Md. Toslim Bhuiyan Prantik at 04:08, 30 January 2026

2026-01-30T04:08:42Z

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{{Short description|Textile mill in India}}
{{distinguish|Calico Printers' Association}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2018}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Ahmedabad Manufacturing and Calico Printing Mills Ltd
| logo =
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| image = Calico Mills 2.jpg
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| image_caption = Calico Mill chimney, the only surviving part of the former mill. The word "Calico" in Gujarati is inscribed on it.
| trade_name = Calico Mills
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| type = [[Privately held company|Private]]
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| industry = [[Textile]]
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| founded = {{Start date|1888}} in [[Ahmedabad]], [[British India]]
| founder = Karamchand Premchand
| defunct = 1998
| fate = Dissolved
| hq_location =
| hq_location_city = Ahmedabad
| hq_location_country = India
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| key_people = [[Sarabhai family]]
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The '''Calico Mills''', officially '''Ahmedabad Manufacturing and Calico Printing Mills Ltd''' and '''M/S ILAC Ltd''',<ref name="dnaindia" /><ref name=":1" /> was one of the earliest [[Ahmedabad textile industry|textile mills]] established in [[Ahmedabad]], India, by the [[Sarabhai family]]. Established in 1888, it closed in 1998. The land, plant and machinery were sold in a public auction in 2010s.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}}

== History ==
[[File:Calico Mills 3.jpg|thumb|Calico Mills chimney from distance. [[Baba Lului's Mosque]] in foreground.]]
The Calico Mills was one of earliest [[Ahmedabad textile industry|textile mills in Ahmedabad]], established in 1888 by Sheth Karamchand Premchand, the ancestor of [[Sarabhai family]].<ref name="dnaindia" /><ref>{{Cite web|last=John|first=Paul|last2=Antao|first2=Kevin|date=2010-04-27|title=calico chimney: Calico chimney would hold city's heritage high|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/calico-chimney-would-hold-citys-heritage-high/articleshow/5861316.cms|url-status=live|access-date=2021-07-22|website=The Times of India|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100429042359/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Calico-chimney-would-hold-citys-heritage-high/articleshow/5861316.cms|archive-date=29 April 2010}}</ref> The mills were spread over an area of {{convert|241,022|m2|acre}} on the bank of Sabarmati river. The mills flourished under [[Ambalal Sarabhai]]. It was later managed by Ambalal's son his nephew.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|last=Vora|first=Batuk|date=1998-08-11|title=Court Closes Calico Mills|work=Business Standard India|url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/specials/court-closes-calico-mills-198081101019_1.html|access-date=2021-05-02}}</ref>

The mills were started showing downturn with time due to lack of upgrade, changing fashions, tax and debt collections and mismanagement. In 1982, 12,400 workers were laid off from the weaving department due to financial issues. Later 55 out of 64 mill units were in financial trouble. Eventually about 1,00,000 workers were laid off. After several attempts at revival, the Board for Industrial and Financial Restructuring (BIFR), a government body, recommended closure of the mills in 1995. The recommendation was opposed by the mills management but their appeal was rejected in 1997.<ref name=":1" />

It was closed in 1998. The land, plant and machinery were sold in a public auction in 2010s. It was sold in seven lots of auction and fetched about {{INRconvert|270.83|c}}.<ref name="dnaindia" /><ref name="Breman2004">{{cite book|author=Jan Breman|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4dikEXRIHIIC&pg=PA145|title=The making and unmaking of an industrial working class: sliding down the labour hierarchy in Ahmedabad, India|publisher=Amsterdam University Press|year=2004|isbn=978-90-5356-646-6|page=145}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|date=2012-07-08|title=5 govt officials held for compensation scam - Times Of India|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-04-12/ahmedabad/31330657_1_liquidator-calico-mills-govt-officials|access-date=2021-05-02|website=archive.ph|archive-date=8 July 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120708053342/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-04-12/ahmedabad/31330657_1_liquidator-calico-mills-govt-officials|url-status=dead}}</ref> The land parcel was unsold in 2010s.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2012-05-08|title=CEPT plans to generate Rs 545 cr from sale of Calico Mills land in Ahmedabad|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/ahmedabad/cept-plans-to-generate-rs-545-cr-from-sale-of-calico-mills-land-in-ahmedabad/|access-date=2021-05-02|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2010-05-14|title=HC orders fresh auction of Calico Mills|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/hc-orders-fresh-auction-of-calico-mills/articleshow/5928853.cms|url-status=live|access-date=2021-05-02|website=The Times of India|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100520164324/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/HC-orders-fresh-auction-of-Calico-Mills/articleshow/5928853.cms|archive-date=20 May 2010}}</ref><ref name=":0" />

== Products ==
For half a century, the Calico Mills became one of the most modern and extensively diversified pacesetters of the Indian cotton industry. Calico was the first Indian mill to give shareholders cloth at concessional rates. It was the first Indian textile mill to make cotton sewing thread, and later 100% synthetic sewing thread.<ref name=dnaindia />

Calico main textile unit was the only textile plant in Ahmedabad to be fuelled by natural gas, with virtually no smoke and no air pollution.<ref name=dnaindia>{{cite web|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_calico-mills-passes-into-history-for-rs270-crore_1375259 |title=Calico Mills passes into history for Rs 270 crore - India |publisher=Diligent Media Corporation Ltd |work=Daily News & Analysis India |author=Summit Khanna |date=2010-04-25 |accessdate=2012-01-28}}</ref> To minimize water pollution, Calico had its own primary effluent processing plant, which ensured that no waste was thrown directly into municipal sewers.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}}

Calico erected India’s first Diamond Mesh Mosquito Netting plant in 1937, another first in India. In 1947, it diversified into chemicals, the manufacture of Caustic Soda, Chlorine and related products. Calico also erected India’s first PVC plant. In 1974, Calico commissioned its Polyester Fibre Plant in collaboration with ICI, (UK), producing four exclusive grades of Polyester Fibres, besides three superior conventional grades.{{citation needed|date=January 2012}}

== See also ==

* [[Calico Dome]]
* [[Calico Museum of Textiles]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{coord|display=title}}

[[Category:Cotton mills in India]]
[[Category:Textile mills in India]]
[[Category:Economy of Ahmedabad]]
[[Category:Defunct textile companies of India]]
[[Category:1880s in British India]]
[[Category:Textile industry in Gujarat]]
[[Category:Cotton industry in India]]
[[Category:Indian companies established in 1888]]
[[Category:Indian companies disestablished in 1998]]

Calico Mills - Revision history

Md. Toslim Bhuiyan Prantik at 04:08, 30 January 2026