the uncovered storyline
Goliaths of the Indian Lingerie Industry A story of a grand vision that became a grand venture in the Indian Intimate Apparel Industry
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the uncovered storyline
Almost 60 years into its making and having witnessed the renaissance of Indian intimate apparel industry, Groversons Apparel Pvt. Ltd. has evolved from its humble start. Today the company has become the face of running a technically advanced intimate apparel manufacturing enterprise that has become a benchmark in both quality and design values. In celebration of such magnificent realization of the dream to become India’s finest, Inner Secrets takes you through the journey of one of India’s leading intimate apparel manufacturers - The Groversons.
JULY 2011 | Inner Secrets
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the uncovered storyline Sprouting from an aspirational thought Groversons Apparel Pvt. Ltd saw its inception in the year 1953 by the hands of its proprietor Late Mr. Chamanlal Grover, who sought to establish an enterprise that produced quality lingerie items at affordable prices. Although the company was small in scale, its functions were spaced via an ingenious method of fabrication whereby Mr. Chamanlal Grover entrusted local tailors with the task of manufacturing lingerie items from their respective homes. He allotted requisite machinery to these tailors and roped them in to stitch items on behalf of the company, always ensuring strict quality control on each finished product that passed his scrutiny. Coming up with a ‘brand’ per say was a novel idea at the time, but it presented an opportunity to become more visible and easily recognizable to the people. In order to propel the company’s name in the market, emphasis was laid on the packaging and presentation of items. The company first branded its women’s brazier line under the name of ‘Paris Beauty’- a brand which went on to become the flagship of the company. Initially, the packaging carried the image of a model sporting the lingerie item, but eventually, intricate floral details, carefully designed into twirls and curves to reflect a sense of movement and ease, adorned the box pack of the brand in order to reflect the ‘essence’ of the brand over its actual picturization. This box packaging was taken to a whole another level when the price list was printed on a 200 GSM card with four colour printing technique. Every product was labeled accurately to carry the details of the size and design – a first in the intimate apparel category. The Marketing Mantra As far as reaching out to consumers was concerned, the company placed its first print media ad in the year
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1968 to promote their latest product offering of ‘bras with elastic straps’ in national newspapers like the ‘Navbharat Times’ and ‘Punjab Kesari’. The front page ad showcased a model pulling on the shoulder elastic to indicate ease of movement. The concept of shoulder elastic was new and innovative and, to spread the word about the same, the print ad was deployed. Supported by the tagline of ‘Aantrik Vastramein Vishwasniya Naam’ (Pioneers in the intimate apparel segment) the ad made its way to the front page of the morning newspapers. The concept was well perceived and the product flew off the shelves in a matter of time. Groversons Apparel was one the first companies in the Indian intimate apparel industry to introduce new and unique ways of marketing a product that would, in all their appropriateness, could be referred to as ‘ahead of their time’. For instance, the company started giving out complimentary items like calendars and note pads to its retailers. These items were monogrammed with
the uncovered storyline there came across a grievance report regarding the company’s products, Mr. Chamanlal took it up personally to ensure it was resolved. With the establishment of a new manufacturing unit in the early 70s in Karol Baugh, New Delhi, the company instigated inhouse production of lingerie, although some production continued to be outsourced. Like father, unlike son
company’s name, its brand’s name and the logo. The idea was to present an item that would stay with the retailer for the long run and generate good will for the company in return. Innovative product design, strict quality-control, ground-breaking product packaging and new fangled marketing techniques were the key factors that played to the company’s tunes and by 1980s, Groversons Apparel and their flagship brand ‘Paris Beauty’ had accumulated a fierce loyalty among the retailers and the consumers respectively . The level of loyalty was such that if a consumer failed to procure a Groversons item from one shop, they were willing to march down to another to procure it. In an effort to keep abreast with latest trends and designs, Mr. Chamanlal kept his knowledge edified by browsing through catalogues and magazines from western countries. This helped steer the course of production towards the ‘in’ thing and claim novelty points in the market. A novelty of Groversons business model, for many years, was the absence of conventional distributor’s network. Bearing in mind that retailers are the touch point between the company and its customers, a direct contact with retailers was seen as paramount. Regular communication was the key and if ever
