In the last quarter Welspun’s sales growth has slowed down to three per cent. Growth in profits before depreciation, interest and tax margin is at a wafer-thin 1.8 per cent. Welspun India buys its Egyptian cotton from a single vendor in that country, moving the rest of the processes of producing yarn and fabric fully in-house, ending outsourcing. The company has also rolled out a patented system for tracking its cotton textiles products to their origins, involving multiple audits by consultants. It also tied up with Oritain, a company that specialises in tracing cotton back to the tract of land on which it is grown.

The Welspun group spans textile exports, steel pipes and infrastructure. In 2003, it launched Spaces, a branded towel and bed sheet brand with a premium positioning. New mass market textile products have been launched for the local market under the Welspun brand. The domestic market contributes around nine per cent of Welspun’s sales. Welspun is making disposable towels and wet wipes out of non-woven textiles. There are other applications of non-woven textiles the company wants to address in automobiles and the aviation industry as well. Another big bet is on flooring material. Alongside there are plans for carpet tiles and artificial grass.