A RESEARCH REPORT

ON

Project report submitted for the partial fulfillment of the degree of

MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINSTRATION

Session-2010-2012

Submitted to: Submitted by:Mr.Ashish Singh Shahnavaz

Husain(Lecturer) Roll No-

4045

Faculty of Institute of Business Management

V.B.S Purvanchal University, Jaunpur (U.P)

Institute of Business ManagementV.B.S Purvanchal University, Jaunpur (U.P)

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that SHAHNAVAZ HUSAIN , ROLL NO. 4045 is a

Bonafide student of M.B.A 4th Sem (Session 2010-12). The Research project

report entitled of “ LIBERTY”

is done by him in partial fulfillment of award of Master of Business Administration

from Faculty of Institute of Business Management

V.B.S Purvanchal University, Jaunpur (U.P)

.

Mr. Ashish Singh Mr. Ajay Diwedi

(Project Guide) (H.O.D. MBA)

A cknowledgement

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the following people who

have directly or indirectly contributed towards the completion of this

dissertation and without their help this in the present form would have not

been possible.

I am thankful to MR Ashish SIR for giving me opportunity to work on such

a nice project as my project.

Last but not the least my special thanks to my parents without their support

my MBA course would not have been possible.

SHAHNAVAZ HUSAINMBA IV SEMESTER

DECLARATION

I SHAHNAVAZ HUSAIN STUDENT OF INSTITUTE OF BUSINESS

MANAGEMENT IN V.B.S PURVANCHAL UNIVERSITY JAUNPUR

(U.P). Batch 2010-2012, Here by declares that this research

project work Entitled “ LIBERTY”.

The institute and the guide are not liable for any kind of

Misrepresentation in report. I understand that if the report is

Found copied & or violation of IPR. My degree may be

Cancelled.

SHAHNAVAZ HUSAIN

Preface

Until recently, a major part of the demand was met by the

unorganized, informal, small sector. Branded shoes,

produced by large Indian producers, multinationals

producing in India and imports, account for only less than

20% of the entire market. The branded footwear market is

estimated to be 100 million pairs, made up of 5 million pairs

of spore

ts and athletic shoes and nearly 95 million pairs of shoes

and boots. The segment is dominated by men’s footwear,

and there are not more than three women’s brands known

nationally.

Footwear market is estimated at 550 million pairs, of which 450 million

pairs are in the form of casual footwear, such India’s total as ethnic

footwear, rubber and leather slippers, sandals etc, but not boots and shoes.

Leather footwear has a sizeable share, and production is estimated to be at

200 million pairs, including for exports. The footwear market is expected to

grow at 8-10%, based on recent trends. In value terms, the sector represents

a market of US$ 2.17 billion, of which exports account for approximately

35%.

Both Bata and Liberty have launched international brands in India through

tie-ups: Bata with Hush Puppies, Liberty with Burberry’s. An interesting

feature of the market is the presence of several international players in the

informal and sport shoes segment, which has a total market of only 5 million

pairs. The major MNC players are Reebok, Adidas and Nike. Italian brands

Lotto and Fila have franchise tie-ups in India, although the brand is not

aggressively promoted.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 9 INTRODUCTION 10-16

COMPANY PROFILE 17-31

PRODUCT RANGE 32-42

MARKETING : BASIC FUNDAMENTALS 43-45

CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR 46-52

PROBLEM FINDINGS 53-59

OBJECTIVE RESEARCH 60-62

LIMITATIONS 63-65

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 66-69

DATA ANALYSIS 70-77

RATE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF LIBERTY 78-84

- Advertising 85-90- Liberty Retail Revolution Limited 91

SWOT ANALYSIS 92-93

LEARNING 94-95

MARKETING SEGMENTATION 96-105

NEWS & CASES 106-107

LIBERTY LATEST ACHIEVEMENTS 108-112

FINDINGS 113-114

RECOMMENDATIONS 115-116

CONCLUSION 117

BIBLIOGRAPHY 118

APPENDIX 119-122

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Footwear market is estimated at 550 million pairs, of which 450

million pairs are in the form of casual footwear, such India’s

total as ethnic footwear, rubber and leather slippers, sandals

etc, but not boots and shoes. Leather footwear has a sizeable

share, and production is estimated to be at 200 million pairs,

including for exports. The footwear market is expected to grow

at 8-10%, based on recent trends. In value terms, the sector

represents a market of US$ 2.17 billion, of which exports

account for approximately 35%.

