CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION OF THE REPORT

1
1.1 Introduction
Historically, PLC is a concept that has been researched as early as 1957 (refer Jones
1957, p.40). The traditional definitions mainly described 4 stages – Introduction, Growth,
Maturity, and Decline. This was used mainly from a marketing perspective – hence
referred to as Marketing-PLC. With the development of new types of products and
additional research in the field, Life Cycle Costing (LCC) and Life Cycle Assessment
(LCA) were added to the traditional definition to give the Engineering PLC (or E-PLC).
This definition considers the cost of using the product during its lifetime, services
necessary for maintenance and decommissioning of the product.

According to Philip Kotler, ‘The product life cycle is an attempt to recognize distinct
stages in sales history of the product’. In general, PLC has 4 stages – Introduction,
Growth, Maturity, and Decline. But for some industries which consist of fast moving
products, for example, apparel PLC can be defined in 3 stages. PLC helps to study the
degree of product acceptance by the market over time which includes major rise or fall in
sales.

1.2 Origin of the Report

As a participant of BBA Program of Department of BBA, International Education
College (IEC). I have to submit internship report for partial fulfillment of the BBA
degree. My honorable supervisor Professor Abul Afsar, Professor & Head, Department
of Business Administration, International Education College (IEC), Dhanmondi, Dhaka
as per his instruction, I have become interested to submit a report on: “Product Life
Cycle of Antim Group”.

1.3 Background of the Report

The BBA program of International Education College (IEC) is designed to focus on
theoretical and Professional development of students who are open to take up business as
a profession as well as service as a career. Internship reports are a requirement for the
completion of the BBA program. This Internship reports is of knowledge and learning
become perfect when it is associated with theory and practice. For any business student
only curriculum activity is not enough for handling the real business situation, therefore,
it is a requirement after the completion of BBA to involve with a business organization to

2
prepare a report. So it is an opportunity for the students to know about the field of
business through the Internship program.

To fulfill this requirement I worked as an intern in Antim Group for the Internship my
preference was in Marketing system. I submitted resume to different institutions but
appointed as an Internship trainee of the Antim Group. My assigned topic is “Product
Life Cycle of Antim Group. which is assigned by my supervisor in the department. On
the basis of working experience in the Internship period I have prepared this report and I
have tried my level best to relate the theoretical knowledge with the practical work
situation. I have tried to find out the promotional strategy (sells promotion, direct
marketing, promotional advertisement) of Garments industries in Bangladesh, a case
study on Antim Group”. which is assigned by my supervisor in department. I have tried
my level best to relate the theoretical knowledge with the practical work situation when I
have prepared this report.

1.4 Objectives of the report

Broad Objective: The principal objective is to submit my report that documents my
knowledge and skills obtained from the BBA under the NU.

Specific Objectives: The report contains the following specific objectives-

1. To know about product life cycle of Antim Group.

2. To provide an exposure to the job world and to facilitate an opportunity to

implement theoretical knowledge in real corporate situations.

3. To present an overall of Antim Group.

4. To illustrate the strength, weakness, opportunity and threat of Antim Group.

1.5 Methodology of the Report

Types of Study
This report is mainly exploratory and descriptive in nature. Exploratory research mainly
is performed by collecting primary and secondary data. Based on the primary and
secondary data, a brief description is done about market characteristics, prospects and
potentials, problems and solution strategy of Garments industry in Bangladesh.

3
Sources of Data
Data have been collected from both primary and secondary sources.

Sources of Data

Secondary
Primary Data
Data
Primary sources of data
 Face to face conversation with the company officers and staffs.
 Exposure on different desk of the organization
Secondary sources of data
 Annual report of Antim Group
 Different manuals of Antim Group
 Brochures of Antim Group
 Websites

1.6 Limitations of the Report

On the way of my study, we have faced some problems that termed as the limitations of
the study. In all respect following limitation and weakness remain within which we failed
to escape by any means. These are follows:
Budgeting Time:
The time period for this study was very short. I had only 12 weeks in my hand to
complete term paper, which was not enough. So, I could not go in depth analysis.
Sometimes. It was one of the main constraints that hindered to cover all aspects of the
study.
Lack of supervision:
Many officials mostly busy and felt disturb as they are busy with their work.
It was very difficult to collect the information from various personnel for their job
constraint.
 Another limitation of this report is enterprise’s policy of not disclosing some data and
information for obvious reason, which could be very much useful.
 Only three months are not enough time range to understand the overall operations and
observe the total activities of a busy marketing department of a big manufacturing
company like Antim Group.

4
 CHAPTER – TWO
COMPANY OVERVIEW

5
2.1 History of Antim Group
ANTIM GROUP is one of the leading RMG conglomerates in Bangladesh. With the
ceaseless effort of our dynamic management and support from numerous dedicated
professionals make us to have the brilliant success in the competitive global market.
Antim group represents five(5) sister concerns at present and plans to set up more
projects. The group has expanded their capacity and developed skilled workforce and
introduce the latest technologies to keep in touch with global brand. The goal of us is to
become the most preferred company to all of our clients and to accomplish this task; we
must continue the in-depth work we begun several years ago on strengthening our focus
on clients.

Established in 1997 with a vision to build a premium Garments house. Its mission is to be
manufacturing company with the ability to deliver impeccable quality and punctual
shipment in a framework of a professional, valuable and sincere business atmosphere.
The company is equipped with a dedicated and professional corporate management team
headed by the Managing Director Md. Ali Akbar.

The Company's production unit located in Barpa, Rupgonj, Narayangonj which is just 15
KM away from the capital and the business hub of Bangladesh, Dhaka. It's Corporate
Office situated in 39, Dilkusha, Motijheel, Dhaka. The Company is specialist in
manufacturing high quality Basic T- Shirt, Tank Top, Base Ball, Handly Shirt, Polo Shirt,
Ladies Dress etc with knit fabrics. The Company is currently exporting it's garments
product to its customer in UK, Germany, France, Denmark, Spain, Italy, Austria, and
Canada. The Company not only wants to excel in its products but also wants to provide a
safe and habitable environment for its employees. To this end the company has instituted
safety environmental and labor requirements far exceeding the local laws and in
accordance with international regulation.

