UCO Raymond Denim Holding

IntroductionUCO RAYMOND Denim makes part of the global denim group RAYMOND UCO DENIM Ltd, created in 2006 as a result of the merge between RAYMOND Denim (India) and UCO (Belgium).With a combined capacity of 47 million meter and manufacturing facilities across 2 continents, Europe and Asia, UCO RAYMOND Denim can give an optimal and flexible service to meet global requirements of large international brands. Their state of the art manufacturing facilities in Giurgiu (Romania) and Yavatmal (India) produce differentiated ringspun denim, specialty denim and other niche products for the global fashion market. Global production, local service is their strategy.UCO RAYMOND Denim has its sales offices in Gent (Belgium) and its manufacturing facility UCO TESATURA in Giurgiu (Romania). It produces and sells premium innovative denim fabrics, with a global sales and marketing network and with a permanent focus on creativity, flexibility and quality.

About The Parent Companies

Incorporated in 1925,Raymond Groupis one ofIndia's largest branded fabric and fashion retailers. It is one of the leading, integrated producers ofworstedsuiting fabric in the world, with a capacity of producing 31 million meters ofwool& wool-blended fabrics.The Group owns apparel brands like Raymond, Raymond Premium Apparel, Park Avenue, Park Avenue Woman[3]ColorPlus & Parx. All the brands are retailed through The Raymond Shop (TRS) - One of the largest network of over 700 retail shops spread acrossIndiaand overseas, in over 200 cities.In addition, the Group also has business interests in readymade garments, designer wear,cosmetics&toiletries, engineering files and tools,prophylacticsand air charter operations.

Years ago[when?], when the Singhania family was building, consolidating and expanding its various businesses in Kanpur (India), one Mr. Wadia was in a similar manner setting up a small woollen mill in the area around Thane creek, 40 km away from Bombay (now Mumbai), India. The Sassoons, a well-known industrialist family of Bombay (Now Mumbai), soon acquired this mill and renamed it as The Raymond Woollen Mills.Acquisition of The Raymond Woollen Mills in the year 1925.When the grandson of Lala Juggilal, Lala Kailashpat Singhania took over Raymond in 1944, the mill primarily made cheap and coarse woollen blankets, and modest quantities of low priced woollen Fabrics. The vision and foresight of Mr. Kailashpat Singhania greatly helped in establishing the J.K. Group's presence in the western region. Under his able stewardship, Raymond embarked upon a gradual phase of technological upgradation and modernization.[citation needed]When Dr.Vijaypat Singhaniatook over the reins of the company in 1980, he injected fresh vigour into Raymond, transforming it into a modern, industrial conglomerate.[citation needed]Gautam Singhania, the present Chairman and Managing Director have been instrumental in restructuring the group.[citation needed][edit]Group CompaniesRaymond Ltd.Raymond Ltd. is among the largest integrated manufacturers of worsted fabrics in the world.[citation needed]Raymond Apparel Ltd.Raymond Apparel Ltd. has in its folio some of the apparel brands in India Raymond Premium Apparel,Park Avenue, Parx.ColorPlus Fashions Ltd.ColorPlus is among the smart casual brand in the premium category in India.Silver Spark Apparel Ltd.A garmenting facility in India that manufactures formal suits, trousers and jackets.EverBlue Apparel Ltd.A denim garmenting facility in Dodaballapur near Bangalore (India).J.K. Helene Curtis Ltd.A player in the grooming, accessories and toiletries category.JK Files (India) Limited.A player in the Engineering Files & Tools segment and the largest producer of steel files in the world.Joint VenturesRaymond UCO Denim Pvt. Ltd.A 50:50 Joint Venture with European denim major, UCO NV, Raymond UCO Denim Pvt. Ltd. engaged in the business of manufacturing and marketing of denim fabrics.Raymond Zambaiti Pvt. Ltd.A joint venture with the Cotonificio Honegger S.P.A., (part of Gruppo Zambaiti), Raymond Zambaiti Ltd. produces cotton shirting fabrics.J.K. Ansell Ltd.A joint venture withAnsell International, engaged in the business of manufacturing and marketing 'KamaSutra' condoms.J.K. Talabot Ltd.A joint venture with MOB Outillage S.A. of France, for manufacturing files and rasps

UCO

Over 200 years of textile history1789Lieven Bauwens imports a mecanic weaving loom, the "Mule Jenny", from England to Ghent1790Abraham Voortman and Frans Devos start up a coton print mill (later calledTexas)1799Franois de Smet starts up a coton print mill (later calledLouisiana)1899Fernand Hanus builds a weaving mill in Oudenbos (creation ofHanusGroup)1919Merger between spinning mills from Ghent intonv Union Cotonnire,to start again textile production after destructions during World War 1.1948Construction of the spinning and weaving millUCO E.J. Braunin Ghent.1957Merger between textile groupsTexasandLouisianeintoLoutex.1967Merger betweenUCO, HanusandLoutexinto UCO nv.1974The millUCO E.J. Braunin Ghent starts weavingDENIM.1989UCO is split up in several branches (UCO Yarns, UCO LDC, UCO Sportswear).1999UCO buys a weaving mill in Rockingham, USA:UCO Fabrics.2002UCO buys a spinning mill in Texas, USA:UCO Spinning.2005UCO starts up the millUCO Tessaturain Giurgiu, Romania.2006Merger between Raymond Ltd, India and UCO, Belgium to create a global denim powerhouse Raymond UCO Denim Ltd. with combined capacity of 47 million meters per annum.UCO becomes Uco Raymond Denim Holding

