PROJECT ON SULFEX MATREX KANNUR

INTRODUCTION AND DESIGN OF THE STUDY

1.1. INTRODUCTION

Consumer perception of product value is central to all stages of the process of bringing

products to markets, from design and manufacture to distribution and retail. As a result,

product strategy needs to respect customer needs in order to achieve or retain competitive

advantage in providing innovative and differentiated products. Increasingly however, markets

are becoming saturated with homogenous product offerings with little differentiation in terms

of technology or function. In many mature markets the process of consumer decision making

is no longer governed by intrinsic factors such as pricing or performance; instead it is

extrinsic factors such as brand, service and ethical behaviour that is becoming increasingly

influential to consumer product choices.

As one of the most important emerging markets, India has attracted a large number of

international brands. The Dramatic changes within the economy have resulted in many new

opportunities. There has been a significant rise in consumer disposable income, a

development of modern urban lifestyles, and an increase in consumer awareness. These

changes have affected buying behaviour and the consumer decision making process.

However, relatively little is still known about how Indian consumers perceive products. .

Institute of Technology Mayyil, MBA 2012 – 2014 1

1.2. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study is conducted to analyse the customer perception of Sulfex Mattress Company.

Consumer perception describes how customers and potential customers view a company and

its products and services. Consumer perception is important to businesses since it can

influence consumer behaviour, which ultimately affects the profitability of a business. Many

businesses spend large amounts of resources to influence consumer perceptions.

1.3. SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study makes an attempt to understand the industry in general and the Sulfex

Mattress in particular.

The study can provide valuable suggestions to the management for the improvement of

the organization.

It is an interesting and significant area for conducting research.

The study made on the topic of consumer perception will reveal the factors regarding

the feelings of consumers.

This report is useful to the management of the company, to know the perception level of

consumers and they can take measure to increase productivity

1.4. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

Primary Objective:

The primary objective of the study is to analyse the consumer perception of Sulfex

Mattress Company, Ellamparamba, Kannur.

To derive a clear cut knowledge about the organization.

Secondary Objective:

To analyse the current market trend in mattress industry.

To analyse the customer awareness towards the Sulfex Mattress.

To analyse the demographic profile of the Sulfex customers.

To find overall satisfaction of Sulfex customers.

To suggest an effective marketing plan for Sulfex mattress. And most importantly

To find out the consumer perception towards Sulfex mattress


1.5. METHODOLOGY

In order to found out a research study a knowledge of the process of research and the various

steps followed in research from identifying the topic to make the conclusions are very

important. Method of Data collection and analysis are extremely important. Research is a

careful investigation or inquiry especially through search for new facts in any branch of

knowledge. It is an original contribution to the existing stock of knowledge making for its

advancement.

Research may be defined as “the objectives and systematic method of finding solution to a

problem”. It gives a structured picture for the management processes like decision making

and planning in accordance with data collected. Methodology gives the true path to find

solution to certain problems. It also refers to the sequence and steps to be adopted by the

researcher in studying problems with certain objectives in view. Research design is a formal

plan of action for a research project. Research design helps researchers to lay out their

research questions, methodologies, implementation procedures, data collection and analysis

for the conduct of a research project. Generally there are three types of research design:

quantitative design, qualitative design and mixed methods design.

Research design is a decision making process. Generally speaking, the research design

decisions are influenced by the questions the investigator is trying to answer, by the

resources such as time, trained personnel, money that the researcher have at hand, by the

characteristics of the research sites, and also by the researcher’s personal preferences.

1.5.1. RESEARCH DESIGN

An integral component of a research design is the sampling plan. Specifically, it addresses

three questions:

Whom to survey (The Sample Unit)

How many to Survey (The Sample Size) &

How to select them (The Sampling Procedure)

Making a census study of the whole universe will be impossible on the account of

limitations of time. Hence sampling becomes inevitable.


1.5.2. RESEARCH PERIOD

The study was conducted for a period of 45 days.

1.5.3. SAMPLING UNIT

The sampling units selected in this study are consumers of Sulfex Mattress Company,

Kannur.

1.5.4. SAMPLE SIZE

A numbers of 100 respondents are selected for this study.

1.5.5. SMAPLING TECHNIQUE

Simple Random Sampling Technique

1.5.6. TOOLS FOR DATA COLLECTION

Questionnaire

Personal Interaction

1.5.7. METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION

Primary Data

The primary data is directly collected from the Sulfex consumers by surveying them.

Structured questionnaire was made based on the objective of the study.

Secondary Data

Data collected through the annual reports, manuals, and other relevant documents

produced by the firm, text books and journals and collection of data through theliterature

provided by the firm, and data collected from the internet were also constitute the

secondary data sources.

1.6. TOOLS FOR DATA ANALYSIS

Different tools used in this study are:


Simple Percentage Method

In this project, percentage method test is also used. The following is the formula:

Percentage of Respondent= No .of RespondentTotalno .of Respondents

X 100

Pie Diagram

Bar Diagram

Tabulation

1.7. LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

The survey was conducted within the boundaries of Kannur district.

Some respondents did not co-operate.

The sampling was restricted to 100 respondents.

The training period was limited to 45 days

1.8. CHAPTER SCHEME

The research report is presented as follows:

Chapter 1: Introduction and Design of the Study

It covers the introductory part of the research work

Chapter 2: Review of Literature and Theoretical Framework

Here the underlined theories related to the study are provided

Chapter 3: Profile of the Study Area

This part provides description Industry Profile, Company Profile, etc.

