Tata Steel, the country's largest integrated private sector steelmaker, is readying for a big retail push. According to company sources, Tata Steel is looking at opening at least 15 branded retail outlets across the country during the current financial year. The first store is likely to come up in Kolkata in a month.
A Tata Steel spokesperson confirmed the company's retail plans but refused to furnish further details.
According to sources in the advertising industry, Tata Steel has also called for a mass-media branding exercise for the new retailing initiative. It is learnt that advertising agencies have also been asked to come up with a suitable brand name for the chain of stores.
"As a part of the brief, we have been asked to come up with a communication that reflects the trust associated with the Tata group and encourages greater consumer involvement while making buying decisions," said an executive with an advertising agency.
Advertising agency sources said as a value addition, Tata Steel, like some paint companies, would also provide construction-related advice and solutions to retail consumers through its stores.
Since the late 1990s, Tata Steel has been providing a thrust to its branded products. The company currently sells nearly 500,000 tonnes of branded steel.
In value terms, the sale of branded products in 2003-04 accounted for about Rs 2,363 crore (Rs 23.63 billion), representing 22 per cent of its overall sales. Tata Steel's stated target is to take the contribution of branded products up to nearly 50 per cent of its turnover in the next five years.
The largest-selling among Tata Steel's branded products are Tiscon reinforced construction bars, Shaktee roofing sheets and Tata Pipes.
It also manufactures small agricultural tools under the Agricon brand, and cold-rolled steel under the Steelium brand.
Its branded products are sold through more that 2,500 multibrand outlets.
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