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A brief history of the Kohinoor Group, it's roots, evolution and journey since 1900.
In the early 20th Century the four Saigol brothers Yousaf, Sayeed, Gul and Bashir made their fortune supplying rubber boots to the Allied forces under the name of Kohinoor Rubber in Calcutta.
After the end of British rule and partition of India, M.A Jinnah invited Muslim industrialists to start businesses in the newly born state. The Saigol Family moved to Pakistan setting up the nation’s first textile spinning plant near Lyallpur (presently Faisalabad) in 1948 under the name of Kohinoor Industries. In 1953 a second textile plant was constructed near Rawalpindi, and incorporated as Kohinoor Textile Mills.
The Saigols diversified and expanded the Kohinoor Group into Pakistan’s largest conglomerate. Operating at the highest level in almost every sector of the economy; from textiles, power and cement, to banking, electronics and chemicals.
In 1971 Z. A. Bhutto became the Prime Minister of Pakistan, under his leadership the Pakistan People’s Party nationalized key industries in an effort to bring socialist reform to the country. Many of the group’s largest companies were seized; notably United Bank and United Chemicals. Nationalization was a big set back for the Saigols, in 1973 the family decided to split up their businesses, and different factions of the family went separate ways.
Tariq and Taufeeq Saigol, sons of Sayyed Saigol took control of Kohinoor Textile Mills, and start to expand the business by vertically integrating into many segments of the textile industry.
In 1989 Kohinoor Weaving Mills was incorporated as a subsidiary of Kohinoor Textile Mills near Lahore. After a decade of rapid growth the group becomes one of Pakistan’s largest and most profitable textile businesses with operations in home textiles, apparel, hosiery and energy. The group also moved into the cement industry after acquiring Maple Leaf Cement, and rebrand as the Kohinoor Maple Leaf Group (KMLG).
Aamir Fayyaz, the CEO of Kohinoor Weaving Mills, and grandson of the late Sayeed Saigol, decides to separate from the parent group KMLG, and focus on the apparel market. The board voted to change the company’s name to Kohinoor Mills Limited. It continues to be controlled and operated by the Fayyaz family.
