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YONEX to manufacture high-quality graphite badminton racquets in India, prices to come down considerably

Badminton has also assured an Olympic medal to the country since London 2012, another reason behind the rising popularity of the sport.

yonex

New Delhi, Jan 21: In a move to tap into the ever-increasing badminton market in India, world's leading badminton equipment brand YONEX on Saturday (January 21) announced that it will now manufacture high-quality graphite racquets in the country.

The Japanese company is going to expand its existing production plan and base in India and the move will bring the cost of full-body racquets down considerably.

Badminton surge in India

Indian shuttlers have been doing exceedingly well at the global stage and have been bringing numerous laurels for the country, including the historic Thomas Cup triumph as well as winning medals at the World Championships and other multi-nation events such as the Asiad and the Commonwealth Games.

Badminton has also been assuring an Olympic medal to the country since London 2012 and it could also be attributed to the rising popularity of the sport.

Such consistent performances have put badminton in the spotlight as it's now the second most played sport by both genders in India.

At an even held in New Delhi, new graphite racquets were unveiled in the presence of Ben Yoneyama, Chairman of YONEX Japan, R Hanawa, President of YONEX India, Vikramaditya Dhar, Managing Director, Sunrise Sports India Pvt Ltd and India's chief national coach Pullela Gopichand.

While addressing the media at the press conference, Ben Yoneyama, Chairman of YONEX Japan, admitted that the reason behind their move is driven by the exponential growth of sport in the country.

"India is a big market for badminton with its growing economy and interest in the sport. A lot of Indian players are performing really well on the world stage, encouraging more to take up the sport. We want to cater to that audience and provide the highest Japanese quality equipment to further the sport's development," Ben Yoneyama said.

Surge in demand for good quality racquets in India

The growing popularity of the game has resulted in taking the demand for quality racquets sky high and the market share for badminton is seeing a 10-15% YoY growth. The production of racquets in India will also ensure the product's prices reduce by 20-30% from the current market rates.

"We want to give better quality racquets to our customers who are looking for full body graphite racquets at affordable prices. These are for players at a higher level, playing at academies and starting at a competitive level. With racquets being made in India, the consumers need not worry about import costs, or fluctuating exchange rates as they will get high-quality Japanese craftsmanship and technology at affordable prices," said Vikramaditya Dhar, Managing Director, Sunrise Sports India Pvt Ltd.

badminton

India's national badminton coach, Pullela Gopichand, also underlined the role played by YONEX in the rise of Indian badminton on the global stage and said the new initiative was just another step to empower Indian badminton.

"Yonex Sunrise has made a huge difference to Indian badminton, whether it was in 2008 when India reached the quarterfinals at the Olympics or the fantastic performance at the 2010 Commonwealth Games. Their support was instrumental in India winning its first Olympics Medal at 2012. YONEX has been an integral part of India's success story in world badminton," he added.

The Japanese company, which set up a factory in Bengaluru in 2016 under the 'Make in India' initiative, was only producing aluminium T-joint racquets, used for beginners who play for fitness or recreation purpose. They aim to amplify the production of existing T-joint racquets from 1 million to 2.5-3 million per year.

Yonex and Sunrise have been committed to the promotion and development of badminton for over 60 years. SUNRISE has the largest direct sports distribution network in the Indian sub-continent.

It has been supporting multiple state and district associations in the country to promote and develop the game at the grassroots to the highest level of badminton in the country. They are also the official equipment partner for the Badminton Association of India.

(With inputs from Media Release)

Story first published: Saturday, January 21, 2023, 18:54 [IST]
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