Chapter 4: Analysis and Interpretation of Data

Here the data are analysed using different tools

Chapter 5: Findings, Conclusions and Suggestions

Here findings, conclusions and suggestions are provided on the basis of data analysed


REFERENCE:

L.R.Potti, “Research Methodology”, Yamuna Publications, Thiruvananthapuram

C.R.Kothari, “Research Methodology Methods and Techniques”, New Age

International (P) Ltd publishers, New Delhi, Second Edition.

Rajan Sexena, “Marketing Management”, Tata McGraw Hill Education Pvt Ltd,

New Delhi

www.expertscolumn.com

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http://www.expertscolumn.com/

REVIEW OF LITERATURE &THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

MARKETING & MARKETING CONCEPT

Consumer behavior can be seen as the behavior that consumers display in searching for,

purchasing, using, evaluating, and disposing of products and services that they expect will

satisfy their needs.

The strategic and applied field of Consumer behavior is rooted in three philosophically

different business orientations that lead up to an extremely important business orientation

known as the Marketing Concept.

Marketing can be defined as the management process through which goods and services move

from concept to the customer. It involves the co-ordination of four elements called the 4P's of

Marketing.

Identification, selection and development of a Product.

Determination of its Price.

Selection of a distribution channel to reach the customer Place, and,

Development and implementation of a Promotional strategy.

Or in other words marketing can be viewed as social and technical activity undertaken by a

company in identifying and satisfying consumer needs in such a way that the customer is

highly satisfied.

In the words of Dr. Philip Kotler, Marketing is the Science and Art of exploring, creating, and

delivering values to satisfy the needs of a target market at a profit. Marketing identifies

unfulfilled needs and desires; it defines, measures, and quantifies the size of the identified

market and the profit potential. It pinpoints which segments the company is capable of serving

the best and it designs and promotes the appropriate products and services.

Basically marketing can be seen as social and technical activity undertaken by the company in

identifying and satisfying customer needs in such a way that the customer is highly satisfied.

A satisfied customer is the best promotional tool for the company.

Since its emergence in 1950s, many companies have very successfully adopted the marketing

concept. The results has been more products, in more sizes, models, versions, and packages,

offered to more precisely targeted (and often smaller) target market. This has resulted in an

increasingly competitive marketplace. And, with the rapid and widespread acceptance of the


internet and other aspects of digital revolution, marketers have been able to expand their

offering of more products and services, and more options as to their distribution, while

reducing the costs and barriers of entering many industries. This has accelerated the rate at

which new competitors enter the markets and has also speeded up the rate at which

segmentation, targeting and positioning approaches must be updated or changed, as they are

imitated or made obsolete by the offerings of the new business rivals. Most of all these

changes have overwhelmingly been very positive for the consumer. Specifically consumers

have benefited from their ability to be proactive in seeking out online information, opinions,

product availability, and price comparisons. Also and very important, consumers have been

able to use the internet to easily find other consumers and read about their actual experiences

and evaluations of the goods or services that they are contemplating purchasing.

Savvy marketers today realize that in order to outperform competitors they must achieve the

full profit potential from each and every customer. They must make the customer the core of

the company's organizational culture, across all departments and functions, and ensure that

each and every employee views any exchange with the customer as a part of customer

relationship, not as a transaction.

CUSTOMER VALUE, SATISFACTION, TRUST, AND RETENTION

Customer value can be thought of as the ratio between the customers' perceived benefits

(economic, functional, and psychological) and the resources (monetary, time, effort,

psychological) to obtain those benefits. Customers know what to expect, and they feel that

they are gelling value for the resources they expend.

Customer Satisfaction is the individual customer's perception of the performance of the

product or services in relation to his or her expectations. The concept of customer satisfaction

is a function of customer expectations. A customer whose experience falls below expectations

will be dissatisfied. A customer whose expectations match experience will be satisfied. And

customers whose expectations are exceeded by the experience will be very satisfied or even

delighted.

Closely related to the challenge of satisfying consumer is the challenge of establishing and

maintaining consumer trust in a company and its products. Trust is the foundation of

maintaining a long standing relationship with customers. And it helps to increase the chances

of customers will remain loyal.


The overall objective of providing value to customers continuously and more effectively than

the competition is to have and to retain highly satisfied and trusting customers, and from time

to time even surprise them by providing the elements of delight to their dealings with the

company.

CUSTOMER PERCEPTION

In today's globalizing economy competition is getting fiercer. That means it becomes more

difficult for products and services to differentiate themselves from other offerings than ever

before. Not only is the number of competitive offerings raising duet globalization of

production, sourcing, logistics and access to information. Many

Products and services face new competition from substitutes and from completely new

offerings or bundles from industry outsiders. Since product differences are closed at an

increasing speed and many companies try to win the battle for customers by price reductions,

products and services tend to become commodities.

On the other hand, customer behavior has become more complex. On one hand, customers

have become more price sensitive - searching for bargains at marketplaces or buying their

groceries at discount markets. On the other hand they enjoy branded and luxury goods.

In the result, customers have a wider choice of often less distinguishable products and they

are much better informed. For many offerings the balance of power shifts towards the

customer. Customers are widely aware of their greater power, which raises their expectations

on how companies should care for them. Bringing it all together, it becomes ever more

difficult to differentiate a product or service by traditional categories like price, quality,

functionality etc.

