Company Profile
The Company was incorporated as a private company on October 24, 1924 and acquired the running business of a partnership firm, namely M/s Juggilal Kamlapat Cotton spinning & Weaving Mills at Kanpur which was established in 1921.
The Company was manufacturing cotton yarn. Gradually it started manufacturing of cotton fabrics and installed a full fledged process house.
The Beginning
The J.K. Cotton Spinning & Weaving Mills was the harbinger of success for the J.K. Organisation. It was the forerunner of many subsequent businesses. It was the first textile mill set up by an Indian entrepreneur in Kanpur. The mill began operations in the year 1921 and was registered as a Private Limited Company, under the Joint Stock Company act in the year 1923.
The mill operated continually for 68 years, until mass agitations against the KK Pandey Committee recommendations (on the rationalization of wages and workload norms) brought its operations to a standstill. Prior to the agitation, there were nearly 60,000 people working in the eight textile mills located in Kanpur. The workers were goaded into taking an agitation based approach on the recommendation of the Trade Unions and certain people with vested interests. The workers staged a Rail Roko (agitation by disruption of rail traffic). Workers and their family members squatted on the rail tracks for eight continuous days, bringing traffic on the Delhi-Howrah line to a complete halt. These workers rotated their ‘sit-in duties’ every eight hours to ensure a round the clock disruption of traffic. Absolute anarchy ruled and the whole of the north and the east of the country suffered disruption in supplies. In the end, the workers won a pyrrhic victory. While the government was forced to revoke the recommendations on pay and work load, mill after mill downed shutters and a gradual decay seeped into the once thriving city. The textile mill sector was the worst hit.
J.K. Cotton Spinning & Weaving Mills was forced to shut down operations on 15th May, 1989. Its few thousand employees were left jobless, signaling an era of almost permanent decline for the textile industry of Kanpur.
The new beginning
Mr. Yadupati Singhania, the Director in charge of the mill, was determined to restart operations and made relentless efforts in that direction. He ensured that all relevant regulatory approvals were obtained. His efforts finally succeeded and, on 19th January, 2009, the mill reopened after an interval of 20 years. This was not just another reopening though; it was the rejuvenation of the mother unit and the one time flagship enterprise of the J.K. Organization.
This is an unparalleled event as it is not often that a private company restarts operations with its old employees and machinery, after remaining locked out for 20 years! The reopening will ensure added employment and increased business in the city of Kanpur and help in furthering the city’s development.
The reopening of the J.K. Cotton Spinning & Weaving Mills is of significance because it marks the resurrection of the first industrial edifice established by the family. It has therefore, ensured that Lala Kamlapat’s legacy is once again a living entity, reminding us all of the deathless nature of enterprise and the enduring spirit of the entrepreneur who breathes life into it.
Mr. Abhishek Singhania, young icon of Singhania family, is personally driving the growth & transformation of JK Cotton Spinning & Weaving Mills into one of India’s most technology advanced textile and garmenting company. He is also the Managing Director of JK Technosoft Ltd.
EMERALD GULISTAN – REAL ESTATE DIVISION
The Company entered into real estate business and made a new division in the name and style of Emerald Gulistan. For more details click here.