Nirma

2021-08-14T08:08:45Z

115.187.49.87: /* History */

{{for|the Pakistani actress|Nirma (actress)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2018}}
{{Infobox company
| name =
| logo = Nirma svg logo.svg
| logo_size = 100px
| type = [[Private company|Private]]
| industry = [[Fast-moving consumer goods]]
| foundation = 1990
| location = [[Ahmedabad]], [[Gujarat]], [[India]]
| key_people = [[Karsanbhai Patel]] (CMD)
| products = Nuvoco cements, Zero M Wall Putty, Nirma detergent, Nirma soaps
| revenue =
| operating_income =
| net_income =
| num_employees =
| parent =
| subsid =
| footnotes =
| homepage = [http://www.nirma.co.in www.nirma.co.in]
| area_served = [[India]]
}}

'''Nirma''' is a group of companies based in the city of [[Ahmedabad]] in [[Gujarat]], [[India]], that manufactures products ranging from [[detergent]]s, [[soap]]s, [[cement]], [[cosmetics]], salt, [[Sodium carbonate|soda ash]], LAB and injectables. [[Karsanbhai Patel]], an entrepreneur and philanthropist, started Nirma in 1969 as a one-man operation.

==History==
In 1969, Dr. Karsanbhai Patel, a [[chemist]] at the [[Government of Gujarat|Gujarat Government]]'s Department of Mining and Geology manufactured phosphate-free synthetic detergent powder, and started selling it locally. The new yellow powder was priced at ₹3.50 per kg, at a time when HLL's Surf was priced at ₹13. Soon, there was a huge demand for Nirma in Ruppur ([[Gujarat]]), Patel's hometown. He started packing the formulation in a 10x10ft room in his house. Patel named the powder as Nirma, after his daughter Nirupama. Patel was able to sell about 15-20 packets a day on his way to the office on bicycle, some 15 km away. By 1985, Nirma washing powder had become one of the most popular, household detergents in many parts of the country.<ref>{{cite news
| last = Mahesh
| first = Chandni
| date = 23 April 2017
| title = The story of the dancing girl-Nirma
| url = https://medium.com/@chandnikj_84303/the-story-of-the-dancing-girl-nirma-2268fd47e3ec
| work = [[Medium (website)]]
| location =
| access-date = 8 January 2020
}}</ref><ref>{{cite news
| last =
| first =
| date =
| title = 40 years ago...and now: Nirma girl endears, but brand's seen better days
| url = https://www.business-standard.com/article/management/40-years-ago-and-now-nirma-girl-endears-but-brand-s-seen-better-days-114110501447_1.html
| work = [[Business Standard]]
| location =
| access-date = 8 January 2020
}}</ref>

By 1999, Nirma was a major consumer brand, offering a range of detergents, soaps and personal care products.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://srimca.edu.in/srijan/Srijanmar2010/Biography.html|title=SRIJAN March - 2010|website=srimca.edu.in|access-date=2016-09-03}}</ref> The group also set up a healthcare subsidiary called Nirlife to manufacture [[intravenous fluid]]s.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/people-places/karsanbhai-patel-the-man-behind-the-sucess-of-nirma/articleshow/6761439.cms|title=Karsanbhai Patel: The man behind the {{sic|suc|ess|nolink=y}} of Nirma|first=Tapash|last=Talukdar|via=The Economic Times}}</ref>

In November 2007, Nirma purchased American raw materials company [[Searles Valley Minerals Inc.]], making it among the top seven [[Sodium carbonate|soda ash]] manufacturers in the world.<ref name="ET">{{cite news |title= Nirma shares soar 7% on acquisition of US co |url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/stocks_in_news_home/Nirma_shares_soar_7_on_acquisition/articleshow/2574416.cms |newspaper= [[The Economic Times]] |date=27 November 2007 }}</ref>

Nirma Group started cement manufacturing in 2014 from a single plant in Nimbol.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/markets/ipos/fpos/nuvoco-vistas-likely-to-file-drhp-for-rs-5000-crore-ipo-this-week/articleshow/82408450.cms|title=Nuvoco Vistas likely to file DRHP for Rs 5,000 crore IPO this week|first=Rajesh|last=Mascarenhas|via=The Economic Times}}</ref> In 2016, Nirma acquired [[Lafarge (company)|Lafarge]] India's cement assets for $1.4 billion.<ref name="Pandey 2016">{{cite web | last=Pandey | first=Piyush | title=Nirma to buy Lafarge India cement assets for $1.4 billion | website=The Hindu | date=2016-07-11 | url=https://www.thehindu.com/business/Industry/Nirma-to-buy-Lafarge-India-cement-assets-for-1.4-billion/article14483453.ece | access-date=2021-05-06}}</ref> In February 2020, Nirma acquired [[Emami]] Cement for {{INRconvert|5500|c}}.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/business/Industry/nirma-to-acquire-emamis-cement-business-for-5500-cr/article30755164.ece|title=Nirma to acquire Emami’s cement business for ₹5,500 cr.|date=6 February 2020|via=www.thehindu.com}}</ref>

==Major products==
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* Soda ash
* Linear alkyl benzene
* Soaps
* Detergents
* Edible & industrial salt
* [[Alpha-olefin sulfonate]]
* Sulfuric acid
* Glycerin
* Infusions
* Injectables
* Critical care products
* Medical disposables
* Sugar
* Cement
* Single super phosphate
* [[Castor oil]]
* Multilayer tubes
* Seamless tubes
* Tube laminate
* Flexible laminate
* Paper & plastic cups
* Tarpaulin
* Injection molding
* Bromine
* Phosphoric acid
{{div col end}}

==Operations==
Nirma has over 25,000 employees and a turnover of over ₹20500 crore.{{citation needed|date=July 2019}} The company has multi-locational manufacturing facilities, and a broad product portfolio under an umbrella brand – Nirma.

Nirma successfully countered competition from [[Hindustan Unilever|HUL]] and carved a niche for itself in the lower-end of the detergents and toilet soap market. However, Nirma realised that it would have to launch products for the upper end of the market to retain its middle class consumers who would graduate to the upper end. The company launched toilet soaps for the premium segment. However, analysts felt that Nirma would not be able to repeat its success story in the premium segment.{{citation needed|date=July 2016}}

Nirma's success in the highly competitive soap and detergent market was attributed to its brand promotion efforts{{citation needed|date=July 2016}}, which was complemented by its distribution reach and market penetration. Nirma's network consisted of about 400 distributors and over 20 [[lakh]] retail outlets across the country. This huge network enabled Nirma to make its products available to the smallest village.{{citation needed|date=July 2016}}

==See also==
* [[Nirma University of Science & Technology]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.nirma.co.in/ Official Nirma company website]

[[Category:Chemical companies of India]]
[[Category:Manufacturing companies based in Ahmedabad]]
[[Category:Laundry detergents]]
[[Category:Chemical companies established in 1969]]
[[Category:Manufacturing companies established in 1969]]
[[Category:Indian companies established in 1969]]
[[Category:Companies formerly listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange]]
[[Category:Indian brands]]
[[Category:1969 establishments in Gujarat]]

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