6
 2.2 Antim knit composite ltd.
Company at a glance
Name of Company: Antim Knit Composite Ltd
Managing Director: Md.Ali Akbar
Date of Foundation: 1997
Main Business Lineup: 100% export oriented knit products
Legal status: Public limited company
Capital: 45 million USD
Terms of Delivery: FOB
Annual turnover:40 Million USD in the Year of 2016
Nearest Port of Loading: CHITTAGONG
Distance of Nearest Port of Loading:250km (8 hours required)
Keep in Touch...
Antim Knit Composite Ltd. is located approximate 20 K.M. from Dhaka City.

: BARPA, RUPGONJ, NARAYANGONJ

FACTORY ADDRESS Tel: 88-02-7419839, 88-02-7419840
Fax: 88-02-9550407
Website: www.antimgroupbd.com
: 39, Dilkusaha C/A (5th floor), Dhaka-1000
CORPORATE OFFICE Tel: 88-02-9567811,88-02-7168360, 88-02-9559605
Fax-88-02-9550407
Website: www.antimgroupbd.com
Executive Committee & Contact Persons
 MANAGING DIRECTOR: MD. ALI AKBER
 DIRECTOR: SABIB REZA TARAFDAR PAPAI
Bank Details...
BANK (LIEN/DEALING : Sonali Bank Limited
BANK) B.B Avenue Corporate Branch
28, B.B Avenue, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh
SWIFT: BSONBDDHABBA
Phone: 9550284, 9557968 & 7168691
Fax: 880-2-9555164
Email: sbbba@dhaka.net
BANK (LIEN/DEALING : United Commercial Bank Limited
BANK) Principle Branch
58, Motijheel C/A, Dhaka-1000
SWIFT: UCBLBDDHPRB

7
 Phone: 880-2-9561054, 9555799, 9559744,
7169028
Fax: 880-2-9568548
Email: shoque.prb@ucbl.com
Website: www.ucbl.com
BANK (LIEN/DEALING : Social Islami Bank Limited
BANK) Principal Branch, 15 Dilkusha C/A, Dhaka-1000,
Bangladesh.
SWIFT: SOIVBDDHPRN
Phone: 9559241, 9562002
A/C No. 0213300057352, 0213300057346
Website: www.siblbd.com

2.2.1 Human Resource

General Administration

EMPLOYEES NO

Management 37

Merchandiser 18

General Admin 113

Other 22

Production

EMPLOYEES NO

Fabric Production 900

Garment Production 2290

Printing Production 125

Quality 470

Markets
 Exporting Markets: Germany, Sweden
 Major Buyer: LIDL & INTERSPORTS
 Our Product Range
 Basic T-Shirt
 Tank Top
 Base Ball

8
  Handy Shirt
 Polo Shirt
 Ladies Dress
 Under Garments
 All Kinds of Cotton Knitted Products

2.2.2 Factory Area organization

Knitting & Garments Area: 100,500 Sft
Dyeing & Printing Area: 110,000 Sft
Office, Dining, Sample, CAD, Medical Area: 31,500 Sft
Storing Facilities: 60,000 Sft

2.2.3 Production Capacity

Total Line: 40
Total Production: 1,30,000 pcs/day
Dyeing: 20 ton/day
Printing: Rotary - 8 ton/day, Screen - 45000 pcs/day
Embroidery: 25,000 stitches/head/hour
Collar: 30,000 pcs/day
Wash/Piece Dyeing: 20,000 pcs/day

2.2.4 Machinery & Equipments

Cutting Section

DESCRIPTION QTY
Cutting Machine 13
BAN Knife 01
Lay Machine 03
Plotter 01

Sewing Section

DESCRIPTION QTY BRAND

Plain Machine 522 Pagasus/Juki/Sunstar
Overlock 489 Pagasus/Juki/Sunstar
F/L Cylinder
274 Pagasus/Juki/Sunstar
BAT Machine
F/L Piping 113 Pagasus/Juki/Sunstar

9
 Machine
F/L Polar
28 Pagasus/Juki/Sunstar
Machine

Fit of the ARM 33 Pagasus/Juki/Sunstar

Two Niddle
12 Pagasus/Juki/Sunstar
Machine

Back Tape 5 Pagasus/Juki/Sunstar

RIB Cutting 18 Pagasus/Juki/Sunstar

Snap Button 13 Pagasus/Juki/Sunstar

Fusing 4 Pagasus/Juki/Sunstar

PMD(KANSI
15 Pagasus/Juki/Sunstar
Special)

Bartack 4 Pagasus/Juki/Sunstar

Button Hole 17 Pagasus/Juki/Sunstar

Button Stitch 14 Pagasus/Juki/Sunstar

Pecotting 18 Pagasus/Juki/Sunstar

Zig Zag Machine 17 Pagasus/Juki/Sunstar

Finishing Section

DESCRIPTION QTY

Vacuum Iron
140
Table

Steam Iron 140

Metal Detector 2

Thread Sucker 6

10
Dyeing Section

DESCRIPTION QTY

Dyeing Machine 22

Squeezer D-
Watering D- 2
Twesting

TENSIONLESS
01
LEAL DRYER

SOFT SETING 02

HEAT SETTING 02

COMPACTOR 05

LAB
23
EQUIPMENT

SPECTRO
01
PHOTOMETER

Knitting Section

DESCRIPTION QTY

Single Jerssey
20
(DIA 16" - 42")

Interlock(DIA
8
30" - 48")

RIB(DIA 30" -
2
44")

Fleece (DIA -
8
30")

11
Printing Section

DESCRIPTION QTY

KUIL Printing
02
Machine

Loop Steam
01
Machine

Washing
01
Machine

Auto Printing
02
M/C M/C

Auto Printing
01
M/C M/C

Sticker/ Label
01
Print M/C

Belt Curing M/C 04

Sample Curing
01
M/C

Embroidery Section

DESCRIPTION QTY BRAND

Embroidery M/C 09 SMITA

Others

DESCRIPTION CAPACITY QTY BRAND

Collar ---- 14 ----

Raising,Brashing,Sharing 6 ton/day 04 SMITA

Stainer ---- 02 ----

Sliting M/C ---- 02 ----

12
2.3 Achievements

Accomplished successfully by exertion, skill, practice & perseverance

Global Organic Textile Standard Organic 100

(GOTS) Content Standard

Century Internation Gold

Quality Era Award International Quality Summit
Award-2013

Confidence In Textiles
Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 Worldwide Responsible
Accredited Production

ISO 9001:2008 Business Social Compliance Initiative

Certified Company Member of BSCI

Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers & Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and

Exporters Association (BKMEA) Exporters Association (BGMEA)

Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry

(DCCI) Dhaka Stock Exchange Ltd.
(DSEL)

13
 2.4Profile of Antim Group
IDENTIFICATION
Antim Knitting Dyeing & Finishing Ltd.
Name of Company :
Antim Knit Composite Ltd.

