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RETAILER PERCEPTION OF KARAWIPES

2013

INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY & SCIENCE,GHAZIABAD

“To K now about Retailer perception Of Kara

Wipes in AGRA”

Summer Training Project Report submitted in

partial fulfillment of the requirements for the

Diploma of

Post Graduate Diploma in Management

At

INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND

SCIENCE,GHAZIABAD

UNDER THE GUIDENCE OF

Dr.Pankajkumar

By:

Shubham Agrawal

(2012-2014)




2013


Abstract

The purpose of my study was to “to know about consumer and retailers

perception”that can be used in promoting and maximizing the sales of

Kara in major markets of Agra. As any study is incomplete without the

interaction with its main stakeholdersinteracted with many commuters

of different cosmetics, general stores and medical stores covering

various major markets of Agra such as Sadar Bazaar, Sahaganj, Raja Ki

Mandi,SanjayPalace,Dayalbagh,LoharGali,Phuwara,etc.

Further interaction was with the second most important stakeholder

who plays a significant role in sale of a product i.e. retailer. It helped in

gauging the expectations of retailers as well as the expectations of

customers through retailers to reduce the gap between expectations and

realistic presence of the product.

I sampled Kara in major markets of Agra to increase the awareness of Kara because the concepts of using wet facial wipes is very new in India

unlike other western countries where people spend their major portion

salary in disposable products.




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Executive Summary

In last few years, the growth and development story of India has seen

different stages. From the time of independence to 1991, the time of

liberalization in India and then to the twenty first century, the markets

have shown tremendous changes. Today consumers have got the power

and the income to spend on products. Different firms entered in the

market and lost but many succeeded and make their mark. All the

markets starts with nascent stage and later grow to its maturity, same

with the wipes market which is in its nascent stage in India now but the

potential is high if explored.

Kara is a brand name of Wet wipes from the house of Grasim Industries,

Aditya BirlaGroup. Among its different variants, Refreshing facial wipes

are the most selling wipes inthe consumer market.

My project title was “To know about retailer perception in Agra market”

in Grasim Industries, Aditya Birla Group. Objective of the project was to

find out the ways to promote Kara and create new potential areas for the

product. It also involves the work to find out the measures to keep the

product ahead of its competitors such Johnson & Johnson, Bilt, Good

Look, Freshia, Mistique and last but the least the Chinese wipes

products.

In my later stage of training, I was assigned to understand the

operations of the company by visiting almost all markets in Agra. For the

purpose, I visited more than 50 shops and took orders from retailers of

the company and was also responsible in placing the product onto new

stores by convincing the retailers to keep the product.

Without collection of statistical data and its analysis any project is

incomplete, thus, I surveyed 30people by way of questionnaire and




2013


collected some secondary data from internet to understand and analyze

the exact situation of the market. Analysis part has been done through

interviews and surveys with the people visiting the retail stores in

different major markets and malls of Agra.

Result showed that the concept of using wet facial wipe is not as new as

it was a couple of years ago in the Indian market and now people are

partially aware of it. Middle class people can be targeted and educated

about this new concept through extensive promotional activities. One of

the finding was that people consider wet wipes as an extravagant article

rather than essential product which is positioned by the company and

do not want to spend a lot on such a product.




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Acknowledgement

The training program was designed in such a way that it provided a fulllearning opportunity throughout the training program. I would like to

express my gratitude towards all the people who guided me throughout

the program and their direct or indirect help was priceless for me,

without their guidance and support this project would not have been

completed successfully.

I express my sincere gratitude to Mr. DivyankarGoel, Regional Sales

Manager, North Division, Grasim Industries & Birla Cellulose, for his

belief in me and giving a chance to do market research for the company.

It has been an honor to do my summer training under Mr. NitinSethi,

Area Sales Manager, North Division, Grasim Industries & Birla Cellulose,

a composed and talented person who not only guided but also

supported and rectified me where I was going wrong. Therefore, I would

specially thank Mr. NitinSethifor his continuous guidance and

assistance throughout the training.

There was a great learning from my team at Grasim Industries, who not

only behave in a co-operative manner but also provide constant help in

the completion of the project, thus, I thank to my each team member in

the training program.

Last but surely not the least, I am very much thankful to my faculty

guide, Prof. Pankaj Kumar, core faculty at Institute of technology and

science ,Ghaziabad for her continuous guidance and support from the

proceeding of the project to its completion. I can not think of the

accomplishment of the project without her assistance and guidance.




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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page No.

CHAPTER - 1

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

INTRODUCTION

……………………………………………………………………………………………5

SCOPE OF THE STUDY

…………………………………………………………………………………..6

PURPOSE OF THE

STUDY……………………………………………………………………………6

CONTEXT OF THE

STUDY…………………………………………………………………………6

RELEVANCE OF THE

STUDY………………………………………………………………………….6

CHAPTER - 2

……………………………………………………………………………………………………...6

SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROFILE

…………………………………………...…………………….....7

RESEARCH AND

DEVELOPMENT……………………………………………………………………9

SOURCE OF COMPETITIVE

ADVANTAGE………………………………......….………………….9

ATTRIBUTE BIRLA

CELLULOSE…...…………………………………………….………………10,11

PRODUCT OF BIRLA

CELLULOSE…………….………….………….………………...………………….12




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MANIFACTURING FACILITY KARA WIPES

…………….…………..….……...……………………..15

VARIANT OF

KARA……………………………………………………………………………………………16

COMPETITOR………………………………………………………………………………………

……………19

MICHAEL PORTER’S FIVE FORCES MODEL

………………………………………...………....20

SWOT ANALYSIS

………………………………………………………………………………………….21

CHAPTER – 3

………………………………………………………………………………………….…………

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY…………………………………………………………….…………..22

CHAPTER – 4

……………………………………………………………………………………….……………

DATA ANALYSIS

………………………………………………………………………….………

………29

CHAPTER – 5

…………………………………………………………………………………….………………

RECOMMENDATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS

…………………………………….……………35

CHAPTER – 6

……………………………………………………………………………………….………..…




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CONCLUSION

…………………………………………………………………………….……………….40

CHAPTER – 7

……………………………………………………………………………………….…………...

ANNEXURE

………………………………………………………………………………………………...42

BIBLIOGRAPHY

…………………………………………………………………………………………..43

MY LEARNING FROM SUMMER INTERNSHIP

…..…………………………………………..45




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CHAPTER-1

INTRODUCTION

Aditya Birla Group is India's first truly multinational corporation.

Global in vision, rooted in values, the Group is driven by a

performance ethic pegged on value creation for its multiple

stakeholders. The group has an annual turnover of US$ 24 billion,

market capitalization of US$ 23 billion, and has over 100,000

employees belonging to over 25 different nationalities on its

rolls. The group has diversified business interests and is

dominant player in all the sectors in which it operates such as

viscose staple fibre, metals, cement, viscose filament yarn,

branded apparel, carbon black, chemicals, fertilizers, insulators,

financial, service, telecom, BPO and IT services.

Its subsidiary company Grasim is the largest exporter of Viscose

Rayon Fiber in the country, with exports to over 50 countries.

Grasim Industries is mainly focusing on increasing more

awareness about its newly launched Kara wet wipes. Being a new

concept in India, it is very difficult for the company to divert

Indian customers to substitute traditional handkerchief by Kara

wet wipes. They are position the same through their continuous

and effective marketing communication. They have an edge over

their competitors because of its backward integration and the

raw material for Kara wet wipes is being provided from Birla

cellulose division.

I sampled in different markets of Agra to create awareness about

the product and give the commuters opportunity to use Kara wet

wipes free of cost for the first time approach. A field work has

also been done to know the response of the customers towards




2013


the brand of company, brand of the competitors, their perception

about using wet wipes etc. through a formal questionnaire.

I was fortunate enough to get this opportunity to work with such

a multinational incorporation. As the group quotes its tageline,

“Taking India to the world”, it provided a lot of learning

experiences those will surely help in long run in my

transformation towards corporate world.

Scope of the study

The data collected gives the clear picture of the product in the markets

of Agra, the study of this research, gives the company an indication

about whether it is feasible to move on with the persisting movements

and marketing strategies, and if no, then how to go about it and make it

worthwhile for the brand as well as the company. And conclude on what

should be the most favored deal.

The main purpose to conduct this marketing research is to find out the

perception of the consumer towards the new concept of the skin carewet wipes whether they are not hesitant to accept this new concept of

the wet wipes or they still believes in the traditional method of using the

formulized based products. And even to study how much awareness of

this product is there in the market and the brand image of it.

Another main aim to conduct this study was to understand the retailers

reactions and expectation towards the KARA and to reduce the gap

between the expectations of retailers and in actual.

The study of consumers’ responses helps firms and organizations

improve their marketing strategies.




2013


Purpose of the study

The objective of project was “To take measures for maximizing salesopportunities and promote Kara in Agra market. Thus, approaching to

general public and introducing our products to them and reminding

them until they give a formal response was our priority task. However,

along with it, a primary research work was also done to supplement the

field work.

Context of Study

Free samples were given to people along with a small briefing about theproduct who showed good level of interest in Kara. The questionnaire

was pre-designed and during conversation, the questions were

disguisedly asked.

Relevance of Study

The research work gives us an idea as to what difficulties Kara is facing

in spite of being a very good quality product. It gives a scope of

improvement to rethink on some marketing aspects like better discount

slabs, refining target customers etc. Since the TV advertisement

campaign for Kara is gaining momentum, aggressive selling can be

practiced to offer Kara in major market of Agra.

Reporting: I reported to Mr. NitinSethi, Area Sales Manager who acted

as the delivery head for this particular project

Achievements/Recognition:

Post the sampling activity, I was assigned to visit retailers along with

one salesman to take orders from retailers keeping Kara and place the

product onto new counters for the increment of sales as well as

awareness. I got appreciation from Area Sales Manager for high worth of

order in a day and continuous placement of the product onto new

counters.




2013


Chapter-2

Detailed Introduction of about the

Topic

Summer Internship Profile

1)General Trade Management

In this profile, all the small retail shops are focused where I had to see if

Kara is already available with them, are the retailers happy about the

response of the product, sufficient inventory levels are maintained etc.

Also there were many retail shops which didn’t have any wet wipes and

were apprehensive about keeping the product. I had to market the

product to such retailers and clarify any doubts which retailer has about

the product.

2) Marketing Research

This profile is a pure marketing research based where I have to ask

respondents to fill up a pre-designed questionnaire thus fulfilling the

given objective. I chose places like malls and major markets where I had

to intercept respondents and request them to take part in the research.

Sample size was 30 which includes both offline.




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Grasim Industries Limited, a flagship company of the Aditya Birla Group,

ranks among India's largest private sector companies, with consolidated

net revenue of Rs.202 billion and a consolidated net profit (before

extraordinary items) of Rs.27.6 billion (FY2010).

