Apparel Online India Magazine August 1st Issue 2018 | Page 20

COVER STORY APPAREL RESOURCES NEWSLETTERS FACEBOOK FRIENDS To subscribe, send us an email at [email protected] Join more than 10,000 people who are already fans of Apparel Resources on facebook. Search for Apparel Resources at https://www.facebook.com/apparelresources/ STATE’S SUPPORT The State Government is planning to set up an apparel hub at Nungi in Maheshtala Municipality of South 24 Parganas district. This modern hub is expected to be of 9 lakh square foot area and will accommodate about 25,000 artisans and many entrepreneurs. The Government is expecting to generate 5 lakh jobs from this hub as this project will also have a common facility centre. The good thing that is being said about this hub is that it would help an unorganised sector of Kolkata’s Metiabruz to shift to the organised sector. Metiabruz has plenty of small manufacturers who work in an unorganised way. In another initiative, the State Government-backed textile and handicrafts company Biswa Bangla is planning to expand with 5 new stores across India. The company currently operates eight stores in Delhi and Kolkata retailing more than 10,000 products under its brand name. It is doing good business and fetched a business of Rs. 20 crore (approximately US $ 3 million) in the Financial Year 2017-18 with 20 per cent yearly growth. Going ahead, Biswa Bangla will be coming up with fresh products made with nettle fibre and bamboo yarns. Rajendra Purohit (R) with Dilip Sadh of GR Garments market. Nazrul Islam Molla, Founder of the company shared, “We are investing Rs. 30 crore in dyeing and printing (flat bed). Hopefully our business will be doubled in next two years.” He further added that demand is there in domestic market, and it will also grow further, but the issue is of being competitive and own process house will definitely help the company to become more competitive. The company is doing currently annual business of nearly Rs. 40 crore. Rising demand in the domestic market is also the reason for the expansion of Shakti Wears. The company recently increased 30 per cent capacity and hired professionals in various departments like HR, Production, IE, Quality for its set- up in Kolkata. Prakash Singhee, Partner of the company told AO, “The main push for expansion is from domestic as domestic is doing good compared to export.” The company is into ladies as well as kids garments. Irrespective of apparel export data, some of the garment exporters across the country also feel that market is little improved. So, the companies who are into export as well as domestic are a bit more enthusiastic about the improved condition of exports and also due to the coming festival season in India. Keeping this in mind, some such companies are expanding 20 Apparel Online India | AUGUST 1-15, 2018 | www.apparelresources.com their products’ basket, increasing their thrust on quality, product development. SA8000 certified Kishorilal Shyamsunder (Kish), is one of the prestigious companies of Kolkata and offers garments and scarves for overseas as well as domestic markets. Mahadev Balasubramanyam, Asst. Manager – Sales of the company is of the view that after a bad phase, now the market is slightly up and improving but still not to that extent as expected. Sharing about the future plan of his company, he stated, “If things remain as per our planning, we can add a new product line in our product basket. Let’ see how things move.” The company started a factory for garments nearly two years ago and is doing reasonably well. Another company which has enhanced its product profile and thrust on PD is KTC Export having expertise in hand embroidery. It works with different kinds of buyers across the globe like Carolina Herrera, US; Trelise Cooper, New Zealand; Twin Set, Italy, etc. Offering high value-added ladies garments from decades, just a year ago, the company started beach garments and basic garment types to get buyers from the mass market. Apart from that, the company is