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In 1975, Mr. Suresh Grover - eldest son of Mr. Chamanlal – joined in the family business. His significant contributions were towards overhauling the purchase process and breezing in modern technology for manufacturing. Mr. Suresh also introduced fancy appendages to the standard bra design, which included addition of fancy, expensive Japanese laces. The introduction of this unique feature to an ordinary looking commodity item augmented the appeal of the bra manifold, allowing the item to undertake a sense of delicate sensuality and beauty. Ideating from this came forward the next brand of the company titled ‘Sparsh’ - a relatively fancy bra brand. Products under ‘Sparsh’ came with an invigorated appeal and carried the novel variety of A, B, C and D cups. Transcending from the standard deign to a premium level, ‘Sparsh’ also stood out for its English packaging. The most prolific change in the business model came in the early 80s when Mr. Suresh rolled out a distribution network, breaking the three decade old system of connecting directly to 1500 of company’s retailers. The main aim behind this decision was to allow retailers to get efficient and timely service, taking the load off the company’s shoulders, and subsequently allowing the company to rest focus on other important aspects of the business, given the intimate apparel market was shifting towards producing grade-one products and widespread promotion of the same. Throughout the 80s, all the way to early 90s, Groversons was at the helm of market share, with its products flying off the shelf in retail outlets all across the country. The year 1995 brought with the unfathomable passing of Groversons tour-de-force, Mr. Suresh who succumbed to a heart attack. This was closely followed by the passing of Groversons proprietor, Mr. Chamanlal following which the onus of the company befell on the remaining heir –Mr. Rakesh Grover.
the uncovered storyline Picking up the strands Taking over the entire business function in a gradual fashion, Mr. Rakesh Grover first directed the company’s focus towards integrating the entire production process into one. “Our objective was to standardize patterns, measurements and undertake the entire process of cutting in-house in order to improve consistency of output”, informs Mr. Rakesh Grover. Secondly, in an effort to augment sales of fancy intimate wear, he introduced the much inrave’ trend of moulded cup bras to Indian female audiences in the year 1997. Groversons procured the machinery for this from Italy and also brought in professionals from Italy to impart necessary skills to its craftsmen. “Modernizing the business was the need of the hour”, believes Mr. Rakesh Grover. By the end of the millennium, the company had overhauled and re-oiled its existing functions to operate with an improved momentum. Inner Secrets probes deeper to find out how the journey has fared for the Managing Director of this lively organization. In conversation with Mr. Rakesh Grover. IS: According to you, how does one’s educational and family upbringing shape their outlook towards life? Mr. Rakesh: During my school and college years, I have been a recipient of business talks that used to take place on the dinner table. After securing my M.Com degree I was naturally enticed into joining the family business. With my father being a thorough businessman and my brother being an epitome of modern-age leadership, I am grateful I got the best from both worlds. In due process, I got a broader perspective in life; I was able to cultivate my own visions regarding the company. But yes in my case the literary as well as domestic environment were conducive in forming a positive attitude towards life. IS: How would you describe your very first day in Groversons? Mr. Rakesh: Like everyone, I too had a very dull first day on the job experience. Initially was appointed to look after the production department. I was completely baffled as there were no studies and no standard measurements that went into making the products. All was dependent on the tailor. Every tailor had a different measurement and so everything was seemed
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the uncovered storyline haphazard. As a result, I faced a lot of challenges as there was no centralization. But when we stopped the practice fabrication it provided me a little relief. IS: How have you personally groomed yourself to understand the dynamics of this industry better? Mr. Rakesh: I along with my team have travelled to different countries in the search of new technology. We have participated in many trade fairs and forums. In this trade, it is the design aspect which thrills me the most. For this reason, I visit international events, fashion shows, etc. to be well-informed of the latest trends. IS: In the preliminary years, what do you consider as your biggest contributions to the company? Mr. Rakesh: My first objective was to standardize patterns and measurements. In 1997, we were the first ones to introduce the concept of moulded cup bras. To learn its specific operations we called in experts from Italy. Lastly, I wanted to modernize the business. To some extent I believe I have been successful in achieving them, but yes one should never cease at the fulfillment of accomplishment but seek for higher objectives that don’t easily fall in one’s gamut. IS: What have been your attempts in modernizing Groversons? Mr. Rakesh: I knew what I wanted in terms of the end product but I couldn’t quite figure out what kind of technology would help me get that. So I did go ahead and purchase machinery but I was dubious as who would operate and manage them. For this purpose, in the year 2000 I asked my two cousins, Mr. Vineet Nagpal and Mr. Jitendra Grover, who were industrial engineers at that time, to join hands with me in my venture. Intimate wear is actually an engineered product which requires systematic working so I started the building of a team that was educated and technically competent. The formation of departments was very crucial in organization. Separate sets of people started to handle production, logistics, R&D and designing. IS: We all know that quality holds much priority for Groversons, how vital is the ‘human aspect’ in this organization? Mr. Rakesh: Every person has a certain caliber, I personally have tried to give employees the right
