Karnataka Soaps and Detergent Ltd (KSDL), makers of Mysore Sandal Soap, has diversified its product portfolio to include fragrances, hand washes, detergents and multipurpose liquid detergents.

RV Deshpande, Karnataka Minister for Industries, said: “The company, from a single product, has come a long way. Now it manufactures around 38 different products ranging from soaps and detergents to cosmetics and agarbathies including sandalwood oil.”

“The company now has come out with rose, strawberry and pineapple hand washes and Mysore Sandal body wash,” he added.

Century-old The company was started as Government Sandalwood Oil Factory by the Maharaja of Mysore Nalwadi Krishna Raja Wodeyar and Diwan Sir M Visvesvaraya in 1916.

The State cabinet has now approved a ₹27.15-crore modernisation plan of KSDL.

The plan is to enhance its production capacity in line with long-term commitments. Under a modernisation plan prepared by TECSOK, the factory will get a modern soap unit with a capacity of 15,000 tonnes a year.

Plans are also afoot to build a toilet soap finishing line with a capacity of 2 tonnes an hour, and to upgrade one of the existing lines from 0.5 tonne to 1 tonne an hour.

KSDL Chairperson Veronica Cornelio said: “The flagship brand Mysore Sandal Soap has grown by 12 per cent along with brand Mysore Sandal Gold Soap by 26 per cent overall. The company has grown by 17 per cent in value and 24 per cent in volume.”

“We are targeting a turnover of over ₹500 crore this fiscal,” she added.

“With capacity expansion and modernisation by next financial year we plan to increase sales by another ₹100 crore to touch ₹600 crore.”

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