Page 63 - ICE BUSINESS TIMES December 2019
P. 63

Many people say it’s a dying   Which segment would you                              How crucial is the role of       rather we produce paper materials
                                                                                                                                                                                    industry, but it has been     say there is more potential                           R&D to remain competitive in     across the board. Paper mills in
                                                                                                                                                                                    maintaining a worldwide growth   for growth?                                        the global market?               Bangladesh would only produce
                                                                                                                                                                                    rate of over 6%. In the modern   More potential for growth in the                   Our R&D department has been quite   writing and printing paper, which
                                                                                                                                                                                    age, there is a movement to go   industry is in tissue, thermal                     productive and inventive from the   you see as normal A4 paper or paper
                                                                                                                                                                                    paperless, but despite the    paper and packaging paper.                            beginning, I personally look after its   for newsprint. Instead, we have
                                                                                                                                                                                    digitization and this shift to an   Thermal paper is what you use                   regular operation. Every time, based   taken ourselves away from the
                                                                                                                                                                                    online dominion, the tangibility of   on a credit card machine, POS                 on market data/ feedback, we decide   conventional market, geared up
                                                                                                                                                                                    paper is irreplaceable.                                                                                              ourselves for the next market, which
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  machines etc. It is an import                         for the development of new SKUs or   is a specialty grade. Your everyday
                                                                                                                                                                                    'Bashundhara Paper' has       substitute. Generally,                                product range, it all starts from my   use for thermal paper which is used
                                                                                                                                                                                    been the biggest paper        Bashundhara Group enters in any                       endorsement and goes into trial to   on every POS machine, NCR paper,
                                                                                                                                                                                    exporter from Bangladesh      industry with aims to take the                        the market with my concurrence   duplex board, packaging paper –
                                                                                                                                                                                    for the past few years.       place of the import substitute.                       also. It is always critical to keep   these are the growth markets we are
                                                                                                                                                                                    What are the factors that     The products that were once                           track what new  facility can bring   looking at. So we are segmenting
                                                                                                                                                                                    helped "Bashundhara           imported, now we can produce it                       about and ultimately this is the only   more in different specialty grades.   initiatives are running across
                                                                                                                                                                                    Paper" to reach this          locally and export it as well.                        approach we take to be competitive   There’s a growth and sustainability   many fields around us.
                                                                                                                                                                                    position? What are the                                                              in domestic as well as in the global   over there, as well as positively   Somewhere free eye clinic is
                                                                                                                                                     such a  machine. Then we devised   future goals?             You have recently received                            arena.                           impacting employements.          giving supports to the poor and
                                                                                                                                                     a plan on how to get the machine   We have been adding capacity   FSC-CoC (Recycled Paper)                                                                                           needy, somewhere Bashundhara
                                                                                                                                                     to Bangladesh, do the          every year to match the demand   certificate from the                               How is Bashundhara Group         Bashundhara Group's core         Ad-din Medical College Hospital in
                                                                                                                                                     construction on time, and get it                             regulatory authority                                  constantly innovating            value is 'For the People, For    Keraniganj is providing the
 As the Managing   meticulously. Before we go   machine in 18 months. It is                                                                          up and running. Finally, once it   of the market. We have recently   Control Union. How                            themselves?                      the Country'. How has this       cheapest medical care in its
 Director of   live with a machine at   located in our Unit 1 which                                                                                  began running, it is not only   listed ourselves on the Dhaka &   crucial do you think it is                                                        value shaped the company
 Bashundhara Paper   production, we run it   is in Narayanganj. The                                                                                  supplying in Bangladesh, but   Chittagong stock market being the   for consumers to use                            Bashundhara Group believes in    and its operations over the      500-bed hospital, yet Friday
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        opportunity-creation for the nation;
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Clinics in Manikganj and Comilla
 Mills Ltd. and Vice   through an extensive   machine is so highly                                                                                   products are also being exported   biggest paper mill as well as the   responsibly sourced paper                                                    years?
 Chairman of   troubleshooting process,   technically configured that                                                                                in volumes.                    exporter. In terms of quality,   products?                                          hence innovation is the key to make                               awaits with best doctors of the
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        it happen. The Group as a whole try
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Country. A Special Children
 Bashundhara Group,   following that it goes back   it was quite difficult for                                                                       Through this challenge we      India- our neighboring country -                                                                                     As a company when we say For the
 you have to oversee   to the R&D department.   people here to figure out                                                                            achieved specific knowledge of   has a bunch of paper mills all   It is surely a responsible                       to remodel itself every now and then   People, For the Country; we mean it.   Foundation for the autistic, for
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          underprivileged children, having a
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        to stay updated with the trend, as
 numerous operations.   This is a daily routine we   how to operate regularly.                                                                       how to do team building, proper   over, however very few of these   recognition, but for Bangladesh                                                 All the concerns are built in for the
 Do you have a   maintain to stay on top of   We did not have                                                                                        planning in tough times, then we   could compete with the quality   market we have not seen much of                well as to remain competitive in the   people, for the country. They are   capacity of 250 students, is a
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          perfect institution of its kind. We
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        business arena.
