Dollar to relaunch men’s denim brand Force

Kolkata-based Dollar Industries, engaged in manufacturing hosiery innerwear and garments for men, women and kids, is planning to re-enter the men’s denim-wear segment. The company had nationally launched 'Force' brand of denims in 2012 with a low-profile entry in the eastern market towards

the end of 2011.

Pushing forward 'Force' denim

"Initially, encouraged by good response in eastern markets, we had introduced the brand in Uttar Pradesh,

Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat. By the end of 2012, we had launched the brand nationally," says Vinod Kumar Gupta, Managing Director, Dollar Industries. "This year, we are planning to relaunch this brand in a big way. We have hired a new agency to change the entire look and feel of Force and have given them four months to come up with a new creative and recreate the brand. It will be relaunched in a big way in all Tier I cities soon," confirms Gupta. Force is targeted primarily at the mid-segment. Dollar already has T-shirts and gym vests under the Force brand name.

For Eid, Dollar is running a new beneficial scheme for the retailers all across the country. "All our retailers are given imported mink blankets for all the pain they take for selling our products. This scheme will be relevant for the Durga Puja as well as Deepawali festivals in October", says Gupta. In early January 2015, Dollar will shoot a new commercial with Akshay Kumar. "We are happy with our brand ambassador and have renewed our contract with him this April. He will be our brand ambassador till June 2016", reveals Gupta.

The innerwear market in India is pegged at approximately Rs 11,000 crores and Dollar today has evolved as an umbrella brand for the company. It has launched an array of successful sub-brands like Bigboss Premium Innerwear, Force Go Wear, Club, Myme, Hutch, Midas, Lehar, Comfort, Interlock, Missy, Kids Care, Winter Care, Footprints (Socks) and more.

Last year, as part of its backward integration plan, the Kolkata Stock Exchange-listed company had set up a fabric processing unit in Erode district of Tamil Nadu with an investment of Rs 35 crores. The company also has manufacturing units in Kolkata, New Delhi, Ludhiana and Tirupur, with a combined installed capacity of 600,000 pieces a day. While the company is currently churning out 400,000 units a day, Gupta said it was looking at fully utilising the capacity in two years from now. "We are the only company in India which has spinning, stitching, cutting etc, in our own premises. In 2013-14, we grew at 22 percent and our annual turnover was Rs 692 crores," says Gupta. For the financial year ended March 2013 Dollar recorded a turnover of Rs 579.47 crores.

Dollar Industries was started in 1996 in Kolkata and today the company's reach spans 26 states, making it one of the top five hosiery undergarment manufacturers in India. The brand has a strong presence in international retail chains like Carrefour and Lulus and a growing market in the Middle East.