Numero Uno To Set Up New Manufacturing Facility

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New Delhi: : Denimwear maker Numero Uno is expanding its operations to tap new export opportunities. The company is setting up a new stitching plant with a capacity of three lakh pieces a month at Selaqui near Dehradun in Uttranchal.

Says Numero Uno director Narinder Singh: ‘‘We are relocating a major part of our stitching operations to Uttranchal, where we will employ around 300 people. We plan to focus on value-added garments at our existing Gurgaon facilities, which will drive our exports sales.’’

Since the last two years, Numero Uno has been working with a couple of UK-based boutique buyers. Numero Uno, which does not have any textile export quota, is expecting to clinch some crucial alliances with global garment buyers in preparation for the lifting of quantitative restrictions in 2005.

Numero Uno’s existing Gurgaon plant employs 500 employees, a section of which is proposed to be relocated to Selaqui—just like it was done when Numero Uno shifted from Okhka in Delhi to Gurgaon in Haryana. The Gurgaon plant’s integrated facilities like washing, dyeing, computerised embroidery, sand-blasting and knitting are expected to cater to the export markets.

Numero Uno is owned by proprietary company Hi Fashion Clothing. Mr Singh is also a director at Indus Clothing Ltd, which is a licensee for Lee Cooper apparels in India. His family businesses include a Coca-Cola bottling plant in Jammu & Kashmir.

Even as the company explores exports markets, it is also aiming at major presence in the domestic retailscape, including a foray into the southern and eastern markets.

‘‘We’re looking to open one exclusive store every two months as we see women’s comfort level rising at our stores,’’ says Mr Singh. ‘‘Exclusive stores and mega retail chains are already accounting for a quarter of our sales.’’

Numero Uno has taken position across retail chains like Shoppers’ Stop, Pantaloon and Lifestyle in addition to 500 multi-brand outlets. The company has opened seven exclusive outlets in the last three years.

Numero Uno is said to be making one lakh pieces a month now, up from 60,000 pieces a month two years ago. The company is aiming at 40 per cent revenue growth in 2003-04, following a similar growth rate last fiscal.