Ravi Karthikeya, CEO & Director, Dickies India talks about his company’s offerings and its plans for the Indian market, in an interaction with Express Healthcare
What is the demand of medical work wear in India? What is the size of the market?
The Indian healthcare Industry, which was estimated at $40 billion in 2010, is expected to reach $280 billion by 2020. The healthcare industry is defined as hospitals, medical infrastructure, medical devices, medical equipment, medical uniforms and foot wear, health insurance etc.
The biotechnology sector alone has around 340 companies which employ more than 25,000 technologists currently. The healthcare industry are likely to grow at a rate of around 18 per cent per year and this growth will be further boosted by the opportunity presented by $ 300 billion worth of drugs set to go off-patent in next five years, resulting in the industry needing bulk professionals in various areas.
Such massive growth in the healthcare industry is expected to create about 21 lakh jobs by the year 2020. In the hospital sector alone, about 1.8 million beds are required by the end of 2025. Additionally, 1.54 million doctors and 2.4 million nurses are required to meet the growing demand in hospitals.
To meet the increasing competition, hospitals and other healthcare facilities are differentiating themselves with the fringe benefits they can offer in the medical facilities. ‘Patient experience’ is the top priority of healthcare organisations, where providing medical services is not enough to engage customers. Hospital wards are being redesigned to not resemble the traditional wards. The rooms are equipped with the latest television sets, Wi-Fi availability.
Could you tell us about the range of your products?
All new Dickies uniforms are for medical professionals who wants classic styling paired with soft, easy-care fabric. Dickies’ legendary durability and quality remain, while the new, cotton/polyester fabric provides breathable, all day comfort. In Dickies, our range consists of medical scrubs, lab coats, nursing uniforms and medical footwear.
Dickies brand scrubs comes with cushion tapes on the inside waist band and back neck for confront and long hours wearing, While wide range of fifteen seasonal colors offer variety and multiple mix-and-match possibilities with a choice of unisex, men’s and women’s fits, ranging from official issue uniforms to custom made, whether by corporate hospital or by a independent practitioner.
Dickies medical clothing is made gender-specific sizing and styling is just one of our distinguishing features. Best fits comes in short, regular and tall lengths which need no alteration or resizing.
Dickies lab coats are made from comfortable crisp cotton/ polyester fabrics with easy care and stain release finishes and features modern lapels, exquisite pocket detail and clean finishing on all seams. The coat confers a sense of doctor’s authority and cleanliness and we offer consistent whiteness across
Dickies offers sensible footwear for discriminating medical and healthcare professionals with fashion styling for today’s young doctors. Dickies offers medical foot wear with washable leather, breathable linings for high moisture absorbing, light weight, mid-sole provides long wear and stability for long hour standing and slip resistant
What is the USP of your company?
Every Dickies product comes with ‘satisfaction guaranteed’ commitment and unconditional warranty. Dickies signature keeps its original promise while delivering more style, value and features that – like all Dickies medical uniforms are – ‘Made to Work’. The company offers premium quality products at an unmatched value across a vast assortment of uniforms, work and safety footwear in more than 100 countries.
What is your goal for this financial year?
Considering that there is no brand in this space makes our performance and durable standards unique and new to the Indian medical and hospital uniforms. But there has been a positive acceptance and orders to try better quality and performance uniforms.
We are primarily focused to cater South India for the first year of our business as over 50 per cent of national medical and healthcare activity is in the South. We are building relationships with corporate hospitals and medical centres with world’s best performance and service standards to offer. We will be looking to achieve business associations with all major medical centres of South India by the end of this year and take it from there to rest of India.
How do you see this market growing in India?
The concept of healthcare is just entering the mindset of the average Indian society. But with a population of over one billion, the healthcare industry naturally becomes one of the most watched in the country, with a high growth potential.
India has also emerged as a preferred destination for medical tourism owing to its cost advantage and explosive growth of private hospitals, equipped with latest technology and skilled professionals. This means that hospitals need to match international standards in their offerings
The hospital industry accounts for about 80 per cent of the total market, according to a report by RNCOS. The promise of a large, growing market has lured several international healthcare players like Columbia Asia Group and Pacific Healthcare have set up operations in India. These foreign firms are setting up hospitals, R&D centres, clinics etc.
The possibility of such growth translates to a corresponding rise in demand for the infrastructure, facilities for employees and benefits.
Anything else you would like to add.
We accomplish this globally by designing and producing high quality, durable, fashion-inspired, comfortable medical uniforms and footwear. We create a warmer, friendlier, and healthier medical environment by providing dynamic, unique, and state-of-the-art products and concepts to help.
Healthcare workers and their patients. Dickies medical and healthcare uniforms provide outstanding value, uncompromising quality, industry-leading style, and compassionate customer service in ethically produced and competitively priced for India.