The recent launching of air cargo operations from Visakhapatnam International Airport has brought cheer among the top officials of Brandix India Apparel City (BIAC), developed on an area of 1,000 acres at Atchutapuram, about 50 km from here, with an aim to make it global sourcing hub for apparels.
Popularly known as Brandix Apparel Park, it has so far employed 18,000, mostly from the villages in the neighbourhood and 16,000 of them women from poor background. Developed on ‘fibre to store’ concept, it is now home for 14 units.
Close on the heels of introducing a direct flight to Colombo by SriLankan Airlines, air cargo operation was launched sometime ago after a lot of dilly-dallying over clearances and other issues.
The air cargo operation will bring significant impact on the logistics cost now incurred by BIAC, an Indian arm of apparel major Brandix Lanka. At present, the finished products, mostly intimate apparels, are transported to the United States and the Europe via Chennai/Hyderabad airports.
“The new facility will not only save our logistics cost to some extent but also help us reduce the delivery time,” BIAC India Partner Dora Swamy told The Hindu.
The products made at BIAC are marketed under the labels of international brands namely such as Victoria’s Secret, Pink, Calvin Klein and Marks & Spencer. Seeds Intimate Apparel, one of the 14 units under operation at BIAC accounts for a lion’s share of brassiere exported from India to the US.
Impressive growth
The teething problems and prolonged slump in economy notwithstanding, Brandix, which launched its operations in 2007-08, has seen growth in its exports turnover from ₹150 crore in the first year to ₹1,800 crore last fiscal.
The turnover saw a CAGR of 20% to 25% over an eight year period. It is likely to cross ₹2,000 crore-mark in 2017-18 with the State government promising to showcase its full potential at various forums to bring investments.
Of MoUs it has signed with four companies for investment of ₹250 crore – two of them Chinese -- an Indian company has already started operations. Of the two Chinese companies, one is expected to start soon and the other one is expected to follow later. Mr. Dora Swamy said they were confident of more companies from Sri Lanka and China to invest in the world-class park.
Mr. Dora Swamy said due to livelihood ensured to the rural women from poor background after training them, now textiles had turned into main USP for jobs after agriculture. “We are not only providing them safe workplace with medical care to pregnant women but also arranging transport from home and other facilities as part of social security and better ecosystem,” he pointed out.