Mailing Address : Head Office Factory

39, Dilkusha C/A (4th Barpa, Rupshi, Rupgonj,

Floor) Dhaka-1000, Narayangonj,Bangladesh.
Bangladesh. Phone : +88-02-7450248,7449839-40
Phone : +88-02-9567811, E-mail : papai@antimbd.com
9559605, 7168360. merc@antimbd.com
Fax : +88-02-9550407
E-Mail : office@antimbd.com;
Web : www.antimbd.com

Factory Location : 20 km from Dhaka

Nearest Port of
: Chittagong
Loading

Distance of nearest : i) Time required 8 HRS

port of Loading ii) 250 kms.

Date of Foundation : 1997

: i) 17 Million USD in the year of 2012

ii) 30 Million USD in the year of 2013
Annual Turnover in
iii) 36 Million USD in the year of 2014
USD
iv) 40 Million USD in the year of 2015
v) 42 Million USD in the year of 2016

Legal Status : Public Limited Company

Capital : 45 Million USD

Executive :
Managing Director : Md. Ali Akbar
Committee &
Director : S.R. Tarafdar Papai
contact Persons

14
2.5 FACTORY AREA ORGANISATION
i) Knitting & Garments
Division -- : 213750SQFT
2.1 Production Area ii Dyeing Division &
Printing -- : 131200
SQFT

2.2 Office, Dining, Child Care, Medical, Prayer Room etc 31500 SQFT

2.3 Storing Facilities 57450 SQFT

Total Area --- : 433900 SQFT

2.6 MANPOWER
No. Function Manpower
Total Manpower 6500
Management 40
General Merchandising 30
3.1
Administration General Admin 110
Other 35
Fabric Production 800
Garments Production 4670
3.2 Production
Printing 250
Quality Department 565

15
 2.7 LIST OF THE MAIN MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT
No. Division Production Process Detailed Specification Number
5.1 CUTTING MACHINE 25
GARMENTS BAN KNIFE 4
CUTTING SECTION LAY MACHINE 3
PLOTTER COMPUTER FOR CAD = 2 2
TOTAL CUTTING MACHINE 24
5.2 PLAIN MACHINE PEGASUS/JUKI/SUNSTAR 762
OVERLOCK '' 554
F/L CYLENDER BAT '' 260
GARMENTS SEWING M/C
SECTION F/L PIPING M/C '' 103
F/L POLAR M/C '' 24
FIT OF THE ARM '' 31
TWO NIDDLE '' 8
BACK TAPE '' 5
RIB CUTTING '' 15
SNAP BUTTON '' 16
FUSING '' 4
PMD( KANSI '' 10
SPECIAL)
BARTACK '' 10
BUTTON HOLE '' 30
BUTTON STITCH '' 31
PECOTTING '' 14
ZIG ZAG M/C '' 12
TOTAL GARMENTS SEWING MACHINE 1947
5.3 GARMENTS VACUUM IRON 140
FINISHING SECTION TABLE
STEAM IRON 140
METAL DETECTOR 2
THREAD SUCKER 14
TOTAL GARMENT FINISHING MACHINE 296
5.4 DYEING MACHINE 38
(10KG-1250KG)
DYEING SQUEEZER D- 4
WATERING D-
TWESTING

16
 TENSIONLESS LEAL 4
DRYER
SOFT SETING 2
HEAT SETTING 2
COMPACTOR OPEN 3 Pcs TUBE 2 Pcs = 5
TOTAL 5
LAB EQUIPMENT 25
SPECTRO 2
PHOTOMETER
TOTAL DYEING MACHINE 80
5.5 SINGLE JERSEY (DIA 71
KNITTING 16"-42")
INTERLOCK (DIA 16
30"-48")
RIB (DIA 30"-44") 16
FLEECE (Dia-30") 8
TOTAL KNITTING MACHINE 99
5.6 KUIL PRINTING M/C - 2
LOOP STEAM M/C STORK 1
PRINTING WASHING M/C GOLLAR 1
AUTO PRINTING M/C MHM 2
MNM 1
STICKER / LEBEL ATMA 1
PRINT M/C
BELT CURING M/C MNM 4
SAMPLE CURING M/C RAPID 1
TOTAL PRINTING MACHINE 13
5.7 EMBROIDERY SMITA 9 COLOR 15 HEAD 12
330X680mm
5.8 COLLAR TONGLI 6 DOUBLE HEAD 24
COLOR
5.9 RAISING, BRASHING, COMPLETE SET 4 SET
SHARING FLEECE 6 TON
CAPACITY / DAY
5.10 STANTER OPEN WITH 10 TON ALKAN MAKINA/ILSUNG 4
CAPACITY / DAY
5.11 SILITING MACHINE - - 3

17
2.8 Vision of Antim Group
The conception of business germinated from the vision of Antim Group which sees it as a
means to the well being of the investors, stakeholders, employees, buyers and members of
the society at large by cresting new wealth in the form of goods and services that go to
satisfy the wants of all of them without disturbing or damaging the socio-ecological-
economic balance of the mother earth and the process of human civilization leading to
peaceful co-existence of all the living beings. Besides, to obtain a leading position in the
operated industries of this Group in Bangladesh as well as international through
maintaining standard quality, Antim Group has the following vision:
 Timely action
 Clear understanding of customer’s instructions.
 Clear communication with vendors
 Clear instructions for production
 Strict compliance with quality control system.
 Total devotion maintains first class quality standard.
 Absolute efforts for in time shipments
 Emphasize on cost-effective strategy

2.9 Mission of the company

The mission of the Antim Group is the pole star of its vision for maximization of
production of quality products and services strictly on ethical and moral standards at
minimum cost to the society ensuring optimum benefits to the customers, consumers, key
partners and other stakeholders.