INTRODUCTIO

N

Inroduction of LibertyLiberty sells an estimated 50,000 pairs of shoes to men, women and kids on any given day. Casual, chic and comfort are the benchmarks that attract buyers to Liberty fashion shoes in more than 25 countries. Its dozen brands are liberally showcased in online shoe shops at enviable prices and fantastic designs.

Liberty Shoes began its journey when India was coming to grips with becoming an independent republic. The founders were P.D. Gupta, D.P. Gupta and R.K. Bansal. The year was 1954. The day was Christmas. The city chosen was Karnal, Haryana. The company named Liberty Shoes Limited (LSL). The aim was to offer freedom of choice to the Indian consumer. The three pioneers took over a dying shoe co-operative to turn it into a world-renowned footwear manufacturer and seller.

Liberty Shoes Limited (LSL) began as exporters of uppers. Within a decade, it tied-up with a retail outlet in Hungary to provide stylish, smart and comfy Liberty fashion shoes. There has been no looking back for the company. Its presence has grown from a single showroom to 350 exclusive showrooms and more than 6,000 multi-brand shops. LSL also launched Liberty Retail Revolution Ltd. for the retail sector, with 'Revolutions' outlets across the metropolitan cities of Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Chennai.

Innovation and Internet for Liberty ShoesLiberty Shoes focused the attention of price-conscious consumers of the Indian market on to footwear that bespoke quality and class. Therefore, in 1982, when shoes for Rs. 50/- were a norm, LSL produced Rs. 300/- per pair of shoes with polyurethane technology. LSL kept adding to its high-class

repertoire of shoes to create brands such as Force 10, Fortune,Tiptopp, Senorita, Coolers, Gliders, to name a few.

Buy Liberty Shoes online to flaunt your style statement. Don't hop from one store to another in this heat. Instead sit at home and purchase stylishly designed footwear from web sellers. Be Stylish. Not only in how you wear your shoes but also in the way you shop for Liberty fashion shoes.

Buy Liberty Shoes OnlineBuy fashion shoes from your favorite shoe-stylist, BeStylish. Exercise your freedom to view the extensive collection. View your choice in details - from the front, back, sideways and from the top. beStylish lets every man, woman and child shop for the range of Liberty's sports shoes, fashion shoes, casual shoes, summer shoes and school shoes. We deliver your shoes to your doorstep, absolutely free of cost.

Company

Profile

Liberty Shoes

Ltd.

The companyLiberty Shoes Ltd. is the only Indian company that is among the

top 5 manufacturers of leather footwear in the world with a

turnover exceeding U.S. $100 million.

We produce more than 50,000 pairs of footwear a day covering

virtually every age group and income category. Products are

marketed across the globe through 150 distributors, 350

exclusive showrooms and over 6000 multi-brand outlets, and

sold in thousands every day in more than 25 countries including

fashion-driven, quality-obsessed nations like France, Italy, and

Germany

With 50 years of excellence, today Liberty produces footwear for

the entire family and is a trusted name across the world. In the

domestic market it is one of the most admired footwear brands

and holds the largest market share for leather footwear.

One of Humantech Centers in Karnal, Haryana

The Brief History of The OrganisationIt was the 25th December of 1954 when India was nurturing its

growth as a free country, three dreamers in a small town in

erstwhile Punjab thought of producing an Indian brand of

footwear to make a basic necessity available to their

countrymen.

Mr. D P Gupta, Mr. P D Gupta and Mr. R K Bansal allowed their

vision to cross every barrier and brought cutting-edge

technologies to their own country. Within a short span of time,

the name, Liberty became a synonym to quality footwear in the

domestic market and this encouraged the company to invest

further for enhancing production capacities and to cater to the

demands of international markets.

With 50 years of excellence, today Liberty produces footwear for

the entire family and is a trusted name across the world. In the

domestic market it is one of the most admired footwear brands

and holds the largest market share for leather footwear

The Stracture

Adarsh Gupta

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Adarsh Gupta is a Mechanical Engineer, having specialization in

Polyurethane applications in Footwear and joined Liberty in

1983.He pioneered PU technology for the in India and helped

make Liberty a leader in Domestic Market. He has also put into

place a road map for Liberty foray in the International markets

and aggressively marketed the brand. With a string of

diversification Adesh has changed the company into a multi

product conglomerate with interests in

Retailing, Automotive, Chemicals, Construction and Real estate

sectors. Adesh has won many prestigious awards and a key

functionary of CII and also the Chairman of IMC, ITI, Karnal.

