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When Hula Global was found in 2018, the Noida, India based firm was conceptualized as just a wholesale buying agency. They sold clothing for men and women, collecting them wholesale from factories and selling them to retailers. Before Covid, this was their most successful venture. Since then, things have changed.
Hula Global invested in the apparel business along with other sectors. However, their apparel business, named Trifuku, became more successful than the rest, which got them to focus solely on that venture. They connected factories to fashion brands and were also responsible for shipping the goods as well as quality control.
In the latter half of 2018, the company decided to change directions to the manufacturing side as well. They had implemented modular manufacturing in case they needed to fulfil orders on their own, and this later became the default for their factories.
When the pandemic hit the country, the company was threatened with possible shutdowns. The conditions were not conducive to their business, which forced them to look for different avenues of income. It was during this time that the company considered making PPE kits for clients.
The International PPE market was on a boom due to Covid-19. However, there were not many manufacturers that made all the components, from masks and face shields to coveralls, all in the same factory. This gave Hula Global the idea to pivot towards PPE Manufacturing, and this propelled their growth. They started supplying kits in January 2020 and took a manufacturer’s approach to create their product. They claimed to have mastered the new products in just a month, and their success may be a result of their swift action.
Their core technique of Modular Manufacturing also played a significant role in the success of their new pivot. They can scale their operations faster, while still maintaining quality and consistency. This flexibility has allowed them to manufacture more to keep up with the demand better.
Hula Global started their operations quite early, and are ahead of the curve of the rest of the new players who hopped onto this market. They have significantly invested in learning, and are thinking ahead for the long term. Their PPE business started on January 2020, which was two months before Covid became such a large problem and the country went into lockdown.
Because of their success, they had landed deals with foreign companies from Brazil, Saudi Arabia, but the exports ban prevented that from happening. However, they have grown in the local market, supplying their products to local government bodies, The Indian Army, the Air Force and even Doctors Without Borders(MSF). They have expanded their product line since they started in this sector, and continues to grow, clocking an annual turnover of INR 5 Crore.
As a fairly new company, it is not easy to venture into a new product and be successful. But by taking advantage of the new market needs and pivoting to that sector, Hula Global has proven to be a successful and reliable manufacturer.