The Hindu Business Line : Samsonite to step up sourcing from India

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Bangalore, Jan. 31 Luggage retail brand Samsonite announced on Wednesday that it plans to step up sourcing from India, expand design development capacity at its plant in Nasik and increase its retail network.

India is the second largest sourcing operation for Samsonite after China, said Mr Ramesh Tainwala, President, Samsonite West Asia.

Domestic retail accounts for about Rs 250 crore of Samsonite's revenues in the country, while manufacturing and sourcing constitute Rs 600 crore.

"While China specialises in large volume products, India is for high-end products, detailing and finishing in small batches," said Mr Tainwala, who was here in the city in connection with the opening of Samsonite's 168th exclusive store in India.

The company plans to open 50 stores in 2007 at an investment of Rs 1 crore per store.

These stores sell both premium and popular brands such as Samsonite, Lambertson Truex and American Tourister. "As of now, we are limiting ourselves to only 22 cities. We plan to roll out into B and C cities by 2010," said Mr Tainwala.

Globally, there are 1,400 Samsonite retail outlets. Samsonite also plans to open more exclusive boutiques for its luxury brand Black Label.

It currently has three boutiques — two in Mumbai and one in Secunderabad. More outlets will be opened in Bangalore, Chennai and Delhi.

Samsonite accounts for 32 per cent of the Rs 800-crore luggage industry in the country.

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