Adarsh Gupta

Executive Director

Having honed his business skills over the last twenty years,

Adarsh is widely traveled across the globe and understands the

nuances of doing business at the global stage. An avid learner

Adarsh continues to enhance his skills and acumen through

development programs, many of which have international

acclaim. Adarsh has done a diploma in Footwear design from the

world acclaimed ARS Sutoria Institute, Milan, Italy.

Shammi Bansal

Executive Director

Shammi Bansal is an eminent name in the leather and footwear

industry of India. He started his quest for innovation and

excellence in 1982 when he joined Liberty Shoes Ltd.

Sunil Bansal

Director

Russia, Hungary, Slovakia, Dubai, Germany, Italy, France are

some of the countries that appear on his mental radar with a

continuous blip reminding of

Action. Even as he oversees the export of the Liberty products to

these fashion destinations, Sunil patiently updates himself on

trends the world over.

Raman Bansal

Director

A graduate with a Diploma in Shoe Designing under his belt

Raman goes about his task with a sense of precision taking along

with him a vast number of dealers and distributors. Sharing the

marketing and sales policies with them and identifying the

success component of each based on continuous feedback from

the market.

Adish Gupta

Director

Looking closely at the expansion plans and the corresponding

human resource requirements, Adish is constantly planning and

strategizing to

Ensure the right resource is available at the right time and

continuous inputs for the growth of the individual.

Vivek Bansal

Director

He heads the Non Leather and PVC production facilities of the

company. From procuring raw materials, to keeping the focus on

fashion trends Vivek enjoys the hectic pace he sets for himself to

innovate and surprise the system.

Anupam Bansal

Director

A keen learner Anupam has trudged through the retail markets

in the country to get a first hand feel of the business of retailing.

He is spearheading the company's focus on making the products

available at fashion stores around the country.

Technology

Better methods. Better tools. Better technology. Enhanced

productivity. Finest quality. Greater customer satisfaction.

Liberty has a lot of firsts to its credit.

It has introduced a new material called TPU (Thermo Plastic

Urethane), for high quality footwear, into the country. This

material has better properties than PVC or TPR (conventional

materials used for footwear).

Liberty has also been instrumental in introducing EVA (Ethyl

Vinyl Acetate), which is a direct injection molding used for

making sole for the f

Irst time in Asia. This technology uses very light material & the

footwear is made with the direct injection system.

Liberty also pioneered the PU (Poly Urethane) Technology in

India for the footwear industry.

Besides these Thermo Plastic Elastomer has been developed for

the first time in India at Liberty. A CAD/CAM design center is in

place at Liberty. The Sympatex waterproof technology in

footwear was pioneered by also Liberty. Liberty is also the first

company to market PPE products for safety purpose

Manufacturing Excellence

We call them Humantech Centers. When people visit us they

see them as centers of Excellence for manufacturing shoes

where technology works in perfect tandem with human

creativity. Liberty has Humantech centers at four locations in

India, the latest being the Uttaranchal project which was

launched recently to boost the production of world-class

footwear. This Greenfield plant near Dehradun will increase the

company's existing production capacity of 18 million units’ pa by

200,000 units

The locations of the four are Humantech Centers:

GHARAUNDA, HARYANA (APPROX. 95 K.M. FROM DELHI)

Gharaunda is the first plant of its kind in this part of Asia that is

equipped with Desma machines for PU Direct Injection

Moulding. Using PUF technology and Computer Aided Systems

this vertically integrated plant produces Industrial Safety Shoes

that are made to European standards. Sympatex TEX booties as

well as ordinary booties are also made here. Beside these

Gharaunda has a design center where an ambitious team of

young designers working in tandem with experienced

technologists.

Liberty puram, Haryana (102 k.m. from Delhi)

About 14 km from Karnal this Humantech center, spread across

50 acres of landscaped greens, has 16 lines for Cement Last

Construction footwear, 15 lines for Direct Injection Mounded

footwear and 3 lines for EVA Direct Injection footwear. It is a

manufacturing base for slippers and sandals that put the

Chinese sheet slippers to shade, teenager's shoes with very light

PVC soles as well as leather soles, shoes for both sexes as well

as booties for ladies.

Karnal, Haryana (124 k.m. from Delhi)

Liberty’s first manufacturing center caters essentially to the

domestic market and produces Cement Last Construction as well

as leather sole footwear for both men and women.