 strategy/ routine to   any problems that may   Bangladeshi expertise on                                                                             did it a test scenario case and   paper that we manufacture. That   a big impact yet about FSC,                                                     adding value to the country, and it is
 ensure the efficiency   arise.  this. The regular paper                                                                                             then we implemented it.        is why our export market has   mostly due to knowledge gap.                         Whenever we think of a new       a value addition for the employees as   have an orphanage of 1000
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          children, which is located in
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        investment, we always look for
 of the processes?  Can you please share   machines require about                                                                                                                   grown substantially in India right   But for the export market, it has                                               well. Take our real estate business
 with us about a   80-100 people to run but                                                                                                                                         now. India has a gap of 300,000   been giving us a competitive edge                 import-substitute. We look into the   for example, when we started back in   Bashundhara also. We always try
 Yes, I do follow a strategy   challenge that you   this new one can be run by                                                                       Who are the people that        tons of paper per annum. We are   for marketing and exporting.                      industry, and in our R&D department   1987, we sold 3 lac Taka per katha,   to remain beside the needy in
 and I believe it is an   faced as a leader and   engaging just only 3 people.                                                                       have shaped the person         basically filling that gap in,   When we export to Europe, that                     we are always working on products   which in turn of time over 3 crore at   crisis time e.g. during the winter
 integral part of being a   how you pushed   So, to tackle this head on,                                                                             you are now?                   partially which is why export of   is a must. When we export to the                 that will be an import-substitute,   present. So, we single- handedly as a   season, we always extend our
 leader. We have weekly   through?  we decided to go for                                                                                             My idol is always my father. I   our quality paper & tissue   U.S. and the U.K, these                              even the ones in the pipeline right   company, made 50,000        supports all the Country with
 meetings where we prepare   extensive scheduled                                                                                                     sincerely look at him, and thereby   products have gone up.   certificates are also must to give                   now. They all will be substituting   multi-millionaires in the country. We   warm clothing, relief supports to
 ourselves for every   Recently we have set up a   training. We sent our people                                                                      he has shaped me as the person I   Our future goals are to practice   documents.                                   import-goods for Bangladesh and   handed over 50,000 plots. Other   the flood or, cyclone-affected
 upcoming week. I need to   new tissue machine from   to Austria and China to get                                                                    am today. Other than that, I would   cost minimization and run the   The full form of FSC is “Forest               will be saving foreign currency.  than that in all our products, we   coastal people.
 ensure my Head of   Austria, which has the                                                                                                                                                                       Stewardship Council”. Basically,                      During early 2020, our new Bitumin
 What are the qualities   Departments and Head of   capacity to churn out 100   trained on how to operate                                            say the next person is my      business more efficiently. At                                                       plant will be in production. As   never compromise on quality and we   What would you like to say
 do you believe that a   Plants report back to me on   MT tissues per day. We took                                                                   headmaster from my boarding    present, out of 14 machines, we   when pulp is produced from                        Bangladesh is embarking upon     always do extensive R&D, training   to the new entrants in to
 successful leader must   a regular basis. Being the   the challenge to erect the                                                                    school back in the U.K. His guidance   have made 10 of our machines as   trees, it could be an Acacia tree         building huge infrastructure, for   for our employees so that they are   the business sector?
 have?  Managing Director I always                                                                                                                   has been invaluable to me.     closed loop machines, which   or it could be a Rainwood, or                         roads and bridges, Bitumin is a   well fitted and well educate, in every
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Eucalyptus tree. To produce pulp,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         sphere of their lives.
                                                                                                                                                     From my boyhood, I was always
                                                                                                                                                                                    means that the water discharge is
 To be a successful leader, I   have to have a bird’s eye                                                                                            fascinated by machinery and    almost zero. Before, we had to use   trees are uprooted and because of              product which has been imported a                                 I started 10 year ago, back in
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          2009. I would say where I am
 think a person must   view of the entire                                                                                                            equipment. I am also fond of cars,   20 tons of water to make 1 ton of   this, for every one tree taken out,       lot, from all over the world. We will   Apart from running such a   today, obviously I have been given
 possess a blend of absolute   organization in real-time.                                                                                            so I was always into fixing and   paper. We have reduced that down   ten trees have to be replanted.               have the capacity to cater to the   massive company,              the position to be where I am, but
 integrity, honesty,   Our integrated ERP system                                                                                                     engineering things. I was keen on   to 7 tons of water. We have made   These pulp producers provide                national demand, as well as export.   Bashundhara Group also      I have taken things furthermore
 decisiveness and must be a   generates resourceful                                                                                                  pursuing engineering, but      substantial reduction on      relevant certificates and                             Our Bitumin will be guaranteed for   engages in CSR activities.   up. But remember to dedicate
 team player. Having these   reports that enable us to                                                                                               eventually I opted for studying   electricity, steam consumption, as   necessary endorsement before                10 years, once it is put on the road.  Can you elaborate please?  yourself to your work as your
 qualities also grows the   build the necessary tools to                                                                                             business administration,       well as chemical consumption. We   giving us pulp products. The                                                                                       passion. Whatever work you do,
 capability to empower   forecast the challenges. We                                                                                                 technology always fascinated me.   have switched to chemicals that   chemicals which we are using to               How does meeting innovation      I believe great success comes with   you should enjoy it. Do not think
 others to work efficiently.   have deadlines and                                                                                                    This is how I ventured into the   are bio eco-friendly. So, all these   recycle the paper, de-ink the              requirements affect the rate     great responsibilities. Although   of it as a burden. When I do my
 Leaders have to be able to   timelines for every piece of                                                                                           paper mill industry. They say,   aspects we are doing day in and   papers, those chemicals has to be               of employment?                   Bashundhara Group has always been   work, I really enjoy doing it, I take
 rest their faith on their   work, and from project to                                                                                               when you are born, you are given   day out, and cutting our costs,   certified by FSC-COC, which                   Bashundhara paper mill is not just   very much submissive about all of   it as a passion. I am a passionate
 team and fully understand   project basis. We set our                                                                                               a piece of paper, and when you   while also becoming more    implies they are not harmful to                       an ordinary paper mill, we do not   its philanthropic initiatives, it is of   golfer and passionate
 how to properly delegate.   KPIs and monitor them                                                                                                   die, you are also given another.   environmentally conscience.  the environment.                                   produce only simple writing paper   no doubt a big range of its CSR   businessman also.


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