UCO: a pioneer in denim1968Invasion of 'Blue jeans' indigo trousers from the USA.1970UCO develops a new process of indigo dyeing and builds a small laboratory machine in collaboration with indigo dyestuff supplier BASF in order to reduce the time needed to absorb and oxidize the dyestuff.1974UCO starts up production of Indigo heavy weight denim on a continuous dyeing and slashing machine, developped in collaboration with West Point Foundry. This new dyeing process is a revolution in the world of denim and will gradually replace the American rope dyeing process.UCO is ahead of its time in its sustainable thinking and develops a method for recovering the dyestuff from the rinsing water and for re-using the water during the production process.1976Thanks to this continuous dyeing process UCO is also able to dye much finer yarn counts (till 30 Ne). UCO starts production of lightweight denim, ideal for jackets and shirts.1978UCO develops a method for mixing ecru and indigo yarns and starts up production of indigo stripes & checks.1980UCO starts a third WEST POINT dyeing machine to produce a sulphur black colour. On the same line UCO develops other sulphur colors (brown, green).1988UCO adapts its dyeing machine and starts production of red colour (naphtol), marking a new era in denim.......colour denim.1990Based on its know-how, UCO starts up production of a full range of indanthrene and reactive dyed colours to complete its yarn dyed colour range.1993To cross the bridge between denim and sportswear, UCO starts up a Casual denim line. Clean and soft denim qualities are made out of fine two-ply, brushed yarns. Indigo denim enters the market luxury citywear.1995UCO aims at comfort in its fabrics. Over 50% of the UCO production is made in stretch fabrics.1996UCO develops its first Power stretch quality, giving over 45% of elasticity.2000To create a two dimensional effect after wash, UCO launches a yarn dyed colour range covered with a pigment colour coating. This enriches the colour and creates a huge variety of colours.2002UCO extends the horizon of comfort stretch by introducing T400 yarn into some of its fabrics and offering an optimal level of stretch and recovery.2003UCO develops a flat finish based on a resin treatment. The finishing process becomes decisive to obtain the final look.2007In a constant search for extra comfort, UCO develops a coton/ T400 warp creating a bi-stretch fabric with consistent shrinkage values.2008UCO is the first to produce a yarn dyed quality with a leather PU coating on top. This becomes a landmark in the world of denim.2010To enforce its position as a pioneer in colour denim, UCO develops a 3D fabric. Starting from a yarn-dyed colour denim fabric, a sulphur overdyeing and a coloured PU coating this creates a rich colour with huge washdown possibilities.2012UCO launches a ready-to-dye fabric with a glitter coating. A specially developped PU coating guarantees a glitter look, even after garment dyeing.

Raymond's denim story began in 1996; focusing on quality, innovation and the creation of exclusive products & designs that have always caught the eye of some of the world's leading jeanswear brands as well as making us amongst the top producers of specialty ring denim in India with a 60% market share.In August 2006, we entered into a 50:50 Joint Venture with European denim major, UCO NV to form a global denim powerhouse -Raymond UCO Denim Pvt. Ltd.engaged in the business of manufacturing and marketing of denim fabrics.Raymond UCO Denim is a formidable combination of strengths in product innovation and design and a strong manufacturing back end of manufacturing flexibilities especially in dyeing and finishing. The key strengths of this joint venture company are:Single entity having manufacturing facilities spread acrosstwo continents - the Europe & Asia with a combined denim fabric capacity of 47 million metres per annumand a vast global marketing networkPresence in 3 dominant denim markets US and Europe which consist of 60% of the world denim market and Asia, the market of the futureIncreased width of merchandise to cater to the requirements of individual marketsDiversification of the customer base for both partnersGreater cost efficiency, from manufacturing facilities to economies of scale from global sourcing of cotton, yarn, dyes & chemicals, spares and consumablesGlobal production local service

UCO is a Belgian textile group with interests in denim, flat, filament fabric and yarns. It produces and sells a diversified collection of denim for leisure wear, focusing on innovative high value added fabrics. UCO is a leading denim player in Europe specially known for colour denim with a 70% share.Raymond UCO Denim will move closer to its customers by increasing the flexibility of operations and servicing the global sourcing requirements of large international brands in their markets.

Loyal to its denim roots, UCO Raymond Denim offers a wide choice of different indigo casts, from 5oz till 13oz, in 100% cotton or in authentic stretch qualities. UCO RAYMOND Denim is a pioneer and leading player in colour denim, offering a huge variety of qualities and colours. To its high end sportswear customers, UCO RAYMOND Denim offers a large collection of lightweight fabrics, chambray constructions, luxury indigo fashion fabrics, and clean casual citywear qualities. Over 80% of the collection consists in stretch qualities : comfort stretch for menswear, powerstretch, T400 and hybrid constructions for optimal results. UCO RAYMOND Denim is also a trendsetter in pigment and leather coating on indigo and colour denim, creating 3D effects or clean gummy and glitter looks, and so opening a whole new generation of denim fabrics.UCO RAYMOND Denim is Fairtrade and Oekotex certified.