EXPORTER PROFILE
addition). “Walmart is our main
client from USA and H&M from
Europe and both have big order
volumes which suit us well,”
avers Islam. Dealing in volumes,
Well Group is not keen on adding
too many names to its clientele and
is content only with a handful, but
with voluminous orders. “This is
actually our marketing strategy.
It is very difficult to handle large
number of buyers, who would have
different needs and requirements
with diverse order volumes,”
shares Islam, conceding to the
fact that working with only a few
clients comes with its own share of
drawbacks and briefs. “There are
two sides to it. The biggest risk is
if the buyer does not have orders,
we do not have business. While at
the same time when we have very
big orders, we cannot entertain
other customers as our capacities
are filled,” he continues.
Going forward thus, Well Group
is investing in a manufacturing
unit to resume producing
shirts, in tandem with market
diversification, keeping the
future in perspective. “To start
with, we will have 10 lines (500
machines) to make specialized
shirts from yarn dyed fabrics,”
informs Islam, who has a well-
equipped unit for yarn dyed
fabric (WELL Fabrics) with
weaving capacity of 500,000
yards per month. While in terms
of market, Islam is readying
himself to look beyond USA (where
Well Group exports 80 per cent
of its products) and Europe (20
per cent), and sees a very good
prospect in Japan.
“We are already in talks with
clients there and hopefully by
next season, we would have
orders from Japan, which again
is a non-traditional market for
Bangladesh but has very good
potential in my view,” Islam
underlines, citing Japan’s
increasing volume of garment
trade with Bangladesh. “You will
find a large number of Japanese
buyers in Bangladesh these days;
even Uniqlo has its own office in
Dhaka,” he says, adding, “Japan
for that matter is buying apparel
worth almost US $ 1 billion
from Bangladesh currently; and
especially for knits and denims,
the prospects are very positive.”
UNIVOGUE EYES US $ 85 MILLION
TURNOVER IN 2018 FOLLOWING
CENTRALIZATION OF CUTTING AREAS
BULLMER THE MOST VIABLE SOLUTION FOR UNIVOGUE…
Univogue – a name that is synonymous with quality has collaborated with Bullmer, a pioneer in the field
of cutting room technology solutions to become leaner and more cost-effective. The Group’s strength
lies in rapid decision making, superior product quality, good capacity and timely deliveries. Speaking
exclusively to Apparel Online, Jagath Priyantha, Director, Univogue Group, Chittagong, explains
how automated equipment, in cutting areas will broaden product capabilities significantly.
C
ounted among the leading
garment manufacturing
companies in Chittagong,
specialized in bottom wear,
Univogue Garments Ltd. is catering
to some of the world’s leading
brands like Ralph Lauren, Perry
Ellis, Haggar Clothing, DXL,
Bodek and Rhodes to name a
few. A Sri Lanka-based company,
Univogue started its operation in
Bangladesh with one production
unit at the CEPZ in 1985 and today
it is operating four production
units, including two sewing units,
one cutting and storage unit and
a finishing unit with wrinkle-free
facilities. For this Group, adding
capacity is not a one-time affair,
but a growth strategy. “We have
continuously added capacity over
"We have
continuously
added capacity
over the years,
as we find that in
the industry now,
minimum of 10
per cent growth
is required to
sustain, otherwise
we cannot meet
our cost.”
– Jagath Priyantha
the years, as we find that in the
industry now, minimum of 10 per
cent growth is required to sust