Starting as a textiles manufacturer in 1948, today Grasim's businesses

comprise viscose staple fibre (VSF), cement, chemicals and textiles. Its

core businesses are VSF and cement, which contribute to over 90 per

cent of its revenues and operating profits.The Aditya Birla Group is the

world’s largest producer of VSF, commanding a 21 per cent global

market share. Grasim, with an aggregate capacity of 333,975 tpa has a

global market share of 10 per cent. It is also the second largest producer

of caustic soda (which is used in the production of VSF) in India.Grasim

is the largest exporter of Viscose Rayon Fiber in the country, with

exports to over 50 countries. This, along with Aditya Birla Nuvo can be

considered as the flagship companies of the AV Birla Group.

Grasim is India's pioneer in Viscose Staple Fibre (VSF), a man-made,

biodegradable fibre with characteristics akin to cotton. As an extremely

versatile and easily blendablefibre, VSF is widely used in apparels, home

textiles, dress material, knitted wear and non-woven applications.

Grasim's VSF plants are located at Nagda in Madhya Pradesh, Kharach in

Gujarat and Harihar in Karnataka, with an aggregate capacity of 333,975

tpa.

Nagda

Nagda is its largest unit producing a wide range of VSF to suit customer

requirements in terms of length, denier and colour and also second and

third generation fibres like Modal, Excel and Solvent Spun fibres,

respectively. Nagda is also the largest producer of spun-dyed specialty

fibre in the world.




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Harihar

TheHarihar unit houses facility for manufacture of both VSF and rayon

grade pulp, the basic raw material for VSF. The company's Rayon Grade

plant was the first in India to use totally indigenous wood resources

with in-house technology for producing rayon pulp with an innovative

oxygen bleaching process to reduce the use of chlorine.

Kharach

The VSF plant at Kharach, set up in 1996, employs the most modern

technology giving it a competitive edge in the export market.

Diversified Businesses

Aditya Birla is organized into various subsidiaries that operate across

different sectors. Among these are viscose staple fibre, non-ferrous

metals, cement, viscose filament yarn, branded apparel, carbon black,

chemicals, Modern retail(under the 'More' brand of Supermarkets, and

also under the Trinethra, and Fabmall brands until recently), fertilizers,

sponge iron, insulators, financial services, telecom, BPO and IT services.

The Group consists of four main companies, which operate in various

industry sectors through subsidiaries, joint ventures etc. These are

Hindalco, Grasim, Aditya Birla Nuvo, and UltraTech Cement.

Non Ferrous Metals

The groups non-ferrous metals are under Hindalco. It is a dominant

player in aluminum and copper. Its manufacturing locations are

primarily in India, and it owns mines in Australia. On February 11, 2007,

the company entered into an agreement to acquire the Canadian

company Novelis for U$6 billion, making the combined entity the

world's largest rolled-aluminium producer. On May 15, 2007, the

acquisition was completed with Novelis shareholders receiving $44.93

per outstanding share of common stock.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viscose

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-ferrous

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cement

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Filament_yarn&action=edit&redlink=1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemicals

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Modern_retail&action=edit&redlink=1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fertilizers

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sponge_iron

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insulators

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Financial_services

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telecom

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BPO

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_technology

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindalco

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grasim

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aditya_Birla_Nuvo&action=edit&redlink=1

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=UltraTech_Cement&action=edit&redlink=1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/February_11

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novelis

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_15



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_15

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novelis


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/February_11

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=UltraTech_Cement&action=edit&redlink=1

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aditya_Birla_Nuvo&action=edit&redlink=1


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindalco

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_technology

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BPO

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telecom

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Financial_services


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sponge_iron


http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Modern_retail&action=edit&redlink=1


http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Filament_yarn&action=edit&redlink=1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cement

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-ferrous

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viscose




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Hindalco has also recently acquired Alcan's stake in the Utkal Alumina

Project Joint venture in Orissa,India. Hindalco is a Fortune500 company,

it makes alumina chemicals, primary aluminum, rolled products, alloy

wheels, roofing sheets, wire rods, Cast copper rods, copper cathodes and

several other products. But the project has faced massive protests from

locals. On 16 Dec 2001 three tribal people were shot dead because they

were opposed to the project.

Cement

The Group has two subsidiary companies in cement sector named as

Grasim and UltraTech cement. Together the two companies under the

group account for a substantial share of the cement market in India.

UltraTech cement comprises the erstwhile cement business of L&T

which was acquired by the group. UltraTech announced an increase in

sales by 18% and Profit after Tax by 42% for the quarter ending March

31, 2012.

Carbon Black

The Group is the fourth largest manufacturer of Carbon Black

worldwide. It operates out of facilities in Egypt, Thailand, India and

China.It is a major supplier to several major automobile tyre

manufacturers worldwide.

Textile Business

The Aditya Birla Group is the world's largest player in the Viscose Staple

Fiber industry. It operates out of India also such as in Laos, Thailand,

Malaysia and China. It owns the Birla Cellulose brand. Apart from

viscose staple fiber, the group also owns acrylic fiber businesses in

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Alcan%27s&action=edit&redlink=1


http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=UltraTech&action=edit&redlink=1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%26T

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_30

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laos

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thailand

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Birla_Cellulose&action=edit&redlink=1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acrylic_fiber

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acrylic_fiber

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Birla_Cellulose&action=edit&redlink=1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysia



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_30

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%26T

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=UltraTech&action=edit&redlink=1


http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Alcan%27s&action=edit&redlink=1




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Egypt and Thailand, viscose filament yarn businesses and spinning mills

at several locations all over India and South East Asia.

The group has pulp and plantation interests in Canada and has recently

invested in plantations in Laos the Aditya Birla group is also a major

player in the branded garments market in India. Its subsidiary, Madura

Garments, is a major producer of textile fabric as well as the brand

licensee of Louis Phillip, Van Heusen and Allen Solly in India. It operates

company owned retail outlets in several cities in India and now planning

to go to Pakistan as well.

Telecom Services

Aditya Birla Group holds a 98.3% stake in Idea Cellular, a leading

telecom operator in India. Idea Cellular started off as a joint venture

with the group, AT&T and the Tata Group. However the stakes of theremaining partners was eventually acquired by the group. After an

Initial Public Offering on the Indian Stock Markets, Idea Cellular now

accounts for a third of the group's market capitalization.

Other Business

Apart from the above businesses, the group is a major player in sectors

like Insulators, Fertilizers, IT (It owns PSI Data Systems Limited -

http://www.psidata.com), ITeS (It owns Trans-works and recently

acquired the Canadian BPO Firm Minacs), Chemicals, Mining, Sponge

Iron, Financial Services (A joint venture with Sunlife) and more recently,

Retail.

Beyond Business

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egypt


http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Viscose_filament_yarn&action=edit&redlink=1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada


http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Madura_Garments&action=edit&redlink=1


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idea_Cellular

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AT%26T

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tata

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Initial_Public_Offering



http://www.psidata.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Transworks&action=edit&redlink=1

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Minacs&action=edit&redlink=1


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mining

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sponge_Iron&action=edit&redlink=1


http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sunlife&action=edit&redlink=1

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sunlife&action=edit&redlink=1



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mining


http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Minacs&action=edit&redlink=1

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Transworks&action=edit&redlink=1

http://www.psidata.com/



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Initial_Public_Offering

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tata

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AT%26T

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idea_Cellular




http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Viscose_filament_yarn&action=edit&redlink=1


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egypt




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Transcending business for over 50 years now, the Group has been and

continues to be involved in meaningful welfare-driven initiatives that

distinctly impact the quality of life of the weaker sections of society in

India, South-East Asia and Egypt.

In India, the Group's social projects span 3,000 villages. It reaches out to

seven million people annually through the Aditya Birla Centre for

Community Initiatives and Rural Development, spearheaded by Mrs.

Rajashree Birla. Its focus is healthcare, education, sustainable livelihood,

infrastructure and espousing social causes.

The Group runs 42 schools, which provide quality education to over

45,000 children in India's interiors. Of these, over 18,000 children

receive free education. An additional 8,000 students receive merit

scholarships. Likewise at its 18 hospitals in India, more than a million

patients are given extremely subsidised medical care. To embed

corporate social responsibility as a way of life in organisations, the

Group has set up the FICCI – Aditya Birla CSR Centre for Excellence, in

Delhi.

The Group transcends the conventional barriers of business and reaches

out to the marginalised because of its conviction of bringing in a more

equitable society and send out a message that "We care”.

MAJOR COMPANIES

The major companies of the Groupare among India's leading corporate.

These include:

Grasim:Viscose staple fibre, rayon grade pulp, cement, chemicals,

textiles

http://www.adityabirla.com/our_companies/indian_companies/grasim_overview.htm






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UltraTech Cement Ltd:Ordinary Portland cement, Portland blast

furnace slag cement, Portland pozzolana cement and grey

Portland cement

Samruddhi Cement : Cement

Hindalco: Aluminum, copper

Aditya Birla Nuvo: Garments, viscose filament yarn, carbon

black, textiles, insulators

Idea Cellular Ltd.: Telecom

Birla Sun Life Insurance Co.Ltd.: Life insurance

Birla Sun Life Asset Management Company Ltd.:Mutual fund

Aditya Birla Money Mart Limited: Mutual fund distribution

Aditya Birla Capital Advisors Private Limited

(ABCAP):Private equity advisory and investment management,

for Indian and offshore investors

Aditya Birla Money Limited:Leading player in broking space

Aditya Birla Minacs IT Services Ltd.:Application development,

maintenance and enhancement solutions

Aditya Birla Minacs Worldwide Limited: Customer relations

management (CRM), integrated marketing services, knowledge

process outsourcing

Aditya Birla Finance Limited: Asset-based finance, corporate

finance and investment banking, capital market and treasury

Birla Insurance Advisory & Broking Services Ltd:Non-life

insurance advisory and broking services

Non-life insurance advisory and broking services: Apparel

retail

Peter England Fashions and Retail Ltd:Apparel retail

Madura Garments Exports Limited:Apparel export

Aditya Birla Retail Limited:Multi-format stores

Tanfac Industries Ltd.:Fluorine chemicals

Essel Mining & Industries Ltd.:Iron and manganese ore mining,

noble ferro alloys

http://www.adityabirla.com/our_companies/indian_companies/ultratech_cement.htm

http://www.adityabirla.com/SamruddhiCement.htm


http://www.adityabirla.com/our_companies/indian_companies/hindalco_overview.htm


http://www.adityabirla.com/our_companies/indian_companies/nuvo_overview.htm


http://www.adityabirla.com/our_companies/indian_companies/idea.htm


http://www.adityabirla.com/our_companies/joint_ventures/birlasunlife_insurance.htm


http://www.adityabirla.com/our_companies/joint_ventures/birlasunlife_management.htm


http://www.adityabirla.com/our_companies/indian_companies/capital_advisors.htm





http://www.adityabirla.com/our_companies/indian_companies/aditya_birla_money.htm


http://www.adityabirla.com/our_companies/indian_companies/adityabirla_minacs_it_services.htm


http://www.adityabirla.com/our_companies/indian_companies/birla_insurance_advisory_service.htm


http://www.adityabirla.com/our_companies/indian_companies/peter_england.htm

http://www.adityabirla.com/our_companies/indian_companies/madura_garments_exports.htm


http://www.adityabirla.com/our_companies/indian_companies/retail.htm

http://www.adityabirla.com/our_companies/joint_ventures/tanfac_industries.htm


http://www.adityabirla.com/our_companies/indian_companies/essel_mining.htm




http://www.adityabirla.com/our_companies/indian_companies/retail.htm


http://www.adityabirla.com/our_companies/indian_companies/peter_england.htm












http://www.adityabirla.com/our_companies/indian_companies/ultratech_cement.htm




2013


REWARDS & RECOGNITION

2002

KHARACH unit won Chairman's Gold Award for manufacturing

excellence.

