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Bindu D. Menon

New Delhi, April 21 Innerwear specialist Triumph International is mulling a foray into the retail sector.

With its second production facility at Maraimalai Nagar near Chennai up and running, the company is also looking at launching its premium and men’s range in India.

“With commercial operation commencing in March this year at our new facility, we hope to achieve capacity to sew 20 million pieces a year. The inner wear from this facility will be used for both exports as well as for meeting the needs of the domestic market,” Mr Thortsen Allenstein, General Manager and Country Head India, Sri Lanka, told Business Line.

The facility, set up with an investment of $30 million, will have 100 per cent capacity utilisation by 2010, he added. The Swiss-headquartered company has 27 production centres across the globe.

On the retail foray, Mr Allenstein said the next step for the company is to extensively focus on retail sales. Currently, Triumph is available in 55 cities in India through 500 points of purchase including leading department stores, lingerie retailers and multi-brand outlets.

The existing lingerie market in India is around Rs 2,000 crore and is poised to grow at a rate of 10 per cent annually, according to industry estimates.

Triumph’s India requirements are being met by a production centre in Chennai, through Intimate Fashion — a company set up in joint venture with Bangalore-based MAS Ltd.

“In the long run, the domestic retail market is very critical. There is growing acceptance for branded inner wear. We hope to have at least one flagship store in major cities and town,” he said.

On whether it will introduce its premium range in India, he said the company is looking to introduce Sloggi and HOM – both men’s inner wear brands, besides female premium lingerie brand Valisere over the next three years.

More Stories on : Retailing | Knitwear & Hosiery

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