In this situation the development of a strong relationship between customers and a company

could likely prove to be a significant opportunity for competitive advantage. This relationship

is no longer based on features like price and quality alone. Today it is more the perceived

experience a customer makes in his various interactions with a company (e.g. how fast, easy,

efficient and reliable the process is) that can make or break the relationship. Problems during

a single transaction can damage a so far favorable customer attitude. The consequence for

companies is that they have to adapt their ways of competing for customers. Traditionally,

companies have focused their efforts of customer relationship management on issues like

customer satisfaction and targeted marketing activities like event marketing, direct marketing


or advertising. Although doubtless necessary and beneficial, these activities are no longer

enough. They narrow the relationship between company and customer down to a particular set

of contacts in which the company invests its efforts. Most likely this will produce not more

than a satisfied customer who is well aware of the company's offerings and has a positive

attitude towards them. However, a satisfied customer is not necessarily a loyal one.

If a customer is satisfied that means that a product of service has met his expectations and that

he was not dissatisfied by it. Customer satisfaction is doubtlessly very I important. It is the

precondition for repeal: purchases and it prevents the customer, from telling others about his

disappointing experiences. A loyal customer, however, is more than a customer who

frequently purchases from a company.

The difference is the emotional bond which links the customer so closely to the company that

he develops a clear preference for these products or brands and is even willing to recommend

them to others. Loyal customers truly prefer a product, brand or company over competitive

offerings. Thus loyalty goes beyond a rational decision for known quality or superior price-

performance-ratio. It is about the customers' feelings and perceptions about the brand or

product.

When the customer makes his buying decision, he evaluates the benefits he perceives from a

particular product and compares them with the costs. The value a customer perceives when

buying and using a product or service go beyond usability. There is a set of emotional values

as well, such as social status, exclusivity, friendliness and responsiveness or the degree to

which personal expectations and preferences are met. Similarly, the costs perceived by the

customer, normally comprise more than the actual price. They also include costs of usage, the

lost opportunity to use other offerings, potential switching costs etc. Hence, the customer

establishes an equation between perceived benefits and perceived costs of one product and

compares this to similar equations of other products.

Based on this, customer loyalty can be understood as to how customers feel about a product,

service or brand and whether their perceived total investments in it live up to their

expectations.

The important point here is the involvement of feelings, emotions and perceptions, today's

competitive marketplace, these perceptions are becoming much important for gaining

sustainable competitive advantage.


Customer perceptions are influenced by a variety of factors. Besides the actual outcome - i.e.

did the product or service deliver the expected function and did it fulfill the customers need -

the whole process of consumption and all interactions involved are of crucial importance. In

today's globalized information driven economy this can also comprise issues like, how other

customers or influencing groups perceive the product or brand, the degree to which the

customer feels the actual marketing campaign addresses the most important issues,

Responsiveness and service quality of any affiliates, e.g. distribution partners, etc.

Consumer perception can be defined as 'A marketing concept that encompasses a customer's

impression, awareness and/or consciousness about a company or its offerings'. Customer

perception is typically affected by advertising, reviews, public relations, social media,

personal experiences and other channels which can attract consumer attention.

Customer perceptions are dynamic. First of all, with the developing relationship between

customer and company, his perceptions of the company and its products or services will

change. People's perception of something can vary greatly from person to person, with each

one forming an individual opinion about the stimuli (agents, action or conditions that elicit a

response) being received. Individuals are continually receiving "messages" through the five

senses: touch, taste, smell, sight and sound. Successful marketers use those senses to stimulate

consumers to examine a product. Perception is one of the key psychological factors that

influence consumer behavior.

In marketing, the role of perception in consumer behavior is all about recognizing how

consumers view a company's product or service. A consumer's motivation for buying a

particular product or service often comes down to image. People wish to be perceived as

having the ability to make the "right" choices and pick the "right" products. Marketers use

perception to target people's need to fit in and be part of a larger group of discerning

consumers and help companies to more effectively reach consumers.

The significant role played by perception can be exemplified when two identical products are

marketed in completely different ways, thus creating distinct perceptions of each product.

Depending on consumers' perception, each product can be received quite differently:

favorably, less favorably or not at all. Marketers must distinguish their message from their

competitors' to grab consumers' attention. People are often willing to pay for a more


expensive product over its less-expensive but identical counterpart just because they perceive

it to be a "better" product.

There are several factors that can influence the role of perception in consumer behavior:

exposure lo stimuli, interpretation of said stimuli and the ability to identify changes in the

intensity of stimuli. Exposure involves the levels to which consumers encounter stimuli, like

commercial messages in the form of billboards, television and radio advertisements or oilier

advertising media. Interpretation involves consumers making sense out of the messages

received, such as recognizing a brand name or logo.

According to Weber's Law, a consumer's ability to identify changes in stimulus intensity is

strongly related to the original intensity of the stimulus. In other words, the more dramatic the

change in the intensity, the more noticeable it will be to consumers.

A number of aspects will influence how consumers perceive a product or service. The

relevance to consumers' lives will definitely affect how much attention consumers give to a

perception of a certain product or service. Pleasant or very unpleasant stimuli

(advertisements) can command consumers' attention, with irritating messages sometimes

being an extremely effective marketing strategy. Surprising stimuli or stimuli with a

noticeable contrast (to its surroundings) or prominence (larger or Centre placement) will also

gain.

The more experience the customer accumulates, the more his perceptions will shift t from

fact-based judgments to a more general meaning the whole relationship gains for him. Over

time, he puts a stronger focus on the consequence of the product or service consumption.