2003

Birla Cellulose's HARIHAR (India) unit bagged "TERI CorporateEnvironmental Award" for cleaner production, while keeping

waste generation at its lowest.

Birla Cellulose's KHARACH (India) unit was awarded "Green-tech

Gold Award" for environmental excellence, in recognition for its

continuous efforts in the field of sustainable development and

environmental preservation.

2004

Birla Cellulose's NAGADA (India) unit was awarded the coveted

"Stockholm Industry Water Award", a first time achievement in

Asia.

Grasilene division – HARIHAR won “Green-tech Environment

Excellence Gold” Award.

HARIHAR unit won “Golden Peacock Environment Management”Award.

2005

KHARACH unit won PSU- Quality Circle competition for South

Gujarat Industries

2007

HARIHAR Poly fibers wins 2007 “IMC Ramakrishna Bajaj award




2013


2008

The President of India, Mrs. PratibhaPatil confers the much

coveted Rotary International Polio Eradication Champion Award

on Mrs. Rajashree Birla

2009

Grasim's pulp and fibre division wins the highly prestigious Asian

CSR Award.

Idea Cellular wins the Economic Times' "Emerging Company of

the Year Award for 2009".

2010

Hindalco ranked ninth across industries on Forbes Asia's Fab 50

companies list of Asia's 50 most valued companies.

Hindalco and Birla White declared winners in the Golden Peacock

Awards for Corporate Social Responsibility

The Rajiv Gandhi Environment Award for Clean Technology for

the year 2009-2010 is awarded to Vikram Cement Works.

2011

Business Today’s Best Companies to work for in India’s survey,

the Aditya Birla Group was on the top of the league in their

“rankings of most loved companies”.

The Aditya Birla Group is ranked No. 4 in the list of global top

companies for leaders and No.1 in Asia Pacific for 2011, in a

study conducted by Aon Hewitt, Fortune Magazine.




2013


Joint Ventures (JV)

Thai Rayon Promoted in 1974 by the Aditya Birla Group, Thai Rayon is

the sole manufacturer of Viscose Rayon Staple Fibre (VSF) in Thailand.

More than 50 per cent of Thai Rayon's VSF throughput is directly

exported to more than 20 countries worldwide. The VSF meets the

stringent quality expectations of customers in USA, Mexico, Europe,

Turkey, Canada, Israel, Australia, South Korea, Philippines, Indonesia,

Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

PT Indo Bharat Rayon Marketed under the brand name of 'Birla

Cellulose', the company produces a wide range of VSF in engineered

specifications for textiles and non-woven applications. The company's

strong focus on environmental protection is reflected through its

investments in a sophisticated state-of-the-art waste-water treatment

plant and scientific waste disposal systems.

Grasim has joint venture with the following overseas companies:

AV Cell and AV Nackawic in Canada

AV Cell and AV Nackawic supply dissolving grade pulp to the

Group’s VSF units in India, Thailand and Indonesia.

Birla Lao Pulp & Plantation Limited in Laos

To further strengthen the backward integration in pulp, Birla Lao

has been formed as a JV with other associate companies for

raising captive plantations at Laos. This will provide a low cost

source for wood to meet future requirements of a green field

pulp plant in due course of time.

Birla Jingwei Fibres Company Limited in China

The JV with Hubei Jingwei Chemical Fibre Company Ltd. was

formed in 2006 for manufacturing VSF. Currently, this plant has a

capacity to produce VSF of 35,000 tpa.




2013


This spread and scale of operations make the Group's VSF operations very

cost competitive. Moreover, vertical integration into plantation,

manufacturing of rayon grade pulp and horizontal integration into production

of principal raw material required for VSF production, namely, caustic soda,

intermediate inputs namely CS2, sulphuric acid along with captive power

and steam generation facilities, further enhance its competitive edge.

Research& Development

Grasim has established a very strong R&D base covering different stages

of the value chain such as:

Grasim Forest Research Institute, Harihar is involved in R&D of forestry.

Birla Research Institute for Applied Sciences (BRI), Nagda is involved in

the development of different generations of cellulosic fibres. Textile

Research Application Development Centre (TRADC) at Kharach, a NABL

accredited Lab, is involved in addressing research and development

related to downstream textile value chain comprising various fibres,

yarns, processing, garments, etc.

With the capability to offer the entire range of cellulosic fibre under the

umbrella brand of “Birla Cellulose”, Grasim has positioned itself as a

dependable supplier of cellulosic fibres for “Feel, Comfort & Fashion”

across global markets. To penetrate into niche market segments and to

grow further, the division has ventured into the production of high

performance viscose fibres aptly named Viscose Plus, High Wet Modulus

Fibres (Modal) and new generation Solvent Spun Fibres and Birla

Excel.Grasim is also the largest producer of Sodium Sulphate, a

byproduct of VSF manufacture. This chemical is widely used in the paper

and pulp, detergent, glass and textile industries.




2013


Sources of competitive advantage

Cost : Grasim is the lowest cost producer of VSF in the world. It is themost integrated fibre producer with the chain stretching right from

Forest to Pulp to Fibre to Yarn. All most all the intermediate inputs are

captive. Besides, their in-house engineering division enables us to grow

in a most cost effective way.

Technology: On technology front, they produce all the three

generations of man-made cellulosic fibres from an in-house developed

capability through research and development. Their research and

development efforts are not limited to fibre stage alone but extend to

entire textile value chain. While the plantation and related activity is

carried out at Grasim Research Institute (GFRI, Harihar, India), the

Product innovations are carried out at Birla Research Institute (BRI,

Nagda, India). For value chain related activities, a state of art “Textiles

Research & Application Development Centre” has been established at

Kharach, Gujarat-India to entire textile value chain from yarn to fabric to

garments.

Markets: On marketing front, their reach extends to the entire globe,

through marketing offices. On a global level, their major strength is in

spun-dyed fibres and now other specialties such as Non-woven, Modal

and Excel have started penetrating in global markets. Their brand “Birla

Cellulose” is firmly entrenched in the market. Their value added

marketing services comprising of technical, logistical, financial,

marketing and informational support have enabled us to emerge as the

most preferred supplier of VSF in world.Our offerings whether from

India, Thailand, Indonesia or China are all marketed under the mother

brand “Birla Cellulose” and sub brands Birla Viscose, Birla Modal & Birla

Excel. An umbrella brand has enabled us to create a common identity for

our product across the globe irrespective of its production origin and

creating of awareness of the brand.




2013


Consumer Products Division of Grasim Industries

Grasim Industries, an Aditya Birla Group Enterprise has started itsConsumer Product Division with various personal care & home care dry

& wet wipes products. This marks the company’s foray into the Indian

FMCG market.The Indian FMCG market is of US$13.1 billion and is the

fourth largest sector in the economy. FMCG Sector is expected to grow

by over 60% by 2015. That will translate into an annual growth of 10%

over a 5-year period.

In 2008 the company launched Kara skin care wipes and Prim Home

Care wipes. Kara Skincare wipes is positioned as an essential skincare

accessory.

In 2009, Grasim entered the baby care segment with the launch of

Puretta. Puretta is targeted at today's mother, who opts for a

contemporary and convenient lifestyle. Introduced for the first time in

India, the Puretta product portfolio includes Complete Cleaning Wipes,

Germ Shield Wipes and Skin Nourishing Wipes.

Birla Cellulose is the Aditya Birla Group's umbrella brand for its range of

cellulosic fibres. It comprises versatile sub-brands; Birla Viscose, Birla

Viscose Plus, Birla Modal, and Birla Excel. These brands offer a wide

range of functional benefits such as soft feel, high moisture absorbency,

bio degradability and comfort to the wearer. These fibres have multiple

applications including apparel, home textiles, dress material, knitwear,

non-woven etc.




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Fibre is one of the oldest businesses of the Aditya Birla Group that

commenced in 1954. Birla Cellulose is a world leader in viscose staple

fibre (VSF). Its production is spread across six countries, viz. Canada,

Thailand, India, Indonesia, China and Laos. The Group independently

fulfils India's entire VSF requirements.

With a strong focus on Research and Development (R&D), the Group's

R&D initiatives span the entire value chain.

Grasim Forest Research Institute — pulp to plantation research

Birla Research Institute for Applied Sciences — pulp to fibre

research

Textile Research & Application Development Centre (TRADC) —

value chain from fibre to garments / made ups

"Nature is the genesis of all that surrounds us; therefore, what other

than nature could be the origin of Birla Cellulose.”. Nature is the source

of Birla Cellulose and herein the inspiration of our logo lies.

'Fibers from Nature' is our theme and our message: Leaves fall and grow

all over again; they are a renewable resource of nature. Birla Cellulose is

much like these leaves and is made from the same trees. The floating

leaves symbolise the key characteristics of Birla Cellulose which are

"comfort and lightness". The vibrant green indicates that Birla Cellulose

can take on vibrant colours. The circle signifies the cycle of nature andsustainability.

Nature remains the underlying theme for all our brands:

Viscose is symbolised by the fresh green of summer

Modal is symbolised by the burnt orange of autumn

Excel is symbolised by the deep pink of spring.




2013


An integrated outlook

Birla Cellulose is growing by leaps and bounds through both organic andinorganic route. The efforts towards integration and self-sufficiency are

as follows:

Backward integration into pulp and plantation.

Captive power plant at all locations.

In house manufacturing of all major chemicals and auxiliaries

used in VSF manufacturing.

Attributes of Birla Cellulose

Natural: Soothing, comforting and elevating, Birla cellulose exhibits all

qualities of its source nature.

Stylish:The drape and fall of Birla Cellulose with its natural inheritance

is a fashion statement.

Timeless: Just like nature, Birla Cellulose, is timeless and shall always

remain in vogue.

A fashion catalyst: A hint of Birla Cellulose in your wardrobe brings in

the glamour that differentiates between mundane and fashionable.

