Building With Responsibility
For over three decades, Royal Classic Mills (P) Ltd, part of the Royal Classic Group (RCG), has grown with a strong belief that business must create value not only for its stakeholders, but also for its people and the environment.
Today, RCG has an annual turnover of around ₹700 crore and directly employs more than 6,000 people. Throughout this journey, I have always considered the trust of statutory bodies, our workers and the community around us as one of our most important responsibilities.
But for me, growth has never been only about the size of the business. It has also been about how responsibly we grow.
My Journey at Royal Classic Mills
Building a textile business with environmental responsibility.
When I look back at my journey with Royal Classic Mills, I believe one of the most important decisions we made was to think about the environment alongside business growth.
Textile manufacturing naturally involves the use of water, energy and other resources. As our company grew, I felt that our responsibility towards the environment had to grow with it.
This thinking led us to make a number of investments and changes in the way we manufacture, manage resources and operate our factories.
My Environmental Journey at Royal Classic Mills
Zero Liquid Discharge — 2004
One of the first in the region
While building Royal Classic Mills, I knew textile manufacturing—especially dyeing—would use substantial water. I did not want our growth to come at the expense of water resources.
In 2004 we implemented Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD)—among the first in the region to adopt it.
We installed a Reverse Osmosis plant with 40 lakh litres per day capacity to treat, recover and reuse dyeing water. Today we recycle 100% of dyeing water using ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis, evaporation and crystallization.
For me, ZLD was more than technology—it was a decision to conserve, recover and reuse water.
Cleaner systems for the people
A better workplace
Our environmental initiatives have helped us create a cleaner and more responsible workplace for our 6,000 employees, while building systems that protect the resources our communities depend on.
Renewable energy
Moving beyond conventional power.
As Royal Classic Mills grew, our energy requirements naturally increased. I wanted to address this requirement without increasing our dependence on conventional fossil-fuel-based sources. This led us to invest in renewable energy, particularly solar and wind power.
Solar energy
We have installed 14 MW of solar power capacity across our operations. Generating our own renewable power has helped us reduce our dependence on conventional energy sources. Based on our installations, this represents an estimated saving of approximately 1.4 million kilograms of coal per year, along with the corresponding reduction in carbon emissions.
For me, solar power represented more than simply generating electricity. It was an opportunity to make the energy required for our industry cleaner and more sustainable for our environment.
Wind energy
Creating renewable power at scale
Our commitment to renewable energy also extended to wind power. We have installed 32 windmills, from manufacturers including Suzlon, Gamesa, Regen and NEG Micon, with a combined capacity of 44 MW.
These installations have helped Royal Classic Group become a renewable power-surplus company. Our renewable energy generation has also enabled us to supply approximately 40 million units of renewable electricity each year to the government and nearby textile manufacturing facilities.
I see this as an important part of our environmental responsibility. Renewable energy should not only meet our own requirements; wherever possible, it should contribute to the larger energy ecosystem around us.
Water treatment
Giving water a second life.
Our responsibility towards water extends beyond the dyeing process. Across our manufacturing operations, we have implemented Effluent Treatment Plants and Sewage Treatment Plants to treat wastewater generated through our activities.
The treated water is reused for purposes such as irrigation and maintaining green spaces within our facilities.
This approach reflects a principle that has guided our environmental initiatives for many years: waste should not always be the end of a resource's journey. With the right technology and responsible systems, it can often become a resource again.
Building for tomorrow
I believe the success of an industry should be measured not only by what it creates, but by what it gives back to the environment and the people around it.