Hence customer satisfaction and consumer perception are two important factors influencing

the profitability and performance of a company


REFERENCES:

Kotler Philip, “Marketing Management”, Prentice-Hall of India Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi,

2004

Krishna Aradhana (1991), "Effects of Dealing Patters on Consumer Perception of Deal

frequency and Willingness to Pay", Journal of Marketing Research (JMR), November,

Volume 28

Leon G. Schiffman, Leslie Lazar Kanuk, S. Ramesh Kumar, “Consumer Behavior”,

Pearson Education Inc., 2011

Morgan C.A, “Understanding and Developing Your (People) Assets”, Retrieved

November 16, 2012, B2B International Market Research, 2012

Rajan Saxena, “Marketing Management”, Tata McGraw hill Education Pvt. Ltd., New

Delhi, 2010

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www.wikipedia.com

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PROFILE OF STUDY AREA

INDUSTRY POFILE

INTRODUCTION

A mattress is a large pad for supporting the reclining body, used as or on a bed. Mattresses

may consist of a quilted or similarly fastened case, usually of heavy cloth, that contains hair,

straw, cotton, foam rubber, etc.; a framework of metal springs; or they may be inflatable. The

word mattress has derived from the Arabic "mat-rah", which means "something thrown

down" or "place where something is thrown down" and hence "mat, cushion". During the

Crusades Europeans adopted the Arabic method of sleeping on cushions on the floor, and the

word matters eventually descended into Middle English through the Romance languages.

Early mattresses contained a variety of natural materials including straw, feathers or horse

hair. In the first half of the 20th century, a typical mattress sold in North America had an

innerspring core and cotton batting or fiberfill. Modern mattresses usually contain either an

inner spring core or materials such as latex, visco elastic or other flexible polyurethane foams.

Other fill components include insulator pads over the coils that prevent the bed's upholstery

layers from cupping down into the inner spring, as well as polyester fiberfill in the bed's top

upholstery layers. Mattresses may also be filled with air or water, or a variety of natural

fibers, such as in futons. In Southeast Asia, bedding is made with kapok. In 1901 the English

bed maker VI-Spring introduced the first individually wrapped pocketed spring coil mattress.

In North America the typical mattress sold today is an innerspring; however there is

increasing interest in all-foam beds and so-called hybrid beds, which include both innerspring

and high-end foams such as visco-elastic or latex in the comfort layers. In Europe,

polyurethane foam cores and latex cores have long been popular and make up a much larger

proportion of the mattresses sold in the beginning.


HISTORY

In the Neolithic period, people began sleeping on primitive beds, the ones our parents evaded

made with leaves and grass and wrapped in hides. Though not as comfy as the modern day

mattress, these first beds were the better alternative to sleeping on the ground and huddling

together with other pre-historic humans for warmth, which might not have been as bad if pre-

historic humans were better looking. Egyptian pharaohs began sleeping in beds raised from

the ground after discovering that sleeping in higher platforms was more beneficial. Soon

everyone began to "sleep like an Egyptian" and beds were raised off the grounds everywhere.

The Greeks are credited for making beds less about sleep and more about decor. They created

ornate bedsteads, lacing them with hide strips and topping them with animal pelts. Pillows,

costly and gaudy, became a symbol of status and typically those who were allowed to rest

their heads, were heads above most others.

Then enter, who else, the Romans. The Romans are credited with discovering the concept of

the waterbed. When in Rome, a person would recline in a cradle of warm water until they

became drowsy. Once sleepiness set in, they were lifted onto a mattress and rocked to sleep.

Romans, because of this, probably took several naps a day. In the Renaissance Era, mattresses

were filled with pea shucks, straw, or feathers and stuffed into cloth cases. They were then

covered with velvets and silks. The 16th and 17th centuries saw mattresses similar to the

Renaissance Era, but out went the velvet and silk and in came the latticework of rope.

Coir Mattress Industry

Natures wonder fibre is extracted from the protective husk of the coconut. This gold colored

fibre is spun into a breath taking range of textured yarn and worn into a spectrum of colorful

items. The floor covering the husks are separated from the nuts and retted in lagoons up to ten

months. The retted husks are then beaten with wooden mallets manually to produce the

golden fibre. The fabric is later spun in to yarn on traditional spinning wheels called "rats'

ready for dying and weaving in to many shades of floor coverings. A wide variety of coir

yarns are produced and each variety is associated with certain specific characteristics used for

agricultural, industrial, and domestic applications. The starting point of the industry is the

process of de-husking after harvesting of mature coconut crop. Coir fibres are extracted from

the husk surrounding the coconut.


Palm trees belong to one of the world's oldest plant families, and coconut palms have been

cultivated for at least 4000 years. In Sanskrit, the precursor of the modern languages of Hindi

and Urdu, the coconut palm was called 'the tree that provides for all the necessities of life'. In

fact it is one of the more useful trees on earth, providing food, drink, fibre, fuel, and building

material. Indigenous to South East Asia coconut palm spread throughout.

Coir production has changed a little until efforts were made to mechanize it begun in the

middle of the twentieth century, in India a de-fibring machine was invented in l 1950. Coir

production is an important economic activity in India, where it provides jobs for more than

500000 people. In 1980, the primary coconut fibre producers, India and Srilanka have begun

an on-going effort to identify and correct the modern technologies used for coir production.

One of the important application of this coir is in the production of rubberized coir I which is

used as the main component in cushion making and mattress making, in , India this industry

have blossomed in the last two or three decades. Prior to the year I960 Indian citizens hardly

had any idea of this noble and high quality product. The Main manufacturers after 1960s were

Kurl-on, Banglore

Relax-on, Kolkala

Duroflex, Alappu etc.

Even though in the 1960s there were only a handful of mattresses units, now there are more

than a hundred big and small brands in the market. Most of these manufacturing units are

located in Kerala. Interestingly about 70 % of mattress companies are head quartered in

Kannur district.


