Tag Archives: India

Emergence Of Sport Tech In Technical Textile Industry

Today sports in India have achieved a peak in terms of popularity and as a career option. Olympics, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, SAF Games, Wimbledon and many other world sports tournaments see Indians as one of the most leading sports participants in the world. From Tendulkar, Paes, Bhupathi, Anand, Geet Sethi, Karthikeyan to Sania Mirza lead the present sports generation of India. Cricket, Hockey, Football, Snooker, weightlifting, Kabaddi, Kho Kho and Archery are the sports of India that have been deep seated into an Indian psyche, whether of a sports person or a sports lover. Not only physical strength, power and satisfaction but also a strong alternative of recreation; sports in India have covered a long way towards the road of success and have made themselves a hallmark in the world of sports.

Sports footwear includes appropriate shoes for different sports. Keeping in view the movement of feet and the type of surface on which a sport is played, the shoes uppers and soles are designed to meet the varying performance requirements.

Textile components form an integral part of sports and sporty look footwear. In terms of value, approximately 20 percent of the components used in sports shoes are textiles, while the remaining cost is contributed by non-textile components such as soles, polyurethane, foam leather on uppers, counters, eyelets etc. Shoe uppers and lining on the counter, socks below the shoe uppers are made of textiles and constitute nearly 95 percent of the total textiles used in sport shoes. Other textile components, though consumed in minor quantities, are nonwoven textiles, laces, tapes, threads, lables, elastic etc. The shoe uppers and linings used in the inner part counters and socks are made of laminated fabrics. Nonwoven fabrics are used as interlinings. The laminated fabrics for shoe uppers may comprise fabric laminated with foam, polyurethane, rubber etc. In the premium range of shoes, sandwiched meshes may be used instead of fabric-foam laminated uppers.

Three different kinds of fabrics, knitted, woven and non-woven are used for sports shoes. The fibres used for such fabrics are polyester, polyester-viscose, cotton and nylon. Sandwiched mesh also known as high-tech three dimensional fabrics Consisting of micro filaments sandwiched between two layers of meshes is also used as alternative to foam laminated fabrics. Fibres used in these fabrics wick moisture away from the skin to the outer layer of the fabric, thereby facilitating faster evaporation. However, such high performance fabrics are used only in some variants of premium range of sports shoes produced by branded companies. Polyester, polypropylene, nylon and cotton are used for Sportech. However, the predominant use is that of polyester since it is cheap. Nylon is used for the premium range of shoes. Cotton is used predominantly in canvas shoes and childrens shoes.

The Indian sports footwear industry is labour intensive and is concentrated in small and cottage industry sector. Nearly 95 percent of sports footwear is produced in the small / cottage units concentrated in and around Delhi and mere 5 percent in the organized sector.

Sports shoes are available in a wide variety at prices lower than leather footwear. These shoes are comfortable and can be worn for different purposes such as jogging, casual wear, leisure wear etc. The increasing use of sportswear as leisure wear has also been positively impacting the demand of sports shoes. As a result, the sports footwear industry has witnessed a healthy growth of around 10-15 percent per annum during the last decade and has grown to a 595 mn. Pairs of sports shoe market, valued at about Rs.5950 crore. The annual consumption of laminated fabrics by sports footwear industry is about 120 mn. Sq. mtrs and 80 percent of the same is sourced indigenously.

Natural Mineral Water Indian Industry Analysis

Natural mineral water
According to American and European Regional Codex Standard, natural mineral water:
is obtained directly from natural or drilled sources from underground water – bearing strata.
is collected under conditions which guarantee the original natural bacteriological purity.
is bottled at the point of emergence of the source with

particular hygienic precautions is not subjected to any chemical treatment.

Indian bottled Water Industry

The bottled water industry in India is estimated at about Rs 1,000 crore and is growing at 40 per cent. “By 2010, it will reach Rs 4,000 – 5,000 crore with 33 per cent market for natural mineral water.

The formal bottled water business in India can be divided broadly into three segments in terms of cost: premium natural mineral water, natural mineral water and packaged drinking water.

It is estimated that the global consumption of bottled water is nearing 200 billion litres – sufficient to satisfy the daily drinking water need of one-fourth of the Indian population or about 4.5 per cent of the global population at the fourth World Water Forum held in Mexico City in March 2006.

In India, the per capita bottled water consumption is still quite low – less than five litres a year as compared to the global average of 24 litres. However, the total annual bottled water consumption has risen rapidly in recent times – it has tripled between 1999 and 2004 – from about 1.5 billion litres to five billion litres. These are boom times for the Indian bottled water industry – more so because the economics are sound, the bottom line is fat and the Indian government hardly cares for what happens to the nation’s water resources. Since 1991-

1992 it has not looked back, and the demand in 2004-05 was a staggering 82 million cases.

Mineral Water Market in India

For example, the per capita consumption of mineral water in India is a mere 0.5-liter compared to 111 liter in Europe and 45-liter in USA.

