OrthoLite®, a global leader in high-performance comfort footwear solutions, has significantly expanded its OrthoLite India (OIN) facility in Ambur, Tamil Nadu, marking a major milestone in its growth strategy. This expansion also includes the opening of a new sales office in Chennai, further bolstering OrthoLite’s presence in South Asia. The move follows a period of substantial growth under new leadership and aims to meet the increasing demand from the region’s growing number of brand partners.
The newly expanded facility triples the footprint of OrthoLite India, enabling the company to increase its manufacturing capacity to an impressive two million pairs of insoles per month. Additionally, the upgraded facility enhances OrthoLite’s leatherwork capabilities, making OIN one of the most advanced centers for insole production in the region. With the new infrastructure, OIN is now fully equipped to produce leather footbeds, making it the largest insole manufacturer in South Asia.
OrthoLite India, which opened in June 2021, is one of six globally integrated OrthoLite facilities. These facilities, designed to meet the needs of OrthoLite’s expansive brand portfolio, play a key role in the company’s mission to deliver high-quality and sustainable products to customers worldwide. With the expansion of the Ambur facility and the opening of a new sales office, OrthoLite India is positioned to play a critical role in the company’s global production strategy, focusing on local-for-local production to meet the needs of domestic and export markets alike.
The growth of OrthoLite India has been accelerated by key investments in regional infrastructure and by new leadership appointments, particularly in supply chain management and operations. These strategic moves are essential to meeting the increasing demand for OrthoLite products, which are supplied to over 550 global brand partners. In fact, 61 of these partners produce in India, underscoring the importance of the region to OrthoLite’s production strategy.
In June 2023, OrthoLite appointed Vikash Bajargyan as the General Manager of OrthoLite India. With extensive experience in manufacturing, business development, and managing partnerships with major brands and Tier 1 factory partners, Bajargyan has played a pivotal role in the rapid expansion of the facility. Under his leadership, OrthoLite India has not only increased its production capacity but has also enhanced its operational efficiencies and streamlined relationships with key stakeholders in the region.
“Vikash has been a strong leader in helping us grow our business quickly to meet our growing demand in this important region,” said Glenn Barrett, founder and CEO of OrthoLite. “India is a thriving market for both our domestic consumers and export business. The expanded facility will also serve as an important hub for leather insole craftsmanship and future innovations within our company. This is a major milestone in our ongoing global growth.”
To support the facility’s expansion and ongoing operations, OrthoLite India has also strengthened its team with key hires in critical roles. Sweta Kannan has been appointed as the Operations Manager for OIN. Kannan, who holds both a BA and MBA in Business Administration, brings over 10 years of experience in manufacturing operations, including a background in running lean manufacturing lines. Prior to joining OrthoLite, she served as General Manager of a textile factory in Ambur.
Earlier this year, OrthoLite India also welcomed two seasoned professionals, Sureshbabu Seenivasagam and Anbu Sundaram, both of whom bring more than 25 years of experience in merchandising, global supply chain management, and footwear logistics. Their expertise further strengthens OrthoLite’s ability to manage its growing regional footprint and streamline operations for greater efficiency.
The Ambur facility, a state-of-the-art manufacturing hub, is part of OrthoLite’s broader strategy to align its factories with the needs of local markets. This approach ensures that the company can offer superior service to its global partners while maintaining high standards for sustainability and quality. OrthoLite’s vertically integrated facilities, including the one in India, play a crucial role in delivering consistent products that meet the company’s commitment to continuous improvement.
India represents a critical market for OrthoLite, both for domestic production and export, and the expanded Ambur facility will help to support this dynamic growth. As the largest insole manufacturer in South Asia, OrthoLite India is poised to continue driving innovation and serving its growing base of global brand partners, ensuring that the company remains a leader in the comfort footwear industry.
For additional information on OrthoLite and its products, please visit ortholite.com.