COMPANY PROFILE

HISTORY:

Sulfex India Pvt Ltd. is a company founded in the year 1994 by Mr. Muhammed Kunhi, a

prominent NRI business personality with diverse interest in rubberized coir, plywood and

construction in India and also has his trading activities in Middle East. The Sulfex group is a

fast growing entity, surging ahead with various business interests, cultivated by an underlying

passion to pursue excellence on all fronts, Sulfex aims to create lasting value for customers

across the world.

Since its beginning as the manufacturer of exceptional quality rubberized coir mattress, the

Sulfex group has come long way today, together with the two state of the art manufacturing

plants, viz., Sulfex Fibre Products and Sulfex Mattress Company has grown rapidly.

Strategically located in the northern part of Kerala, Sulfex accounts for a mammoth 8000

metric tons annual production capacity which means over 2500 mattresses a day. The high

density rubberized coir bare blocks that Sulfex produce are highly recommended as top layer

for spring mattress worldwide.

The plant employs 400 skilled personnel directly and another 2000 indirectly. Credited with

ISO 9001 and BIS certification the plant follows all the globally accepted policies from I-

IACCP norms of environmental care to the custom of never resorting to child labour to the

last world.

With a turnover that is racing past 400 million in Indian currencies the brand and company is

formidably poised to grow higher. To take full advantage of future possibilities the company

is expanding its core competencies. By consolidating its strength further in its strong hold,

Kerala.

Through a wide network of over 2000 dealers, Sulfex is gradually expanding from its South

Indian markets to the rest of India. Backed by an enormous production capacity and proactive

logistics capability, Sulfex is positioning itself as a front line player in the whole country,

besides a fully dedicated marketing division, head quartered in Bangalore, the company is

making strategic roads into potential market. While a full-fledged overseas marketing division

based in Dubai-UAE, is taping the export marketing potential.


Today, Sulfex mattress and allied products like pillows, bolsters and mats are best sellers

within their market segments. Thanks to the utmost dedication of the management and staff is

the sole reason behind the present success of Sulfex.

Sulfex mattress has an unparalleled tradition of success, even at the times of tough

competition; the company is motivated by the hopes of a better future. As more horizons are

drawing upon, the company is fully poised to surge ahead and turn the possibilities into its

favor, by investing heavily in infrastructure technology and research and development.

A strong infrastructure has played a crucial role in the success of mattress business. Sulfex

regularly invest on acquiring cutting edge technologies. Owing to the focused approach today

the company is with all world class facilities required for mattress production. Sulfex

possesses sophisticated manufacturing units with well-equipped quality testing.

State of the art machinery such as Rope Drying Chamber, Un-twisting Machine, Sheet

Foaming Machine, Drum Press, Spray Booth, Hydraulic Press, Vulcanizing chamber, etc.

installed in the production unit if Sulfex ensure high quality production with least manpower.

However these machines are regularly upgraded as per the rapidly changing industrial needs.

Well trained and highly skilled professionals meticulously work to meet the production needs

as well as to formulate the correct marketing strategy, which can fulfill the customer needs

and wants at a lower and affordable price.

ABOUT THE COMPANY

Name of the company : Sulfex India Pvt Limited

Promoter : Mr. Muhammad Kunhi

Managing Director : K V Hasheer

Year of Establishment : 2002

Constitution : 2002

Products manufactured : Mattresses, Pillows, Cushions, Door and Bath mats, Air

conditioner filters, packing pads

Markets : Kerala, Goa, Mangalore, Virajpett

Production capacity : 2500 mattress/day

Annual Turnover : 250-300 million (in Rupees).


VISION

The Sulfex group of companies, one of the leading mattress manufactures in South India was

established in the year 1994. Sulfex group is a fast growing entity, surging ahead will) various

business interests. Sulfex aims to create lasting value for customer across the world.

MISSION

To provide utmost satisfaction to the customers through be quality and customer care.

To continuously upgrade the product through innovations and convergence of new

technology and to produce the best quality at the lowest cost.

To safeguard and enhance shareholder's value.

To respect the dignity of all employees and to become instrumental in the development of

the country while the environment.

To utilize the surplus income for the welfare of employees and society at large.

SULFEX MOTTO

1. Our customer is the most important person in our premises.

2. Our employees and our workers are our assets.

3. We treat our well-wishers with dignity, respect and care.

4. We are steered by the needs and requirements of our customers and thrive to exceed their

expectations every time.

5. We are responsible to the community in which we do our business, building their skills

and strengths as we do our own.

6. We generate team spirit and encourage employees' participation in the process of

improvement.

7. We never compromise on the quality of our product.

8. We search and innovate for ways to improve our skills to serve our customers better.

9. Above nil, we never compromise on our integrity.

QUALITY POLICY

Quality policy of the Sulfex mattress is to manufacture product as per national and

international standards and make them available as per customer requirement.

Sulfex endeavors to upgrade the quality of its products and related services on a continual

basis through regular improvement efforts. A well-defined quality management


system has been implemented. This system is continually reviewed to enhance its

effectiveness and updated to meet the changing needs.

PRODUCT PROFILE

The rubberized mattress introduced by Sulfex comprises unique combination of100% natural

coir, latex, and an advanced manufacturing technology. The mattress confirms to international

standard in finish and durability. Thanks to the company insights into the sleeping habits of

Indian people and with the dedicated research efforts of health experts, has resulted in the

creation of a scientifically and technically correct model of mattress without losing any

beauty. These mattresses offer maximum comfort and right support for the body while a

person is in tight sleep.

