| The Nirma Story |  | 
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 Case Details:
 
 Case Code : MKTG008
 Case Length : 8 Pages
 Period : 1985 -2001
 Pub Date : 2001
 Teaching Note : Available
 Organization : Nirma, HLL
 Industry : FMCG
 Countries : India
 
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<< Previous ExcerptsA Humble BeginningIn 1969, Karsanbhai Patel (Patel), a chemist at the Gujarat Government's Department of Mining and Geology manufactured phosphate free Synthetic Detergent Powder, and started selling it locally. The new yellow powder was priced at Rs. 3.50 per kg, at a time when HLL's Surf was priced at Rs 15. Soon, there was a huge demand for Nirma in Kishnapur (Gujarat), Patel's hometown... 
	
		| The Road To SuccessThe use of detergent powder was pioneered in India by HLL's Surf in 1959. But by the 1970s, Nirma dominated the detergent powder market, simply by making the product available at an affordable price...
 Higher Costs - NO
 
 Within a short span, Nirma had completely rewritten the rules of the game, by offering good quality products at an unbeatably low price. Nirma's success was attributed to its focus on cost effectiveness...
 |   
 |  Brand Wars - YES
 Nirma also had innovative marketing strategies. In the mid-nineties, Nirma successfully extended its brand to other product categories like premium detergents (Nirma Super Washing Powder and Detergent Cake), premium toilet soaps (Nirma Premium, Nima Sandal, Nirma Lime Fresh)...
 
	
		|  | The Road AheadThough Nirma was better known as a producer of low-cost economy range of products, it was successful in the middle- and up-market segments.
 But at the same time, competition was also increasing. While HLL continued to be a major competition, P&G and Henkel SPIC also adopted aggressive measures.
 
 Players from unorganized sector were also adding to the competition in the detergents and washing powder industry...
 |  ExhibitsExhibit I 
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