Dehradun in, Uttaranchal

This new Humantech center makes Cement Last Construction

footwear as well as the comfort range of sandals for ladies. It

will soon also produce sports shoes for the likes of Reebok and

Nike as well as for the domestic market.

Product Mix

Liberty has created a repertoire of 10 well developed brands, each one of

which has been painstakingly nurtured to cater to its specified target group.

Care has been taken to create a specific identity for each brand and to

provide the latest international designs.

Today, the new range from Liberty is all about style, design, and comfort.

The range imbibes the spirit of fun and is trendy to the core. There is a

product for every season and occasion.

Force 10 has long perceived to be the flagship brand of Liberty, Force 10,

today is Synonymous with value for money fashion sports shoes. It is a

symbol of family force of Liberty which has 10 members. Targeted at the

age Group of 13-28 year old boys and men, Force 10 produces over 600,000

pairs annually. Available in the range of Rs. 350 to Rs. 1250, Force 10 looks

with

“Life at a force of 10”

Coolers are the brand of men’s sandals and slip-ons. These sandals cater to

the age group of 21-45 years and are a stylish and comfortable

accompaniment to any apparel. The range is amongst the most sought after

during the summer months and over 1,000,000 sandals are produced every

year. In the price range of Rs. 295 to Rs. 899, Coolers are indeed

“Cool comfortable sandals”

Foot fun has been created as an exclusive brand for children in the age group

of 1 to 12 years. Children have their own peculiar requirements so far as

footwear is concerned. The Liberty Foot fun addresses all concerns of style,

comfort, fitting as well as gives special emphasis to the flexibility of the

footwear. Bright and vibrant colors are to the USP of the range and the

maintenance proof products add value for the children and parents alike.

The products in this category include sandals, infant and toddler range of

unisex shoes, sports shoes, and school shoes. The range is available in the

price range at Rs. 135.00 to Rs. 395.00 and sells over 2,400,000 pairs

annually. It conforms to the tag line.

“Non Stop Fun”

Fortune comprises of men’s formal and casual shoes in Leather from the

House of Liberty. These shoes, meant for today’s students and executives in

the age group of 18-45, combines the latest trends in formal wear abroad in

to the most formal footwear. It is a sign of good luck, a symbol of being

prosperous. The Fortune collection produces 600,000 pairs of shoes every

year. In the price range of Rs. 850 – 1495, these shoes promise,

“It takes some men places”

A symbol of light weight footwear, it gives a feeling of floating in air. It is

the most important brand of Liberty as it covers all segments, varieties,

colours, designs and price ranges. It is a mass brand of the company. Gliders

cater to the specific need of normal, semi-formal footwear as well as

beachwear for the age group of 2-45 years. This range has something or the

other to cater to the requirements of children, young men and women. Over

45, 00,000 pairs of Gliders footwear are produced each year in the price

range of Rs. 125 to Rs. 1795. Gliders conform to the adage:

“Some things are just right”

Senorita is a brand that caters to the high design and fashion styling amongst

young women. Bringing out the flair of each style, Senorita invites young

women in the age group of 14-26 to be comfortable as well as look the most

delicately brought out the latest designs for this brand. Over 4, 50,000 pairs

are produced in this range in the price category of Rs. 495 to Rs. 995.

Senorita invites women to retain their youthfulness, vibrancy and energy

through its tag-line

“Hey woman, stay girl”

Geo Sport exclusive professional sports shoes for 14-38 year olds; Geo Sport

is targeted at budding and professional sportspersons. The shoes cater to

niche of professional sportswear, 15,000 pairs of shoes are created every

year in the price range of Rs. 895 - Rs. 1695. Geo Sport is important to

serious player

“Because winning matters”

Warrior a range of safety shoes for institution sales and workers of the age

group 21- 45 years comprise Warrior, because of its solid sturdy looks,

Warrior is also becoming quite a rage with the young boys and men. The

product line is available from Rs. 685-1195 and sells 4, 00,000 pairs

annually.

Windsor provides casual and formal shoes for the young executives in the

age group of 21 to 40 years. This brand caters to the need for power dressing

for the young executives and allows the busy executive to make a statement

in power dressing, which is as much at ease in the boardroom as in the

cocktail lounge.

The idea is to be comfortable wearing these attractive leather formal shoes

over long periods every day, in keeping with the hectic lifestyles today. Over

750,000 pairs of Windsor are produced annually in the price range of Rs.

895 to Rs. 1999. Windsor truly believes

“What’s life without a little comfort?”