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vocation. This organization is an excellent epitome of concocting varied individuals. We have retained employees who have worked during my father’s times and we have employees who are recent recruits, they all bring something different to table and hence they are all important to Groversons. From time to time the organization arranges team building activities which brings all the departments together. Recently we started the GPL which stands for the ‘Groversons Premier League’; since cricket is a favourite among most of our employees we couldn’t think of a better way that would unite all of us. In a fun way, we managed to build team spirit and promote the feeling of togetherness. IS: How do you perceive the current intimate apparel scene in India? Mr. Rakesh: There is no doubt that the intimate apparel industry in our country is booming. From a cottage industry it is becoming a full-fledged industry. But there are some shortcomings that still plague this segment. Manpower is one of the main assets of our industry. Due attention and training has to be provided. Manual employees of this industry, in most cases are not stable. Even after providing the necessary training the industry is unable to retain man-power. This is because they become so efficient with our detailed stitching that they shift to garment industries where stitching is relatively simpler. Secondly, there is much scope for the improvement of domestic sourcing of raw materials. The quality of fabrics that is obtained from western countries is much superior from those found in India. On a positive side factories are trying to churn out quality fabrics which adversely increase their prices. I must also mention the industry’s dire need of having more women labourers who understand the ethics of this particular product. IS: What does the future behold for the Groversons Group? Mr. Rakesh: We are in the midst of opening another factory in Tronica City. The company has reinstalled new branding strategies; it will pay more attention to this aspect in the coming years. On the subject of man-power we plan to bifurcate every department, so employees will learn department specific skills. Depending on the demand we aspire to open one factory every year. Gradually we would want to turn these factories into profit centres. Lastly, our assurance on quality will remain for years to come.
the uncovered storyline Technical extravaganza Once existing methodological functions were oiled to rope in upper-limit efforts, the focus was shifted to introducing finer procedures in terms of production, marketing and business administration. To help assist in the process of regeneration of the company, Mr. Vineet and Mr. Jitendra (the engineering duo) in the year 2000 set out to modernize functions. They contributed significantly towards establishment of additional, technically advanced factories and integrating the business model. First off, the company directed focus towards enhancing the consistency of production and departmentalization of processes. Separate departments were set up to handle
every individual aspect of operation including logistics, R&D and design. “At the time, the company had 30-35 small scattered manufacturing units across the north of India. From an administrative point of view, it was easy to control big units rather than scattered small ones�, says Mr. Rakesh. The engineering duo captained this process of consolidation of manufacturing units by shutting down units which were less productive and subsequently combing scattered smaller units into one large manufacturing outpost. This process went on till 2003. Groversons' first unit was established in the year 2003 in the GT Karnal Industrial area, spreading across 8000 sq. ft. of space. Groversons’ second unit was set up in the Patparganj area in the year 2006 followed by one in Manesar district in the year 2007. What was so distinguishing about these factory outposts was the use of advanced infrastructural designs and high-end, modern technology systems. Production machineries with installed capacity of 1,30,000 units churned out over 50,000 items a months. Special emphasis was laid on ensuring ease of movement of the product through various departments, proper ventilation systems, high-tech safety equipments, comfortable lighting and establishment of an overall
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hale and hearty environment that facilitates superior production. Attention to even the most singular of the details, such as installation of powder based sprinklers that contain fire without damaging the goods as compared to its water based equivalent, reflects the amount of consideration that has been put into creating a healthy factory environment. From spaced out stacking areas, alley designs, trolleys to setting up a broadband communication systems that links spaced out factories and offices to each other via high-tech video communication systems, Groversons infrastructures are unlike any other in India. Groversons factories are renowned for their state-ofthe-art operational prowess. High-tech machineries including East Man and KM (Cloth cutting machines), A.M.P Pisani (Moulding machine), Pegasus, Juki and Yamato (Stitching machines) adorn each manufacturing unit, churning out top-quality lingerie items. From proper ventilation to power backup, Groversons factories take immense care in ensuring that work atmosphere is sustainable and easy on the nature. Such evolved and superior level of work environment is a testament to the quality control efforts that Groversons is exemplary for. The company is already in the process of establishing another equivalent unit by the end of 2011, which is likely to set the bar high for industrial excellence. This augmentation of industrial process has been one of the most noteworthy changes that Mr. Rakesh has ushered in. Since Groversons was the first lingerie manufacturing company to receive ISO 9001:2008 certification, they will continually focus on maintaining and upgrading their superior level of work environment.
