Interviewed by Adeesh Sharma

We spoke to Ms. Neetu Agarwal, our MD and CEO, Canberg to understand key points and exclusives about Canberg Global Sourcing pertaining to its expertise and services that they offer, how Canberg Global Sourcing is different from other players in the market, various opportunities they foresee to enhance the growth of their company, various challenges/pain points that their clients come up with and how they help them through those challenges.

1.          Kindly highlight the key points and exclusives about Canberg Global Sourcing, pertaining to its expertise that you want us to highlight in the profile.

Canberg Global Sourcing P. Ltd. is an ISO 9001 and Oeko Tex 100 certified organisation with manufacturing certified to ISO 14001, Sedex and BSCI with over 2 decades of Expertise in Manufacturing and Global Distribution of premium range of Workwear and Uniforms along with High Performance clothing and Accessories in line with global demands, specifications and standards.

We produce, source, supply and distribute a wide range of products to a diverse customer base both at home and internationally, assisted by our convenient location near major logistics hubs – Kolkata, India and Colombo, Sri Lanka. With a focus on sourcing from the Indian sub-continent, we are also adept at magnifying the sourcing to provide our customers a good mix of ethical sourcing, duty advantage and delivery logistics.

Our goods are mainly sourced from Asia and exported to a global clientele spread across 5 continents. We are working on expanding the same for reverse sourcing too – that is sourcing from around the globe for Asia, thereby, enmeshing the best of both worlds in product range, superior quality and price.

2.          Canberg Global Sourcing has acquired a significant position in the area of Product Sourcing, Logistics, Vendor Management and Supply Chain to customers worldwide. Tell us about the various services that you offer as part of your service portfolio that has placed your organization at the top.

Our diversified portfolio in Sourcing, Manufacturing and Vendor Management is well versed to provide customized solutions to our clients and associates to meet their exact requirements. Our services include but are not limited to -

•           A Flexible approach to sourcing with an array of global partners.

•           Product and Market Matchmaking

•           Vendor evaluation, on-boarding and Management

•           Designing and Product Development

•           Cost Negotiation and Rationalization

•           Quality Assurance

•           Ensuring ethical supply chain

3.          How in your opinion is Canberg Global Sourcing different from other players in the market? Explain your USP.

Our USPs :

•           Round the clock customer engagement with an active participation in product offering, cost rationalization and problem solving.

•           Designing and production in conjunction with demands and utility of modern concept of comfortable wear – be it work gear, functional wear, performance wear or accessories.  Our products emphasize on performance, comfort, design ergonomics, wearability and utility.

•           Raw material sourcing from reputed global supply partners to ensure quality and product continuity so that latest innovations and best price matches are secured.

•           Stringent procurement policies with raw materials being used in our production certified to OEKO Tex Standard 100 and other compliances.

•           Ensuring all the vendors are monitored and periodically assessed to our Quality, Ethical and Social Compliance standards.

•           Focus on sustainable and recyclable materials as much as possible and sustainable production processes too.

•           Convenient location near major logistics hubs – Kolkata, India and Colombo, Sri Lanka ensuring faster turnarounds.

4.          What are the various opportunities you foresee to enhance the growth of your company?

The opportunities of our company can be categorized as under :

• Market Expansion: Our current plan of 360 degrees sourcing expands our market base at home and overseas.  It opens a few innovative approaches with different traditional marketing and distribution channels being closed or compromised.
• E-Commerce: With the world turning upside down with the onset of the pandemic, a global shift in procurement and marketing strategies have taken place towards with more and more people being forced to focus on online marketplaces for their requirements. This has opened a large hitherto untapped potential customer base available to all. To tap this, we are in process of launching our own e-commerce platform to meet the requirements of newer prospects.
• Financial: During these challenging and uncertain times of the Covid pandemic, we have not only been able to maintain our financial stability but have also achieved a YOY financial growth in positive. With our expansion objectives in place, we wish to improve on the statistics in the foreseeable future provided the global financial state remains stable.
• Geographical: We have been able to establish our foothold into new untapped geographies over the last couple of years with our professional expertise. We plan on establishing our footprints into further untapped regions for our product line in the foreseeable future while solidifying our current market position.

