No better tribute to Mr A. Sivasailam, Chairman and Managing Director of the Amalgamations Group, could have come than from Mr A. Kuchelan, who has often sat across the table as president of the workers’ union for one of the group companies.

An obviously overwhelmed Mr Kuchelan, President, Simpson and Group Companies Workers and Staff Union, first declined to say anything. But, when pressed, all that he could say was “I have lost my best friend.”

Mr Kuchelan, who has interacted with Mr Sivasailam as a labour leader since the 1970s, said Mr Sivasailam, as chairman of the group, “was true to the legacy left by his father in maintaining good industrial relations.”

Mr Suresh Krishna, Chairman of the TVS group of companies, described Mr Sivasailam as a “gentle but yet forceful” person who not only held the Amalgamations group together, but also grew it into one of the larger industrial houses in the country. Mr Krishna said that the TVS group and Amalgamations group had always had very good relationship. “I have known him ever since I got into business. He has always treated me very well,” he said.

Born on August 24, 1934, Mr Sivasailam was the elder son of the late S. Anantharamakrishnan, founder-chairman of the Amalgamations group. He joined the group in 1957 as Comptroller and Treasurer of Addison & Co. In 1961, he became the General Manager of Tractors and Farm Equipment Ltd (TAFE), a group company, and later its Chairman and Managing Director.

He was elected chairman of Amalgamations Pvt Ltd, the holding company of the group, in August 1968 and held that position till his death.

Expansion

It was in the 1960s that the Amalgamations group increased its presence in the manufacturing sector by setting up a number of companies. These included Bimetal Bearings, India Pistons-Repco, L.M. Van Moppes and Amalgamations Repco. Under Mr Sivasailam’s stewardship, the group further expanded its activities establishing a clutch of joint ventures in the auto components sector such as Amalgamations Valeo Clutch, with Valeo of France; Stanadyne Amalgamations with Stanadyne Corporation of the US; and BBL Daido, with Daido Metal Co Ltd of Japan. The group’s turnover grew, from Rs. 35 crore in 1961 to about Rs. 7,000 crore now. Except for a handful of companies that are listed, including IP Rings and Bimetal Bearings, the other companies in the group are closely held.

Mr A.C. Muthiah, Chairman, Spic, said Mr Sivasailam had been a “wonderful personality. I admired him most for his business ethics and a disciplined mind. He was a good friend.” Mr N. Sankar, Chairman, Sanmar group, observed that Mr Sivasailam had taken over the reins of the group at a young age, and built it up over the next several decades. Describing Mr Sivasailam as one of the best known business personalities from Tamil Nadu, Mr Sankar said that he had worked with Mr Sivasailam during his association with the Madras Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) and the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Assocham) and “I learnt a lot from him.”

For the head of a large industrial group, Mr Sivasailam maintained a low profile and seldom interacted with the media.

On the few occasions that he did meet journalists, he would patiently answer all questions, providing an in-depth perspective of the industry and the company’s performance. Some of the major companies in the Amalgamations group include Tractors and Farm Equipment Ltd (TAFE), Simpson’s, India Pistons, IP Rings and the bookstore Higginbothams.

Mr Sivasailam has headed various industry and trade bodies, including being the president of the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry (1981-82), president of the Association of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (1970) and chairman of the board of governors of the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, for three years from 1981.

He was also the Sheriff of Madras during 1969-70. He is a recipient of the Padma Shri.

Mr Sivasailam’s brother, Mr A. Krishnamurthy, is vice-chairman of the group. Mr Sivasailam’s daughters Ms Mallika Srinivasan, vice-chairman, TAFE, is married to Mr Venu Srinivasan, Chairman and Managing Director, TVS Motor Co Ltd, and Ms Jayashree Venkatraman, Director, TAFE, to Mr Murali Venkatraman, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director, WS Industries.

Ref : BusinessLine