the uncovered storyline New Millennium, New thinking The new decade that came with the millennium, saw many changes in the lifestyle and consumption patterns of the Indian female segment. Firstly, there was a significant change in the outwear choices, as urban women moved on from salwar-kameez to western wear and were slowly becoming brand cognizant. Taking hint from the emergent trends, Groversons decided to introduce their third lingerie brand ‘Poems’ towards the beginning of 2006, designed exclusively to match the requirements of modern fashion apparel in an all-new, fun and colorful avatar. 2005 to 2008 saw the company’s marketing efforts take centre stage in its processes. Heavy emphasis was laid on designing marketing strategies that could break the clutter that was now created by rampantly mushrooming players in the intimate apparel manufacturing category. For this, posters carrying images of women modeling different designs and brands of the company were created and installed at various retail outlets of the country. The idea was to surface as the topof-the-mind brand when it came to purchase decision. Towards the end of 2008, the company brought forward its fourth brand offering of Miss –Teens, more popularly known as Miss-T, a range of lingerie that was directed specially towards the young and more youthful female segment. Miss-T is rather noteworthy for bringing in truly international lingerie aesthetics into
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Indian intimate wear. In relation to the compnay's growth Mr. Pammi Chabra, a distributor who owns Rumal House (Lucknow) said, “Being in the business for almost 20 years, we have worked with all three generations of Groversons leaders and we have had good working relations with each of them. We have always had good response for their products and hope to see it continue.” As the purchase patterns take on a shift with the continuous changes in the lifestyle and increase in brand awareness and brand consciousness, Groversons is gearing up to increase its brand presence furthermore. “Gradually, we want to turn our factories into profit units,” claims Mr. Rakesh with an aspirational insight. In the new decade that was flagged off with 2011, there is much that has been achieved by Groversons. Their brands pin the loyalty charts unlike any other, their following is unchallenged in the north of India and other parts of India. Groversons Apparel Pvt. Ltd has, indeed, come a long way. "We have a 400 plus strong distribution network. This allows us to reach out to 28 states of the country via 15,000 plus retail outlets. Our products are available in every corner of the country, and although we still struggle to meet the huge demand, we are trying to augment our processes better," said Mr. Rakesh. The company plans to direct focus on increasing exports. They are also in talks with various companies for likely tie-ups and co-branding opportunities. Since Groversons was the first lingerie manufacturing company to receive ISO 9001:2008 certification, their focus remains on maintaining and upgrading their superior level of work environment. The company is in the process of establishing another equivalent unit by the end of 2011, which is likely to set the bar high for industrial excellence. This augmentation of industrial process has been one of the most noteworthy changes that the Groversons is known for.
the uncovered storyline Brands of Groversons Known for their extensive range of lingerie, Groversons brands have the distinct air of being high in quality, exclusive in design and creative in overall presentation and look. “I have been in this business for almost 25 years now and in all of these years Groversons products have been consistently good,” said Mr. Vijay Sachdeva (a distributor) of Sachdeva Traders. The company has presented for Indian women a plethora of brands that have been easy on the price but never low on quality and fit. Its brands are not only exclusive but they all encompass in them the earthly values that Groversons has long been governed by.