2.10 Our Concerns

 ANTIM GROUL.
 JM FABRICS LTD.
 RAHIM TEXTILES LTD.
 MALEK SPINNING MILL LTD.
 SALEK TEXTILE LTD.
 TITAS DENIM LTD.

18
2.11 Organogram

Managing Director

Director (Production) Director (Sales & Director (Finance)

Marketing)

Production
Manager Marketing Manager Manger Manger
Accounts commerci
al
Merchandiser
Assistant Manager

General Manager
Maintenance
Personnel Executive Marketing

Assistant Manager

Commercial Manager

Executive

Executive Commercial
Junior Executive

Trainee

19
2.12 Products of Antim Group
MAN'S WEAR (T SHIRT)
All products are fully-fashioned giving them great shape and offering luxurious comfort.
Hi-Tech manufacturing methods and finishing by our highly-skilled workforce ensures
our products are of the highest quality and will give years of smooth satisfaction.

MAN'S WEAR (TANK TOP)

All products are fully-fashioned giving them great shape and offering luxurious comfort.
Hi-Tech manufacturing methods and finishing by our highly-skilled workforce ensures
our products are of the highest quality and will give years of smooth satisfaction.

MAN'S WEAR (POLO SHIRT)

All products are fully-fashioned giving them great shape and offering luxurious comfort.
Hi-Tech manufacturing methods and finishing by our highly-skilled workforce ensures
our products are of the highest quality and will give years of smooth satisfaction.

20
LADY'S WEAR (T SHIRT)
All products are fully-fashioned giving them great shape and offering luxurious comfort.
Hi-Tech manufacturing methods and finishing by our highly-skilled workforce ensures
our products are of the highest quality and will give years of smooth satisfaction.

KID'S WEAR
All products are fully-fashioned giving them great shape and offering luxurious comfort.
Hi-Tech manufacturing methods and finishing by our highly-skilled workforce ensures
our products are of the highest quality and will give years of smooth satisfaction.
SAMPLE

21
2.13 Some Machineries of Antim Group

Knitting

Dying Machine

Sewing Machine

22
 CHAPTER THREE
ANALYSIS & EVALUATION

23
3.1 Product Life Cycle
The demand for a product generally tends to follow a predictable pattern called product
life cycle (PLC). It describes the period of time over which an item is developed, brought
to market and eventually removed from the market. PLC is a set of business processes
and supporting tools which help apparel/Garments industry to improve the way they
manage their product development. Products go through a series of stages beginning with
start-up or introduction of product followed by rapid growth, maturity or saturation and
finally the decline of demand. The time spans of stages of these products very
considerably across industries. These time spans vary from a few weeks or months (for
apparel and fashion goods) to years.

Fig: Product life cycle

3.2 Antim Group product life cycle:
Like other products, apparel products contains five stages or phases during whole
servicing period. These stages are given below:
1. Product development
2. Introduction stage
3. Growth
4. Maturity
5. Decline

All product life cycle stages are briefly described below:

1. Product development:
Product development begins when the company finds and develops a new-product idea.
During product development, sales are zero, and the company’s investment costs mount.

24
2. Introduction stage:
This stage marks the introduction of the product into the market. It may be an entirely
new product in the market or old product to the new market. The demand is low as
customers do not know much about the product. So, the organization has to invest heavily
in advertisement to make the product familiar to the customer. The volume of sales will
be low and if proper care is not taken, the chances of product failures become high.

3. Growth:
Once the product passes through the introduction stage, the sales start increasing because
of the acceptability of the product by the customer. The sales growth rate is high because
of limited or no competition i.e. it follows a positive trend pattern.

4. Maturity (Saturation):
The sales growth reaches a point above which it will not grow. This is due to the market
share taken by the competitor’s products. Thus, the sales will be maintained for some
period with a good profit.

5. Decline:
The competitors will enter the market with better product features, advanced technology
and reduced prices. This is a threat to the existence of the product as the sales start
declining. If proper steps like addition of special features, design changes etc. are not
incorporated there comes a time when the products are to be taken back from the market.
Table: Characteristics of the phases of PLC
Particulars Introduction Growth Maturity Decline
1. Product High variety Increasing Dominant High standard
variety standardization design feature commodity
of product
2. Volume Low volume Increasing High volume Decreasing
volume volume
3. Industry Small Consolidation Few large Survivors
structure competition companies
4. Form of Product Product quality Price and Price
competition characteristics and availability dependability

25
3.3 Why do businesses need PLC and how does it help them?
Businesses have always invested significant amounts of resources to estimate PLC and
demand. Estimating the life cycle of a new product accurately helps business take several
key decisions, such as: –
 Provide promotions and markdowns at the right time
 Plan inventory levels better by incorporating PLC in demand prediction
 Plan product launch dates/season
 Determine the optimal discount percentages based on a product’s PLC stage (as
discussed later in this paper)
Businesses primarily rely on the business sense and experience of their executives to
estimate a product’s life cycle. Any data driven method to easily estimate PLC can help
reduce costs and improve decision making.

3.4 How does the solution in this paper help?

The solution detailed in this paper can help businesses use data of previously launched
products to predict the life cycles of similar new products. The age at which products
transition from one life cycle phase to another as well as the life cycle curves of products
can be obtained through this process. This also helps to identify the current stage of the
products and the rate of sales growth during stage transition.
Below is an overview of the steps followed to achieve these benefits:
 To identify products similar to a newly released product, we clustered products
based on the significant factors affecting sales. This gives us a chance to obtain a
data based PLC trend
 Next, sales is used to plot the Cumulative Sell Through Rate vs Product Age (in
weeks)
 A log-growth model fit across this plot will provide the Life Cycle trend of that
product or cluster of products
 The second differential of this curve can be analyzed to identify shifts in PLC
phases, to estimate the durations of each of the PLC phases

26
3.5 Detailed Approach to estimate PLC
The process followed to determine the different PLC stages is a generic one that can be
incorporated into any model. However, in this paper, we have described how it was
employed to help determine the effect of different PLC stages on sales for the Antim
Group.
The procedure followed has been described in detail in the steps below:

i. Product Segmentation
The first step in estimating PLC is to segment products based on the features that
primarily influence sales.
To predict the life cycle factor in demand prediction of a new product, we need to find
similar products among those launched previously. The life cycle of the new product can
be assumed to be similar to these.

ii. Identification of PLC stages

To identify various stages, factors like Cumulative Sell through rate and Age of product
were considered. The number of weeks in each stage was calculated at category level
which consists of a group of products.
Cumulative sell through is defined as the cumulative Sales over the period divided by the
total inventory at the start of the period. Sales of products were aggregated at category
level by using the sum of sales at similar product age. For example, Sales of all products
when the age was 1 week being aggregated, to get the sales of that category on week 1.
After exploring multiple methods to determine the different stages, we have finally used a
log-growth model to fit a curve between age and cumulative sell through. Its equation is
given below for reference:

Note: Φ1, Φ2 & Φ3 are parameters that control the asymptote and growth of the curve.
Using inflexion points of the fitted curve cut-off for different phases of product life cycle
were obtained.