Versatile: Birla Cellulose combines the best properties of all fibres. It is

extremely bendable hence enhancing the realms of possibilities in

clothing.

Birla Cellulose - Fibres from nature contributing to a green

world




2013


Preserving our environment has always been the inspiration behind

Birla Cellulose. It has successfully achieved this goal through the

following initiatives:

Nurturing and building the green cover

Over a million plantlets are being produced from identified

superior clones for development of clonal orchards and

plantations.

Land conservation

Efforts are on to encourage tree-farming practice on marginal,

sub-marginal and fallow lands to the best advantage of the

country. The yield of Viscose is seven times that of cotton for the

same land area. Thus significantly contributing to conservation of

land, and reaping maximum results from this limited resource.

Water conservation

Birla Cellulose Viscose is highly environment friendly. Every

kilogram of viscose produced saves 200 buckets of water when

compared to cotton. Thus it preserves one of the most valuable

natural resources.

Process friendliness

The process being followed for production is environment

friendly and green due to the following advantages:

Non toxic effluent as a result of replacement of zinc by

alum

Less solid waste generation due to reduced lime

consumption

Reduced risk of fouling biological microorganism in

reactor

Spun Shades




2013


This variant is environment friendly and results in conservation

of water throughout the value chain. It is Okeo Tex certified, i.e. it

meets the ecological requirements set for baby articles.

Birla Cellulose: The perfect blend

Birla Cellulose fibres are the perfect blend with all types of fibres. The

benefits of using Birla Cellulose as a blend are as below:

Birla Cellulose

blends Benefits of blending with Birla Cellulose

Birla Cellulose-cotton Makes cotton soft and supple

Improves fabric uniformity

Imparts sheen and colour brilliance

Birla Cellulose-wool Improves wear properties

Imparts softness

Enhances skin friendliness

Adds shine and luster

Birla Cellulose-silk Maintains sheen of silk

Improves comfort

Economical and fashionable

Birla Cellulose-

synthetics

Improves comfort, breathability, lustre and

skin friendliness

Birla Cellulose-

elastane

Offers excellent sheen, comfort and stretch

Birla Cellulose-

elastane

Offers excellent sheen, comfort and stretch




2013


PRODUCTS OF BIRLA CELLULOSE

Aditya Birla group announced its foray into the baby care segment in

India by launching ‘PURETTA’ 100 per cent natural and biodegradable

baby care wipes in 2009. Product portfolio includes Complete Cleansing

Wipes, Germ Shield Wipes and Skin Nourishing Wipes. These wipes are

safe for the baby’s delicate skin as they are alcohol free, hygienic,

hypoallergenic and dermatologically tested. Since Puretta (meaning

pure and diminutive) is made from Birla Cellulose, soothes the baby’s

tender skin with its soft and nature-friendly properties.

While the usage of baby wipes is growing in India, there is limited access

to quality products at the right price points. Most of the products

available today are imported, and are primarily regular wet wipes that

do not serve the specific needs of baby care. Puretta fills this gap with its

three distinct variants, aiming to satisfy the need of Smart Moms.

Most of the other wet wipes in the market today are made from

Polyester-Viscose blended non- woven fabric or paper. Polyester is not

skin friendly and its repeated use on the skin is not advisable. Paper

tissues tear off when rubbed over skin and leave lint on face in a way

that can often embarrass the user. While Puretta is made up of non-

woven fabric which absorbs sweat, extra oils from the skin without

scrubbing it. It doesn’t wither when rubbed hard and doesn’t leave lint

on facial skin or stubble.




2013


Characteristics of Puretta Baby Wipes

Safe for baby’s skin.

Hygienic.

Hypoallergenic

Dermatologically tested.

Alcohol free.

With mild fragrance.

Convenient- hassle free cleaning and application of lotions

without using towel or cotton balls.

Portable.

With optimized efficacy.

For complete baby care.

Variants of Puretta

Complete Cleansing Wipes

Complete cleansing baby wipes are enriched with chamomile extracts

these wipes are gentle and soothing to the baby’s skin ensuring

complete cleansing while retaining the pH balance of the skin. It is a

smart way to clean the baby completely anytime & anywhere.

It is basically used on baby’s nappy area and can be used on complete

body of a 0-3 years of babies. It is used for following:

Every nappy or diaper change.

For cleansing in the absence of regular bath while travelling or

in winters.

Wipe entire body to keep baby clean and fresh at all times, day

or night.




2013


Provide soothing relief.

Most of the other wet wipes in the market today are made from

Polyester-Viscose blended non- woven fabric or paper. Polyester is not

skin friendly and its repeated use on the skin is not advisable.

Paper tissues tear off when rubbed over skin and leave lint on face in a

way that can often embarrass the user. While Puretta is made up of non-

woven fabric which absorbs sweat, extra oils from the skin without

scrubbing it. It doesn‟t wither when rubbed hard and doesn‟t leave lint

on facial skin or stubble.

Skin Nourishing Wipes

Skin Nourishing Baby Wipes keeps the baby’s skin soft and nourished

always, after a bath or even during the dry season. Enhanced with

Mineral oil and Pear extracts, it leaves a protective layer of moisture on

the baby’s delicate skin. A smarter way to keep the baby’s skin

nourished anytime, anywhere.

It is used on baby’s complete body especially hands, feet, face, neck and

back area. It is a good add-on or occasional substitute for baby oil

massage. It is basically for babies of age 0-3 years but can also be used

for older children with sensitive skin. And it is used for following:

Essential to keep baby’s skin soft and nourished always.

After bath and during dry season.

While travelling or exposure to air-conditioning at home




2013


Germ Shield Wipes

Germ Shield Baby Wipes contains antiseptic properties to protect the

babies from germs always. Enriched with Lavender extracts, it leaves

the baby’s skin refreshed. A smart multipurpose option for not only

sanitizing baby’s hands and mouth but also utensils, tet hers and toys,

anytime and anywhere.

It is basically for 0-5 year old babies but can also be used by older

children while travelling and also advisable for adults handling the

babies. And it is used for protecting the babies from germs throughout

the day with natural antiseptic properties.

Essential to clean baby as he/she gains mobility and crawls on

surface that may be contaminated.

After play time, before food and especially while travelling.

To sanitize baby’s utensils, tethers and toys.




2013


PRIM

Home & Kitchen Care Wipes PRIM is basically dry wipes used in Kitchen and various multipurpose

household works. It can be used to wipe the utensils and cutleries. One

wipe can be used for at least a month in the kitchen. There is no product

in the market in this category but Scrotchbrite is there which is seen as

the substitute of the product. Usually cloth is used as the substitute in

most of the families but if the promotion is done properly to make the

consumers aware of this product it will do very good in the market

because of very less competition in this category. There are two packs

available in the market one is three wipes pack and the other one in five

wipes pack.

HANDYS - Hand sanitizing wipesHandys hand sanitizing wipes have been shown to clean and sanitize

hands more effectively than rub-in gels. These sanitizing wipes are extra

tough on germs, killing 99.9% of germs. Though there are few

companies who manufacture sanitizing wipes, but all of them are alcohol

based. Handys is the only sanitizing wipe which is Triclosan based and

as sufficient as alcohol in killing germs. Triclosan is one of the

antibacterial and antifungal and even toothpaste. Grasim Industries

outsource Triclosan from vivimed Labs based in Hyderabad. The wipes

contain 0.1% Triclosan which is sufficient to give required anti bacterial

properties.




2013


Rub-in gel sanitizers can not remove stain marks or dirt but sanitizing

wipes are very efficient in cleaning hands. It is gentle on hands,

containing moisturizers, aloe vera and silicones. Clinically tested, our

hand sanitizing wipes provide convenient protection anywhere, anytime

when soap and water are not available. It is an excellent product for

anybody seeking hygiene and prevention from infections.

KARA Skin Care Wipes

Grasim Industries has started its Consumer Product Division with

various FMCG products which includes personal care & home care dry &

wet wipes products. The main product of our concern for the research is

Kara Skincare wipes.

It is not easy to look beautiful all the time and it gets even harder when

you are out of home with pollution, dust and heat. Introducing for the

first time in India, Kara a complete range of skincare wipes.

In India, the market for wet wipes was gradually picking up with

changing lifestyles and the fast pace of life among the young and

upwardly mobile population with higher disposable income.

''Kara skincare wipes fill up the lacuna in this segment as there is lack of

availability of quality products at appropriate price in the Indian

market.''




2013


Kara Skincare wipes is a new product to hit the Indian market. The

brand is now running heavy print campaign announcing the launch.

Kara Skincare wipes can be called as India's first branded skincare wipe

product. Skincare wipes are popular in the west but in India the

category is a new one. Although Indian consumers are familiar with the

products which are imported, it’s the first time that an Indian company

enters this segment Kara means care. The brand also marks Aditya Birla

Group's foray into the Indian FMCG market.

The brand aims to create a new category of wipes in India. Hence the

challenge is to educate the target audience about the usefulness of this

product. This task is cut out for Kara since the customer is already

exposed to such products. The only task is to inculcate the habit of

buying and using the wipes. The product is relevant in the Indian market

for two reasons.

One is the climate which necessitates such a product and

Second is the growing number of lady professionals.

The brand has the tagline “At your best always” this clearly

communicates the core brand positioning. The brand is being promoted

as the anytime solution to look good.

Also Kara is loaded with lotions for different application like deep pore

cleansing, moisturizing, toning, sunscreen and make up remover.

Rejuvenating the skin is a natural property of mint oil and cucumber coupled

with aloe Vera for skin nourishing – in refreshing wipes.

Jojoba and Avocado unclogs pres, detoxes and exfoliates dead skin in Deep

Pore Cleansing wipes.




2013


Rose and Thyme are well known to have toning properties – used in Toning

Wipes.

Honey and Almond are age –

old products for removing dryness of skin and

moisturizing present in – moisturizing wipes

Aloe Vera and plum have natural sunscreen properties – Kara Sunscreen

wipes.

Lavender cleaning and relaxing properties while Seaweed has nourishing

effect on skin – both used for makeup removal wipes.

Kara has a good potential to create and own a new category. The brand

already has the first mover advantage. But the category does not have

much entry barriers. It can face stiff competition from cheap imports.

But Kara has the financial backing of Birla group and the investment in

building this brand will pave the way for another successful marketing

story.

Kara is readily available pan India at superstores, cosmetic and chemist

outlets and modern retail. The ease of usability of a convenient and high

value product at an affordable cost in India for a young and mobile

population is a huge opportunity that Kara wishes to address.




2013


Kara wipes were highly effective with unique formulations having

natural ingredients that nourish the skin. They are alcohol free and

dermatologically safe. Kara is made from 'Birla Cellulose', a fibre that is

100 % natural and biodegradable

Compactly packaged and pre-moistened Kara skincare wipes give a

hygienic, convenient and effective skincare solution to the consumers on

the go. These wipes are easy to carry and use.