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Paris Beauty The flagship brand of Groversons, Paris Beauty is the most well-known brand of the company. It carries a cotton and hosiery range, which comprises of panties, slips, camisole and sports bras. The first brand to be launched by the company, Paris Beauty has withstood the test of time, credited majorly to the fact that over all these years, Paris Beauty has evolved with its female consumers, molding its ways to accommodate the shift in trends, patterns and expectations from the brand.
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Paris Beauty Premium
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Paris Beauty Premium is a range of fancy bras under the flagship title. This range is an amalgamation of international styles with ultimate comfort. The range consists of full coverage, deep neck, halter neck, underwire, pushup, moulded, seamless, balconet, plunge, convertible and nursing bra to name the few styles. The products under Paris Beauty Premium are designed in 100% cotton adorned with imported laces and fabrics to give the products a sense of sensuality with comfort.
Sparsh Launched in the early 80s, Sparsh continues to be a pioneer brand in the intimate apparel category for being one of the first brands to introduce the concept of A, B, C and D cup bras. A novel concept at the time, the company was attentive enough to first educate its customers about the range and how it can caters to their need better. Crafted in high-quality fabric with elastic bands, unlike the standard rubber elastic based bras, Sparsh products continue to hold close acquaintanceship with its audience for being elegant and value oriented.
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Poems
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Known to carry an international appeal in terms of presentation and perception, ‘Poems’ from Groversons is a distinguished brand that exudes a sense of flamboyance but with overtones of being smart. Launched in the year 2006, Poems carries a sense of ‘Indian-ness’ in it products. It is targeted at young women who are independent and particular when it comes to intimate wear. It hopes to cater to lingerie that blends with the personality and the apparel in perfect harmony.
Miss-t Understanding a shift in the modern intimate apparel consumption pattern, the company decided to tap the large below-30, young, aspirational and urbane female population (significantly teenagers) with something that was more fun, easy to wear and yet fashionable. T shirts, suits, office-wear, sportswear and plunging necklines demand a modern take on brassiere and Miss-t was designed to cater to this shift exclusively. Launched in the year 2008, its brazier range offers seamless support that is easy on the skin yet with perfect fit.
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the uncovered storyline Being one of the proprietors of one of India’s oldest continually existing brand, ‘Paris Beauty’, the company in due course of time has created brands which are in-tune with today’s changing times. “I have worked in this business for nearly a decade now and I have always seen Groversons products as being consistently good. What works for them is the fact that they cater to all classes of people, giving them extensive range of products (daily to fancy) to choose from at a reasonable budget. The management at Groversons is very approachable. Now that it is comprised of young and aggressive minds, we can hope to see far more innovative products from them,” said properitor of B.M. Agencies (Jaipur), Mr. Bhushan Chandnani. A name that promises quality, style and everlasting comfort, Groversons not only has become an emblem presenting women’ intimate wear needs, but also a name which has played a very vital role in regulating the unorganized sector. With a never ceasing urge to innovate and accelerate, Groversons Apparel Pvt. Ltd has donned a role that of responsibility. This grand venture in the Indian Intimate Apparel Industry will optimistically fuel aspiration of other hopefuls who have vision coupled with ambition. “My only message to everyone in the industry would be to put the consumer first, listen to their feedback and always plan big to achieve big things,” concluded the gleaming Managing Director of Groversons Apparel Pvt. Ltd.
Concluding on a proverbial tone with people acquainted with the Groversons
(Lucknow): Rumal House ng in the
Chabra: “Bei Mr. Pammi we have most 20 years, business for al ions of three generat l al ith w ed work have had aders and we le s n o rs ve ro G with each g relations good workin had good have always of them. We d hope eir products an th r fo se n o resp ue.” to see it contin
Sachdeva Tra ders (Sadar Bazar) :
Mr. Vijay Sac hdeva: “I have been in this business fo r almost 25 ye ar s now and in all of these years G roversons products ha ve been co nsistently good.”
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B.M
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e work “We hav now and ur years fo t s o lm er y for a s been v ience ha r e p x e r ou am.” h their te it w d o o g