rafiq lodhia

Rafiq Lodhia was born on August 5, 1951 in Rangoon, Burma. He lived in Pakistan from 1965 through 1970 and moved to the United States of America in September 1970 where he attended college at Michigan Technical University. His choice of study was Chemical Engineering but he never made it through, therefore, he dropped out and decided to move to New York City.

To begin his business journey, Rafiq’s first job was in N.Y.C. at Sarge’s Delicatessen as a delivery boy.  At the same time, he also worked at Morgan Stanley executive dining room in the Rockefeller Center as a waiter between 1971-1974. Rafiq honestly admitted to learning the “street talk” while he was a young man.

Between the years 1975-1981, Rafiq worked with his father as a “Manufacturer’s Representative”  in the family company named Lodhia Brothers International, Inc. where he sold handloomed bar mops, herringbone towels, huck towels from South India, along with other institutional products from Pakistan. The company’s customer base included Best Manufacturing, Baltic Linen Company, Paramount Textiles, L. Kessler & Co., F.W. Powers, Venus Textiles, Bestex Cotton Products, and many more.

Continuing, between the years 1981-1985 Rafiq started his own distributing company called “Georgia Cotton Goods, Inc.” in Atlanta, Georgia for a major terry manufacturer in Pakistan named Nakshbandi Industries (Pvt) Ltd. All of his marketing experience was formed during this period of his business career. He promoted “Seagull” and “Waterlily” brands of terry products and sold them to the United States hospitality industry. A few of Georgia Cotton’s customers were Interstate Uniform Services, Whitehead Linen Services, and many other laundries located East of Mississippi state.

During 1985 through 1986, Georgia Cotton was bought out by The Leshner Corporation based in Hamilton, Ohio and Rafiq established “BLC” –  Baltic Linen Company. BLC was a southern distribution center for Baltic Linen. Rafiq then decided to move back to New York City for a year, only to come back to Atlanta, Georgia again in August of 1987.

Between the years 1987-2007, Rafiq established Fleur-De-Lys Textile Company in Atlanta and worked again as a manufacturer’s representative for various mills in Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh. His focus this time was more on the retail side of the textile industry, selling to the major importers/distributors such as, Atlas Textile Company, Revere Mills, Inc., Franco Manufacturing Company, Divatex Home Fashions, and Pillowtex Corporation. On the institutional side, Rafiq sold to companies such as, Maxtex, Inc., Harbor Linen, Encompass Textiles, Orr Textiles, Bob Barker Company, Best Manufacturing, Inc., Baltic Linen Company, H.W. Baker, Dan River, etc. etc. In fact, during these two decades, Rafiq learned “The Art of Negotiating” as he was surrounded by the smartest and wisest businessmen.

In 2005, Georgia Cotton Goods Company was re-established. With Rafiq Lodhia having three decades of experience, his professional services are being utilized by those very manufacturers who are new comers to the U.S. Market and seek his guidance.