Himalaya Optical plans to set up new stores

Himalaya Optical, one of the largest brands in the spectacles and lenses industry, is set up for a big expansion in eastern and northern states of the country.

Himalaya has nine outlets in Kolkata and seven in Delhi. It will open six new retail outlets in this year at Kolkata, Delhi, Nagpur and Raipur.

Himalaya has tied up with renowned international brands like Essilor, Nikon, Seiko and Corning. This would allow it to sell premium segment of lenses made by Nikon and Kodak in the Indian market. The initial investment would not be less than Rs 2.5 crore, said S Binani, director of marketing.

The company is also planning to open up stores at the two shopping malls coming up at South City and Forum-II by 2006.

Despite the market being largest in southern India , Himalaya is presently concentrating in north and eastern state before making a foray in the peninsular India. Talking exclusively to Business Standard, Binani said, "We want to capture our base-regions completely before we get on to the biggest market".

The target section is still people of the middle and upper-middle class.

"Our target is to provide our customers with a complete pair of glasses even at a price as low as Rs 550", Binani said. Besides providing frames, sunglasses, contact lenses, antireflection coating lenses and shatterproof polycarbonate lenses, Himalaya has come up with specialized eye care services.

It has pioneered in introducing laser vision correction service with the latest 'Zyoptics' technology in the country.

Himalaya has already set up a separate unit called Himalaya Vision Care Centre in Kolkata for the purpose.

"We want to transform Himalaya from optical store to a complete to provide complete vision correction" , Binani added.

According to Binani, expansion was not a problem ""- the major challenge was in providing best service to the customers by trained staff.