The Hindu Business Line : Dunlop India on `comeback trail'

ROLL-OUT SOON: Optimism in the air at the Sahagunj factory of Dunlop India Ltd., located in Hooghly distirct of West Bengal, on the eve of resumption of production slated for October 31. It is expected that about 1,200 employees would rejoin the factory. — A. Roy Chowdhury

Kolkata , Oct. 28

Mr Dilip Chowdhury, Mr P. Sinha and Mr Atanu Saha do not have much in common except for their association with Dunlop India's Sahagunj factory.

For Mr Chowdhury, who had joined this company in 1963 after quitting his job at the Telecom Department and has served Dunlop for 36 years, it is a comeback to where he belongs.

Mr Sinha was an employee of Phoenix Yule and joined Dunlop only a few months ago when a new management took over the company.

Mr Saha has undergone the pain of an eight-year-long closure since 1998 (excluding the brief opening in 2000) and today is a great follower of the saying, "something is better than nothing". His family has been associated with this company for two generations.

Faces, expressions, might differ but aspirations are the same. All are eagerly waiting for October 31, when the West Bengal Chief Minister, Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, will inaugurate the resumption of production. There is optimism about the developments taking place in and around Dunlop.

Dunlop has changed a lot from what it was on December 4, 2005, when the gates were re-opened by the new management. As per the wage agreement struck between the unions and the management, 1,179 existing employees will be absorbed. The remaining 1,415 will be offered early retirement. The company has, so far, paid the first instalment of payments due; the rest will be paid in phases once production starts.

Initial focus

"We are hopeful of stabilising production within a week of resuming production on October 31," said Mr Samir Kumar Pal, Managing Director. He added that the company's tyres are expected to hit the replacement markets in the Eastern region within two weeks. To begin with, the company will focus on production of truck and off-the-road tyres and a couple of industrial products such as like hoses and adhesives.

Though the plan is to reach the targeted production of 130 tonne in 2006-2007, the target will be attained within three months, Mr Pai said.

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