By Arthur Douglas Thayer

ADAIRSVILLE, GA -- At 28, Satya Tiwari is one of the new breed of rug executives in a traditional family business. He's applying his formal education in business and technology to help build Surya Rugs into one of the country's leading importer-manufacturers.

Tiwari graduated from Northwestern University in 1999 with a double major in computer engineering and economics. He was immediately recruited by Credit Suisse/First Boston. He worked in the bank's Manhattan offices until  April 2004, when he was named president of Surya. 

 "The family's operations here in the U.S. had evolved to the point where my input was required. It was just the right time for me to join,€VbCrLf said Tiwari.  "My degrees in economics and engineering really paid off. I use that education constantly while marketing and selling our rugs.€VbCrLf

Despite the modern business techniques, Surya remains a family business, Tiwari emphasized. Being part of a family organization means everyone is a team player. Uncle Chandra Tiwari moved up to chairman of the board of the American company when Satya Tiwari was named president in 2004. He remains an important mentor and guide, according to Satya Tiwari. Satya's father, Surya Tiwari, is in charge of the manufacturing facility in India. Coming up the ladder is  Ravi Tiwari, 21,  Chandra Tiwari's son, who was recently named a company vice president.

Chandra Tiwari, chairman of Surya, and
Satya Tiwari, president.

Surya was founded in India in 1976 by Satya's father, Surya Tiwari, and uncle, Chandra Tiwari. The company began American operations in 1986 in New York, then  moved to the carpet region of north Georgia.  " Adairsville is a great distribution center, shipping is easy with the port of Savannah being so close. The two major rug markets at High Point and Atlanta are also nearby.€VbCrLf

Surya manufactures hand made wool rugs in India and sells them through various retail distribution channels. The company is a major supplier to department stores, furniture stores, catalog houses and Internet retailers, according to Tiwari.

Surya's sales to  Internet retailers are gaining in importance, according to Tiwari. approximately 35% of Surya sales. The remaining 65% are about equally divided between independent stores and major retailers.

The Internet has become a valuable tool up and down the supply chain, Tiwari noted. Not only do retailers sell over the Internet, but many also provide customers with pre-shopping  information so they are better informed when they come to the store.

Tiwari's schedule involves substantial domestic travel, calling on accounts with the sales force. "I am out there to help sell our product. Being a representative from the home office, and working with our designers, I can give the added value punch when making the presentation to customers,€VbCrLf he said.

Virtually all  the company's designs are available on CD's, making them  easy for retailers to use in their own business. Reliance on such technologies, coupled with flexible customer service, is a reason Rowe Furniture has named Surya as its top rug supplier.

New pattern in Surya's Goa collection, designed in collaboration with Rowe Furniture. Hand-tufted, it retails at $399 in 5x8.

 "Surya is so easy to work with. We send textile swatches from our new furniture line, and Surya comes up with coordinating rugs. We work in the same time zone, so we don't battle international time differences like we would if we had to deal with Asia directly," said Karyn Roed, Rowe's lead rug designer.

All Surya  rugs are programmed. All the hand made rugs are made of  New Zealand wool. "The most important factor in our rugs is the wool. We use the best quality because it dyes best. It also sheds the least of all wools available.€VbCrLfSurya offers over 500 individual designs in its line.

While the predominant style continues to be traditional, a shift to more contemporary and casual looks is taking place, Tiwari noted.

Surya Mugal collection, hand knotted Tibetan weave
retailing for approximately $850 in 5x8.

 Surya's  Mugal line with its  use of transitional designs in earthy neutrals is indicative of this change. It is hand knotted in India using the traditional Tibetan weave and retails at the $850 price point in 5x8.

Surya has long been associated with hand made rugs. Now the company is getting into the machine made business. "We had a sneak preview of machine made products at the past market, and in January we will be that business with a full-scale programmed line," said Tiwari.

The Ambrosia machine made line is a high density, 840,000-point olefin construction and is made in Egypt. Suggested retail will be $200 in 5x8.

Machine-made Ambrosia line will debut in January. Made
 in Egypt of high density 840,000-point olefin construction, the retail is approximately $200 in 5x8.

12.3.05