Manufacturer of Indian handmade art grows business via cross border trade during the pandemic
With digitization on the rise, online shopping has seen unprecedented growth through the last year. More and more consumers are now purchasing products more frequently online than they did before the pandemic and here lies the sweet spot for our Indian MSMEs – an endless opportunity to leverage the global demand for their products and services. Their resilience and agility has paved way for immense recovery and growth for India’s economy
Bhawani Singh Mertiya, CEO of the Rajasthan based JB Leer Factory is an inspiring example of a small business entrepreneur that rode the digital wave to grow his business across international markets. As a manufacturer of Indian handmade art, wooden, bone/MOP inlay, furniture articles and handmade carpets and rugs, Mertiya’s company faced a stealth of challenges during the pandemic that altered business sentiment. Through the phased lockdowns, JB Leer dealt with delays right from sourcing of raw materials to pick up of final products by shipping companies, price hikes and delayed payments.
“Unfortunately, some of our artisans suffered from COVID-19 and we lost 3 of our valuable employees to it. However, we kept our head strong and continued to battle the situation with utmost care” says Mertiya. Focusing on the people first approach, Mertiya enforced social distancing and SOPs to ensure the wellbeing and safety of his employees.