Wednesday, June 1 2005 15:16 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Bangalore: Buoyed by doubling of sales in 2004-05, Austria-based crystal giant Swarovski plans to launch 19 exclusive retail stores in India in the next three years, a senior company executive said today (June 1, 2005).

Swarovski, the Austrian family company, currently has 11 exclusive retail stores and 34 points of sale in India.

"We are planning to have 30 stores, and 50-60 points of sale by 2007-08," Vembu Shivkumar, country manager, Swarovski Consumer Goods Business, told sources in Bangalore.

"We are looking at cities including Ahmedabad, Kochi and Lucknow for our expansion," he said. "In 2004-05, we doubled our sales in India compared to the previous financial year."

Opening of 19 more stores may entail the leading manufacturer of cut crystal in the world around Rs 15 crore, as Shivkumar, in response to a question said that they need around Rs 80 lakh for opening an outlet.

Swarovski, which achieved group sales of Euro 1.83 billion with a total of approximately 16,000 employees in 2004, opened its second store in Bangalore today offering international crystal products.

Swarovski also presented a preview of its 'Tropical' collection, unveiling a new range of home decor, fashion and collectibles.