Kabir Sports (PVT) Ltd.

In an era of tremendous work pressure where everyone is getting more health-conscious, looking for ways to keep fit – a sound mind in a sound body. Various kinds of sporting goods are in great demand in these days. No doubt, technologically advanced sporting equipments are more popular with fitness fanatics in general, but conventional sporting items are still gaining strong hold in the market, in particular balls being used for team games.

This is where Kabir Sports (PVT) Ltd. comes in – a Pakistani-based company manufacturing quality sporting goods since 1958, with an unrivalled expertise in producing hand-sewn footballs/soccer balls in all sizes with multi-faceted attractive colourful designs.

“We are an old but well-established company that goes back to over four decades when we started manufacturing sporting goods & sports wears/garments for exports,” says Mr. Iftikhar A. Soofi , Chief Executive of Kabir Sports, proudly tracing his company heritage.

As a veteran in the ball-manufacturing industry,Kabir has grown from strength to strength in terms of production capacity and corporate culture. Kabir Sports operates under the leadership of a professional management team involving four corporate directors and 68 dedicated staff running the whole business. To spin out the high quality balls and sporting articles, over 1,500 skilful workers stitch day and night during hectic seasons. “Our production base is located within the vicinity of Sialkot City and staffed with experienced workers,”Mr. Soofi points out, explaining the overall operation structure of Kabir Sports.

Together, all the dedicated staff at “Kabir” work hard to improve the company’s production capacity on a day-to-day basis. Its factory can produce up to 250,000 pieces of product per month, using imported and local materials. “It usually takes us about 45 days to complete an order for shipment to major ports around the world where our customers can pick up,” Mr. Soofi reveals his company’s way of operation.

The quality sporting goods manufactured at Kabir’s are exported mainly to European countries like Germany, France, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, U.K., as well as South American markets. “It is not easy having such big markets to cater for given that our production capacity is still a humble one. But it is one of our missions to ensure our whole production process is ‘child-labour-free’ and approved by leading labour rights authorities like ‘ILO’”, Mr. Soofi continues by emphasising his business principles. Kabir’s sound and solid business integrity has earned the company many valuable long-term partnerships with the most prestigious organisations and business partners around the globe. For instance, Kabir Six ( 6 ) time executed promotional soccer balls for the all-captivating World Cup from 1986 up to 2006- a well known international soccer event held every four years.

Over the course of its development, Kabir Sports has successfully branched out to become a dynamic and prominent manufacturer specialising in more than just soccer balls. Leveraging its expertise and staff’s firmly committed vision, the company is now heading towards all-rounded business operation, producing everything from hand balls to soccer gloves to football-soccer ball uniforms, bench jackets - even jogging suits can be found in the company’s showroom. “Operating under our motto – We start where others stop – we take pride in our diverse range of sporting products, which over the years have proven our capability to handle challenges and to induce new ideas,” Mr. Soofi boasts on his company’s mission statement.

To produce quality products is the only way for a manufacturer to stay on top in the industry, but Kabir always strives to stay further ahead by constantly introducing new products with advanced technology and newly developed materials. “Our highly trend- conscious R&D (Research and Development) Department is relentlessly creating new materials for our products, while other members of our team pitch on the aesthetic front by coming up with innovative patterns and perfect colour combinations, which eventually match with the ready-to-launch products,” Mr. Soofi states. Kabir also makes an effort to keep up with the latest trends by actively gathering comments and information from its valued customers.

To make a long lasting impact on the mind of the customers is crucial for a business to expand its horizon and continue its legacy. Kabir achieves that through intense market penetration. “Every product that comes out of our factory has our unique registered trademark “WINGS” printed on it – be they soccer balls, volley balls, rugby balls, hand balls etc. The Kabir logo gives customers something to remember about us, by which we have our brand image anchored in the customers’ mind,” Mr. Soofi elaborates his marketing strategy. Cited as an example by Mr. Soofi, “Auchan International – France” is a world renowned multinational organisation which has become a repeat customer for Kabir after a long term business relationship - all built upon the basis of Kabir’s high product quality and timely delivery.