Raw Material Used for KARA

Kara is made of 100% Viscose. Viscose is Purer & Softer and more

absorptive than Cotton. VSF is 100% Natural and 100% Biodegradable.

The material is non-woven fabric which absorbs sweat, extra oils from

the skin without scrubbing it. It doesn’t wither when rubbed hard and

doesn’t leave lint on facial skin or stubble. Most other wet wipes in the

market today are made from Polyester-Viscose blended non-woven

fabric or paper. Polyester is not skin-friendly and its repeated use on the

skin is not advisable. Paper tissues tear off when rubbed over skin and

leave lint on face in a way that can often embarrass the user.

How it works

The science behind this dullness is the formation of unstable molecules

called free radicals when your skin is exposed to elements like pollution,

sun, wind, temperature, and stress during the day. These react with the

skin to deplete skin proteins (collagen) and thus weaken the skin

substrate to cause a slow continuous ageing, which one does not realise

till the effects start showing in the form of wrinkles and sagginess. How

do we prevent this? The answer lies in a regular dose of nourishment for

your skin that is rich in antioxidants.

With a new innovative product range of Kara ™ Skincare Wipes rich in

natural extracts, this once incurable problem has found an extremely

simple answer. What you could not do so far through the day is now




2013


possible as many times as you want. A critical three step action which

cleans your skin, gives it essential hydration and replenishes the vital

nutrition of the skin can be done in one easy swipe, thanks to the

advanced skin wipe technology from Kara. Its unique innovative three

step action that is set to change your skincare routine, and ensure that

the skin stays young and vibrant all though the day.

1. Skin cleaning: Skin experts recommend thorough cleaning of the face

before applying anything in order to avoid blocking of pores with lotions

which can result in boils, acne and pimples. To take care of this, every

skincare wipe has fibrils on its surface which ensure thorough cleaning

of the skin pores when they come in contact with the skin.

2. Hydration: The benefits of water in preventing skin ageing and

dullness are well established. Each skincare wipe has 80% aqua loading

which is transferred to the skin, ensuring a rich, ageless and healthy

skin.

3. Nourishment: Antioxidants are substances that combat free radicals,

and thus help reverse the process of ageing. A steady dose of

antioxidants through the day helps in preventing skin ageing. Each Kara

wipe has natural ingredients like avocado, aloe Vera and almonds etc.

which serve as antioxidants, and thus nourish the skin constantly to

gradually reveal flawless glowing skin.

This three step action was always a very critical need for the skin, and

with the revolutionary wipe format of skincare, it has enabled women to

rectify dull sagging skin all through the day. Additionally, a mesh like

structure of the easy-to-carry around wipe helps to hold just the right

amount of lotion for one time usage, and a superior applicator

technology that regulates the uniformity of lotion absorption into the

skin. Therefore, the right amount of skincare at the right time is the Kara

way of doing skincare. Make Kara skincare wipes a habit, and see yourskin rejuvenate and glow with health and beauty, forever!




2013


Manufacturing Facility of KARA

Kara wipes are manufactured at the company’s plant at Kharach,

Gujarat. The plant layout is approved by FDA and manufacturing activity

takes place under stringent conditions that ensure user safety and

hygiene.

Aditya Birla Group launched this product i.e. KARA skincare wipes in

2008. It is basically a solution to skin care regime out of home– a

convenient way to be at your best always. Sometimes your hectic

schedule leaves you with little time to take care of your skin. But with

Kara skincare wipes in your bag, you can now take care of your skin even

when you are on the go.

With the unique formulation of natural ingredients, these wipes are easy

to use anytime and anywhere. What’s more they are made from Birla

Cellulose, a fibre that is 100 per cent natural and biodegradable.

Kara skincare wipes are the India’s first branded skin care product.

These types of products are very popular in west but in India the

category is new one. Although Indian consumers are familiar with the

products which are imported, is the first time that an Indian company

entered this segment. The brand also marks Aditya Birla Group’s foray

into the Indian FMCG market. According to reports, wipes market is

worth around Rs. 30 crore (Source: Ginny filament Website). Kara

skincare wipes are positioned as an essential skincare accessory.

The brand is targeting the young lady professionals who often need to

meet lot of people. The brand aims to create a new category of wipes in

India. Hence the challenge is to educate the target population about the

usefulness of this product.

Hassle free application of lotion without using cotton balls.

Portable

Optimized efficacy.




2013


100 per cent natural and biodegradable.

Hygienic.

Alcohol free.

Dermatologically safe.

Assurance of ‘Aditya Birla Group’

Variants of KARA

Deep Pore Cleansing Wipes

Kara Deep Pore Cleansing is a gentle, effective way to clean your

skin of dirt, grime and excess of oil. Enriched with Jojoba and

Avocado extracts, it unclogs pores, detoxifies and thoroughly

exfoliates dead skin cells.

Sunscreen Wipes

Kara sunscreen wipes has a formulation of SPF 20 which protects

the skin from the adverse effects of UV A and UV B sun rays. It is

enriched with antioxidants like plum extract and vitamin E that

nourishes the skin and Aloe Vera that keeps the skin moisturized.

Moisturising Wipes




2013


Kara Moisturising wipes is enriched with the goodness of almond

and honey for beautiful radiant and glowing skin. It is also

fortified with vitamins for skin conditioning and is suitable for

use right throughout the year.

Toning Wipes

Kara Toning Wipes is enriched with Rose and Thyme extract that

tighten the skin and maintain the normal pH balance.

Make Up Removal Wipes

Kara Make-Up Removal Wipes are enriched with Lavender and

Seaweed extracts that removes the make-up in just one swipe.

Refreshing Facial Wipes

Kara Refreshing wipes are enriched with Aloe Vera for skin

nourishment and mint oil for effective freshening. It ensureseffective cleansing to remove dirt, excess oil and grime from the

face and neck and also leaves a lingering fragrance.




2013


Disposable Wipes Market

Industrialization and urbanization has led to concentration of human

settlement at urban centers, which are the hub of the commercial

activities. Industrialization has also led to an increase in personal

income levels and the consequential expansion of the middle class,

allowing a greater number of folks to indulge in value added consumer

disposable items like facial cleaning wipes, moisttowelettes, personal

hygiene wipes and time-saving products like household cleaning wipes

etc. The growing use of wipes in industrial and consumer applications,

combined with modernization and increased consumer awareness, has

led to an increase of demand of wipes globally.

Wipes started at the bottom or more precisely, the baby’s bottom. Yet,

during the past decade, the category has grown to include hard surface

cleaning, makeup applications and removal, dusting and floor

cleaning.In fact, applications other than baby care now account for about 50% of sales in the wipes category.

Disposable wipes have evolved into a global business concept

generating more than $5 billion in sales a year. Achieving strong double-

digit growth year after year, the category now assumes a major role in

the personal care market.

Spanning from make-up removal and deodorant wipes in personal careto floor and furniture cleaning products in household care, disposable

wipes have gradually expanded to offer a wide range of new

applications, replacing the traditional combination of cloth, cotton and

cleaning solution.

North America continues to be the leading market, and is projected to

grow from $4.5 billion in 2009 to $5.5 billion in 2014. Western Europe issecond with sales of $3.6 billion in 2009, which is predicted to grow to

$4.2 billion in 2014.




2013


According to reports, China represents more than 33% of the world’s

spunlace production, growing more than 33% between 2008 and 2009.

More rapid gains will be linked to developing nations such as China and

India; China alone has increased its demand for wipes to nearly $500

million in 2011 and will surpass Japan as the leading market in the

Asia/Pacific region.

Classification of wipes based on application

Wipes mainly cater into 3 categories:

1.Personal Care wipes

2.Household & home cleaning wipes

3.Industrial cleaning wipes

As per the EDANA’s report in 2010, the total wipes deliveries in 2010,

amounted to 283,058 tonnes to be compared to 250,356 tonnes in 2009.

They subdivide as shown in table 1.

Personal Care wipes:

The personal care wipes market has increased by 15.7% compared to

2009.

• Baby wipes: Baby wipes are wet wipes used to cleanse the sensitive

skin of infants. These are saturated with solutions anywhere from gentle

cleansing ingredients to alcohol based cleaners. Baby wipes are typically

sold in plastic tubs that keep the cloths moist and allow for easy

dispensing.

• Cleansing pads: Cleansing pads are fiber sponges that have been

previously soaked with water, alcohol and other active ingredients for a

specific intended use. There are different types of cleansing pads offered

by the beauty industry: makeup removing pads, anti-spot treatments

and anti-acne pads that usually contain salicylic acid, vitamins, menthol

and other treatments).Cleansing pads for preventing infection are




2013


usually saturated with alcohol and bundled in sterile package. Hands

and instrument may be disinfected with these pads while treating

wounds. Disinfecting cleansing pads are often included in first aid kits

for this purpose.

• Personal hygiene: These are usually pre-moistened and come either

individually packaged or in one larger container that can be resealed.

These kinds of wipes can be useful when you’re doing outdoor activities,

especially during warmer weather. The wipes can remove dirt and

sweat before they settle into your pores. Some no-rinse wipes can even

remove waterproof makeup.

Household & home cleaning wipes: • Kitchen wipes

• Bathroom wipes

• Food service wipes

• Glass surface cleaning wipes

• Automotive care wipes

Industrial cleaning wipe

When it comes to industrial applications, choosing the right wipe for the

job can make an enormous difference in terms of performance,

efficiency and economy. Rags and laundered cloths were once the all-

purpose solution for wiping dirt and oils from equipment and hands.

Convenient disposable wipes are now widely recognized as the

preferred alternative.




2013


Global demand for wipes

Pre-moistened or wet wipes are normally supplied to the consumer

already wet or pre-moistened with a liquid, while the dry wipes are

supplied dry, with the understanding that the consumer will add a liquid

if needed. In 2009, wet wipes contributed around 71% of the total wipes

market. Over time, dry wipes are predicted to gradually gain market

share, growing from 29% in 2009 to 30% in 2014.

Raw materials for wiping fabrics:

• Polyester: It is by far the most common fiber for carded technologies.

Asper the application and wipes categories the blend percentage varies.

Normally the Industrial wipes are made from 100% Polyester. It is

estimated at nearly 43% of the fiber consumed in spun lace.

• Viscose: It is another common fiber for wipes, especially for personal

care. Personal care wipes are used on very sensitive parts – baby care,




2013


facial wipes etc.It has to be very soft, smooth and silky. Viscose fiber has

all these properties and because of these properties viscose fiber is

referred as “art silk” in the textile industry. Nonwovens industry

producers have been working on developing wipes that will flush. To

create aflushable nonwoven product, the right combination of strength,

easy break up and dispersion is required. To be considered truly

flushable the wipe must also be biodegradable. Wipes made from

viscose fibers have all these properties and thus can be categorized has

flushable products.Household wipes are generally made up of polyester

and viscose blended fibers, polyester being the major component.

