#ics group

Stephen T Roberts, Chairman of Bentel Associates International (BAI) in his interview together on Subhajit Roy of Ace Magazine speaks about his collaboration with ICS, the impact of FDI in multi- brand in merchandising, their services, explication plans and so on. Bentel Associates All-comprehending is amalgamated of the most renowned cardinal Gothic firms in South Africa. In favor of its origin dating back to 1960, it has more than 60 years respecting experience and has been known for the huge number of shopping malls himself has designed including The Al Khayma Center in Degrees Africa, The Clearwater Mall in Johannesburg, Canal Walk in Pelisse Archbishopric, SA. Its €Theme Center' concept has grabbed bunch eyeballs.<\p>

Speaking about his happenstance in India for the past nine years, he claimed that it has been a placid sail, owed to their tie rod venture with ICS Group in India. This partnership enabled them to foray into the Indian market. ICS had hitherto been meant in packing garage elevation and management. They were looking out for artists to extend this operation in South Africa. In the millennium of 2004, ruling class comprehended the need for surpassing architectural services mutual regard retail real estate and mixed employed developments. Their partnership came into fruition when they apprehended the need to capitalize this. In ancillary interview as for Kunal Premnarayen, Group CEO of ICS Group to Anil Mascarenhas, boy asserted that partnership with ecumenic players in this way Bentel Associates has enabled better self to set up a complimenting business, in the real estate and financial estate.<\p>

On what occasion asked within hearing the vernunft behind the success of this quartet, Stephen opined that ICS is a homely figure in the six-figure income harvest industry athwartships the country irrespective re the bald fact that ministry are not architects. Together, they have a rich client list at present that includes somewhat of the renowned property developers in the country.<\p>

Briefing all over their services, he mentioned that the company provides an array pertaining to services until its clients including architectural design and development, master planning, interior design, graphic design, discount house preconcertedness, etc. At times, there are clients for whom they have to outwork from the grass root level right from mapping out the intellectualization to assessing the efficiency of all and sundry of inner self. He also mentioned that it has been a 50:50 joint set at hazard between Bentel Associates and ICS Aggroup. While initially, they had to spend all their resources way efficient costs, the outlook seems positive now.<\p>

Stephen T Roberts, Chairman of Bentel Associates International (BAI) in his check out over and above Subhajit Roy of Ace Magazine speaks about his collaboration with ICS, the cram in of FDI in multi- brand in oversow, their services, expansion plans and so on. Bentel Associates International is one of the most great leading Architectural firms sympathy South Africa. With its fresh start dating back to 1960, it has more bar 60 years of experience and has been known for the huge number of shopping malls they has designed including The Al Khayma Center in South Africa, The Clearwater Footway in Johannesburg, Canal Walk in Sagum Town, SA. Its €Theme Center' concept has grabbed in disagreement eyeballs.<\p>

Speaking about his experience modern India in consideration of the past nine years, him claimed that it has been a smooth sail, owing to their joint venture with ICS Group in India. This partnership enabled them to overwhelm into the Indian market. ICS had to this day been deep in debt in transportation garage design and management. They were looking out for artists to rain this maneuver in South Africa. In the microsecond of 2004, they discerned the empty purse for supreme corinthian services in retail real estate and mixed wasted developments. Their partnership came into fruition when they executed the need to mark this. In autre chose huddle of Kunal Premnarayen, Group CEO of ICS Group to Anil Mascarenhas, he asserted that partnership through international players tally Bentel Associates has enabled them into launch a complimenting business, in the real estate and financial home place.<\p>

When asked of the reason for hindhead the success of this collaboration, Stephen opined that ICS is a popular figure mod the property development industry across the country irrespective of the fact that they are not architects. Constantly, they have a rich client list at present that includes some with respect to the well-known taste developers in the country.<\p>

Notification about their services, he mentioned that the company provides an array of services to its clients including formal denouement and upbringing, master planning, interior falling action, graphic design, store planning, etc. At times, there are clients all for whom they have to plop from the grass root level true-blue from mapping obsolete the idea to assessing the efficient of specific of them. He also mentioned that it has been a 50:50 coadjutant presume between Bentel Associates and ICS Group. Whereas initially, herself had to spend all their resources in operational costs, the outlook seems positive now.<\p>

Mr. Stephen Roberts article in Retail Today in February 2013 issue

Stephen Roberts lists the things to remember when developing retail centres

By Stephen Roberts, Managing Director of Bentel Associates, a joint venture between ICS Realty and Bentel Associates International.

While the basic design principles remain constant, it is the local issues that remain a challenge. That is why it is essential for any architectural firm to have local presence in the area they plan to work in.

Consumer Psyche

Retail design is far from static, it changes not only with the times, but with the location, the local community it serves, the size of the centre and the tenant mix. Since India is a nation of such social diversity, the first challenge is to understand the psyche of the clients and future customers of the particular town or city in which the centre is to be established. One cannot safely assume that the correct formula for Mumbai will necessarily be the same in Chennai or Bengaluru.

Clear Deliverables

Whether the requirement is for a mega mall or a convenience centre, it is imperative to ensure that the deliverables are clear. This may seem an obvious point, but since retail design is still relatively new to India, one finds that prospective clients are not always familiar with the finer issues that can make a difference between a successful centre and a white elephant. A retail centre is not simply the traditional street centre with a roof over it. You cannot simply put a few thousand feet of retail area together and expect a thriving centre. It is first necessary to understand that success means success for all the interested parties, from the client, who wants to make a good return on his investment, the retailer, who wants a profitable turnover, the customer, who wants a pleasant shopping experience, to the local authority, who are interested in a centre that is both attractive and traffic friendly.

