CHAPTER 1

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INDUSTRY PROFILE

Natures wounded, fiber is extracted from the protective husk of the coconut. This golden
fiber is spun in a breath- taking range of textured yarn and worn in to spectrum of colourful
floor covering the husks separated from the nuts are retted in lagoons up to ten months. The
wetted husks are then beaten with wooden mallets manually to produce the golden fiber.
The fabric is later spun in to yarn on traditional spinning wheels called Rafts ready for
dying and 'weaving in to my raid shades of floor coverings. A score of varieties of coir yarn
are produced and each variety is associated with certain specific characteristics used for
agriculture, industrial, and domestic applications. The starting point of industry is the
process of de husking after harvesting of the mature coconut crop. Coir fibers are extracted
from the husk surrounding the coconut. For production of light colour fiber of spin able
quality green husks of 10 to 12 months, old coconut is ideally suitable. India and Sri Lanka
are the main dress where the fiber from the husk (termed coir) are extracted by traditional
method, for the commercial production of a variety of products like brushes and brooms,
ropes and yarns for nets and bags and mats and pad-ding for matters .However, worldwide
only a small part of the fibers available are currently used for these purposes.

ORIGIN OF COIR INDUSTRY

The history of coir and its associations with the state of Kerala dates back to the 19th
century. One of the most commonly seen tropical trees in Kerala dates is the coconut tree.
In fact, even the name Kerala (Kerala in Malayalam) is derived from these trees. ('Kera' in
Malayalam language means, coconut and `alam' means land, thus Kerala means land of
coconut). Everything from Kerala's culture to its dishes is evolved around the coconut tree.
Allepey (Alappuzha in Malayalam) is the nerve centre of Kerala's famous coir industry.
Here one can see coconut husks being beaten in to fiber for making beautiful mats and other
coir products. Both men and women are actively involved in the yarn spinning sector and
the men in the products weaving sector. Coir industry enjoys the status as the largest
cottage industry in the state of Kerala, giving employment to over a million people. Kerala
also has a very fine natural harbor located at Cochin (Kochin). From the ancient time itself
Cochin had found a place in the minds of Europeans as a trading center because of its port
and spices.
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THE FUTURE

As improved technology increases production, industry groups and governmental agencies

are actively promoting new uses for coir fiber. A Geo textile is one promising area. The
Indian State of Kerala designed 2000 as coir geo textiles year, which it observed by
increasing marketing efforts and supporting research to improve production. The annual
world demand for a geo textile is 1,2 billions square yards (1 billion square meters) and
growing. Although, natural fibers account for only 5% of that, the proportion is expected to
increase as more users a turn away from non-biodegradable synthetics. Another new
product under development is an alternative to plywood that is made by impregnating a coir
mat with phenol formal dehyde resin and curing it under heat and pressure.

REAL BEDS

Currently, the Real mattress and base co- produce beds that are made with natural fibers.
Such as those that were used in past periods of time. In each mattress are layers of coconut
coir, cotton, polyurethane foam, wool and spring units. They are covered in damask or a
cotton herring bone twill cover. Their bases have pin timber frames, coconut coir, cotton,
dense card board side panels, foam, wool and hessian, and are also covered in either damask
or cotton covers. Because the Real mattress and base co- frequently reconstructions antique
beds, they are capable of producing mattress with cut-out corners to cater for four poster
beds or ensembles to fit existing head and foot boards.

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COMPANY PROFILE

Sulfex India (pvt) LTD is a company founded in the year 1994, by Mr. M.T.P. Muhammed
Kunji, a prominent NRI business personality with diverse interest in rubberized coir, ply
wood and constructions in India and trading activities in the middle East. Sulfex group is
fast growing entity surging ahead with various business interests. Fuelled by a winding
passion to pursue excellence on all fronts, Sulfex aims to create lasting value for customers
across the world. Beginning as the manufacturer of exceptional quality rubberized coir
mattress, the Sulfex groups become a long way today. Together, the two stages of the art of
manufacturing plants. Sulfex fiber products, Sulfex Mattress Company, strategically
situated at Parassinikadavu, Kannur, northern part of Kerala state and account for 6000
metric tons annual productions capacity. Sulfex is known as having India's second largest
and most sophisticated plant capacity for rubberized coir mattresses as well as allied
products like pillows, cushions, bolsters and a range of door and bath mats. The high
density rubberized coir bare bloc of Sulfex product is highly recommended as top layers for
spring mattress worldwide. The plant employees 400 highly skilled personnel
directly,another 2000 indirectly. Credited with IS09001 and BIS Certification, the plants
follow all the globally accepted policies. The raw materials are 100% natural coir and rubber
latex, fully replenished resources harnessing its technological superiority, product
excellence and care for environment the company has credited one of the best scientifically
backed rubberized coir mattress brands Sulfex.

SULFEX COMPANY / SULFEX UNIT

 Sulfex fiber products

It is a partnership firm. Sulfex fiber products were firstly established unit and it was
established in the year 1994 with a capital of 400 lakh. The unit was manufacturing coir
mattress. The unit was situated at industrial development plot. Andoor, Parassinikkadavu,
Kannur.

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  Sulfex mattress company

It was secondly established company situated at Elemberampara, Thaliparamba. It

started its operation in 2002. The unit produces not only mattress, but also products like car
cushions, quick dry bath room mats, door cushions etc... But Sulfex mat tress concentrated
to produce only rubberized coir mattress, cushions, pillows etc...

 Sulfex India private ltd

It is also private limited unit. But these units do not produce anything. This unit will
market the products manufactured by Sulfex Mattress Company. This was started in the
year 2004.

Location of the company: Company is located at Kannur district. The location has proper
road frontage and the company is provided with good well water in abundance

COMPANY PROFILE

Name of the company: Sulfex India PVT Limited

Promoter : Mr.Muhammed Kunhi

Year of establishment : 2002

Product manufactured : Mattresses,pillows,cushions,door&bath

mats,packing pads

Markets : Kerala, Goa, Mangalore, Virajpett

Production capacity : 2500 mattress/day

Annual turnover : 250-300 million (in rupees)

AWARDS & ACHIEVEMENTS

 It is an IS09001:2008 certified company.
 It is the first company in Kerala which attained both ISO & BIS
certification management system certified company.

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  Sulfex is the first & only unit in rubberized coir to have DGQA (Director
General Quality Assurance) certification.
 The Kerala government consumer award for quality in the year 2000. Was
achieved by the company.
 Best small scale industries award for the year 1998-199

SULFEX MOTTO
 Our customers are the most important person in us promises.
 Our employees and our workers are our asset
 We treat our as well wishers with dignity, respect and care
 We are steered by the needs and requirements of our customers and strive exceed
their expectations every time.
 We are responsible to the community in which we do business, building their skills
and strength as we do our own.
 We generate team spirit and encourage employee participation in the process of
improvement.