Krishna Kumar Agrawal - JP/Sudibyo M. Wiradji

He has 53 years’ work experience. He is a successful and award-winning businessman who runs a textile company that has a turnover of more than US$200 million and employs 3,700 people. He was born in India 76 years ago and is now a proud Indonesian citizen. Despite his busy business schedule, the well-respected Indian-Indonesian never misses social and business gatherings in Jakarta. He is a healthy septuagenarian and frequent traveler.

He is none other than Krishna Kumar Agrawal, president director of PT Bitratex Industries, a manufacturer of quality spun yarns. Bitratex Group is Indonesia’s leading quality yarn manufacturer and exports most of its products to more than 40 countries and sells around 30 percent on the domestic market.

While retaining customers remains a tough challenge for some companies amid an increasingly competitive environment, Agrawal has found the secret to keeping customers coming back to his company.

“Customers’ loyalty comes from two major factors. The first is the quality of our products. Customers find that they had no problem with repeat supplies; they always come back to us. We take full responsibility for our products and respond immediately if there is the slightest problem at any time,” said the naturalized Indonesian, who was born in Varanasi, India, in 1940.

“Second is honoring our commitments of timely supplies even in situations when the market fluctuates,” explained the businessman, adding that “Personal contacts play an important role in developing our relations with customers.”

Bitratex was started back in 1979. Under Agrawal’s leadership, the group has grown fourfold, thanks heavily to growing customers’ loyalty. In addition, the Bitratex Group acquired a distressed company, namely PT Primayudha Mandirijaya, in the same line of business of manufacturing yarn in 2008 and turned it around. Currently, Primayudha’s products command the same preference as Bitratex. Thus the annual production capacity of the group now has reached 80,000 metric tons (MT).

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"I think the most important quality of a leader is to create an atmosphere where everyone works as part of a team."

In the last 37 years, the company has exported its products to customers in more than 40 countries, of which many are Bitratex’s loyal customers. Bitratex’s growth performance, especially in regard to exports, is evidenced by the company having received numerous awards, including the prestigious Primaniyarta Award from the government of Indonesia for consistent and commendable export performances.

“We have received the Primaniyarta Award not once but eight times. This is because of our overall export performance and consistent growth in export volume,” Agrawal, who first came to Indonesia in 1973, said.

“In addition, we have received the green rating for environmental care,” he noted.

According to him, the company has also maintained harmonious relations with its employees, settled all taxes in time, honored its commitment with lenders even during the financial crises of 1998 and 2008, and has undertaken corporate social responsibility activities regularly. “All of these factors have been recognized in terms of awards,” he said.

For Bitratex, loyalty does not mean only from customers but also employees as, he says, a dedicated and well-trained workforce is the company’s greatest strength.

“We have created a good working environment in which every employee feels happy, safe and secure about their job and contributes their best according to their role.

“We have employees who have worked with us since the company started in 1981. Apart from timely payment as per regulations, we provide residential accommodation and other facilities, which boosts employee loyalty and longer tenures,” he said, adding that the company employs 3,700 people.

“We have regular training facilities for new and existing employees. The human resources is the most important asset for us.”

With Agrawal dedicating an important period of his life to Bitratex, it is natural to attribute the success of the company to how he views corporate issues, including that on leadership, one of the aspects that plays a pivotal role in growing a company.

“I think the most important quality of a leader is to create an atmosphere where everyone works as part of a team. This means decisions are made with consensus,” Agrawal, who studied commerce and law at India’s famous Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi, said.

“Everyone is given the opportunity to offer their views and then we decide with mutual agreement where everyone stands with the decision,” he stated.

“As a good leader you have to deal fairly with all the stakeholders, such as customers, suppliers, bankers and employees, which develops trust in your organization,” he opined.

Asked what his motto in life is, he said, “The motto of my life is to remain focused on the purpose and to continue ‘hard work’ … that’s the way to succeed.”

Agrawal starts his day at 5 a.m. with a regular walk and yoga exercise followed by tea time with family members. “I exercise every day … otherwise I’d get older and sick,” he said with a laugh.

Away from the job, he spends time traveling, watching TV and attending social gatherings with friends and family. “I travel to India few times a year,” he said.

Agrawal is not only one of the approximately 300,000 Indian Diaspora in Indonesia but is also one of the important leaders of the Indian community. His company is also among those that contributes to the economic growth of the country by providing employment to many, paying taxes and contributing to the export earnings of Indonesia.

“I would like to convey to my young friends that hard work has no alternative,” he said.

“Do your work honestly and keep up the good name of the country where you came from,” he concluded.

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