27
The fitted curve had 2 inflexion points that made it easy to differentiate the PLC stages

The plot above shows the variation of Cumulative sell through rate (y-axis) vs Age (x-
axis). The data points are colored based on the PLC life stage identified: Green for
“Growth Stage”, Blue for “Maturity Stage” and Red for “Decline Stage”.

Other Methods explored

Several other methods were explored before determining the approach discussed in the
previous section. The decision was based on the advantages and drawbacks of each of the
methods given below:
Method 1:
Identification of PLC stages by analyzing the variation in Sell through and
Cumulative Sell through
Steps followed:
 Calculated (Daily Sales / Total Inventory) across Cumulative Sell through rate at a
category level
 A curve between Cumulative Sell through rate (x-axis) and (Daily Sales / Total
Inventory) in the y-axis was fitted using non-linear least square regression
 Using inflexion points of the fitted curve cut-off for different phases of product
life cycle is obtained

28
Advantages: The fitted curve followed a ‘bell-curve’ shape in many cases that made it
easier to identify PLC stages visually
Drawbacks: There weren’t enough data points in several categories to fit a ‘bell-shaped’
curve, leading to issues in the identification of PLC stages

The plot above shows the variation of Total Sales (y-axis) vs Age (x-axis). The data
points are colored based on the PLC life stage identified: Green for “Growth Stage”,
Blue for “Maturity Stage” and Red for “Decline Stage”.

3.6 Application of PLC stages in Demand prediction

After identifying the different PLC phases for each category, this information can be used
directly to determine when promotions need to be provided to sustain product sales. It can
also be incorporated into a model as an independent categorical variable to understand the
impact of the different PLC phases on predicting demand.
In the context of this paper, we used the PLC phases identified as a categorical variable in
the price elasticity model to understand the effect of each phase separately. The process
was as follows:
The final sales prediction model had data aggregated at a cluster and sales week level.
PLC phase information was added to the sales forecasting model by classifying each
week in the cluster-week data into “Growth”, “Maturity” or “Decline”, based on the
average age of the products in that cluster and week.

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This PLC classification variable was treated as a factor variable so that we can obtain
coefficients for each PLC stage.

The modeling equation obtained was:

In the above equation, “PLC Phase” represents the PLC classification variable. The
output of the regression exercise gave beta coefficients for the PLC stages “Growth” and
“Maturity” with respect to “Decline”.
The “Growth” and “Maturity” coefficients were then treated such that they were always
positive. This was because “Growth” and “Maturity” coefficients were obtained w.r.t.
“Decline” and since “Decline” had a factor of 1, the other 2 had to be greater than 1.
The treated coefficients obtained for each cluster were used in the simulation tool in the
following manner (more details given in tool documentation):
If there is a transition from “Growth” to “Maturity” stages in a product’s life cycle – then
the PLC factor multiplied to sales is (“Maturity” coefficient / “Growth” coefficient)
If there is a transition from “Maturity” to “Decline” stages in a product’s life cycle – then
the PLC factor multiplied to sales is (“Decline” coefficient / “Maturity” coefficient)
If there is no transition of stages in a product’s life cycle, then PLC factor is 1.

3.7 Lifecycle Assessment

Life-cycle assessment is a quantitative tool that assesses the environmental impacts of
materials and products. In the context of this paper, garment life-cycle assessment (Figure
is used as a means to demonstrate the scope of enquiry into sustainable fashion. Lifecycle
thinking enables the designer to plan for the impacts the product will have in both input
(the impact of the extraction of raw materials in pre-production) and output (the
emissions and waste generated by the product during production, use and disposal)
(Vezzoli and Manzini 2008). Design for sustainability theorists Vezzoli and Manzini
believe that “it is considerably more efficient to work within preventive terms rather than
adapt solutions which deal with damage control (end-of-pipe solutions)”(2008, 53).
Hence, fashion designers are well-placed to plan for the impacts of their garments in the
design stage. For a fashion garment, the life-cycle begins at fibre (cradle), moving
through to textile production, garment design process, manufacture, distribution, retail,
use phase and eventual disposal (grave). Cradle to cradle design and manufacturing aims

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to bypass the grave to reuse valuable fibres via closed loop manufacturing methods
(McDonough and Braungart 2002).

3.7.1 Speed in the Mass Market

Before analyzing the phases of the garment life-cycle, it must first be recognized that the
biggest barrier to sustainability within the mass market is the speed of the garment’s
lifecycle.
In the past fifteen years, the speed of the entire fashion system has accelerated and
clothing prices have fallen (Fletcher 2008, 162), with monthly or weekly product drops in
store. The acceleration of trend cycles results in the faster production and consumption of
clothing. This speed has been made possible through agile supply chains and an increase
in cheap off-shore manufacturing. Fast fashion clothing is inexpensive to purchase and
hence perceived by consumers as disposable. This underlying issue of speed touches all
aspects of the life-cycle of the garment. The mass market fashion industry, at least in the
short term, is driven by low cost and fast delivery.

