Shyam Lal Uttam: A Growth Innovator & Strategic Leader

wages were half of those in Jakarta, for the longevity of the company. Our aim was to deal directly with large, reputable buyers, including publicly listed companies, in each country we entered, focusing on the top two or three players in each market. We narrowed our product focus to women's intimate apparel, which includes bras, panties, shapewear, loungewear, activewear, and sleepwear, and diversified our market and product range by entering the Australian, Japanese, Asian, European, and North American markets.

To ensure that our company was well-positioned in the market, we focused on the quality aspects of our products, producing top-grade items rather than mass merchandise. We also prioritized using high-level technology in our manufacturing process, including automatic and semi-automatic machines for our products. This strategy allowed us to specialize in technological products that set us apart from our competitors, and attract buyers looking for quality products. In 2002, I started a subsidiary unit in Bangladesh which is now headed by my son Vijay Uttam and has expanded to achieve a turnover of 100 million. A total turnover of 240 million is achieved in Indonesia and Bangladesh.

Could you share with us the sustainable practices your company has adopted in its operations?

We have been fortunate to work with H&M for nearly 15 years, a company that places great emphasis on sustainability. As a result, we have achieved an impressive social index of 85 and a social sustainability index of 69, the highest in the industry. We have made significant efforts towards sustainability. Additionally, we have contributed to the Indonesian electricity generation company's carbon-free industry program, and currently, 65 percent of our energy is sourced sustainably.

In terms of materials, we are committed to using recycled polyester and nylon, with nearly 50 percent of our polyester and 15 percent of our nylon already being recycled. Our goal is to have 100 percent recycled polyester and 50 percent recycled nylon by 2030. We have also focused on using organic cotton in all our products, and we have conducted research and invested heavily in making our operations as sustainable as possible.

But it's not just about materials and energy. We are equally committed to the social sustainability of our in-house employees. We use energy-efficient LED lighting and inverter motors, and we contribute significantly to employee welfare programs. All our employees are permanent, and 96 percent of them are women. We are actively working to increase the representation of women in our workforce and are proud to say that 96 percent of our employees are women.

Highlight about your plans for the future of the company.

As Indonesia's GDP continues to grow at a steady rate, we must keep up with the competition. To do this, we are looking to expand our business to other countries, particularly in Africa. Although we had initially considered Ethiopia, due to political situations, we have slowed down our thought process, but we are still planning to establish a foothold on the continent in the next three to five years.

In addition to this, we are also focusing on vertical expansion by diversifying the industry. Rather than just manufacturing garments, we are now producing components for the bra industry under a separate company. Overall, our goal is to maintain the steady growth of our company, which has been at 15 percent year on year since 1993.

Shyam Lal Uttam, Director, Busana Remaja Agracipta

Under his leadership, the manufacturing outfit's turnover grew from $3.6 million to a staggering $240 million including a second unit in Bangladesh.