A well-designed salon plays a crucial role in the success of the business. The interiors and state-of-the-art furniture contribute to creating a soothing ambience for the customers. That is exactly what leads to the overall success of the salon. In today’s article of the Make In India series, Professional Beauty India highlights one of the leading Indian salon furniture manufacturing brands that has carved a niche for itself not just in Indian markets but globally. Here is an insight into the brand’s exciting journey of 25 years with Durgesh Sharma, Director, MARC Salon Furniture.
Salons always strived for premium quality furniture which would make them stand out in the competitive market. But back in the day high-end salon furniture was available only in countries like China or Italy. Following this learning and the market gap in the salon furniture segment MARC Salon Furniture aimed to provide premium quality salon furniture manufactured in India.
The Beginning of MARC Salon Furniture
“Our company’s journey began almost 25 years ago, initiated by my father, Mr. Dev Raj Sharma. Recognising the increasing trends in beauty and wellness during that time, he ventured into the manufacturing of slimming machines right from the comfort of our homes. My brother and I, at the age of 22 or 23, decided to contribute to the family business. We decided so after witnessing our father’s unwavering dedication and hard work. Despite encountering numerous challenges along the way, our journey has been one of continuous growth and success.”
The Growth and Innovation Over the Years
“Keeping customer satisfaction at the core, our prime objective is to be present in India’s metropolitan cities. Currently, we are present in Gurgaon, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mohali, and Kerala. We are also present in Mumbai, where we have our flagship showroom.
As we cater to a few of the key salon brands to the likes of – Loreal, Lakme, Nykaa, Enrich, Envi, Hakim Aalim and others, R&D team is constantly working towards creating ergonomically designed furniture taking into consideration the upcoming trends and latest technologies.
Our commitment to innovation has broadened our product portfolio from manufacturing slimming machines to creating salon chairs, styling chairs, spa beds, pedicure and manicure chairs that cater to the diverse needs and preferences of salon owners and professionals.
The Main Challenges Faced and the Remedies
“One of the most significant challenges in the manufacturing industry, whether it’s salon furniture or any other product, is the constant threat from competitors attempting to replicate the few products we meticulously manufacture at MARC. We have a team working tirelessly towards making ‘better, the best.’
With years of experience and through business with the most prestigious salons and hair stylists in India, we have been able to maintain the quality we deliver. That is what makes it easy for consumers to spot the difference between what we deliver and everything else that’s available in the market today.”
Marketing Strategy
“We have a very organic marketing strategy and we try to keep all our offline and online marketing content as real as possible. We believe in being completely transparent with our consumers, in order to maintain a relationship centred on trust. According to me, it is key to success. Nonetheless, as the trends and preferences in the market are ever-evolving, we also make sure to keep up with them as that ensures relevancy. We currently have allocated 5% of our budget for marketing.”
Preserving Quality and Service
“Our commitment to innovation has driven us to go from just manufacturing slimming machines to now creating salon chairs, styling chairs, spa beds, pedicure and manicure chairs that cater to the diverse needs and preferences of salon owners and professionals. Our R&D team is constantly working towards creating ergonomically designed furniture taking into consideration the upcoming trends and latest technologies which are up to date with the global standards.”
Carving a Name in the Salon Furniture Market
“At Marc, we take immense pride in our role as a leading salon manufacturer in India. Our journey has been marked by unwavering dedication to quality, commitment to innovation and design keeping in mind the upcoming trends and advanced technologies. All of this has helped us ace the pursuit of customer satisfaction.
We ensure to never compromise on the quality of equipment used in our products, and forthright after-sales services have been able to build unfeigned client relationships over the years. Nevertheless, I personally believe that one should never stop working towards being better and along with my team we strive to work towards perfection.”
Marc Salon Furniture: Story for 2024
“As I have mentioned earlier, we are now present in 7 main cities of India and we wish to expand and come up in as many cities as possible and open doors to clients all over the country.
MARC is also coming up with a range of professional hair tools.
Having said that, I am very thankful to believe that with our tireless hard work, we have been able to cover the majority of the industry in India. Our roots are firmly placed in Manesar. However, we have extended our influence overseas with the help of our distributors in UAE. So, we are also focusing on our global presence. We are further working towards increasing production capacity, bringing in more machinery and fully equipped plants. All so that we are ready for any challenges, as the salon industry is altering faster than we can imagine.”
| Rapid fire Your initial budget to start the business : The business was started at home, hence there is no number. Who funded your business: Self-funded What was your year-on-year growth in 2023-24 (in percentage): 30 per cent Your best selling product : Rubino Shampoo Station An upcoming product/innovation : A new professional hair tools range. Where do you see your brand 5 years from now: I see MARC embarking upon international reach in the future. What’s your salon target for 2024: We want to touch the highest number of salons in India and overseas. |