1. SAMSONITE CELEBRATES A CENTURY OF TRAVEL
Samsonite is turning 100 in 2010, and in the span of a century the 1.2 billion dollar corporation
also has an Indian in its ownership structure; the dynamic Dr. Ramesh Tainwala .
When Jesse Shwayder founded Samsonite in 1910, early travel was reserved for only an
exclusive few, those who had the means to see the world. Given this exclusiveness, travel was a
high quality experience from the transportation, to the attention to service, to even the
accessories used to carry one’s belongings. As one of the original brands in travel, Samsonite
has continued to leverage its craftsmanship and heritage as an innovator, to create unique
solutions for the sophisticated traveller.
As a luggage maker, Samsonite has many firsts to its credit. From the first ever coordinated
luggage, the first ever use of metal in luggage ; the first practical business case – Classic
Attache, the first ever polypropylene suitcase commonly called hard luggage; three-digit
locking systems; 2-wheeled uprights for easier manouverability; 4-wheel spinners , redefining
the way people travel today to its latest innovation cosmolite; the lightest and sturdiest
Samsonite ever; Samsonite is a slice of world travel history.
Samsonite markets products under the Samsonite, Samsonite Black Label, Lambertson Truex,
American Tourister, Lacoste brands.
SAMSONITE TO LAUNCH ‘SAMSONITE BUSINESS STORES’
In a move all set to redefine the present retail landscape; Samsonite now announces its new
venture; about 20 retail stores of Samsonite Business; focusing exclusively on the business
travelers. These stores will not be in malls; but in highly visited business zones. “Each store will
be 400 to 500 sq feet,” confirmed Subrata Dutta; COO Samsonite Greater Asia. 50% of the
retail outlay planned for 2010 is estimated to go into putting up these business stores.
SAMSONITE TO ENTER TIER II & III CITIES
In 2009; Samsonite added 18 cities to its expansion plan and will be expanding to another 12
cities in 2010. While Samsonite will grow via exclusive retail; American Tourister will grow via
mass distribution as its clearly aimed at a very different price point. 50% of the retail outlay will
support the enhanced retail reach of Samsonite & American Tourister. Revenues of Samsonite
India come 60% from Samsonite and 40% from American Tourister. The reason American
Tourister does so wel in India is the consuming middle class; which forms a major chunk of the
consumers; unlike a skewed demographic economy like China where a bulk of the sales come
from the higher end products alone.
PROFILE OF DR.TAINWALA
In an increasingly globalised world; few men command the attention that Ramesh Tainwala
does. A man who did not know English till he was learning engg. at BITS Pilani, Dr. Ramesh
Tainwala has come a long way. Dr. Tainwala; hailing from Ranchi Bihar; and today a
globetrotter managing businesses across 38 countries from his office in HongKong owns a 40%
stake in Samsonite South Asia.
To the uninitiated; Samsonite is a closely held company divided into three business zones;
Americas, Europe & Greater Asia. Greater Asia includes Africa; Middle East, South Asia, and
Australia. As the President Samsonite Greater Asia and stakeholder in Samsonite South Asia; Dr.
Tainwala is one of the most progressive and pervasive Indian business minds in the global scene
today.

2. After a Bachelors in Industrial Engineering, Masters in Business Administration and a Ph. D in
Business Economics.; he started his career as an Entrepreneur by trading in plastic raw material
from 1983. He joined hands with Good Knight in 1985 and launched his own wet wipes under
the brand name Fresh Ones in 1987. After a brief stint with the Plastic Processing business in
1990; he bought brand Samsonite into India in 1996. Seeing his unique entrepreneurial skills,
Marcello Bartoli invited him to look at expanding Samsonite outside of India in June 2003. That
was the opportunity he had been waiting for all along. As he braved the hesitation of the
Chinese & Japanese to report to an Indian, he worked determinedly on the principle that
motivation & encouragement work across continents and religions. He took over as President
Greater Asia of the Samsonite Group in 2007 and eventually became a stakeowner. He has set
up business in challenging climes such as Mongolia and Iran ( the most enterprising country in
the Middle-East) and constantly jokes that if not for the Miss Universe & Miss World pageants;
the world might not have known India so well…as where there are beautiful women;
enterprising men follow.