Rajan Handa, MD, OK Play India Ltd., talks about the company's foray into manufacturing of mannequins, his vision behind the move and the market for mannequins in India.
Rajan Handa, an Engineering Graduate (Production) from Punjab University, Chandigarh started his career with the manufacturing of water storage tanks by establishing Aquapure Containers Ltd. in 1989. The year 1992 proved to be a turning point in his career, when he acquired OK Play, a British company and established it in India as a fully owned entity named OK Play India Ltd.
Over a period of two decades as Managing Director of OK Play India Ltd., with his good business acumen and vision, Handa has led the company to become one of the premier names in design and development of rotational moulded products, in the plastic moulding industry.
Tell us about your Recent Tie-up with purform, the Mannequin brand from New Zealand.
OK Play India Ltd. has entered into an exclusive DAVANDAVANDAVANDAVANE'Marketing, Technical and Manufacturing Agreement' with New Zealand's mannequin brand, PURFORM. As per the agreement, OK Play India Ltd. will manufacture and market PURFORM mannequins in India, while PURFORM will provide the necessary technological support. This agreement is in addition to another agreement between both the companies, whereby PURFORM will shift its entire production to OK Play India Ltd. in India and outsource its requirement for the international markets from us, thus making India its global manufacturing hub. This exclusive arrangement with PURFORM will give us complete access to their technological skills and design excellence, which will enable us to offer international quality mannequins to the growing Indian market.
What is your vision behind Venturing into manufacturing of Mannequins?
I think today more and more retailers are not just getting conscious about 'what to sell?' but also, 'how to sell?' The art of visual merchandising is coming to the forefront and undoubtedly, one of the most effective tools for displaying apparel is through mannequins - be it window dressing or in-store placements. However, the mannequin industry in India is still in the infant stage and there are no organised players to address the growing demand in this segment. A market research conducted by OK Play India Ltd. estimates the current mannequin demand at Rs 500 crore. Having recognised this untapped potential, OK Play India Ltd., decided to foray into this line. Co-incidentally, this is when Purform was also on the look-out for an ideal Indian partner.
Mannequins are an entirely new line for you … How is it different from manufacturing of toys or any other Commercial products, which has been your Forte?
Yes, it's a new product category, but the manufacturing process of each product whether it's toys or other commercial products, is not very different. Our main forte is making rotationally moulded plastic products which will also be the base of mannequins manufacturing.
What kind of Technology will you put in for the Creation of Mannequins?
We will use the rotational moulded process to fabricate a range of plastic mannequins. OK Play India Ltd. has always laid tremendous emphasis on the quality of our products. With latest manufacturing techniques, stringent quality norms and latest testing equipments, Ok Play India Ltd. will ensure that products with specified standards and desired quality are delivered to customers. The new product design is also characterised by incorporating the minutest of details, with reference to functionality and moulding of the product.
What kind of support will you get from Purform?
We will manufacture the entire range of mannequins in India, with PURFORM providing us the latest technology, moulds etc. Our engineers will be working with PURFORM's R&D team to adapt and customise these products according to the suitability of the Indian as well as global markets.
Tell us about your set-up and proposed investment for the Project?
As OK Play India Ltd. is now diversifying into several product categories such as mannequins, outdoor playground equipment, children's furniture, delivery boxes etc, the company is setting up three new projects in Bawal, Haryana; Ranipet, Tamil Nadu; and Baddi, Himachal Pradesh, with a cumulative investment of Rs 70 crore. The company has already been allotted 15 acres of land by HSIIDC at Bawal, five acres of land by SIPCOT at Ranipet, and another five acres for the Baddi plant. These plants are expected to be operational by the end of 2009.
Our existing facility is at Sohna in Haryana. The manufacturing facility is spread over 16,000 sq metres and has all the necessary resources needed to design, develop, produce and assemble products. The manufacturing and design capabilities are supported by highly qualified professionals and skilled technicians. The manufacturing capabilities include in-house state-of-the-art facilities for product designing, mould designing and development of all kinds of plastic moulding and post moulding facilities.
What are the various types of Mannequins that you will Manufacture?
Initially, we will manufacture over 20 different types of mannequins - full length (male/female), three-fourth (male/female), kid mannequins and also a variety of body sections such as heads, legs, hands and just torsos. These can be made and customised to cater to the needs of a specific clothing display. These mannequins will be available in white, off-white, black, metallic grey and skin colours. Further, they can be moulded in any colour as per customer's demand.
