Page 65 - MASALA Magazine Vol.15 Issue 3 | February - March 2024

Having started working in the industry since 1972, for big names in the industry
such as The Thonburi Textile Mills Ltd., Tex Master, Bangkok Printing and
Dyeing, Evergreen Printing and Dyeing, and Kitpattana Printing and Dyeing;
and still going strong as a Technical Consultant for V.P.C. Group at the venerable
age of 74, Kulthorn Narula is someone who’s seen both the renaissance and decline
of the Kingdom’s textile industry, and has appropriately been lauded for it. It’s in
his lifeblood – everything he tells me shows a passion and technical knowledge for
every step of the printing and processing system that is awe-inspiring. When I ask
him about concerns that Thailand’s textiles industry is long past its heyday, he is
adamant that there are still pathways to success, and that adaptability is key. He
gives Masala his insight.

What were your personal experiences witnessing the ‘golden age’ and beyond of
Thailand’s fabric industry – what were some of the highest highs, and conversely,
some of the lowest lows?
After completing my education at the University of Mumbai, I started working as an
Assistant Printing Manager in Thonburi Textile Mills. At that time, it was considered
I love to go to the first composite mill of Thailand, which means the factory had the complete span
factories and of facilities, from spinning, to weaving, printing, dyeing, and finishing; and it had
just opened 6-7 years prior. The factory started with hand prints and then brought
help them in the flatbed Automatic Printing Machine. We ran for 24 hours, with three shifts,
and had so much work that sometimes we had to work on Sundays too. It was just
find solutions like a start up in the textile printing and dyeing industry, and imports were restricted
to problems, by heavy import duties, so whatever we produced was in heavy demand.
chemically, In 1974, due to the high productivity required, the company installed the latest
invention in the textile printing industry, the Rotary Printing Machine, the first one
through of its kind in Thailand. It had the capacity to print 60-80 yards per minute, whereas
the previous flatbed printing
machinery, machine could print about 15
or even technology. yards per minute. This was a
huge game changer for the
I tell them, printing industry, and it was
the golden era of the printing
“dig for gold in industry in Thailand. The
your own factory, demand was sky high.
that is, increase Because of the high demand,
we had to buy a second and
efficiency and third Rotary Printing Machine,
and we produced up to 2 to
look for ways to 2.5 million yards per month,
reduce the cost of and it still wasn’t enough. In
the beginning, the factory
production. was only doing mattresses,
military camouflage dress
printing, and normal cotton
prints. After gaining more
and more experience in the
field, I wanted to innovate.
Those days, if you developed
something new, you can make
big margins from it for at least a
year. After that, other factories
would start to follow the trend
and the prices would drop. So,
I never stopped the R&D –
we were the leading factory in
starting Burn Out prints, Sear
Sucker Prints, Glitter Prints,
Spun Rayon Prints, Fujiette,
and crinkle fabric.

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