• Cotton:Environmental consciousness combined with price

increasesand shortages in competing materials have created a strong

market opportunity for cotton in the nonwoven industry during the past

two years, particularly in the wipes market where the addition of cotton

can boost absorbency and strength. Cotton has been enjoying a place in

the private label baby wipes market, viscose continues to be a dominant

fiber in most spunlace applications, despite a global supply shortage that

has driven up prices.




2013


Developed regions like the U.S., Western Europe and Japan will continue

to lead the global wipes market because of the large affluent population

and lifestyle trends focused on time saving products. Developing regions

like China and India will show a rapid growth for wipes – due to the

industrial expansions leading to express economic growth.

Opportunities for growth exist however they can only be realized by

continuously introducing innovative products. Wiping fabric

manufacturers are working hard to make sure their wipes customers

have lots of choices when it comes to environmentally friendly

products.Some of the categories where we can expect to see future

growth are household cleaning wipes, toddler wipes and facial wipes.

Baby care may have marked the beginning of nonwovens market; the

marketers are now moving into even more lucrative categories in an

effort to expand the use of wipes beyond babies and are reaching to

older kids and their parents. Their portability and convenience, coupled

with the hygiene aspect of their single usage, has made them very

popular with all types of consumers. Clearly wipes are a rags-to-riches

success story in the household and personal products industry and we

can bet that demand for these products will continue to grow.

In the never-ending drive to encourage consumer spending, advertisers

are targeting the hygiene habits of the young Indian male.

Analysis of Indian wipes market

In the last 3 years there has been an explosion in the number and types

of wipes available to the consumer. From baby wipes and facial wipes to

disinfecting wipes for your countertop and a slew of automotive wipes

to keep your 4-wheel “baby” shiny and supple. In a fast paced world,

these wipes are designed for convenience, whether that is for your own




2013


personal use or to deal with all those thankless jobs around the house

and garage.

Betting that rising incomes are persuading more Indian men to take

better care of their appearance, the Aditya Birla conglomerate is offering

Kara – a new weapon in the battle against the sweat generated as boys

go about their daily business. Kara is a face wipe designed to replace the

damp cotton towel many Indian men carry on their bikes and scooters

as they negotiate the hot streets of Mumbai or Madras.Male grooming

products have become one of the fastest growing segments of India’s

consumer products industry as men pay ever more attention to how

they look and move away from a traditional emphasis on intelligence as

the ultimate male quality.

Datamonitor, UK-based market research consultancy, estimates that 50

per cent of Indian men and women believe that physically attractive

people have more opportunities in life.

“Rising af fluence and greater consciousness of personal image and

hygiene are expected to drive growth in both rural and urban areas,”

said Euromonitor, a London-based market research firm, in a

report.Sales of dedicated men’s grooming products in India are

estimated to be $500m a year, and rising at 15 per cent annually.

Changes in trends in the wipes market have also been driven by new

product developments and the positive reception of new product

applications by the consumer.The global market for wet wipes continues

to grow, although it is important to becognizant of the challenges that

will present great difficulties to many. Those companiesthat can

combine cutting edge technology with the development of new and

innovativeideas will survive in the long run. The wipes in India are

generally made of Viscose andSpun lace. Birla Cellulose manufactures

98% of the Viscose Staple Fiber in India, so it ispoised to do well against

other local players as they would have to purchase VSF from it.




2013


The disposable facial wet wipes market is estimated at Rs 8crores. Kara

holds adominant position in market with turnover of Rs. 4.5 crores thus

capturing 56% of themarket. However the sector in India is currently

fragmented and unorganized. Ginnifilaments (Noida) also hold a strong

position in wet wipes market, though their productcan’t be matched in

terms of quality to Kara.

Wipes witnessed a surge in the number of players vying for consumer

attention towards the latter half of the review period. Grasim Industries

Ltd undertook intense brand activity in 2009 and 2010, while Johnson &

Johnson (India) Ltd launched a baby wipes product line in 2010. Others

such as The Himalaya Drug Co. and Godrej Consumer Products Ltd

launched brands in 2009 and extended their portfolios over 2010.

Private label players Apollo Pharmacy and Pantaloon Retail India Ltd

heightened their brand promotions through point-of-sale visibility in

2010.

The disposable wet wipes market, fairly niche and nascent inIndia, has grown to Rs 8 crores. Birla Cellulose (Consumer

Products Division of Grasim Industries), which has launched

three brands in this category namely Kara, Puretta and Prim for

various purposes over the last couple of years, accounts for Rs 4

crores of the market.

In the US and Europe, 6 and 10 per cent of the income is spent on

disposable products. In India, it is 0.0001 per cent.

Worldwide, wet wipes are a $6-billion category, but in India, it’s a

nascent category, and a lifestyle item at that, not an essential one,

so it will take a while before there comes an inflection point.

The disposable wipes market posted double-digit growth in

2008. Consumer awareness about hygiene products increased as

a result of increasing advertising, price reductions and the launch

of cheaper variants by manufacturers over the latter half of the




2013


year. Skin Care wipes also benefited due to the faster pace of life

in cities and the rise in the number of nuclear families and

working women, who tend to rely more on disposable products

when working in the kitchen or whilst travelling outside of the

home.

The wipes in India are generally made of Viscose and Spun lace.

Birla Cellulose manufactures 98% of the Viscose Staple Fibre in

India, so it is poised to do well against other local players as they

would have to purchase VSF from it.

The leading market research agency KSA TECHNOPAK conducted

a market survey & discovered that there is a huge untapped

potential for wipes in India. According to the survey after Delhi

NCR and Chandigarh, Lucknow is the biggest market for

cosmetics in North India.

The disposable wipes market in India faces stiff competition from

cheaper Chinese imports.

Competitive Landscape

The stronghold of Tainwala Personal Care Products Pvt Ltd on wipes

gradually waned over the latter half of the review period. The company

built on its first-mover advantage in the review period, and still

commands 70% of all wipes value sales in India. However, the swift

emergence of national players such as Grasim Industries Ltd, The

Himalaya Drug Co, and private label players has caused disruption to its

lead in both general purpose wipes and baby wipes.

Prospects

Wipes constituted less than 1% of retail hygiene value sales in India in

2010. With such products not being traditionally popular in the country,

the category still relied on niche consumer segments or season-




2013


dependent sales. Though home care wipes and floor cleaning systems is

not likely to see any major developments over the forecast period, other

product categories under personal wipes – including intimate wipes and

cosmetic wipes – are expected to contribute more to wipes growth

overall. In a similar trend to the review period, a majority of value sales

growth in all wipes categories will be due to the entry and marketing

push of national manufacturers.

The Indian tissue and hygiene market is very small and largely

untapped.

Untapped market potential

As per the leading market research firm, Euromonitor, the market size of

away-from-home tissue and hygiene segment in the year 2010 is

estimated to be Rs 3, 115.5 million; Retail tissue and hygiene market size

is Rs 18, 623.8 million; Hygiene market size is Rs 12, 454.2 million; and

the Tissue category has the market size of Rs 3, 895.6 million. But what’s

the reason behind the low penetration of tissue and hygiene market in

India? The reason could be lack of awareness and sensitivity/ attention

paid towards the hygiene in India.

Lack of awareness in the category

Traditionally in India, very few consumers are habituated of face wipes.

The players in tissue and hygiene category needs to pay more attention

on generating consumer awareness relating to use and benefit of

hygiene related products. One such initiative is taken by Birla Viscose

brand - Kara Skincare wipes, which was launched nearly four year ago in

2008, as a new category in the tissue and hygiene care. At first, the

challenge for the brand was to educate and create awareness among its

target audience – the young consumers, about the use of skin wipes. The

brand used BTL and ATL marketing tools which helped it to be

recognised among its target audiences.




2013


Urban vs. rural market

About 70 percent of India’s total population resides in rural India. With

growing income of the consumers from rural India, the industry is

focusing more on producing specific products, SKUs, priced reasonably

for these markets. As per Euromonitor International Report, in

categories such as beauty and personal care; consumer appliances;

homecare and retailing; India ranks close to breaking into top 10

markets in the world by retail value. But India’s global ranking in tissue

and hygiene category is world’s lowest in terms of value market share.

Traditional barriers

Cultural barriers to consumption have prevented the tissue and hygiene

industry from scaling the growth heights achieved by other consumer

goods industries. Some of the categories such as toilet paper have

market potential in urban market only, rural consumers rarely uses

toilet papers. Other categories such as baby wipes and diapers are

gaining market share in rural market. Still, tissue and hygiene market

can be considered as an urban phenomenon but the category has huge

untapped potential in rural areas as well.

Future potential

The increased label penetration of branded tissue and hygiene products

is mainly seen in urban areas where the average disposable income is

high and they are more aware about hygiene related issues. But in

recent times we have seen that leading FMCG bands such as Proctor &

Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, Godrej, Daburetc with their economic

product range has been successful in rural India. More consumer centric

approach with small packs and lower price range, tissue and hygiene

market can successfully establish themselves in rural market.




2013


Competition Analysisof Kara Wipes

Grasim Industries aims to create a new category of wipes in India .Hence the challenge is to educate the TG about the usefulness of this

product. This task is cut out for Kara since the TG is already exposed to

such products. The only task is to inculcate the habit of buying and using

the wipes. The product is relevant in the Indian market for two reasons.

One is the climate which necessitates such a product and second is the

growing number of lady professionals The brand has the tagline " At

your best. Always " which clearly communicates the core brand

positioning. The brand is being promoted as the anytime solution to look

good.

Kara has a good potential to create and own a new category. The brand

already has the first mover advantage. But the category does not have

much entry barriers. It can face stiff competition from cheap imports.

But Kara has the financial backing of Birla group and the investment in

building this brand will pave the way for another successful marketing

story.

As the advertisement with Anushka Sharma and Sharman joshi has also

started which is also enhancing the sales of Kara, it will also be able to

tackle competition with it. It clearly tells that Kara wipes are not only for

women but are also for men as shown in the advertisement of Kara

wipes.

Competition is also raising in wipes market as the market of wipes is

untapped in India. Many domestic cosmetic as well as non-cosmetic

companies such as Johnson & Johnson, Bilt, Gini and Good Look have

enterned into the market with their low price wipes to capture the

market share. Simultaneously, many Chinese wipes are coming to India

with their lower cost and trying to capture market of wipes as in many

shops of wholesale market in Lucknow. Low prices along with more

wipes are being offered to wholesalers.




2013


Competitors

Sound Wave Wet Wipes

Chinese Wipes

Ginni Wet Wipes

Good look Wet wipes




2013


Organic Wet wipes

These foreign wipes are also trying to capture the market of wipes which is

still untapped. As with the name of Aditya Birla its market will definitely

grow

Michael Porter’s Five Forces Model

Threat of New Entrance

Being a new and niche segment, wet wipes market was overlooked

earlier but due to entrance of big players like Johnson & Johnson and

Aditya Birla group, even small firms are coming into the market.

