Ahmedabad kite makers fly high on corporate wings

City-based kite manufacturers are flying high, thanks to the corporate world. With a number of companies using kites as a medium for branding and advertising exercises this ‘Uttarayan’ on January 14, kite makers are working round the clock to supply bulk orders on time. Some makers were even forced to turn down orders by companies in the wake of increasing demand.

Kite makers in the old city area of Ahmedabad get most of their annual business during the three months after Diwali. The industry employs roughly 10,000 temporary workers during the kite festival season. T A Shaikh, owner of Star Patang Maker of Jamalpur, is making around 1.5 million kites this season and said overall sales during these three months was around 50-60 million kites.

 

“Corporate companies, this year have started placing their orders very late, and as a result, we have to work overtime to cater to the demand. Many kite makers are not able to take orders due to the time constraints. Even then, orders have galloped by around 20-25 per cent this year, thanks to increased corporate demand,” Shaikh said.

Another kite maker, Ayub Bhai of Jamalpur, said around 25 per cent of the net production this year was going to the corporate world. “We are not getting enough workers right now to meet the increased demand and we are paying overtime. Wages have almost trebled, from Rs 50 per day to Rs 150 per day now,” he explained.

Ashok Gehani, a Krishnanagar-based kite maker, said he’d supplied around 50,000 kites to Veedol. Other popular supply destinations include Airtel, Vodafone, the Tirupati Oil brand from N K Proteins of Ahmedabad, and some banks and financial institutions.

N K Proteins confirmed they distributed branded kites to sales personnel and distributors. So do Airtel and Vodafone. Some major companies have also used kites as a part of their CSR (corporate social responsibility) activities.

“Every year we celebrate Uttarayan in a big way by buying kites for our employees and channel partners and their employees as a goodwill gesture. In fact, all across Gujarat we hire grounds and organise kite flying competitions from amongst the Vodafone family,” said a company official.

This year, kites are more expensive by 30 to 40 per cent, thanks to the rise in paper prices. Paavan Solanki, founder, Royal Kite Flyers Club in the city, said, “Prices of kites are higher by 30 to 40 per cent this year, and there is also a labour shortage in the industry. The demand, however, is slightly higher this year.” He said around 200 international players would participate in this year’s Kite Festival in the city.