20-25% of industry players may need a capital infusion: Mr. Kapil Pathare, Director, VIP Clothing Ltd.

Kapil Pathare, Director, VIP Clothing Ltd.

By Mr. Kapil Pathare, Director, VIP Clothing Ltd.

It would take at least 6-9 months for India’s retail industry to recover from the impact of the covid-19 pandemic. 20-25% of industry players may need a capital infusion to stay afloat and about 20% jobs in the industry may get impacted. The 7-8% working retailers are of essential commodities retailers. The situation will be weak even after the lockdown is lifted for the consumers will be in buying mode only what is needed.  After that we will have a recovery mode.

The industry has more than 15 million retailers including big and small  traditional and modern trade. Retail employs 40-50 million Indians directly.Fashion, furniture, electronics retailers and Luxury retailers and Automobiles will be hit hardest as consumers forego discretionary purchases in favor of stocking up on food and household supplies. Grocers win but at a higher cost of operations and will be highly motivated to be better prepared for the omni-channel shopper and responsiveness to demand shifts.Retail technology investments will continue to reflect digital transformation efforts as retailers reserve capital for technology investments by reducing spending on store openings and remodels.

Cash rotation would slow down for all categories retailers though food , grocery, pharma stores would be less impacted as they have covered substantial sales target in March itself.  Large retail and real estate can be impacted as they would expect recognition in rental contracts. Supply chain which has always been a important factor in retail shall be the biggest challenge and would require re alignment. As retail engages high manpower getting back manpower would also be a challenge post lockdown and hence it would also impact retail experience and customer service.

The online retailers would be highly active for essential goods and hence portal upgradation would also be challenge to consider the number of customers shopping online. Hence this could also be a hike by 5-7% in online purchase for a year. However the ecom sector will also face the challenges and will see dip in growth for other commodities. There will be high pressure on supply chain for deliveries of products and another challenge would be to equip their employees with appropriate resources to manage the operations with no disruptions.

 Profile of Mr. Kapil Pathare, Director, VIP Clothing Ltd.

Kapil Pathare joined VIP Group in 2001 and has been able to infuse dynamism in the company.  From a traditional manufacturer-marketer-distributor of inner wear goods, he has been able to transform the company keeping pace with modernity and evolve as a savvy marketer. Armed with a vision, the right infrastructure, right people, the right leadership, and the right attitude – a cumulative aggregate of factors vital to succeed and excel in the marketplace.

He has over the years acquired extensive experience in marketing, production operation, sales, advertising, business startups, etc. VIP Group, which is engaged in the manufacturing and marketing of innerwear, lingerie, readymade garments, socks and other accessories. Today the group has a dealer network of 600 and 120,000 retail outlets in India alone with scope for further growth, which the group is intent on exploiting.

At the initiation of 21st century, VIP Group, witnessed introduction of enthusiastic, young and dynamic leadership in the Board of Directors. Mr. Kapil Pathare engraved his name in the Company and impressed the whole with his situational leadership style, spot decision making abilities and as an effective communicator of management decisions. Since the beginning, he has been inclined more towards the operations side of the Management Functionary, besides other functions. He focused more on various aspects of Manufacturing of innerwear goods with his clear concept of quality of products & services.

He always describes that VIP Group as pioneer of innerwear manufacture but moreover, we are inner winner manufacturers and innovating marketing Company. With this enthusiasm and customer oriented global vision, he has made a great difference in the then manufacturing & marketing traditions & styles. To be as a global innerwear manufacturer, he possesses an absolute clear vision which is armed with right attitude and fundamental understanding of human being. He believes in success of business personnel depends on right understanding of human resources, their approaches, skills and values of those who work in the Organization.

The company has won many fashion Awards for more than two decades, to name the few at its credit, ABBY’s Gold 2005, Golden Scale Trophy ( 2007-2008 ) – The Brand of the year Women’s Inner Wear By CMAI, Golden Scale Trophy ( 2007-2008 ) – The Brand of the year Men’s Inner Wear By CMAI, Golden Scale Trophy ( 2006-2007 ) – The Brand of the year Men’s Inner Wear By CMAI, IMA -Image Fashion Award, Lycra Fashion Award : Most Admired Innerwear Company of the year – VIP Group.

VIP Group has been continuously engaged in branding of products and emerging its image from masses brands to premium Brands. The Company’s foresight in placing Frenchie and Frenchie X innerwear brands in Indian market and abroad has created a passion for innerwear in young generation of the Country. The company has also forayed into retail with its exclusive innerwear store called “Inners – the innerwear studio”, a significant step in the direction of creating new, unique and holistic product experience for consumers at the retail level.

Kapil Pathare has been presented with an honorary Doctorate in Business from Ballsbridge University for his outstanding contribution to business and entrepreneurship.

About Neel Achary 18874 Articles
Neel Achary is the editor of Business News This Week. He has been covering all the business stories, economy, and corporate stories.