Likewise niche markets, wet wipes market has great potential of growth.

When Aditya Birla Group came with its cosmetic wipes range and no

other company’s wipes were available in the market and the company




2013


was enjoying a monopoly in Agra but the scenario has changed, now the

competition is available in the market. The major threat is wipes like

lotus, clarus, purple turtle, Etiquette by Built are available in the market.

These companies are giving high margins to the retailers and providing

to the customer at low cost. So the productprice elasticity is affected by

substitute products. New entrants are coming to get and increase the

market share which is increasing the rivalry.

Threat of Substitute

There are many substitute of this product. Some has direct competition

of the product such as cheaper Chinese wipes, wipes of Johnson and

Johnson etc. Some are indirect competitor of Kara such as handkerchief,

towel, tissue paper etc.

Bargaining Power of Suppliers

The main raw material used in making wipe is Viscose Staple Fibre

(VSF) which is largely manufactured by the cellulose division of Aditya

Birla Group. Aditya Birla Group sells Viscose Staple Fibre to so many

domestic and international companies those use this VSF in making of

wipes and other products. For Kara, there is no bargaining power of

supplier because its own parent company produces the raw material. On

the other hand, for other wet wipes manufacturer, bargaining power of

supplier is very high due to sole supplier of VSF.

Bargaining Power of Customers

Being availability of different variants of wet wipes of different

companies such as Johnson & Johnson, Bilt, Kara, Good Look and

different Chinese companies, wipes market is like buyers’ market rather




2013


than sellers’ market. Now, customers have wide range of choice of

product and have power to influence the price of the product.

SWOT Analysis of KARA Skin Care Wipes

STRENGTH:

y Fabric used is VSF which has a good absorbing power.

y 100% natural & bio-degradable

y Safe for skin.

y Dermatologically tested

y Alcohol free

y Cleans, nourishes & hydrates the skin.

y Assurance of Aditya Birla Group

WEAKNESS:

y Ample measures for advertising & promotion are not done.

y Awareness for the use of such products by the company is

missing. y Way costly than other wipes available.

y Retailers find it a product with very low mar gin hence, hesitateto or der.

OPPORTUNITIES:

y This segment has potential to widen up as the concept of wipes

is very new in

Indian market.

y People are becoming more hygienic & consciences towardsthemselves.

y Growth rate for this can be high as people are becoming more

educated with higher

income.

THREATS:

y Facing immense competition from Chinese wipes which areslowly penetrating into

this segment.

y Major threats are: Dove, Nivea, MeeMee, Claurius

.



RETAILER PERCEPTION OF KARA WIPES 2013


Chapter-3

Research Methodology

Research Methodology

Research methodology is the arrangement of condition for collection and

analysis of data in a manner that aims to combine the relevance to the research

purpose with economy in procedure. Research is conceptual structure within

which research is conducted. It is way to systematically study and solve the

research problems. The steps which complete the process are mentioned below:

a) Problem Identification

b) Development of Approach to problem

c) Research design Formulation

d) Fieldwork and Data Collection

e) Data Preparation and Analysis

f) Report preparation and Presentation

Research Design:

Research design begins with the identification of management decision problem

and the success of the research highly depends on the well description of management decision problem.

A Research Design is a frame work or blue print for conducting the marketing

researchproject. It details the procedures necessary for obtaining the

information needed tostructure or solve marketing research problem. Although a

broad approach to the problemhas already been developed, the research design

specifies the details, the nuts and boltsof implementing the approach. A research

design lays the foundation for conducting theproject. A good research design will



59

ensure that the marketing research project isconducted effectively and

efficiently. There are three types of research designs viz.

a) Exploratory: This type of research is done when objective is not known

and it helps inproviding insight and understandings to define a problem.It

also involves formulation of hypothesis.The study involves finding out

present data of demand for skincare wipes and prospective buyers and

consumers of the skincare wipes.

b) Descriptive:Descriptive study is an extension of exploratory study and it

contains people surveyed, method of analysis, data collection and analysis

of problem.Research was done to find out Market feasibility of Kara

skincare wipes, so that we can make strategies to establish our products

in the market in a better way, providing more awareness and place the

product properly as well as promote the brand and emerge as a good

competitor in the market.

c) Causal: It helps in determining the cause and effect relationships.Manipulation of one or more independent variables is done to match with

the objective of our problem.

In this project, Descriptive Research Designhad been used.

The major objective of descriptive research is to describe something, usually

market characteristics or functions. Descriptive research is conducted for thefollowing:

To describe the characteristics of relevant groups, such as consumers,

sales people, organizations, or market areas.

To estimate the percentage of units in a specified population

exhibiting a certain behavior.

To determine the perception of product characteristics.

To determine the degree to which marketing variables are associated.



60

To make specific prediction.

The Descriptive research can be classified in two methods:1) Survey Methods: This method is used when the research directly

corresponds the respondent, makes him aware of our objective and seeks his

help in filling up the questionnaire. The respondent answers each and every

question thus giving his contribution to the study. Some of the observation

methods are: Telephonic Surveys, Mall intercept Mail surveys.

2) Observation methods: This method is used when the researcher uses his

own judgment on behalf of respondent by observing his reactions and answerswhen they interact with each other. The researcher tries to put all elements of

research questions in the conversation and seeks to find the answers without

letting respondent know about it.

In this project, Observation method as well as survey method has been used.

The former one has been used for retailers where they were unaware that they

are participating in the research with their conversation and latter one has beenused for all commuters of retail stores and online as well.

Scaling

Scaling is applied to the attempts to measure the attitude objectively. Attitude is

aresultant of number of external and internal factors. Depending upon the

attitude to bemeasured, appropriate scales are designed. Scaling is a technique

used for measuringqualitative responses of respondents such as those related to

their feelings, perception,likes, dislikes, interests and preferences. Most

commonly used scales are:

a) Nominal: Numbers serve only as labels or tags for identifying and classifying

objects.Only permissible operation on the numbers in a nominal scale is counting

b) Ordinal: A ranking scale in which numbers are assigned to objects to indicate

therelative extent to which the objects possess some characteristic. In addition to

counting,one can place objects accordingly relative to their rank.



61

c) Interval: Numerically equal distances on the scale represent equal values in

thecharacteristic being measured. However the location of origin is arbitrary.d) Ratio: Possesses all the properties of the nominal, ordinal, and interval scales.

It has anabsolute zero point

In this project, all the questions have been designed using Nominal scale.

Sample Size:

The data was collected through filling up the questionnaires, getting data fromretailers and thorough market survey and market research study. The sample

size for the study taken is 30 which includes ofline.

Sample and Sampling Techniques

Sample basically means a subgroup of elements of population selected for

participation in study. And number of elements to be included in the study is

known as sample size.

Execution of the sampling process requires a detailed specification of how the

sampling designs decisions with respect to the population, sampling frame,

sampling unit, sampling technique, and sample size is to be implemented.

Sampling technique is broadly classified as:

Non Probability Sampling– sampling technique that do not use chance

selection procedures and rather they rely on the personal judgment of the

researcher. Non probability sampling technique is further classified as:

o Convenience Sampling

o Judgmental Sampling

o Quota Sampling

o Snowball Sampling



62

Probability Sampling– a sampling procedure in which each element of

population has a fixed probabilistic chance of being selected for thesample. And probability sampling is further classified as:

o Simple Random Sampling

o Systematic Sampling

o Stratified Sampling

o Cluster Sampling

In this study basically Convenience sampling i.e. Non Probability Sampling

Technique has been used wherein I surveyed people online and people visiting to

malls, cosmetic stores, general stores, medical stores etc. of Agra. Convenience

attempts to obtain a sample of convenient elements. The selection of the

sampling unit is left primarily to the interviewer. In this type of sampling

technique often the respondents are selected because they happen to be in the

right place at the right time.

Convenience sampling is the least expensive and least time consuming of all the

sampling techniques. The sampling units are accessible, easy to measure and

cooperative. In spite of these advantages, this form of sampling has serious

limitations. Many potential sources of selection bias are present, including

respondent self-selection. Convenience sampling is not representative of any

definable population. This study basically included mall-intercept as the

sampling technique. And the sample size for the study taken is 30 people that include all respondents online as well as offline. A close end questionnaire was

constructed for my survey. A questionnaire consisting of a set of questions was

presented to respondents for their answers.



63

Data Collection

Primary Data:

The first hand information bearing on any research is the one which has been

collected by the researcher. The data here is collected through:

A structured questionnaire

Personal interview of both retailer and consumers.

Secondary Data:

The data which has already been collected, complied and presented earlier by

any agency may be used for purpose of investigation. The data collected through:

Various publications in form of annual reports, various papers and

journals published from time to time.

Through internet and Books

Limitations of the study:

Research is based on the collection of data from both primary and

secondary sources.

There may be a possibility of biasness on the part of some respondents,

but very much care has been taken to make this report unbiased.

Some respondents might not give the correct information due to their lack

of interest and shortage of time.

Small sample size of 30 may not represent the true picture as it would

have been by taking response from entire population.

All the information, which is taken, is biased on primary and secondary

data that has its own limitations.

Location constraint i.e. respondents from high profile location will

respond positively and respondents from lower level location will

respond negative, although, diversification of location has been

maintained and I have tried to cover almost all type of markets in Agra.



64

Chapter-4 Analysis of data collected

Figure - 1

The above statistic shows that 50% respondents are the user of Cucumber. Being

randomly surveyed a sample of 30 people offline, this may not be the actual

result in the market.

0%

50%40%

7% 3%

Chart TitleQ. which fragrance consumer like most?

a)cucumber

b) Mint

c) sunscreen

d) cleasing



65

Fig-2

The above statistics shows that only 24% people out of 30 respondent mainly

preferred Kara rest of the people preferred other brand

Figure - 3

0%

15%

31%

24%

12%

18%

Chart Title

1) which brand of

wet wipe people

mainly preferred ?

Bilt

johnson

kara

0%

73%

13%

7% 7%

Chart Title

1) How much sales of wipes in 1 month

10000

20000

30000

above



66

Here, according to data, 73% retailer says that in 1 month wipes estimated sale

is Rs10000 and 13% says that Rs 20000

Figure - 4

According to the survey 73% retailers says that in summer season people want

more wipes as compare to rainy and winter

0%

73%

17%

10%

Chart Title1) In which season people want more wipes?

summer

rainy

winter



67

Figure - 5

Among all the respondents, 50% feels that 20 wipes pack is ideal pack. 10 wipes

pack may also be considered to target the mass customers, stands at 20% in the

graph. Only 13% respondents believe that 5 wipes pack is an ideal pack,

although, it is the smallest pack of Kara available in the market. Other large pack

containing 30 and more than 30 wipes pack did not get much response.

