An In-Depth Exploration of Current Practices
Shri. Mahesh Kudav, Managing Director,
Venus Safety & Health Pvt. Ltd.
Venus Safety & Health Pvt. Ltd., a leading manufacturer of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) based in Navi Mumbai, has been at the forefront of safety innovation since its establishment in 1986. Recognised by the Government of India for “Excellence in Innovation in the Textile Sector” in 2019, the company continuously strives to enhance existing products and develop new solutions to meet the evolving needs of various industries.
Technical Textiles Today’s Team recently had the opportunity to engage with Mahesh Kudav, the Managing Director of Venus Safety & Health Pvt Ltd. During this conversation, he provided valuable insights into the company’s dedication to quality and technological innovation within the highly competitive personal protective equipment (PPE) market.
Mahesh Kudav founded Venus Safety & Health shortly after graduating from college, armed with a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and a passion for textiles. His vision was to develop various textile-based healthcare products, focusing on innovation and advanced textile applications in health and safety. Recognized early in his career by the Government of India as a visionary entrepreneur, Kudav aimed to transform the textile industry while addressing social responsibilities related to job creation in manufacturing.
Under his leadership, Venus Safety & Health has evolved from modest beginnings to become the largest manufacturer of neck-up personal protective equipment in India. The company has prioritised innovation by establishing a research and development facility dedicated to creating and customising comfortable respirators and other PPE for diverse industries. Embracing a philosophy of “be global and act local,” Kudav ensures that Venus adheres to the highest international standards for its extensive range of respiratory protective equipment.
Venus products hold various prestigious approvals, including those from NIOSH/CDC (US), EN, CE, ARAMCO, BIS, GOST, ASNZ, and SIRIM. Mahesh Kudav’s expertise in textiles and respirators has made him a sought-after speaker and a long-standing member of India’s CHD 8 (PPE) committee for nearly two decades. Notably, during the COVID-19 pandemic, he oversaw a quadrupling of manufacturing capacity at Venus, playing a crucial role in supplying high- quality N95 masks to healthcare providers and emergency responders.
Educated at the University of Bombay, Mahesh Kudav considers himself a lifelong learner, continuously striving for advancement in his field.
Could you elaborate on the current status of the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) industry in India and its growth potential?
India could be the 2 nd Largest PPE manufacturing industry in the world after China. India is poised to be the next manufacturing hub of the world. With the increase in manufacturing industries in India PPE use is set to increase.
a) India has made advancements in several product categories including products of technical textiles like fall protection devices, Shoes, & Respirators. There are many Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) manufacturers in this category and intervention is required for the players to become important exporters.
b) India has a cost advantage, especially in terms of labour.
c) Strategic positioning in the global market with a favourable outlook of many countries.
What role do Government policy and schemes play in the growth of the PPE industry in India?
The following Government policies initiatives & schemes could play a major role in increasing the demand for PPE’s in India –
a) Introducing new regulatory product standards for manufacturing high-quality products or adopting International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards. In cases where ISO standards are not availablelocal standards should be developed, and aligned with international standards other than ISO.
b) Implementing a Quality Control Order (QCO) for various end products with Indian Standards Institution (ISI) certification will help to grow consumption.
c) Ensure stringent implementation of ISO 13485 and Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) licences for medical products, with similar oversight conducted under the new labour code by Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health (DISH) auditors [similar to the international certifying bodies like Bureau Veritas Quality International (BVQI), Technischer Überwachungsverein (TUV) and others].
d) Introducing Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for the medical device & Technical textile manufacturing sector.
e) Incentives in Government e-Marketplace (GEM) portals for achieving a higher (Zero Defect, Zero Effect) ZED score will encourage MSMEs to grow their export business.
f) Supporting industries in obtaining Supplier Ethical Data Exchange (SEDEX) approval, similar to the ZED rating initiative, which has not yet gained attraction.
What are the primary challenges faced by different industries in protecting the health and safety of their workers exposed to hazardous environments?
More end-user awareness & Guidance standards are required (other than product standards) on the Selection, Use & Storage of PPE products.
What are the key trends and advancements in the production and use of medical and industrial facemasks in India?
a) India was self-sufficient during the pandemic in producing face masks and also exported to other countries that needed them.
b) Product Standards have had a significant improvement in the last 10 years where the current IS standards match or even surpass some of the leading global standards. In Face masks, there are four standards viz, Surgical masks, Medical respirators, Industrial respirators & masks for consumer use.
c) India is also slowly pivoting towards the use of automation like China for the manufacturing of face masks.
What are the sustainability challenges and opportunities for the protective textiles industry, and how is the industry addressing them?
a) Challenges: Understanding the lifecycle of these textiles, manufacturing processes, and end-of-life disposal, is crucial to minimising their environmental impact.
b) Opportunities: Recycling and reuse remain an area where technical textiles need to adopt some mandatory measures.
What are the emerging applications for protective textiles, particularly in healthcare and hygiene?
a) Clothing is mostly made of technical textiles now for medical professionals. These are light, repel any fluids that spill and are in most cases reusable.
b) Inherent Flame-Retardant fabrics, Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) fabrics.
Can you explain the certification process for PPE and its importance in ensuring safety standards?
a) In the case of Indian Standard, the certification process is three-dimensional
● Facility audit
● Process audit
● Product audit
● Field sampling & complaint addressal
● Rating of the manufacturer based on a survey conducted by BIS
b) In the US a similar system is applied very successfully and Indian manufacturers and certification should benchmark themselves with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) approval process.
c) In Europe and the UK, the process depends on facility and laboratory audits of the setup available with the manufacturer. Products produced at the manufacturing site are tested in the laboratory, with the certification officer witnessing the tests to ensure compliance with the relevant product standards for each parameter.Once all requirements are met, licences are issued to the manufacturer.
What are the key factors driving the evolution of standards and regulations in the PPE industry?
a) The evolutions of standards have traditionally in PPE been from the Military standards. Only since 1990s’s the increase in hazards and fatalities in Industries with concurrent development of new techniques in measurement instruments & findings of the root cause of diseases the standards development happened worldwide at a faster pace
b) The forefront leadership was done by the European Nations. They developed along with the product standards, guidance standards as selection for end-users became very complex but had to be appropriately done otherwise the PPEs would be ineffective.
c) Thereafter the ISO standards in 2000’s developed the unified standards for the world. This standard further enhanced the adaptability by clearly specifying the test protocols
d) In future, the standards will continue to evolve as the measurement techniques are further enhanced from micro to nano.
e) In summary, the world has produced more standards in the last 24 years of this century than in the entire 100 years of the previous century.
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