But over the last ten years, it has witnessed tremendous growth. The change is very much evident. Once a product found mainly at railways stations, mineral water today occupies a place on the shelf in most superstores, grocers and even paanwalas. From a mere 60 towns in the year 1997, it is predicted that mineral water is today available in more than 1000 towns and cities across India. With a compounded annual growth rate of close to 30% over the last decade, the mineral water market has witnessed a large growth in terms of volumes.

The market is highly competitive with the entry of MNCs like Pepsico and Coke. There are a lot of brands available in the market, each with its own proclaimed differentiation.

2.2 Player in the market

In natural mineral water there are very few company like Himalayan, Aava, Evian is playing in the market. 50% of the market is captured by Himalayan.
While a thousand bottled water producers, the Indian bottled water industry is big by even international standards. There are more than 200 brands, nearly 80 per cent of which are local.
Most of the small-scale producers sell non-branded products and serve small markets.
Despite the large number of small producers, this industry is dominated by the big players – Parle Bisleri, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Parle Agro, Mohan Meakins, SKN Breweries and so on.

Consumption of bottled water in India is linked to the level of prosperity in the different regions. The western region accounts for 40 per cent of the market and the eastern region just 10. However, the bottling plants are concentrated in the southern region – of the approximately 1,200 bottling water plants in India, 600 are in Tamil Nadu. This is a major problem because southern India, especially Tamil Nadu, is wate starved.

Mineral water business is restricted only to big hotels & Restaurants. This field has lot of scope because of unawareness in the market and people are becoming health conscious.

Scenario Of Mobile Industry In India

A lot of water has flowed under the bridge from the time that mobiles were unheard of in India to the present where they have become almost ubiquitous. Beginning from those days, Indian subscribers paid around Rs. 16.40 for a mobile to mobile call and around Rs 32.80 for a mobile to a landline call. Today, as per recent statistics, customers pay far lesser for calls and occasional text messages that add up to around Rs 300 a month and upwards.

Now that mobiles have moved into the affordable bracket, there is a great demand for additional mobile services such as mobiles, email, stock market quotes, and astrology services, just to name a few.

A recent survey pointed to the fact that for most customers, mobile phones have become an extension of their personality. Many go a step ahead to say that mobile phones define their individuality as well.

In such a scenario, it is worthwhile to compare the growth of the mobile phone industry vis-a-vis the computer industry in India. According to recent statistics, there are nearly 300 million mobile phone subscribers as compared to just around 30 million PCs in the country. Additionally, around 8 million subscribers are signing up every month for mobile services alone.

For most individuals, mobile phones are becoming a single point of contact for the world surrounding them covering a wide range of utilities like emailing, entertainment, and banking.

More and more people are looking out for more than just talk time on their mobiles. All this is generating a lot of enthusiasm for mobile companies. A number of serious players in this industry are looking at a range of such value added services, which have the capability to boost their bottom line.

Not only are Indians enthralled, but they started spending a considerable amount on these services too. This figure amounted to around $250 million last year. This figure is expected to reach $1.7 billion by the year 2010. This is a boon in disguise for Indian cellular operators who are seriously looking forward to enhance their revenues. Currently, nearly 80% of the revenues come from services like ring tones and SMS. This makes India the second largest mobile market on earth.

The young mobile savvy generation currently feels less privileged in nearly every sector. And thats precisely what is fuelling the growth in mobile services across the country. As the market expands but fulfilling the needs of mobile users by providing them attractive services, mobile phones are becoming a new vehicle for reaching out to the mobile generation.

Mobile content providers also visualise a big jump in their services. These include many global companies such as Google, Yahoo and MSN, which have signed up with many Indian operators like Airtel, Bharti, Vodafone, Tata, and Reliance Communications. Together, they offer a host of services based on the local and regional markets in their area of operation.

The Indian mobile scenario seems to be all set for the next stage expansion and consolidation, but there are a few complications as well. Not all users can afford costlier services beyond messaging and talk time. What is expected is increase in the already growing user base so such services can become affordable to one and all in the long run.

Leather Industry Of India

The leather industry in India holds a very prominent place in the Indian economy. The leather and leather products industry is one of the oldest manufacturing industries in India. The Indian leather industry provides employment to about 2.5 million people in the country and has an annual turnover of approximately US$ 5,000,000.

The industry has a massive potential for providing more employment, growth, and exports. Recently, the exports of leather and leather products have gained massive momentum. The exports of Indian leather goods have registered phenomenal growth. This is mainly because great emphasis has been placed on the planned development of the leather industry and at the optimal utilization of available raw materials.

Over the years the leather industry in India has undergone drastic change from being a mere exporter of raw materials in the early 60’s and 70’s to now becoming an exporter of finished, value-added leather products. The main reason behind the transformation is the several policy initiatives taken by the government of India. The proactive government initiatives have yielded quick and improved results. Thanks to the government efforts today, the Indian leather industry has attained a prominent place in the Indian export and has made the industry one of the top 7 industries that earns foreign exchange for the country.