Therefore, we can promote the product with 10 wipes and 20 wipes pack with

better and attractive offerings to target large audience.

0%

13%

20%

50%

17%

Chart Title

1) Which pack do you think is ideal pack? 5p 10p 20p 30p



68

Figure – 6

According to the survey only 40% people are aware about kara 60% are not aware.

Fig-7

Accordint to retailers perception 80% retailers are not happy with the distributors because

in Agra distributor not supply timely.

0%

40%

60%

Chart Title

1) People aware about kara wipes? Yes No

0%

20%

80%

Chart Title

1) Distributor supply kara product timely? yes no



69

Figure - 8

According to the 30 retailers people mainly preferred facial wipes .around 60%

people mainly preferred facial wipes.

Fig- 9

I saw in the market in baby wipes Johnson baby wipes demand is more

And I got adata from the questionnaire from the retailers 67% retailers

thatjohnshon baby wipes demand is more as compare to kara.

0%

60%

15%

15%

10%

Chart Title

1) Which kara product sales is more?

facial wipes

kitchen wipes

baby wipes

Handsanitizing

0%

33%

67%

Chart TitleIn baby wipes people mainly preferred which co. product?

a) Kara

b) Johnshon



70

Fig-10

In kitchen wipes also 57% people said that scrotch bite demand is more and 43%

people only said that kara demand is more in Agra market.

Fig-11

0%

43%

57%

Chart Title

In kitchen wipes people mainly preferred which co. product?

a) Kara

b) Scrotch bite

0% 7%13%

47%

33%

Chart Title

What attribute lead you to dislike Kara?

a) Fragrance

b) softness of wipes

c) Price

d) avability



71

Around 47% retailers thinks that kara price is more than other wipes so this

attributes to dislike kara and also 33% think that kara wipes avability is less inmarket because distributor not supply the product timely so this attribute lead

to dislike kara.

Fig-12

47% retailers said that quality is good which makes a kara different from other

brand only 7% retailers said that attractive price.

0%

47%

7%

33%

13%

Chart Title

Which make kara different from other brand?

a) Quality

b) Attractive price

c) Utility

d)Value for money



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Chapter-5Recommendations and Suggestions

Recommendations

Grasim Industries has been working hard to establish leading brand position of Kara

in market. Kara has been able to prove its mettle and highly accepted by customers. I

would like to recommend following activities those hopefully will help in growth of

Kara. These are as follows:

1. To create the BRAND AWARENESS, the following points should be taken into

consideration

There is huge competition from the Chinese wipes so it requires doing

aggressive advertising, campaigns, and samplings at the beginning of

summer season, so that product should create awareness at right time

and push the sale.

Activities and promotions at hyper markets and malls to attract more and

more customers, mostly during Saturdays and Sundays. At low budget company can place KARA dangles in concerned retailers.

Dangles are very effective marketing communication as it makes

customer’s eyes to see on hanging dangles. Even at low budget company

can stick the KARA tape to rakes where product is placed that can

increase the awareness of product.

Company can organize event on women’s day which is on 8th march to

create the awareness. The sale of KARA will increase as summer starts inMarch-April. Even mother’s day which lies in may is best month for



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demand for KARA. So company can organize such events in popular stores

like Big Bazaar, Spencer and Vishal mega mart etc.

2. Modification in marketing mix of the product and schemes.

Getting the product into an eye catching and handy package for various

purposes, so that it attracts both consumers and retailers at a glance.

The product needs rigorous advertising be it in print media and

television, hoardings, van operations, lama, only then the awareness could

be brought about the brand and the products. Company should acknowledge the customers that the company is

charging high prices because of its high quality material unlike of other

brands and also educate that compromise in quality of fibre can harm the

skin through different media sources.

There’s a huge demand for the product among the “new-generation

working women” as they prefer handy products for convenient and easy

accessibility. So focusing on the right consumer group is necessary. Hotels have been on rapid rise in Agra. Demand of wet wipes is high in

hotels.

Restaurants can provide KARA wet wipe to their customers for

refreshment.

Display schemes to the retailers should be provided which should include

posters & halogen board with the name of the shop written on it.

Retailers getting very high margin from the Chinese wipes and other

brand so the company should also take care of its retailers expectations so

that it will fulfil their needs and keep them satisfied.

I think company should for a time being raise the margin level from 18%

(16%+2%) to around 30% & should concentrate more on advertisements

hence as a result of which the consumers will get attracted towards this

product and it will raise the demand for the product & retailers will also

start keeping the product in their shelves.



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Regular contact should be maintained with the retailer directly so that

they can give their feedback to the company regarding to the consumerreaction rather than through the agents.

Industry Look up

Aviation Industry: Like the company has managed to have tie-ups with

Kingfisher airlines, other companies can also be targeted with proper

explanation on cost-effectiveness of the product.

Beauty Parlor: Kara refreshing wipes and makeup removal could be usedin beauty parlor operationslike facial, makeup, cleansing, body spa,

massage etc could add value to customer and in some of operation they

could charge more from customers and for the same local branded beauty

parlors can be targeted.

Saloons: Likewise, even saloons have a lot of business potential for the

product especially Porsche saloons of Agra like Lakme,empire Jawed

Habib.



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Chapter-6Conclusion

Findings of the Research

As per the marketing research it’s been concluded the following observation:

1. Quality of the wipes is being appreciated by most of the customers

2. High competition from other brand of wipes such as Johnson& Johnson as

they are providing schemes and even their prices are low.

3. People are getting more conscious regarding brands, quality, and hygiene.

4. Consumers especially women, prefer buying the products of brands like

L’oreal, Dove, Pond’s, Himalaya, etc. because they have been using the

other cosmetic items such as face wash, cold cream, moisturizing cream

etc. of these brands and prefer to buy the wipes of the same brand.

5. People are not aware that sunscreen, moisturizing, toning, deep-pore

cleansing variants are available in the market under the brand of Kara.

6. Retailers are not well aware about the product and are unable to explain

the details about the product to the consumers, as they themselves do not

have the complete understanding about the product.

7. People are not familiar with the new concept of using wet wipes for

almost all cosmetic needs. As certain study and research says that “Asian

markets especially Indian market does not cater to new products as the

people are more inclined towards tried and tested products”.

8. The first thing which acts as a gatekeeper between the product & the

retailers is the margin provided by the company. As there are other local

wipes available in the market with more margins to offer than offered by

us as a result of this retailer hesitate at a first go to keep the product into

their shelf.



76

9. Another point which I think is very shocking to see is the delivery of the

order from the distributor to the retailers, in my very short span of periodI came across with many complaints from the retailers stating that they

had placed their order but the consignment has not been delivered or it

took more than 2 weeks to get the delivery, this may act against the

product’s brand value or the retailer may lose interest from the product



77

Chapter-7 Annexure

Questionnaire

1) Which fragrance Consumers like most?

a) Mint b) Cucumber c) Sunscreen d) Cleasing

2) which brand of wet wipe people mainly preferred ?

a) Bilt b) Johnson & Johnson c) Kara d) Good Look e) Others________

3) How much sales of wipes in 1 month

a) Rs 10000 b) Rs 20000 c) Rs 30000 d) Rs 30000&Above

4) In which season people want more wipes?

a) Summer b) Winter c) Rainy

5) Which pack do you think is ideal pack?

a) 5 wipes b) 10 wipes c) 20 wipes d) 30 wipes e) More than 30

wipes

6) According to you, what should be the ideal price for the multipurpose

medium size wipes pack?

a) Rs.20-30 b) 30-40 c) 40-50 d) 50-60 e) More than 60 but less

than 80

7) In baby wipes people mainly preferred which product?

a) Kara c) Johnson

8) Being wipes are available from refreshing to complete make up range, you

think wipes are becoming more useful than traditional liquid form of

cosmetic products.

a) Strongly agree b) Agree c) Can’t say d) Disagree

e) Strongly disagree

9) People aware about kara wipes?

a) Yes b) No



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10) In kitchen wipes people mainly preferred which product?

a)

Kara c) Scrotch bite11) Distributor supply kara product timely?

a) Yes b) No

12) You get full order of kara from distributor?

a) Yes b) No

13) What attributes lead you to dislike Kara?

a) Fragrance b) softness of wipe c) Price d) Availability

e) Others_________14) What makes Kara different from other brands?

a) Quality b) Attractive packaging c) Utility d) Value for money

15) Which kara product sales is more?

a) Facial wipes b) Hanssanitizing c) Baby wipes d) Kitchen wipes

16)How do you find kara skin care wipes?

a) Excellent b) Good c) Average d)Bad

Name of the retailer: ____________________________________________________________

Gender:

a) Male _____ b) Female ______

Mobile No.-



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Bibliography

Marketing Management, 12th edition, Philip Kotler, Kevin Lane Kotler,

Published by Prentice Hall, USA

Advertising and Integrated Brand Promotion, 4th Edition, Thomas C.

O’Guin, Chris T. Allen, Richard J. Semenik, Published by Thomson South-

Western Publishing house.

Consumer Behaviour Analysis (critical perspectives on business and

management) by G.R Foxall, Published by Routeldge Publishers.

Webliography

http://www.times100.co.uk

http://www.en911.com

http://www.wikipedia.com

http://www.adityabirla.com

http://www.adityabirla.com/birlacellulose

http://www.google.com

http://www.grasim.com

http://www.marketingpractice.blogspot.com/2008/05/kara-skincare-wipes-at-

your-best-always.html

http://www.indiaprwire.com/pressrelease/consumer/2008060410008.htm

http://www.living.oneindia.in/insync/2008/aditya-birla-group-kara-skincare-

wipes-070608.html

http://www.times100.co.uk/


http://www.a1books.com/


http://www.wikipedia.com/


http://www.adityabirla.com/




http://www.google.com/


http://www.grasim.com/


http://www.marketingpractice.blogspot.com/2008/05/kara-skincare-wipes-at-your-best-always.html







http://www.living.oneindia.in/insync/2008/aditya-birla-group-kara-skincare-wipes-070608.html



















My Leaning from Summer Training

I learnt lot thingsduring the project. Firstly it provided me much needed

corporate exposure like working in formal made team, business communication,

prioritizing work. Secondly I brush up my sales & marketing skills through

continuous given inputs on soft skills and business communication during

summer internship program; but there is no better place to hone these skills

than the workplace. I would like to share one experience that one day, I turned

up for reporting 10 minutes late due to traffic jams but I was sent back for the

day. My industry guide, Mr. Surya Prakash Singh, who is a good example of a well

disciplined person and grown by his own core values and philosophy. He neither

used to come late nor used to allow anybody to come late. It was a good learning

that in corporate world time is money and one is expected to be punctual. After

the day, I never have been late for a minute and it continues till now and would

be always, as it is rightly said, “Almost every mistake is a gift if we learn from it”.

retailers perception about kara

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