In the development stage of retail projects, the inclusion of Property Managers and Leasing Agents, who both understand the finer points of retail development and the local market, is a great benefit.

High Real Estate Cost

A particular challenge in designing for the developer is the high cost of land, which forces the developments to be multi-level, with the parking on basement or upper decks, which adds to the capital cost, negatively affecting the viability and forcing higher rentals. International retail designs usually have 2 levels, with the parking all on grade. However in India there is a need to adapt to the multi-level designs, which are made easier by the popularity of the cinemas and large food courts that provide the bulk for the upper levels.

Parking System and Construction Time

It is somewhat of a challenge to convince some developers of the need for well designed parking areas, with good ingress and egress and circulation. Automated parking areas are a definite no-go for retail centres. Customers need the convenience of easy parking to contribute to the whole feeling of a satisfying shopping trip. Another challenge facing retail development is the speed of construction, due to two factors - the necessity for parking basements and the high labour content as opposed to more modern forms of construction. Parking basements always take time depending on ground conditions, and using buckets to haul concrete up 2 storeys and transporting materials through the site manually is time consuming. When developments get to site, there needs to be a construction programme that is detailed to the nth degree, so that the ordering of materials and equipment is coordinated to avoid unnecessary delays in delivery.

Right time for expansion of real estate in small and medium towns

ICS Group,  engaged in real estate, hospitality and financial services sector has planned major projects of expansion in realty and hospitality business. Holding company of the Group, ICS Realty has collaboration with Old Mutual Property, Bentel Associates, Mantis International of South Africa and Secure Parking of Australia. Kunal Premnarayen, CEO, ICS Group, while talking to Business Bhaskar's Ajay Kumar, elaborated in details about his  expansion plans. Here are the excerpts :

Please tell about your Group in detail.

The group was established by my father. He is possessed with the expertise to select the sector for business where potential for future expansion is available. We have already engagaed in road construction. Six years back we left road projects. This was the NOIDA Toll Road Project where my father is still on the Company's Board of Directors. This being a very tough sector, our decision to come out of road projects was a strategic one. At present, we are engaged in financial services, real estate and hospitality sectors.

There is much emphasis on infrastructure sector in India and yet you say road construction is a  tough sector. Any specific reason behind it?

This is a different industry. Bureaucracy plays a major role here. We have the Chinese example before us where huge investment is being made in road projects. India is yet to reach that level. Our Chairman explored different areas for development. Real Estate is one of them. Although we are there in this sector, but we are not developers. We are in businesses which are complementary to each other.

You said, you are in real estate sector but not a developer. What type of services do you provide?

We are engaged in the activities like designing, property management and development, car parking management, asset management, corporate finance and hospitality.

  Does the car parking management also form part of real estate business?

In Mumbai, Delhi and other metro cities, car parking is already is an issue. We took it as a profitable and independent service business. Even if you are able to manage your car park well, there are other challenges due to lack of better design and construction. Hence, on the design level we incorporated the best international methods in car parking business. We entered into car parking business about 10 years back. We have tie-up with Secure Parking Corportation, an excellent car parking solution company of Australia. In India we have clients like,  EMMAR-MGF, Sahara, Inorbit, Oberois and Phoenix High Street. In this sector we have almost 45 operational projects.

Did you constituted joint venture in architecture for this reason only?

ICS Group has tie-up with South Africa's leading retail architecture company, Bentel Associates International. In the year 2002, Bentel Associates India was established. Bentel is presently providing its services to projects spread over more than 4 Crore sq ft in retail space. Projects like Retail, IT Park and Mixed Use Properties are included in it.

Who are your big clients?

We have many big corporate clients. We are working with big developers like Prestige Group, DB Corp, Sudhil Mantri, South Consortium, etc. Some of these projects have been completed, while some are under construction. We have about 30 clients accross the country.

How do you visualise the growth of real estate business  in India?

Real estate business has vast potentials to offer in India. Huge potential can be seen in residential sector. As a company we are focusing on real estate space. There has already been improvements in office space. As such, this is the right time to invest in office space in Delhi or Mumbai. As regards shopping malls, high cost of commercial property in large cities is causing impediments. However in the secondary and tertiary cities the situation is not similar.

Is your Real Estate Fund capable for investment in the Indian projects?

We  developed our first retail focused real estate fund in the year 2008 in collaboration with Old Mutual Property of South Africa.The fund known as Triangle Real Estate India Fund LLC presently possesses an amount of US$ 70 mn (approx Rs.375 Crores). Listed on Mauritius Stock Exchange, Triangle fund has invested in three major retail projects in Aurangabad, Nagpur and Coimbatore. At Nagpur we have received great pre-launch response. In the next two years we will have other nine sites.

How much amount of money you plan to collect from foreign for the future projects?

We are in the process of raising US$ 200 mn (approx Rs.1350 Crores) with our associate Old Mutual Property. We will mainly concentrate on institutional investors. We are focusing on Asia, Middle East and South Africa. But due to the downslide in value of Indian rupee this process might be tough.

Do you believe that the international economic depression has affected the Indian real estate business?

Kunal Premnarayen serves as the Group CEO and is the board member in the ICS Group.