Since India adopted the globalization and liberalized economic policies in 1991, the leather industry has flourished consistently in several ways and has contributed heavily to the Indian exchequer. Though the industry has developed, it still has great potential for more growth and investments. Investing in Indian leather industry is particularly advantageous because the industry is poised to grow further and achieve a major share in the global trading market.

The government of India in its Foreign Trade Policy for 20002009 has identified the leather sector as a focus sector in view of its immense potential for export growth and generation of employment generation prospects.

Investment opportunities in the leather industry lie in different segments related to the industry, which include tanning and finishing of leather products, manufacturing of leather garments, manufacturing of leather footwear and footwear parts, and manufacturing of leather goods, such as harness and saddlery amongst a host of other opportunities.

Amongst all the industries mentioned above the footwear industry in particular holds greater potential for investments in India. India produces approximately 700 million pairs of leather footwear every year and accounts for an 18% share of the total Indian leather export.

After footwear manufacturing of leather goods promise great investment opportunity. Manufacturing of leather products, such as wallets, travel wares, belts, and handbags offer great returns on investment.

India is one of the best destinations in the world for investing in the leather industry because India is endowed with abundant raw materials required for the industry to grow. India has a huge population of cattle. India accounts for 21% of the worlds cattle and buffalo and 11% of the worlds goat and sheep population. Apart from the easy availability of raw materials, investors are able to enjoy an easy and abundant supply of skilled manpower, world-class technology, competent and favorable environmental standards, and the devoted support of allied industries.

Several leading international leather goods manufacturing brand names, such as Hugo Boss, Tommy Hilfiger, Versace, Guess, and DKNY, have invested in India and are engaged in sourcing leather goods from India.

Indian Art And Craft Industry- An Overview

Indian Art and Craft Industry- An Overview

India is a land where every corner is evident with the greatness of art and craft. The traditional quintessence of Indian art and craft can be seen even in the daily used objects like earthen pot, mugs, bed-sheets or any such things. The objects are created with a great creativity that portrays magnificent work of art. That is what Indian art and craft industry is!

Indian art and craft is an old saga. Although, the present state of the industry is flourishing with a touch of contemporary designs and patterns but it is deeply entrenched with the rich craft customs from the past. The uniqueness in the Industry lies in its own way.

India”s richness in art and craft can be seen in every product whether garments, Jewelleries or household furnishings. These products are a perfect mix of traditional designs and modern techniques. Due to their diversity in designs and their being utilitarian in nature, they are high in demand. This has given many Indian traders to invest in the industry and flaunt India”s custom across the world. Products such as table mats, napkins, bed sheets, lamp shades etc are made out astoundingly with the use of natural material, textile printing, block printing, tie and die, hand printing etc, and are much in demand. Gems and jewelries are other obsession of India. The rising demands in gems and jewelries have transformed Indian craft traditions into a full-grown organized industry. Garments such as woolen shawls and phirens from Himachal, traditional sarees ranging from Banarsi Amru, Tanchoi, Paithani, Patola, and Kancheevaram are the most popular export garments. Indias zardozi and brocade work are highly recognized these days. Other utilitarian craft products like cushions, curtains, bedcovers, sheets, metal furniture, wood furniture, boxes, cabinets, terracotta items, utensils, garden pots, papier-mch products, brass and silverware, carpets, rugs and durries from Kashmir, jute and coir items, wood and stone sculptures, traditional paintings, decorative pieces, embellished wooden sculptures, stone and wood carvings, and many more are on the rise in India as well as in abroad.

Here is the Swot Analysis of the Indian art and craft industry that gives you more information on the present status of the industry;

Strengths

“The industry has potential in domestic as well as international markets.

“It provides wide variety in each product and exhibit diversified culture of India.

“Industry caters to the different market sectors covering handicrafts, textiles and jewelries.

“Gives potential source of employment

“It requires low capital investment

“It is a great source of foreign revenue as it is a huge export industry.

Weakness

“Industry lacks communication and infrastructure

“Lack of co-ordination between Indian manufacturers-exporters and Government

“Inadequate information available on new technology

“Industry is still confined to rural areas of the nation

“No promotional support is given to the sector

Opportunities

“Emerging demands of Indian crafts across overseas

“Development of retail sectors and changing lifestyles offer huge requirements of such products

“Rise in the industry is due to development in tourism

“Internet has emerged as a mean to develop its market network

Threats

“Increasing competition in domestic markets

“Quality products manufacturing by countries like South Africa and China

“Better trade terms are offering by these countries

“Competing countries offer better technological support and R&D development facilities

“Challenge to establish balance between demand and supply of quality products

The reason why Indian art and craft is highly appreciated and constantly flourishing in domestic and foreign markets are due to its utilitarian nature and high acceptance among people of India and people across the whole world.