Following are the various ranges of products offered by Sulfex

Sulfex mattress

Sulfex cushions and pillows

Sulfex quick dry mats

Sulfex mat tresses

Sulfex mattresses provide scientifically tested back support and soothing comfort. The main

objective of the company is more mattresses per mattress (more cubic area by giving more

thickness than what is listed). The unique side blanketing, the only mattress to have this

specially prevents sagging and helps to keep dimensional stability, in fact, in spite of the

usage of lining. For the critical tape edging process, the company relays on imported

machinery and skilled manpower. Continuous quality upkeep and an attention to details

ensure that each mattress provides maximum sleeping comfort and extra-long life, the two

critical benchmarks for any good mattress. Sulfex produces three different grades of mattress

namely, soft grade, medium grade, and firm grade. The mattress comes in size, lengths,

widths, and density. Size varies from 72 inches to 78 inches (length), from 24 to 72 inches

(width), from 1 to 12inches (breadth) and density varies according to order specifications.

Mattress ranges offered by Sulfex are:

a) Sulfex President Mattress

b) Sulfex Fantasy plus Mattress

c) Sulfex Heritage Mattress

d) Sulfex Excelsior Mattress


e) Sulfex Tranquil Mattress

Sulfex cushions and pillows

Sulfex provides a range of exquisite pillows and cushions. They are available in matching

colors and designs. When one chooses the best mattress, the company complements them with

the best Sulfex pillows and cushions.

Sulfex Quick Dry Mats

Sulfex has introduced a wide range of finely era lied mats. For entrances, kitchens,

bathrooms, these- Quick Dry Mats have an excellent moisture absorption capacity and dries

well in normal room temperature. It is easy to clean and lasts long. The Sulfex Company

provides one year guarantee for each products. The price fixation is done on the basis of size,

type, quality, etc.

MARKET COMPETITORS

The main competitors of Sulfex mattresses are Relax-On, Sunidra, Kurl-On, Duroflex and

Agreenco Fiber form. The company's competitive strategy is thus comprised of aggressive

sales promotion, advertisement, credit facility, and cash and trade discount.

AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

Sulfex has both ISO 9001:2000 and ISI Certification, the first company from this industry

to achieve both (in Kerala).

Management System Certified Company.

It is the only company with DGQA (Director General of Quality Assurance) Certificate.

Best Small Scale Industries Award for the year 1998-99.


REFERENCE:

Company reports

Company in-house journals

www.sulfexmattress.com

www.aooHlc.com


http://www.aooHlc.com/

ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA

The data after collection has to be processed and analyzed in accordance with outline laid

down for the purpose of developing the research plan. This is essential for the scientific study

and for ensuring that the researcher has all relevant data for comparison and analysis. The

term analysis refers to the computation of certain measures along with searching for patterns

of relationships that exist among data groups. Thus in the process of analyzing, relationship of

difference supporting or conflicting with original or new hypothesis should be subjected to

statistical test of significance, to determine what validity, data can be set to indicate any

conclusion.

Analysis of data in a general way involve a number of closely related operations which are

preferred with the purpose of summarizing the collected data and organizing these in

such a manner that they answer the research question. Interpretation refers to the task

of drawing interface from the collected facts after an analytical study. In fact it is a search for

broader meaning of research findings. Interpretation has two major aspects namely the effort

to establish continuity in research through linking the results of a given study with those of

another and the establishment of some explanatory concept. Thus interpretation is a device

through which the factor that seems to explain what has been observed by the researcher in

the course of study can be understood and it provides a theoretical conception which can serve

as a guide for researchers.


TABLE NO. 1

AGE OF RESPONDENTS

CATEGORY RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

18-25 8 8%

25-35 26 26%

35-45 45 45%

45-60 19 19%

ABOVE 60 2 2%

TOTAL 100 1 00%

CHART NO. 1

AGE OF THE RESPONDENTS

18 - 25 25 - 35 35 - 45 45 - 60 > 60

8%

26%

45%

19%

2%

INTERPRETATION:

From the above figure, it is inferred that most of the respondents are in the age group of 35-

45, followed by age groups, 25-35, 45-60, and above 60 respectively.


TABLE NO. 2

GENDER OF THE RESPONDENTS

GENDER RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

MALE 63 63%

FEMALE 37 37%

NOT SPECIFIED 0 0%

TOTAL 100 1 00%

CHART NO. 2

GENDER OF THE RESPONDENTS

Male Female Not Specified

63%

37%

0%

INTERPRETATION

From the above figure, it is inferred that of the 100 respondents, 67 were males, and the rest

37 were females.


TABLE NO. 3

OCCUPATION OF THE RESPONDENTS

OCCUPATION RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

STUDENT 8 8%

GOVERNMENT

EMPLOYEE

2 27%

PROFESSIONALS 13 13%

OTHERS 52 52%

TOTAL 100 100%

CHART NO. 3

OCCUPATION OF THE RESPONDENTS

StudentGovernment

Employee ProfessionalsOthers

8%

2%

13%

52%

INTERPRETATION:

From the above figure, it is inferred that 52% of the respondents were belonged to the

category of others, Govt. employees (27%), professionals (13%), and students (8%)

contributing the rest.


TABLE NO. 4

AREA OF THE RESPONDENTS

AREA RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

RURAL 52 52%

URBAN 27 27%

CITY 18 18%

TOWN 3 3%

TOTAL 100 100%

CHART NO. 4

AREA OF THE RESPONDENTS

Rural Urban City Town

52%

27%

18%

3%

INTERPRETATION:

From the above figure, it is inferred that 52% of the respondents are from rural area, while

27% are from urban area. And the rest are from oily (18%) and town (3%) respectively.


TABLE NO. 5

CUSTOMER OF SULFEX MATTRESS

CUSTOMER RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

YES 80 80%

NO 20 20%

TOTAL 100 100%

CHART NO. 5

CUSTOMER OF SULFEX MATTRESS

80%

20%Yes No

INTERPRETATION:

From the above figure, it is inferred that 80% of respondents prefer Sulfex products and 20%

does not prefer Sulfex.

