my wife that I was the only CEO to have worked so long and previous CEO's had all left the mills after working for 6 months. My wife told me what the hell is wrong with the mill and I told her everything was wrong and I do not know what would be my fate in this mill.

I had no time to relax or think of any plans but only a worry where was my next job.The unexpected happened and I had to leave my job because I did not accede the resignation of the Executive director as he resigned since he did not like my interventions in his job as he thought he knew his job which did not knew and even if he knew he was not doing it in the interest of following the discipline of job he was doing.My self and my wife left the ugly city and came home.

A friend and a college mate of mine helped me get a job in a remote village in Maharashtra and I landed alone in a dirty village to take up construction of a textile mill which was in beginning stages of construction and there was no body who could come to do this job.

As MD of this mill I had no problem in my work except my personal and family business which was my responsibility so it was a helpless situation which I underwent in keeping in touch of family and taking care of myself since food was just not the type that I had to consume which was available not suited for my diabetic condition. I was sick with some allergy or other but nothing did stop my work for these reasons.

[ My Grand Daughter gives me a Break .]

[I was Asked to also take Charge of No.2 Mill. ]

This No.2 Mill was No.2 Mess management of the stupid directors only 2 god knows how many were there to run a reputed mills which these 2 brothers took over from the previous mill owners. The first day I went my mind told me to get out of the mess but my but my decision to join the mills was in a situation that I had to join here or face unemployment.

However the same passion of taking only mills which were in a mess and make them better was my experience. The man in charge of the mill was not knowing where to start and how to improve the mills. I told him to first hide the waste lying here and there to some unseen corner and keep it packed and keep it look line something that was to be sent out or was something that was received like it was some received by the mills just few days back and sort out bag by bag waste which could be reused or sold as unusable waste. This he did and perhaps reported what I instructed to the big fat stupid director. The production and quality did not improve as the management expected.

Workers were watching my work were anxiously watching my work and perhaps they too reported to their leaders my work. The leaders soon came and met me and told me so many problems that was kept pending by the stupid management so very trivial issues I was not knowing what to do and reported to the labor officer why such trivial issues were redressed and kept pending. He said he would take it up with the babu ( director ) and see they are settled. However, things went badly and I was told that I must dismiss the workers involved on some pretext or other so that more issues pending did not come up. I went slow and try to improve mills performance. I told the labor leaders that they must take up the matter with the Govt Labor Officer. They did and Gov't labour officer called the mill management to attend a meeting to discuss the issues.

The management did not know who they have to send to discuss the matter with Govt Asst Labour Commissioner. They thought I am pro labor and appointed a Executive Director and told him to work under me. He reported to me and I told him to work as he sees what are the areas he would like to work and report his findings. He did nothing.