Proklean Technologies, making leather and textile processing less toxic

ProKlean Technologies, a Chennai based firm is in developing natural, non-toxic and biodegradable product to replace some of the chemicals used in leather processing, textile processing and the hospitality industries.

Life before entrepreneurship

Dr. S.S. Pillai was at the helm of SCD Probiotics, a US based firm that worked in probiotic microbes. Dr.Pillai has a doctorate in biochemistry The fervent desire to do something that will have a positive social and environmental impact, and his knowledge and experience in probiotics microbes led him to start Proklean. Serendipity led him to meet his co-founder and a like-minded soul B. Chandrasekhar, when he returned to India, and both of them together launched ProKlean in 2009.

What they do

Over the last two years, ProKlean has innovated to bring out products and currently offer five different formulations - a soaking agent, a dispersing agent, a degreaser, a neutralising agent and a fixing agent, which replace the chemicals currently used in various industries.

ProKlean products are made from concentrate supplied by SCD Probiotics, USA which manufactures natural Probiotics based on beneficial microbial technology. For the textile processing industry, they have three products -- a soaping agent, a levelling agent and scouring agent while for the hospitality industry, they have a kitchen drain pipe block remover and a range of cleaning products. “Our products,” claims Chandrasekhar, “deliver excellent results with lower consumption of water, energy saving along with lower pollution of effluents and a significant reduction in the cost of processing.” Dr. Pillai adds that the products are non-chemical, non-toxic and bio-degradable and hence significantly reduce pollution.The emphasis on quality has helped them create a world class product, says Dr. Pillai, and that has also helped them get many customers across India, China, Far East countries, African and Latin American countries. The source of revenue for ProKlean lies in the sale of products and royalty payments from SCD Probiotics, U.S.A., to whom they sell some of these products on license for certain global markets.

The firm have received their first round of funding to the tune of Rs 2.5 Crores from The Chennai Angels, and reported a revenue of Rs 10 crores in fiscal 2013-14.

Operating in B2B space, most of its customers come through referrals. However, making the customers believe that clean technology and cost effectiveness goes hand in hand remains the biggest enigma till date for the firm. “Our vision is to be a Rs. 100 Crore company in next five years spanning across the globe saving our globe,” say the co-founders in unison.

Website: ProKlean Technologies