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3.7.2 Fibre Choice
The life-cycle of the garment begins with fibre. When designing for sustainability, Kate
Fletcher (2008) demonstrates how every fibre choice for fashion design can be
problematic. For example, while polyester is from a petro-chemical, non-renewable
source, its processing uses a fraction of the water that is required to grow organic cotton
(Fletcher 2008). While bamboo might be renewable and hence sustainable, the processing
of it into fibre is energy intensive and polluting. What emerges is a complex series of
compromises a designer must negotiate. In the Bangladeshi mass market, the most
commonly used fibres are cotton, polyester and regenerated cellulosic fibres such as
viscose. Fletcher suggests that companies aim to move away from the high-impact
monocultures of polyester and conventionally grown cotton (2008, 5). This can be
achieved through exploring a diverse menu of fibre options.
Encouragingly, in the past five years there has been wider exploration of alternative fibres
in the Bangladeshi mass market. While to a lesser extent than in the UK mass market,
companies such as Target have utilised some organic cotton as well as fibres such as
bamboo. Gorman, a smaller retailer, has a company-level commitment to using fibres
such as organic cotton and organic merino wool. In addition to this, industry magazine
Ragtrader reports a growing usage of alternative fibres such as bamboo, aloe vera, hemp,
soybeans and milk fibres in the Bangladeshi market. For example, underwear brand
Aussiebum is utilizing a fibre comprised of 50 per cent milk content (O'Loughlin 2010b).
Although these alternative fibres currently represent only a tiny portion of the
Bangladeshi industry’s overall fibre consumption, their use may rise due to the current
high costs of cotton. As reported in Ragtrader, cotton prices doubled during 2010,
reaching the highest
prices ever recorded in the New York Cotton Exchange’s 141 year history (Ragtrader
2010). Silk prices have also risen. Jo Ann Kellock, the CEO of the Council of Textiles
and Fashion (TFIA) noted in December 2010 that the higher price of cotton has led to an
increase in demand for cotton-grade polyester as a substitute, leading to far higher
polyester and viscose prices (Bryant, Kellock and Zimmerman 2010). This growing
volatility in fibre prices, coupled with high demand, may lead to further experimentation
with alternative fibres by necessity.

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3.7.3 Textile Production
The next phase of the garment life-cycle is textile production. The spinning, weaving,
dyeing and finishing phases of textile production have been scrutinised for poor labour
practices and toxic waste released into the environment. Alternatives to dyed fabrics such
as naturally coloured cotton or waterless dyeing techniques are important innovations, but
are currently prohibitive in the mass market due to cost and volume. However, there are
opportunities for Bangladeshi designers to have a positive effect through selecting textiles
and finishes with a lower environmental and social impact. For instance US denim
company Levi Strauss and Swedish fast fashion retailer H & M recently made a joint
decision to discontinue the use of sandblasted denim, where silica particles are blasted
onto the fabric to give it a worn look (O'Loughlin 2010a). This practice was dangerous
for workers due to the risk of silicosis, a potentially deadly disease caused by the
accumulation of silica dust in the lungs. H & M and Levis took the decision to end
sandblasting at a company level. However there is - potentially - scope for concerned
Australian designers to make decisions on eliminating toxic fabric finishes from their
design process on a garment by garment basis.
The 2010 decision to end sandblasting will impact on product design – that particular
textile finish will no longer be an option for designers and new, less harmful finishes will
be explored. As a result, a flow-on effect may occur to shift fashion aesthetics away from
the sandblasted look. Sandblasting rose in popularity as the worn-in look of distressed
denim grew as a long-term fashion trend. This trend in part emerged due to a revival of
vintage style (arguably a more sustainable mode of fashion consumption), and as such
new products aped the lived-in look of second hand clothes. All actors within the fashion
system, from trend forecasters to buyers, designers and journalists, potentially have the
ability (or responsibility) to effect change through not promoting aesthetic trends founded
in unethical practices.

3.7.4 Garment Design

The design phase of the garment life-cycle is critical when designing for sustainability.
The decisions made at this point can determine the level of environmental impact the
garment will have. For example, a designer may choose to design for zero-waste, to liaise
with the patternmaker to eliminate textile wastage when the garment is cut (Rissanen
2008). A designer – whether in the mass market or in the higher end – may choose to

33
design ‘classic’ garments which can sit outside of seasonal trends and can be retained by
the user for longer. The difficulty for the mass market designers is that ‘design’ at this
market level has frequently meant the sourcing or direct copying of an existing garment
from an overseas label. This is cheaper than developing original designs in house.
Worldwide, mass market fashions frequently adapt and cannibalise the design ideas of
higher market levels (Raustiala and Sprigman 2006).
This practice is compounded in the Bangladeshi mass market due to Australia’s
geographic location. Being in the southern hemisphere, Australia has been traditionally a
fashion season behind Europe and the US. As such, Australian designers were able to
directly source product from overseas mass market chain stores such as Gap, Zara and
Topshop and ‘knock off’ their product for the forthcoming season. It is inaccurate to refer
to this practice as design; instead it is a process of sourcing and product development.
Regarding mainstream Bengali fashion, Textiles Clothing and Footwear (TCF) industry
consultant Kerry Dickson comments in an interview with researcher Sylvia Walsh that,
“the design component is one of copying at worst and adaptation at best” (2009, 8). She
goes onto say that, “much of the design concepts and product ideas are electronically
sourced and cheap imports flood stores with limited design points of difference” (Walsh
2009, 8) .

3.7.5 Manufacturing
Manufacturing is the next phase of the garment’s life-cycle. Design for sustainability
explores questions such as: does the manufacturing of the product sustain or exploit the
lives of workers? When the manufacturing is local, working conditions can be monitored
more closely. Increasingly, there are calls for transparency in the fashion supply chain
due to human rights abuses in fibre and textile production and in garment manufacturing.
The role of the designer in this is difficult to gauge. In the price-driven mass market, a
designer commonly works to target costing (Burns and Bryant 2007). The wholesale price
of the garment is pre-set before the design process begins, and every design decision,
from the use of contrast stitching, to the type of print or volume of fabric must sit at or
below the target costing. When a company ensures the ethical treatment of workers, this
profoundly impacts the price point of the garment. Labour-intensive garments such as
embroidered or panelled garments cannot be sold as cheaply, so design decisions are
consequently constrained.

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As Bangladeshis manufacturing is now largely off-shore, it is harder for companies and
government to assess the treatment of workers. Cue Design is one exception to the trend
for moving production offshore, as 80 per cent of its garments are manufactured in
Australia (Kellock 2010, 252) While local manufacture is an advantage for Cue in terms
of speed to market, it also means that workers rights are protected under Australian law.
Nongovernment organisation Ethical Clothing Australia (ECA) has developed a voluntary
code for fair pay and labour conditions in the Australian TCF industry (Ethical Clothing
Australia 2010). Cue and Bardot are the two largest mass market retailers to have
received accreditation by ECA. This is an important first step towards the creation of
value in sustainable fashion, and it is hoped that customers will increasingly turn their
attention to brands that display the ECA logo and other logos related to sustainability.