5.          What are the various challenges/pain points your clients come to you with? How do you help them through these challenges?

The customers look for a sourcing cum manufacturing company for various requirements:

-            To develop and create a new product line that requires developing the product, sampling and settling the supply base for materials as well as finished product.

-            To consolidate different products which we can either manufacture or source or consolidate (pack to be shipped together) to their destination.

-            To get a reliable source for products that are originating from different suppliers and the quality assurance with on-time delivery for all is required which is geographically not viable for them to handle directly.

-            To avail the advantage of matching the sources from Different countries to ensure matching and continuity of the products on continuous / repeat orders.

Some of the major challenges which we are currently facing especially with the advent of Covid-19 are:

•           Uncertain orders and market situation all around

•           Supply chain hiccups

•           Forecasting demand for products

•           Logistics and Control of Inventory to manage smooth workflow

•           Shortage of workers and talent

•           Erratic and unreliable environment

We are in continuous exchange of information with our customers to understand the status of their businesses and upcoming projections. We are also in touch with and continuously follow various govt. organizations both domestic and global, their perspectives along with measures and initiatives taken in driving the economy to a base of stability. With new regulations in place combined with our zeal to constantly take ourselves forward, we aspire to continue with our continued and sustained growth over the next 3 years.

6.          Tell us about the various technological implementations that you leverage across your service and how do you ensure to keep the company updated with trending nuances and happenings in the field?

To keep ourselves acquainted and up to date with the latest technological advancements, we

-            follow an ERP system for maintaining stocks of all our incoming and outgoing products, sampling requisitions, logistical procedures, and vendor management.

-            constantly implement and upgrade to the latest tech in machineries in our factories to offer a state-of-the-art production facility.

-            maintain a fully modernized warehouse with an easy-to-follow real time inventory. 

-            upgraded digital platforms for virtual meetings and product discussion all across - with customers, Product Development, Sourcing and CAD teams and with the factories. 

-            are in process of launching our own e-commerce platform for a better interactive experience for the customer / user in addition to expanding digital marketing and informational videos.

7.          What are the various certifications/regulatory compliances that your company adheres to while offering the services?

With the growing demand of our existing and latest innovations in the Workwear and Uniforms as well as the Protective Wear category, our units are certified and conform to

ISO 9001:2015,

ISO 14001:2015,

OEKO Tex Standard 100

Sedex

to comply with the International Quality Management Systems, Environment, Banning Usage of Harmful Substances and Social Compliance Standards.

8.          Are you coming up with any innovations or up-gradations to enhance your existing services and products portfolio? Tell us about them.

-            The workwear market, in general, over the years has been growing in design functionality and wearability across the globe whereas it has been non-existent and/or static in terms of design features usability and appearance in Asia. With the growing needs of an industrial workwear to implement and take on newer challenges at workplace, we came up with the development of a new and composite range of functional workwear in conjunction with our clients and reputed European designers. This included innovative stretch materials strategically placed at high stress areas and pressure points to reduce and sometimes eliminate the discomfort by improving the flexibility and mobility of the worker.

-            While Hi-Vis currently transcends to improving visibility of a wearer only when light is reflected on hi-vis materials used on a workwear, we came up with a new innovative high visibility solution in our workwear which allows the wearer to be visible even in pitch dark without the requirement of light. The technology used the making of the material allows it glow even in the dark without the requirement of a light source.

9.          Tell us about your company’s recent revenue growth, and the future roadmap.

Despite the global market being staggered by the effect of COVID-19, we have maintained a Hiring growth of 15% YOY and overall CAGR of 12% YOY over the last 2 Financial Years and have continued to project a robust positive future outlook.

We envisage to become Global leaders in providing Innovative "Next Level" solutions to all sectors for protecting and elevating the value of Life, Environment and Assets.

10.        Talk us through some of the short-term and long-term plans devised for the company?

-            We have been able to tap into newer geographies in the EU and MENA regions while maintaining our commitments to existing clients and especially to our employees who are our most valued assets. We plan on expanding our footprints further into Southeast Asia, Oceania and the Americas.

-            We have been able to create new employment opportunities in Colombo, Sri Lanka with the establishment of our production unit in the region. We plan on expanding our production units while creating more employments in the region.