Grasim readies Rs.150 crore for brand Liva

The Economic Times
25 December 2015

Mumbai: Aditya Birla Group controlled Grasim Industries has drawn up capex plan of Rs.150 crore for product development, R&;D and business development for its new fabric brand Liva in next fiscal. “We are looking at spending around Rs 150 crore for product and application development, R&;D and business development for Liva — a fibre brand launched earlier this year to target retail customers,” Grasim Industries managing director KK Maheshwari said.

The usage of viscose staple fibre (VSF) is already catching up among domestic processors with VSF-made winter collection expected to go up from 20 lakh garments this year to about 50 lakh garments next winter season, Maheshwari said.

The Aditya Birla group company has enhanced its VSF production capacity in March from 1,20,000 tonnes per annum to 5,00,000 tpa with the completion of the last phase of its greenfield project at Vilayat in Gujarat. The company sells about 3,00,000 tonnes of VSF in domestic market and the rest is exported.

Globally, the annual demand growth for VSF is about 4%. The biggest challenge, Maheshwari said, is to widen the market base by promoting garments made of VSF. “While the cotton production has limitations worldwide, the consumer demand for natural and comfortable fabrics is growing in India. We see this as an opportunity and are trying to reach out to the consumer with the Liva brand,” he added.

To reach the end-consumer, the company has partnered with designers. Till now we have been supplying the fibre to major fashion and home textile brands like Pantaloon, Van Heusen, Global Desi, Allen Solly and looking at tie ups with more brands, he said.

As part of national drive Liva Accredited Partner Forum (LAPF), Birla Cellulose, the pulp and fibre division of Grasim, is organising a stakeholder conclave in various parts of the country.

— Press Trust of India