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RAPAPORT... Mumbai-based Shree Ramkrishna Export (SRE) reached a milestone for Sarin Technologies LTD as the diamond firm purchased its 100th rough planning machine. SRE was Sarin's first client to date to reach the triple digit figure.
SRE's Partner and Director of Sales and Marketing, Rahul Dholakia told Rapaport News that the precision of the new machines allows the company to "derive the maximum yield from a rough diamond to polished stone."
"We know which cut with the maximum weight and the number of stones is possible to get from particular rough," he said. "As compared to manual processes the cut and parameters are far more accurately obtained from Sarin," Dholakia said.
SRE's list of Sarin machinery is valued at $3.5 million, which prompted Israel's Sarin Technologies CEO Zeev Leshem to present the company with an honorary plaque for the vote of confidence.
“Ever since Sarin Technologies opened its fully owned subsidiary in India back in early 2004, there has been a friendly competition between our customers to see who will reach the 100 Sarin machine mark first,” said Sarin Technologies India CEO David Block. “We’re committed to providing our customers with the best products possible, which will add value to their business and streamline their operations. All that remains now is to see which other diamond manufacturers will meet the 100 Sarin machine challenge next.”
The reason for SRE's increased purchases of Sarin machines was simple Dholakia explained: Demand from within India continues to grow; and growth was particularly strong from the Far and Middle East. Exports for the company have grown 22 percent in 2006 to $147 million.
"We have now instituted six months of back marketing and sales through the Internet and are seeing it as the ‘in-thing’ in marketing and sales for both the single stone buyers and the wholesale customer," he said.
Dholakia told Rapaport that SRE exclusively acquired its rough supplies from the Diamond Trading Company (DTC) and the Antwerp market. He said that as a direct DTC sightholder, all of SRE’s needs were satisfied.
As an established and leading member of India's diamond industry, SRE has grown into other services besides processing rough. Since 2003, the company Jewel Goldi SEEPZ was established as a subsidiary to cater to international jewelry needs and has earned Rio Tinto BEM and ISO 9001:2000 certification. Jewel Gold i(India) was developed at the same time for domestic jewelry needs, and has earned ISO 9001:2000 certification.
SRE was founded in 1976 by Govind Dholakia and now has cutting facilities in Surat and global marketing offices in the United States, Europe, Hong Kong, Israel, and Dubai. The firm specializes in round whites from .03 to 2 carats in D to J clarities, but also maintains a stock of other cuts, namely princess, emerald, heart, pear, marquise and oval shapes.
SRE also considers its best business practices to be good citizenry in the India -- as the company has invested in schools, hospitals, and public parks in the communities it inhabits. The company was also quick to respond to the earthquake in Gujarat, adopting and rebuilding a village completely destroyed in the catastrophe, with better facilities than it had before the calamity.
Shree Ramkrishna Export has written and published a well received book on the history, mining, and manufacturing aspects of the global diamond industry entitled Diamond Education and Beyond. The book is used as a resource for educating employees and is pefaced by many from within the India and Gujarat goverment, such as the Vice President of India, the Chief Minister of Gujarat, and HRD Managing Director Freddy Hanard.
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