Tiptopp caters to providing comfortable and fashionable women’s slip-ons

and sandals. This range is synonymous with comfort, durability and neat

styling. Targeted at ladies in the age group of 24-40 years, this range sells 7,

50,000 pairs annually. Available in the price range of Rs. 325 to Rs. 550.

RESEARCH

METHODOLOG

Y

MARKET RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The methodology adopted for this market research is explained

below:

Defining the research problem &

objective

Developing the research plan for

collecting information

Implementing the research plan-

collecting & analyzing data

Interpreting & reporting the

findings

The research methodology adopted was Descriptive in nature.

The cross-sectional study has been used here. Information has

been collected from a given sample of population only once.

Also, the cross-sectional study is single in nature, because only

one sample of respondents is drawn from the target population.

Data Collection

We have used a formal questionnaire to collect data. The survey

had been done in two methods: telephonic interviewing and

personal interviewing. Telephonic interviewing was traditional in

nature and in-home personal interviewing was done.

Questionnaire

We have used a questionnaire for data collection. The

questionnaire consists of questions that are judicious mix of both

close-ended and open-ended questions. As the study was to

study the choice criteria to decide upon a company for shoe

purchase and accordingly prepare the competitive update, i.e.

Liberty Vs others, hence open-ended questions were necessary

to get the inner information. Still, we made it as simple as

possible.

Sampling Technique

The sampling technique used was a mix of Convenient. That is,

we used no probability sampling technique in which we chose a

sample of convenient elements.

Sample Design

Sample Size: 400

Execution: The approach as straight forward in the Shoe store. I

approached the customers directly and requested them to fill the

questionnaire.

Mission & Vision

Mission

Its the mission of the Liberty Group to continuously improve the quality of  Its the mission of the Liberty Group to continuously improve the quality of its products using cutting its products using cutting-edge technologies and following the latest trends. Edge technologies and following the latest trends.The group emerged with an enthusiasm to offer world. The group emerged with an enthusiasm to offer world class products to its class products to its countrymen and it will carry forward the same attitude along with the countrymen and it will

carry forward the same attitude along with the determination to be the global leader. Determination to be the global leader

A mission with a cause, A vision with an attitude´The goal of an organization gets reflected in its mission and vision. Liberty,The goal of an organization gets reflected in its mission and vision. Liberty, feel the pride of having a goal that inspires us to operate for the feel the pride of having a goal that inspires us to operate for the advancement of the people. Advancement of the people..

Vision

The Group is committed to achieve the highest performance standards in each area of its business. It envisages itself as the most trusted name all each area of its business. It envisages itself as the most trusted name all over the world. Over the world

SIGNIFICATION FEUTURE

Print Campaign

Liberty has tried to project itself as a brand of style. They made

print campaigns with powerful one liners targeting each

segment. For example in the first print campaign shown above

they have targeted the youth in the age group of 14-24. They

have targeted the youth in that phase of life in which they are

undecided about where their life is heading, where their careers

are headed and where they

In the second print campaign they have used stylish models such

as Nethra Ranganathan to represent style and fashion. They

have targeted the urban Indian woman who is style and fashion

conscious. They have also cited the importance of the correct

kind of footwear.

Liberty has targeted various segments like the school college

going youth, the working mothers, the stylish urban woman and

children. In the above print campaigns they have targeted

children and the stylish office going male. They have portrayed

the child as having her own identity. They have also portrayed

the urban Indian working male as stylish and a winner in all he

does. They have very beautifully used the psychographics of the

segments.

In each of their print advertisements they have portrayed

Liberty as a brand used by individuals having a separate

identity, whether it be the identity of a child or an urban Indian

youth. Punch lines like ‘Competition, Winning Edge, I have it all’,

‘Peer pressure? Boys? Every Step I take is very much me’ or

‘Daddy’s eyes, Mummy’s nose, My shoes are just my own’.

ADVERTISING & PROMOTION

The marketing division takes aggressive promotional exercise

throughout the year. Special marketing communication mix are

devised for special occasions like Diwali, Id, Christmas etc.

company promotes its products by adding value to the lifestyle

and a part of the ambitions. It aims at satisfying consumer’s

esteem and self-actualization needs so that consumer can

Relate themselves with the company. However, for promotion of

its product, the main instrument of the company is its

“SHOWROOM POLICY”. This policy aims at reaching more and

more customers through Liberty showroom

What is a customer?

A customer is the most important person ever in this office…….in

person or by mail.

A customer is not dependent on us ……… we are dependent on

him.