TABLE NO. 6


REASONS FOR NOT PURCHASING

REASON RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

HIGH PRICE 20 20%

POOR QUALITY 10 10%

POOR BRAND IMAGE 40 40%

CAN'T SAY 30 30%

TOTAL 100 100%

CHART NO. 6

REASONS FOR NOT PURCHASING

20%

10%

40%

30% High Price

Poor Quality

Poor Brand Image

Can't Say

INTERPRETATION:

From the above figure, it is inferred that 20% of the respondents who does not prefer Sulfex is

due to its high price, 40% due to the poor brand image, 10% clue to poor quality and 30%

does not specified any of the above reasons.


TABLE NO. 7

AWARENESS ABOUT THE PRODUCT

OPINION RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

YES 85 85%

NO 15 15%

TOTAL 100 100%

CHART NO. 7

AWARNESS ABOUT THE PRODUT

Yes No

85%

15%

INTERPRETATION:

From the above figure, it is inferred that 85% of the respondents were aware about Sulfex and

15% does not hold any awareness about the product.

TABLE NO. 8


PURCHASE MOTIVE

PERCEPTION RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

QUALITY 52 52%

PRICE 37 37%

BRAND IMAGE 6 6%

CONVENIENCE 5 5%

TOTAL 100 100%

CHART NO. 8

PURCHASE MOTIVE

Quality Price Brand Image Convenience

52%

37%

6% 5%

INTERPRETATION

From the above figure, it is inferred that 52% of respondents prefer Sulfex because of its

quality, 37% for the price with which the obtain Sulfex products, and 6% purchase Sulfex

because of its brand image, and 5% for the convenience the product provides.

TABLE NO. 9


OPINION ABOUT SULFEX


EXCELLENT 10 10%

GOOD 55 55%

AVERAGE 30 30%

POOR 5 5%

TOTAL 100 100%

CHART NO. 9

OPINION ABOUT SULFEX

Excellent Good Average Poor

10%

55%

30%

5%

INTERPRETATION

From the above figure, it is inferred that 10% of the respondents rate Sulfex products' quality

as excellent, while 55% consider it as good, 30% rate Sulfex as average and the remaining 5%

treat Sulfex as poor products.

TABLE NO. 10


USAGE TYPE OF MATTRESS

PERCEPTION RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE RANK

PRESIDENT 18 18% 3

EXCELSIOR 21 21%. 2

PRIM 16 16% 4

FANTASY PLUS 30 30% 1

HERITAGE 15 15% 5

TOTAL 100 100%

CHART NO. 10

RESPONDENT’S USAGE TYPE OF MATTRESS

18%

21%

16%

30%

15%

PresidentExcelsiorPrimFantasy PlusHeritage

INTERPRETATION

From the above figure, it is inferred that 30% of consumers prefer fantasy plus model. I8% of

respondents goes for president model, 16% prefer prime, 2I% prefer excelsior and 15% of

respondents prefer heritage.


TABLE NO. 11

AWARENESS ABOUT THE PRODUCT


ADVERTISING 70 70%

RELATIVES & FRIENDS 10 10%

PEER GROUPS 5 5%

OTHERS 15 15%

TOTAL 100 100%

CHART NO. 11

AWARNESS ABOUT THE PRODUCT

70%

10%

5%

15%

AdvertisingRelatives & FriendsPeer GroupsOthers

INTERPRETATION:

From the above figure, it is inferred that 70% of the respondents says that the awareness about

the product they received through advertisements, 10% gets the awareness from their relatives

and friends, 5% from peer groups and 15% says they get information from oilier sources.


TABLE NO. 12

THE QUALITY PERFORMANCE OF SULFEX


VERY GOOD 5 5%

GOOD 26 26%

AVERAGE 34 34%

SATISFACTORY 29 29%

NOT SATISFACTORY 6 6%

TOTAL 100 100%

CHART NO. 12

THE QUALITY PERFORMANCE OF SULFEX

Very Good Good Average Satisfactory Not Satisfactory

5%

26%

34%

29%

6%

INTERPRETATION:

From the above figure, it is inferred that 5% of the respondents consider the quality of Sulfex

products as very good, 26% says that the products are good and 34% think that they are of

average quality while 29% says the products were satisfactory, and 6% tell that the quality

was not satisfactory.


TABLE NO. 13

RESPONDENTS PURCHASING ATTITUDE AS PER SEASON


SUMMER 15 15%

WINTER 45 45%

RAINY 17 17%

SPRING 23 23%

TOTAL 100 100%

CHART NO. 13

RESPONDENTS PURCHASING ATTITUDE

Summer Winter Rainy Spring

15%

45%

17%

23%

INTERPRETATION

From the above figure, it is inferred that 45% of customers purchased during winter season,

23% during spring, 17% during rainy season and 15% during summer season.


TABLE NO. 14

OFFERS GIVEN BY THE DEALER


YES 95 95%

NO 0 0%

OCCASIONALLY 5 5%

TOTAL 100 100%

CHART NO. 14


Yes No Occasionally

95%

0% 5%

INTERPRETATION

From the above figure, it is inferred that 95% of the respondents received offers from dealers,

and 5% of customers received offers occasionally.


TABLE NO. 15


OFFER RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

FREE PILLOW 70 70%

BED SHEET 20 20%

OTHERS 10 10%

TOTAL 100 1 00%

CHART NO. 15


70%

20%

10%

Free PillowBed SheetOthers

INTERPRETATION:

From the above figure, it is inferred that 70% of the customers received free pillows as the

offer, While 20% of the rest received free bed sheets as offer find the remaining 10% received

something else us offer.