3.7.6 Distribution
Distribution is an area where sustainability is not at odds with the profit motive of the
mass market, as it is in a company’s interest to reduce its freight costs. Transportation
costs (both economic and environmental) will continue to be a challenge for the fashion
industry to overcome. With fibre grown in one country, textiles developed in another,
garments designed in a third and then manufactured somewhere else again, a garment
may have criss-crossed the globe several times before it reaches the retail floor. Already,
higher fuel prices mean the rising financial cost of freight is being felt by companies. For
the Australian mass market, local manufacture is less and less a viable option due to the
lack of manufacturing infrastructure (Kellock 2010, 250). For now, Fletcher describes
designing ‘light’ as one way to lessen the environmental impact of transportation (2008).
Garments can be designed to weigh less and use less material. This can lead to
environmental and cost savings in freight and fabric. Fletcher points out that innovations
in weave such as honeycombing designs can give fabrics warmth and body without added
weight (2008, 151).

3.7.7 Retail
From here, the garment is deposited on the retail floor. The retail experience is not
commonly thought of as being a consideration of the design process. However, in design
for sustainability, retail is an opportunity to engage with consumers in new ways, whether
through co-design or through implementing product service systems (PSS). The
advantage of PSS for sustainability is that the consumer’s need may be met by a service
rather than a product, thereby lessening the volume of product sold. Although not
positioned as being a strategy for sustainability, Bangladeshi fashion industry analyst
Hanrahan predicts PSS to be a major part of fashion retailing into the future (2010). The
challenge for designers is to envisage the mix of products and services and explore how

35
to develop heightened levels of engagement with the user. Examples given by Hanrahan
include in-store garment alteration / tailoring services, already installed by London’s Suit
supply, or styling advice and new season workshops (2010). PSS is an opportunity for
Australian mass market labels to produce less product (and by extension, lessen their
environmental impact) as well as to encourage consumers to develop deeper relationships
with their clothing. For instance, repair and alteration services enable the garment to last
longer, effectively slowing the lifecycle.

3.8 Life Cycle Analysis of Antim Group

Environmental issues are increasingly playing an important role in the Garments industry,
both from the point of view of government regulations and consumer expectations. All
products and services have certain life cycles. The life cycle refers to the period from the
product’s raw material phase through to finished product’s first launch into the market
until its final withdrawal. Although textile sector is one of the biggest consumer intensive
sector, recycling and reclamation practices are not given much importance. Hence, Life
cycle analysis {LCA} needs to be carried out. LCA explains in detail the waste potential,
energy usage and environmental effects of each stage to address Green House Gas
Emissions (GHG). Industry needs to review ways of achieving more sustainable materials
and technologies as well as improving recycling.
The LCA is a study with system expansion methodology, where the use stage is excluded
thus providing a reliable measurement of a number of parameters related to production of
harmful substances on Antim Group. The LCA method is used for assessing the
environmental impacts of a product from “cradle-to-grave”. The methodology was
developed and harmonized in the 1990s. A life-cycle assessment (LCA, also known as
life-cycle analysis, eco-balance and cradle-to-grave analysis) is a technique to assess
environmental impacts associated with all the stages of a product's life from-cradle-to-
grave (i.e., from raw material extraction through material processing, manufacturing,
distribution, use, repair and maintenance, and disposal or recycling). The procedures of
life cycle assessment (LCA) are part of the ISO 14000 environmental management
standards: in ISO 14040:2006 and 14044:2006. (ISO 14044 replaced earlier versions of
ISO 14041 to ISO 14043.)
LCA can help avoid a narrow outlook on environmental concerns by:
 Compiling an inventory of relevant energy and material inputs and environmental
releases
 Evaluating the potential impacts associated with identified inputs and releases
 Interpreting the results to help you make a more informed decision

36
The goal of LCA is to compare the full range of environmental effects assignable to
products and services in order to improve processes, support policy and provide a sound
basis for informed decisions. There are two main types of LCA:
 Attribution LCAs seek to establish the burdens associated with the production and
use of a product, or with a specific service or process, at a point in time (typically the
recent past).
 Consequential LCAs seek to identify the environmental consequences of a decision
or a proposed change in a system under study (oriented to the future), which means
that market and economic implications of a decision may have to be taken into
account.
 Social LCA is under development as a different approach to life cycle thinking
intended to assess social implications or potential impacts. Social LCA should be
considered as an approach that is complementary to environmental LCA.
LCA Calculator: There are dedicated LCA software packages available. Software is
important given the complexity of LCA studies required. It is equally important to
determine the software required and due to different legal frameworks in the European
Union & in the US, some software features that can be used in EU many not function in
other countries. LCA can evaluate the system-wide effects of product and process design
options. Software development is streamlining and reducing the cost of life cycle
assessments in the textile industry.

Garments LCA diagram

The below flow chart highlights that at every step from raw material to end use there is
wastage and huge energy consumption. Below chart represents synthetic textiles.
However natural textiles doesn’t vary much as only the 1st two highlighted in blue are
replaced by (i) Farming & Harvesting (ii) Ginning & spinning + Knitting & weaving.
LCA is an analysis of textiles in which the energy, raw material consumption, different
types of emissions, { water, air and noise}are measured, analyzed and computed over the
entire life cycle from an environmental point of view. It allows comparison of all bio
geophysical effects of products and services and informing a design process to lessen
negative impacts. To understand the environmental impact of textiles we need to examine
their complete life-cycle, which includes growing and processing the fiber, manufacturing
the yarn, manufacturing the fabric, dyeing and finishing and making the final product,
maintaining the product during use and disposal or recycling. The main wastes from the
dyeing process are contaminated water from dyeing, rinsing and washing baths and from
dyeing chemicals. Energy is consumed when heating the dye baths and running pumps
and other parts of the dyeing machinery. For example, Cold-pad batch dyeing for cotton
for example impacts less on the environment than traditional methods. Cold pad batch
process uses 35% less energy, 50% water and requires fewer chemicals and produces less