A customer is not an interruption of our work…… he is the

purpose of it. We are not doing a favor by serving him……. He is

doing us a favor by giving us the opportunity to do so.

A customer is not someone to argue or match wins with. Nobody

ever wins an argument with a customer.

A customer is a person who brings us his wants. It is our job to

handle them profitably to him and to ourselves.

The Strategies & Plan Being

Implemented By The Organization

SWOT ANALYSIS

STRENGTH

Established brand name.

Wide Dealers network.

Bondage between company and employees.

Customer’s faith.

Leaders in quality

Economies of scale

Infrastructure

WEAKNESS

After sales service like replacement of shoe is very poor.

Price of products offered is not satisfactory.

Company representative doesn’t visit dealers frequently.

Sustained growth rate

OPPURTUNITIES

Have the opportunity of grabbing the market share through

launching of new & wide range of products with new

designs.

Wide market in low price shoes as most population is

financially weak in our country.

Existing successful products of company.

Increase sales by giving incentives to sales officers and

dealers.

Develop market sensitive product line.

Globalization

THREATS

Cut throat Competition

Due to lack of good design of products and good after sales

service the company can lose their customer to other

companies who provide good quality of product and after

sales service.

Competition for resources

New entries in the market

Unforeseen conditions.

CONCLUSION

This project is based on the study of “Customer perception and

market potential about “LIBERTY SHOES”. The market of

Liberty is prosperous & customer perception about it is good.

Major findings include that although company holds a very good

reputation in the market, it failed to satisfy customers on few

aspects. Although the company offers very good product quality

but slightly on a higher price, and few problems like unattractive

designs, low customer preferences in comparison with MNC’s

like Nike, Reebok, bad color combination, effective presence

only in northern part of the country are few problems with the

Liberty. Lack of good advertising & promotional Strategies has

made Liberty to fall little low in the number game. The company

should improve the technology and designing process according

to latest fashion and trends in the apparels market. Company is

facing stiff competition from Action, Lakhani, Bata, Red Tape,

Lee cooper Red Chief, Nike, Adidas, Reebok. Apart from that

company can indulge in promotional activities in rural areas

where market potential is really good.

BIBLIOGRAPHY Marketing management –Kotler Philip

Statistical method-Gupta S.P

Research methodology-Kothari-C.R

Footwear Digest

Footwear and leather Fashion

World footwear

Company’s Handouts & Bulletins.

www.libertyshoes.com

www.google.com

NEW INITIATIVES

We have taken the initiative to create a retail team for Liberty Shoes. We foresaw that the retailers needed to take a quantum leap forward if footwear shopping was to be turned into a rewarding experience. Re-christening them as channel partners, we have worked towards establishing a very interactive relationship through periodic channel partners meet that gives a big boost to our sales and benefits our partners as well.

We also ensure that the relationship with the partners extends beyond conventional business dealings. We have achieved this by making them all feel like members of a close-knit family who is working together, evolving together and prospering together.   Liberty Shoes’ south India initiatives

Thursday, 10 February 2011 With production levels of more than 50,000 pairs a day, Liberty Shoes plans to invest Rs 30-50 crores in the next one year to expand its retail presence in south India. This is part of its aggressive pan-India expansion policy. According to Anupam Bansal, Managing Director, the company has plans of investing Rs 50 lakh to Rs 1 crore in each exclusive store in various cities and smaller town of south India.

Liberty Shoes already has 37 exclusive stores in south India, which ensure good business for the company. It now plans to open about 50 new stores in the next year, where nearly 80 per cent would be in Tier-II, III cities. With over 50 years of brand excellence, Liberty produces footwear for the entire family and is one of the most admired brands in India. And this is expected to stand the company in good stead in the south Indian markets.

The company also has plans set up a centralized warehouse for south India, probably in Bangalore, in another six months. This would help speed up its south India operations. Ramesh Sadhu, the CEO of Liberty Retail Revolutions said the company would initially have stores in Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad. Liberty has already initiated expansion in the southern market around six months ago and would be focusing on school shoes, which is a profitable segment there.

As a brand it’s constantly evolving to keep pace with the changing trends and aspirations of people while maintaining the sanctity of certain traditions like workmanship and good value. The company is among the top manufacturers of leather footwear in the world with a turnover exceeding $100 million. Liberty

shoes are also marketed across the globe through 150 distributors, 350 exclusive showrooms and over 6,000 MBOs and sold in more than 25 countries including France, Italy and Germany.