Günkar Group likely to grow with launch of new brands

18 Jun '10

3 min read

Turkish apparel company, Günkar Group, that also owns the Sunset swimwear brand, has planned expansion for itself with its new brand, Fiorco, which is aimed at women's market and the ever-growing markets catering to kids-wear.

With a start in 1979 by exporting knitted apparels, Günkar currently earns $90 million as yearly turnover. The future expansion for 2010 were announced during a press conference held last week in Istanbul.

According to Günkar Chief Executive Officer, Kemalettin Günes, the firm decided to focus on raising their variety of products, so as to avoid adverse effects of world economic crisis. Owing to this new focus, they also manufactured some stylish and comfortable apparel for women.

With the inauguration of kids-wear brands namely, Fiorco Boys and Fiorco Girls, Günkar is further aiming at widening its product variety. With these new labels, the company is intending to fetch a 10 percent share in the kids-wear market and also, they have already launched a new store in Ankara to promote, sell and market these new brands.

Currently, Günkar has already touched a figure of 450 sales points in the local market and 250 sales points in the global market with its Sunset brand. After buying Penyelüx brand in 2000, Günkar entered into the swimwear section and intends on surging its innerwear and Sunset swimwear stores from 16 to 32 by 2012.

The brand Sunset has about 30 percent share and it has about 50 percent market share in kids-wear swimwear, informed Günes, further adding that, the company intends to surge this figure to 60 percent during this fiscal.

Off-late the company launched its first store in Arbil, Iraq, and has also given distribution license to a Chile-based store to trade Sunset goods. While on a yearly basis, Günkar trades 6 million units of swimwear in Turkey, Sunset brand amounts to 30 percent of this figure.

Günes further informed that, although last year, they had an export volume of $30 million, they earned $90 million as their yearly turnover. This year they are also hoping to witness an increase of 10 percent in their exports.

In addition, although there is a political split between Israel and Turkey, this Turkish-based company has a $3 million business with Israel and there is no problems, encountered as yet with the Israeli firms.

With the firm exporting its products to Central Asia, Iraq and Iran, Günes informed that, Gunkar sells tankini, a swimsuit that comprises of a bikini and a t-shirt as top in the Iranian market, which is in high-demand.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk - India

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