Abhishek Securities

Demand for personal mobility and the anti-China sentiment will be key factors in the growth of India's helmet industry, says Siddharth Bhushan Khurana, MD of Studds Accessories, a leading wholesale manufacturer and exporter of helmets and motorcycle accessories. "People do not want to use public transport and they are moving towards two-wheelers. We are also seeing a big uptick in demand for used two-wheelers. Both markets are driving growth for the helmet industry," he said. The helmet industry in India has been growing at a rate of approximately 25 percent annually and now Khurana expects a 30-35 percent annual growth rate over the next few years. With companies wanting to establish alternate supply chains, Studds India has started receiving inquiries from markets where it has no presence yet. The company has been exporting helmets to Europe, Argentina, Mexico, Philipines and Brazil. "We are seeing a strong anti-China sentiment at the moment and witnessing demand f...

Studds, leading manufacturer of two-wheeler helmets, aims at least 25 per cent growth in revenue to Rs 500 crore this year on the back of the rising demand for personal transport created by the coronavirus pandemic, according to a senior company official. Significantly, at a time when many companies have been on a retrenchment mode -- the latest figures peg the job losses at about 1.8 crore since the lockdown began -- Studds has hired 700 people to man its new plant commissioned earlier this month, the official said. He added that its total employees strength now stands at to 2,500, and the new plant will add over 1,000 more on reaching full capacity, which is currently at 25 per cent. The company sells popular motorcycle helmets under the brand names of Studds, Shifter and the Thunder series, and the SMK brand of premium helmets which are priced in the range of Rs 12,000-16,000. The Faridabad-based Studds Accessories manufactures the popular Studds and the premium SMK labelled helmets...

Leading helmet manufacturer Studds Accessories Ltd estimates that about 80 million or 8 crore people who ride motorcycles and scooters in India everyday still need helmets as the current penetration (of helmet usage) in the domestic two-wheeler market is at only 60%.   “There are about 21 crore two-wheelers plying on the roads in India. Out of that, only 60% people wear helmets. More than 8 crore people still need helmets as the necessary headgear for safety," Sidhartha Bhushan Khurana, managing director, Studds Accessories told Mint in a phone interview.   Khurana’s estimate does not account for the need for the pillion riders to wear helmets.   In order to put a check on the increasing number of casualties involved in road accidents, the government had issued a mandate for the two-wheeler riders to compulsorily wear helmets a few years ago. This led to an exponential growth in the demand of helmets over years as the two-wheeler market recorded sharp growth o...