TABLE NO. 16

OPINION ABOUT THE PRICE OF THE PRODUCT[[


VERY HIGH 10 10%

HIGH 15 15%

AVERAGE 65 65%

LOW 10 10%

VERY LOW 0 0%

TOTAL 100 1 00%

CHART NO .16

OPINION ABOUT THE PRICE OF THE PRODUCT

Very High High Average Low Very Low

10% 15%

65%

10%

0%

INTERPRETATION

From the above figure, it is inferred that 65% of the respondents says that the price rate is

average. 15% says that the price is high, 10% each goes with low price and very high price

respectively.


TABLE NO. 17

BEHAVIOUR OF THE DEALERS


EXCELLENT 28 28%

VERY GOOD 19 19%

FAIR 45 45%

AVERAGE 8 8%

POOR 0 0%

TOTAL 100 100%

CHART NO. 17

BEHAVIUOR OF THE DEALERS

28%

19%

45%

8%

ExcellentVery GoodFairAveragePoor

INTERPRETATION:

From the above figure, it is inferred that 45% of the respondents say the dealers' response was

fair, 19% says very good. 28% rate dealers' behavior as excellent and 8% rank it as average.


TABLE NO. 18

EXPERIENCE WITH SULFEX

EXPERIENCE RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

VERY GOOD 25 25%

GOOD 54 54%

AVERAGE 16 16%

BAD 5 5%

VERY BAD 0 0%

TOTAL 100 1 00%

CHART NO. 18

EXPERIENCE WITH SULFEX

Very Good Good Average Bad Very Bad

25%

54%

16%

5%0%

INTERPRETATION:

From the above figure, it is inferred that 54% of the respondents see their experience as good,

25% consider it as very good, 16% rate it as average and 5% says that they had a bad

experience with Sulfex.


TABLE NO. 19

FUTURE PURCHASE


YES 74 74%

NO 26 26%

TOTAL 100 100%

CHART NO. 19

PURCHASING OPINION

Yes

No

74%

26%

INTERPRETATION:

From the above figure, it is inferred that 74% of the respondents wore in an opinion that they

will again purchase Sulfex products, while 26% said that they will not again purchase from

Sulfex.


TABLE NO. 20

IMPROVEMENT SUGGESTIONS


QUALITY 8 8%

PACKAGING STYLE 28 28%

DESIGN 29 29%

COLOURS 35 35%

TOTAL 100 100%

CHART NO. 20

IMPROVEMENT SUGGESTIONS

QualityPackaging Style

DesignColours

8%

28% 29%

35%

INTERPRETATION:

From the above figure, it is inferred that out of the total respondents 8% are of the opinion

that the quality should he improved, 28% says that the packaging, 29% on design and 35% of

respondents arc of the opinion that the products should come out in more colors.

FINDINGS


From the study it is found that most of the respondents are in the middle age

group.

The major factor affecting purchase decision of the customers is the quality of

the product.

Most of the customers say that the Sulfex products are quality and good ones.

Majority of the customers use fantasy plus type of product.

Majority of the customers are getting awareness about Sulfex through

advertisement.

Most of the customers prefer pillow as the offer.

Most of the customers agree that the pricing system of Sulfex is average.

From the study it is clear that Sulfex has a good distribution system.

The study discloses that the customer satisfaction has a significant relationship

with the quality of the product.

Customers are getting right and clear information from the dealers.

Customers are having a good brand loyalty. Their perception towards the brand

is excellent.


CONCLUSION

Sulfex has made considerable achievements in the area of mattress and related products. The

company has operational experience of above ten years. Dedicated work and vision of

Mr. Muhammed Kunhi has enabled the company to reach its position today.

Company's quality and loyalty is worth considering. Through their efforts and quality of the

product, the company has created a reputation in the market. The major achievements of the

company are definitely in the areas of technology and innovation. In fact the compact

production of mattress from Sulfex is not only challenging for the local competitors but also

been very challenging to global companies. The company is very keen on up-gradation and

implementation of latest technology wherever possible.

During the course of this research each of the research objectives were achieved. Most

importantly the modern trends in the mattress industry as well as the modern concepts of

marketing were scrutinized, The importance of Customer value, satisfaction, trust and

retention were identified, and most importantly the importance of consumer to the business

concern in the twenty-first century was came into prominence after the completion of the

research on the research theme consumer perception towards mattress industry.

And at last, it can be said that a successful company is one which is able to manage the ups

and downs in the market and sustain its growth and walk towards the future, Sulfex in fad has

been in existence for the last decade and more, it can be assured that the company is all set to

step into the lulu re with glorious memories of the past to sell.


SUGGESTIONS

Company need to come up with new and more attractive schemes to capture more

customers, and also the company must try to focus on the retention of existing

customers.

Company must try to introduce more colors to their products, and make it more pleasing

to the eyes since people first and foremost are attracted through it.

Since there is a tough competition in the market the company must find new ways to

improve its brand image.

Company must improve its promotional methods in rural areas.

Company has to increase its advertisement through print media, broadcast media, and

outdoor advertisement such as hoardings etc.

The company must try to improve their marketing activities outside the district and

state.

Some marketing executives can be employed who in turn can concentrate on the

marketing and the sales aspects as well as getting realistic and creative feedback from

the market.

People today are more concentrated on healthy sleep together with comfort, so it will be

better to concentrate more on products that can contribute to good health.


Documents

PROJECT ON SULFEX MATREX KANNUR