What type of materials are usually used to create Mannequins? What materials will be used by OK Play India Ltd.?
Traditionally, mannequins were made with plaster of Paris and at a later stage with FRP. The plastic mannequins we are offering are of the latest generation - made out of LLDPE (Low Linear Density Poly Ethylene) which has numerous advantages over its existing counterparts. They are light- weight, maintenance free, have no colouring hazards and can be easily replicated.
What kind of consumer kind of consumer study is put in while designing the poses of the Mannequins? What are the Preferred colours and poses?
Mannequins are available in different shapes and sizes and have various body parts, which can be bent and positioned in different angles, according to the postures required for the mannequins. Mannequins cannot be categorised or designed keeping in mind any particular pose. They are designed according to the type of apparel they will display. Different types of mannequins are available to suit the requirement of retailers. Generally, white and skin colours are in demand but again that depends on the brands on display.
What are the Qualties that make a good Mannequins?
A good quality mannequin is one which is unbreakable, light- weight, durable, washable and easy to assemble.
What is your price range and your USP?
The prices will start from Rs 1,500 and go up to Rs 6,000. The USP of OK Play India Ltd. lies in the fact that the mannequins are more durable in comparison to the existing market products, which are made of fibreglass. They won't get damaged, break or chip and don't have to be sent for repairs. They can be easily assembled and dressed in the store. All the materials used are 100 per cent recyclable. The mannequins are unbreakable, lightweight and maintenance free, which makes them more durable and long lasting. They need not be replaced frequently thus saving retailer's investment. This gives better return on investments to our customers. More than 50 per cent of the players in the retail segment in the coming years are big apparel and lifestyle brands. They are our target customers.
Which are the major Mannequins manufacturing countris in the world? What is India's standing Vis-A-Vis these Countries?
The major mannequin producing countries in the world are USA, UK, New Zealand and China. As per the Indian Retail Forum, the estimated size of the retail industry today is Rs 120,000 billion, and this is poised to triple in the near future. A major contributor to this retail revolution would be the apparel segment. As per reports circulated by CRISIL, the apparel trade in India is set to cross Rs 1,600 billion by 2012. The Indian mannequin market is still in its infant stage, but looking at the robust growth of the apparel segment, the mannequin market certainly has a promising future.
What is the Importance of Mannequins in Today's Apparel Industry?
According to the market study done by OK Play India Ltd., in today's scenario, mannequins are the most successful sales format for retailers that help in increasing sales by a minimum of 10 to 30 per cent. The importance of display in creating the retail brand image has been recognised. As retail sector is booming, the spotlight is slowly shifting from the products to the place of action where the art of visual merchandising starts and mannequins come into limelight. They are the most successful sales format for retailers, and proper care should be taken to position them in an effective way.
The art of displaying mannequins in an appealing way in the retail outlets has now become inevitable in any retail business and more particularly for retailers in clothing business. As per the new trend in the mannequin industry, mannequins should be designed to enhance the displayed products and not the mannequin itself. The success of a retail business mainly depends on the creation of a good clothing environment which depends on an appealing display design. The clothes draped on the mannequins should be of the right size and choice so as to make the display more eye-catching.
Window display resulted in a new attitude among consumers called window gazing or window shopping. Almost every clothing store has a minimum of one mannequin found in the front windows of stores at the mall to display the store's latest fashions. It gives the finishing touch of the display arrangement in a retail store.
How Big is the Mannequin market in India?
The mannequin business in India is growing at a rate of 25 to 30 per cent per year. The industry is worth Rs 40 crore with most players situated in and around New Delhi. But there is a large untapped market for mannequins in India, which we estimate to be around Rs 500 crore. So the scope of the business of mannequins is quite vast. Moreover, in the past couple of years there have been sweeping changes in the general retailing business, mainly in apparel retailing. The once strictly made-to-order market for clothing has now changed to a ready-to-wear market and mannequins are an integral part of today's apparel retail business.
What is your Annual Turnover?
OK Play India Ltd., has a present turnover of Rs 70 to 80 crore and our focus is to reach a mark of Rs 250 crore in the next two years, through our various projects and activities.
Source: http://www.cmai.in/news/apparelnews_view_index.asp?articleID=348
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