Titan set to add 100 stores in three years
Titan Watches is going to add 100 stores in the next three years, taking the total number of Titan World retailing outlets to 400. The company is looking to set up the first fifty within the next two years. What the company is looking to do is to ensure that across the country, there is a Titan outlet available within a two to three km radius within which customers are staying. Such a wider coverage of Titan stores in every possible corner across the country will be an added business advantage to the in-store signage majors operating in the retail sector.
New Marks & Spencer boss Marc Bolland is set to unveil his blueprint for the retailer next week – with plans to devote much more shop space to selling homewares and ambitious plans to expand overseas, especially in India. The Dutchman, who was hired from Morrisons earlier this year on a £15m pay package, has opted for “evolution not revolution” according to a source. He is understood to have ruled out some of the more dramatic moves called for by some analysts, such as investing in a home delivery service for groceries and refocusing the store to pull in more younger customers. With the onset of its new venture into the Indian market will benefit the in-store signage players.
Bridgestone, the world’s no 1 Tyre & Rubber manufacturer, has announced the inauguration of its exclusive select showroom in Kolkata. The Select store boasts of an exclusive Bridgestone retail “Identity and Sales” in line with the global retail philosophy adopted successfully across the world. In addition, the store has unique customer friendly, smart and stylised interior, a wide product range and modern services. The new Bridgestone store will bridge a path to new business for in-store signage players in the city.
London’s AIM-listed Indian hotel and restaurant company India Hospitality Corp is the frontrunner to acquire the world’s largest noodle bar chain, Wagamama, for about Rs 1,800 crore. The deal, likely to close by the end of this month, will be funded through internal accruals, fresh capital to be raised through equity issue to the existing investors and leveraging the assets of Wagamama. The arrival global noodle chain would bring in a new set up to the Indian retail sector where in-store signage companies will get new business opportunity.
Retailer Shoppers’ Stop expects to open 4-5 Hypercity stores in FY12. The firm posted a 44 percent in September quarter net profit to 174 million rupees while its gross retail turnover stood at 5.09 billion rupees. The company’s board also approved splitting each share into two. With the firm’s robust expansion, there will be a new opportunity offering to the region’s signage market, benefiting in-store signage companies.
Dubai-based Pure Gold Jewellers plans to invest nearly Rs 1,000 crore for setting up 200 stores in India in the next five years. The company has always been a significant part of Indian history and culture. In this context, Pure Gold Jewellers is extremely excited in introducing the cutting-edge designs and innovative pieces of jewellery in the subcontinent’s market. As of today, the company has eight stores in Mumbai and Pune and nearly 75 outlets in the Middle East. With this, in-store signage companies engaging into the retail segment.
JCB India announces its entry into the footwear segment, by launching a range of safety and lifestyle shoes. The range includes six safety shoes and 15 lifestyle shoes. The lifestyle shoes would be available at Reliance Footprint outlets pan-India and also distributed through JCB’s channels, while its safety shoes will be sold through distribution channels. For its new venture, JCB has entered into an agreement with India’s largest safety shoe-maker, Rahman Industries to manufacture and market the shoes under the JCB brand name. The new JCB footwear stores would open a new business opportunity to the in-store signage players.
Wal-Mart Stores, the world’s largest retailer, sees progress in India opening up foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail.India’s $450-billion retail sector, with organised retail accounting for just 6 percent, is largely closed to foreign firms and favours small stores, which provide livelihoods for hundreds of thousands and serve a market of more than 1 billion. Earlier this summer, India took a tentative step towards opening up its organised retail sector to foreign companies by putting out a discussion paper, but it steered clear of suggesting changes to an existing investment cap. Now, signage companies engaging in the retail sector has to receive new growth with such sunshine development.
Hero Group-promoted Easy Bill announces that the company will increase its retail outlets by over three times to over 20,000 by the end of 2012. The company, through which provides a one-stop shop for paying pay telephone, general insurance or credit card bills, has at present over 6,000 retail outlets across 70 locations all over India. It is now planning to get into move ticketing business by rolling out the service in South India next month. Mega expansion of Easy Bill outlets across the country will offer in-store media display companies a new business opportunity.
Reliance Jewels, a chain of jewellery stores run by Reliance Retail Ltd, is planning to open 50 new stores at select locations across the country in the next two years. Currently, the chain has 22 stores in 17 cities across the country, including three stores in Mumbai, one each in Pune and Nashik. Reliance Jewels stores have total retail space of around 88,000 sq ft. Most of the stores will be opened in those cities where the company already has Reliance Jewels stores. The new Reliance Jewels stores will be new glitter to boost business of signage companies engaging in in-store displays as well as others in the segment, such as PSPs, sign suppliers, etc.