Titan investing big for 150 new stores
Titan Industries announces its investment of Rs 170 crore to open 150 new stores across various formats by the end of this fiscal year. The plan is to open 150 stores across formats by March 2011. The Tata group firm sells watches, eyewear and jewellery under different brands such as Titan, Sonata, Xylys, Fastrack, Titan Eye+ and Tanishq. The expanding stores are mostly in the large format jewellery outlets. The company has opened about 40 new stores across India and very much going ahead with the plans. Now, the sunshine opportunity with the opening of the new Titan stores is for in-store signage companies too.
Fitness chain Talwalkars Better Value Fitness Ltd announces its 50:50 joint venture with Pantaloon Retail Ltd to acquire ‘Star and Sitara,’ a beauty and hair salon chain. The JV firm Talwalkars Pantaloon Fitness Pvt Ltd will issue additional equity to acquire the firm and Talwalkars share in the joint venture will fall below 10 percent post the transaction. Acquisition will move ahead to expand the beauty and hair salon chain across the country. Such new speculation of the salon chain will be a new opportunity to the signage companies for new business to unfold.
Essar Oil and state-run Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) have bid for around five and 10 of Shell India’s retail outlets, respectively. Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) is negotiating to bid for nine outlets. Shell India, the domestic arm of Royal Dutch Shell Plc, had offered for sale 20 of its 80 operational retail outlets and around 20 sites acquired earlier for setting up such outlets. The only foreign petro retailer in the country, it has approached oil marketing companies, public and private, on this. However, despite repeated attempts, Shell India could not be asked to confirm the development. Opening of the new fuel outlets will pump new business opportunity to the signage moguls engaged in the oil sector.
In order to provide agricultural inputs to farmers, Vadodara-based ACIL Cotton Industries (ACIL) has firmed up its plans to roll out four retail outlets under the brand name ‘ACIL Krishi Store’ in Gujarat. Based on the success of these retail outlets, the company also plans to set up 40 more stores in the state. The company has selected Vadodara, Surendranagar, Navsari and Anand for launching the ACIL Khrishi Stores. Launch of the new stores across the Gujarat is a privilege that in-store signage companies could grab for new business.
Organised retailing has been found widespread acceptance in India, which is the 5th largest retail destination globally. The growth in the sector touched $350 billion in 2009 and is projected to reach US$637 billion by 2015. Urbanisation of consumers in India increases in the disposable income of consumers and the interest of global retail giants in the Indian retail market as the reasons for the growth. The cost involved, increased competition among organised retail chains and evolving consumer preferences are some of the challenges faced by retail outlets. Such expected boom in the retail segment will be an added advantage for the signage sector, particularly for in-store signage companies and those engaging in the retail sector.
set to enter India by October this year to cash in on the expanding luxury space in the country. Delhi-based Blues Clothing company has tied up with the Orka Group, that has presence in over 35 countries worldwide with nearly 400 sales points, as franchise to bring the three apparel and accessories brands. Arrival of the Turkish high-end brands prods new retail expansion, which delivers an opportunity to in-store signage companies for new business retail segment.
Multi-brand car servicing company, Mahindra First Choice Services plans to ramp-up its service outlets to 450 pan-India from the present nine in the next four years. The outlets will come-up on company-owned and franchise-basis. The first franchised outlet will come in Hyderabad soon. Mahindra First Choice Services is a 100 per cent subsidiary of Mahindra and Mahindra. It is a chain of multi-brand car workshops with a presence in key cities. Unveiling of the new service outlets is a new delight for the signage companies dealing with in-store signage and others engaged in providing print service and fabrication.
RPG Group hypermarket chain’s plans to increase focus on apparel and other non-grocery products. Spencer’s, which already retails Ecko Unlimited and Ecko Red under Mark Ecko brand, plans to launch the Cut & Sow brand under the same brand by next fiscal. With the deliveries of new brands, the company plans to invest about Rs 30 crore this fiscal year to increase number of stores across brands in the existing locations and in new cities including Bangalore and Hyderabad. Signage companies in the in-store segment can prepare to tap a new business in the newly unveiled Spencer’s Retail.
RPG Group company Spencer’s Retail expects turnover from its specialty division to increase five folds in the next three years and touch Rs 500 crore. With that the contribution of the specialty division to the overall turnover of Spencer’s Retail will increase to up to 25 per cent in the next three years from 10 per cent at present. As part of plans to achieve its target, the company will be investing about Rs 30 crore this year to increase number of stores across brands in the existing locations and entering new cities across India. A new shift of Spencer’s stores across the country will bring in a new opportunity in the in-store signage segment where PSPs, sign makers, fabricators can tap bran dnew business.
India leading retailer Shopper’s Stop announces addition of 40 new medium and large-format stores across India in the next four years that could entail an investment of over Rs 500 crore. This fiscal, the company will invest about Rs 180 crore for opening up to 12 departmental stores under the Shoppers Stop brand and four HyperCity hypermarkets. The retailer, which clocked a turnover of Rs 1,578 crore last fiscal, also said it expects sales to touch Rs 1,800 crore this financial year. Magnification of Shopper’s Stop stores across the country is an opportunity for signage companies like in-store media majors, PSPs, fabricators, sign suppliers and others.