Founded in 1981 and headquartered in Chandigarh, KDDL Limited has established itself as a leading manufacturer and trader of watches and their components. KDDL Limited faced difficulties due to adverse government policies, infrastructural problems and the sudden liquidation of its original Swiss collaborator, Leschot. The Company was incorporated on 8 January, 1981 as 'Kamla Dials and Devices Limited' which was subsequently changed to 'KDDL Limited' on 14 September, 2007. The company took a step towards revival by entering into a new collaboration with Tesio Precision, Taiwan.
The Company is primarily engaged in the business of manufacturing dials, watch hands and precision components. Currently, it has manufacturing facilities, at Parwanoo (Himachal Pradesh) and Derabassi (Punjab) - dial manufacturing, Bengaluru (Karnataka) - hands and precision components manufacturing. Beyond the horology industry, KDDL also excels in producing highprecision stamped components and progressive tools, catering to electrical, electronics, and automotive sectors.
Its unit manufacturing watch hands commenced production in 1994 along with a third production line for dials. Apart from further expansions of existing facilities, a wholly-owned subsidiary, Kamla Appliques, floated to take over the manufacturing facilities of appliques (components used in making dials) from KDDL.
To keep pace with changing preferences, the company has entered into a collaboration with Ageo Seimitsu, Japan, to produce diamond-cut hands, which is a shift from simple buffed hands. KDDL is also expanding its existing facilities. Since 2003 KDDL, through its subsidiary Kamla Retail Limited has set up India's largest retail chain in luxury Swiss watches in the organized sector.
Company formed a wholly owned subsidiary, M/s Kamla Retail Limited during 2007-08. The wholly owned subsidiary company, M/s Kamla Retail Limited, had amalgamated with the Company, to transfer the retail business of the Company