Customer and commitment — the driving force behind our resolve

In the midst of the pandemic, Aditya Birla Group companies continued to deliver customer-centric products

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the marketplace and created an urgent need for products that would keep people safe. Innovation during this global crisis also took on a new hue — not just in terms of meeting new demands but also in terms of processes, as people and companies had to quickly adapt to a new way of working while fulfilling customer commitments.

Riding on the strength of the organisation's ability to continually innovate to meet the needs of customers and the market, the Aditya Birla Group companies launched products that not only catered to consumer needs but also exceeded expectations in the middle of a disruptive operational landscape.

Making masks for the greater good

Today, face masks have become a necessary health accessory. According to reports¹, India will need 38 million facemasks for frontline workers alone to tackle the pandemic effectively. The overall demand  for facemasks was even higher.

Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Ltd. stepped up to the urgent task of converting manufacturing facilities to produce face masks for customers. The high-quality facemasks launched through their top-fashion brands — Louis Philippe, Van Heusen, Allen Solly and Peter England — are designed to be trendy and fashionable.

The masks are reusable, breathable and have a unique 3-layer filtration system made of a soft inner layer followed by the middle melt-blown layer and lastly the trendy outer layer. Made with fine quality cotton, the masks are lightweight and filter up to 95 per cent bacteria. Furthermore, they are long lasting and can be used up to 30 washes.

ABFRL has brought differentiation into the range. Louis Philippe has launched classy and trendy ‘Origami’ masks, Van Heusen developed ‘Protech’ anti-bacterial masks for working professionals, and Peter England launched a collection of work wear, lounge wear and face masks with anti-viral protection in addition to the anti-microbial finish, under a collaboration with HieQ Switzerland.

Innovating for safety and protection

The pandemic had created an urgent need for products that would help people stay safe.  The demand for surface sanitisers was on the rise but the market had limited products in the segment. At such a time, developing a safe and environment-friendly surface sanitiser was critical and also challenging given the urgency of the health crisis. Responding to the need, Aditya Birla Chemicals – Peroxide Division (Thai Peroxide) launched a surface sanitiser in record time. From conceptualisation, to production and packaging, the sanitiser was launched within 15 days.

The sanitiser has hydrogen peroxide as an active agent which is known to kill bacteria and viruses within 30 seconds of contact, significantly faster than many products available in the market. The Centre for Disease Control and United States Environmental Protection Agency also advocate the use of hydrogen peroxide in the fight against COVID-19.

The sanitiser is effective against a wide range of microorganisms and convenient to use. Moreover, it is safe to use on any surface and environment friendly.

Creating fashion that cares

Riding the safety wave, Birla Cellulose, part of Grasim Industries Ltd, took up the challenge and launched an antimicrobial variant² of their fluid fabric Liva. Launched in June 2020, the fabric is made with nature-based skin-friendly fibres and blends functionality with fashion. It is designed to kill 99 per cent microbes and offers long lasting protection against bacteria, viruses and fungi.

A three-step fortification process imparts a bacteriostatic and bactericidal finish to the fibres which not only kills bacteria but also prevents it from growing. The anti-microbial properties of the fabric don’t leach out during subsequent downstream processes and last up to 50 washes. The fibres are further tested under stringent ISO 18184 standards which makes them safe without compromising on performance, fashion and the customers’ needs.

Building and nurturing customer relationships at all levels, maintaining great quality standards and delivering on-time to exceed customer expectations – these attributes have helped us navigate these uncertain times while expanding our product base to meet the needs of the marketplace. More important, the experience has strengthened us and made us more resilient and prepared for the challenges of the future.

Commitments come first

In February 2020, Birla Carbon launched a breakthrough innovation in rubber manufacturing by harnessing the power of nanotechnology. The company developed a Nanocellulose Dispersion Composite (NDCTM) rubber masterbatch that improves the performance and sustainability quotient of commercial rubber products.

There was a longstanding demand from the tyre and commercial rubber industry for a product with lower tyre rolling resistance and better vehicle fuel economy while also presenting a more environment-friendly footprint.

A three-year Joint Development Program between Birla Carbon and GranBio Technologies led to this breakthrough. Years of research had enabled them to successfully overcome a big challenge in making tyres more sustainable. The team has been able to successfully incorporate renewable bio-derived nanocellulose into commercial rubber compounds.

In a significant step forward towards revolutionising the rubber industry, Birla Carbon employees delivered on their promise of a sustainable product and launched it within the given timeline despite the operational scenario.

¹ Reuters report
² Liva with added protection of Antimicrobial fibres