EPW Research Foundation CENTURY TEXTILES Power Shortage THE flagship company of the B K Birla group, Century Textiles, fared poorly in 1996-97, its centenary year. This diversified conglomerate is presently engaged in the manufacture of textiles, yarn, rayon, tyre cord, chemicals, cement, paper and pulp. Further, it also operates a shipping division and is part of a consortium of four companies which operates and shares the profits of Birla Tyres, a division of Kesoram Industries (another group company).