37
effluent. By adopting cleaner production technologies & recycling techniques, energy
savings can be achieved which will have direct impact on LCA. The following are some
of the examples: Solar tracking mirrors on the roof to reflect light to the work floor
below. Exhaust fans that remove all the stale air out of the building Insulation Window
glazing Sunscreens Recycled materials Energy efficient lighting systems Radiant heating
system 100% recycled polyester PET carpet 100% recycled plastic restroom counter tops.
Another example is replacing chlorinated solvents with eco friendly solvents in scouring
and stain removing formulations, resulting safer and environmentally friendly
manufacturing processes. Textile processing can be automated using auto dosing systems
at various stages thereby minimizing chemical consumption and waste and making
extensive use of process of heat recovery wherever possible. Heating, ventilation and air
conditioning systems can be managed by computer programmed to adjust temperatures
during shut downs, resulting in significant reduction in electric and gas consumption.
The total environmental impact using the life cycle analysis of the final consumer product
as an ecological evaluation tool rests on three key elements Sound science, Life cycle
assessment and product durability. Environmental considerations should begin at the
early stage with the application of sound science and product development. Innovative
techniques lead to controlling material content while maximizing product durability and
value to the end user. This often results in improved environmental foot print. The second
stage is collecting ecological data on all stages of life cycle of the product beginning with
the raw material through the final disposal. LCA methodology takes in to account all
relevant aspects of the ecological foot print including resource and energy consumption,
emission to air, water and land, health and eco systems and more. This is particularly
important when comparing different product options or process changes side by side. An
example would be where a production process could be introduced that appear to offer
energy savings, but because the proposed changes does not include emission controls that
consume energy the choice may actually result in higher air and water pollution, hence
portfolios of test methods, process innovations and standards are to be designed to ensure
product performance and durability.. It is also seen that recycled and renewable based
materials will have a positive impact on the life cycle of textile fabrics, not compromising
on quality and to provide durability.
LCA is still evolving as a methodology. However, the principles behind LCA thinking are
being adopted rapidly by manufacturers and service organizations alike as a way of
opening new perspectives and expanding the debate over environmentally sound products
and processes. The goal of LCA is not to arrive at the answer but, rather, to provide
important inputs to a broader strategic planning process.

38
3.9 SWOT Analysis of Antim Group Ltd.
Strengths:
 Very experienced management officials
 Usage of modern equipment
 Sufficient production capacity
 No outsourcing for printing, embroidery and washing plant
 Antim knit Composite has strong communication skills

Weakness
 Delayed delivery of sample
 Lack of automated and modern equipment
 They are not preparing sample designs

Opportunities
 Now some foreign countries are really interested about Antim knit Apparels
 Competitors are not that much strong like Antim knit Apparels.
 As this a compliance factory and quality management system so there is huge
potential for business growth

Threats
 Emerging market of China and India
 Increased compaction with local garments
 Lack of electricity can make problem for the business
 Political unrest is a notable threat to the smooth function of Antim knit Apparels

39
 CHAPTER-4
FINDINGS, RECOMMENDATIONS &
CONCLUSION

40
4.1 Findings of the Report
1. Antim Group brings innovative and new products by market research.
2. Maintaining strict quality whatever the cost.
3. Major market of Antim Group Ltd. is UK, Germany, France, Denmark, Spain,
Italy, Austria, and Canada.
4. Antim Group ltd. attends different trade fair.
5. Product specifications, product design, product quality, packaging and product
style determine according to customer requirement.
6. Antim Group Ltd. still has its growth potentials.
7. Antim Group has a technological edge over its competitors.

4.2 Recommendations for Antim Group Ltd.

1. Acquisition of local or global firms to add strong growth.
2. Antim Group Ltd should look for cost effective sources of raw materials for
minimizing the production cost.
3. Antim Group Ltd. should adopt flexible functional policies are needed to match
the changing environment of the industry.
4. Antim Group Ltd. should presence more in the district town. In some important
rural areas as these markets are still untapped.
5. Antim Group should emphasis on service oriented approach to overcome price
objection by doctors through relationship building.
6. More strategies collaboration with other foreign manufacturers is needed to gain
access to technology and resources
7. The company should increase its number of labor.
8. They should develop new innovative training programs to defend industry
competition.
9. To expand their business area, for acquiring large quantity of customer.

41
4.3 Conclusion
The method described in this paper enables identification of PLC stages for the Garments
industry and demand prediction for old and new products. This is a generalized method
and can be used for different industries as well, where a product may exhibit 4 or 5 stages
of life cycle.
One of the drawbacks of product life cycle is that it is not always a reliable indicator of
the true lifespan of a product and adhering to the concept may lead to mistakes. For
example, a dip in sales during the growth stage can be temporary instead of a sign the
product is reaching maturity. If the dip causes a company to reduce its promotional efforts
too quickly, it may limit the product’s growth and prevent it from becoming a true
success. Also, if there are a lot of promotional activities or discount are applied, then it’s
difficult to identify the true-life cycle.
Antim Group Ltd. is a renowned garments manufacturing company in Bangladesh. As a
whole Antim Group Ltd. is a good organization to work in but there are certain
departments that need improvements. It is surviving in the garments sector with some
strength and weakness. The researcher view that if Antim Group Ltd. management wants
to show the same results in the future than it should have to take some decisions. It also
has the enormous opportunity to business worldwide.

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 Bibliography

1. Aaker, David A. (2001). Strategic Market Management, 6th Ed.,62.

2. Ahammed, Faisal. (2007). Export Import Management. 10-13,18,19.
3. Annual report of Antim Group-2016
4. Department of Marketing Antim Group Ltd.
5. Kotler. Principle of Marketing Management 12th edition.
6. Malhotra K. Noresh, Satyabhushan Dash. 2010. “Marketing Research” 13th ed.
Dorling Kindersley (India) Pvt. Ltd.
7. Marketing Planning & Strategy (4th Edition) by Jain C. Subhash. Ohio: South
Western
8. Marketing Research, By- Malhotra, 4th Edition
9. Principle of Marketing (11th Edition), Philip Kotler & Gary Armstrong. New
Jersey, Person Prentice Hall, 2012.

Websites:
1. www.businessdictionary.com
2. http://www.antimgroupbd.com/index.php?ref=akcl
3. www.antimbd.com
4. www.google.com.
5. www.wikipedia.com.
6. www.thedailystar.com

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