Raymond to soon come up with its Women's ready-made collection

Kolkata, Apr 20 (UNI) Raymond Limited plans to release its first range of women's ready-made collection soon, Deputy Director General V V Bhagwat said here today.

Speaking on furthering its future plans, Mr Bhagwat said the company plans on setting up about 1000 retail stores in India, including many in interior areas like Malda, Purulia and Krishnagar in West Bengal, within the next five years.

With its biggest market in the northern region, Raymond Limited is aiming the large consumer mass in the East, with Kolkata being the central point, said Eastern Zone Assistant Retail Manager Mr Sadashiv, adding that there has been an increase in the retail market turnover by approximately 10-15 per cent in the last fiscal in the eastern zone.

''We expect a much larger increase of about 35 per cent by 2008 with more than 100 shops to come up in the zone soon,'' Assistant Manager of Retail (East) Amitabh Sadashiv said here at the opening of its new showroom in one of the prime areas of south Kolkata.

Speaking at the inauguration of its retail store in Gariahat, in South Kolkata, Mr Bhagwat said this was a strategic location for its new retail store because of the big mass of shoppers who visit the Gariahat market area every day.

Asking whether Bombay Dyeing's showroom located very near to it will pose a competition, Mr Sadashiv said, ''Bombay Dyeing is not our competitor!'' MORE UNI