India has to stay competitive in global business world: Kohler

Kohler started operations in India in 2006. What are some of the changes and trends you have been witnessing since then?

I think the brand’s journey has been excellent. Everything we believed about India, in terms of the opportunity, the fast growth and the dynamic economy, has been true. I think it has been exciting to see the design dynamic and the continued evolution of the luxury market, and the interest that people have in designing beautiful spaces in their home. To us, it is one of the most interesting and creative markets that we serve anywhere in the world... We think that it has been a great market and we have evolved over that period of time to be the leading international brand in the market.

How would you describe the importance of the Indian market to the company?

We think it’s hugely important. When we think of our top three most strategic markets, India comes right after the US, our original market, and China, where we are the number one brand. These are the three most strategic markets for us because of their long-term economic potential. In India, we have been growing at around 2x the market growth in the last five years.

Is there any India-specific strategy that you follow?

Our strategy is similar around the world, but we also have to tailor it to be appropriate for the market and that starts with building a strong organisation. Our team in India is one of the strongest teams we have anywhere in the world. From the beginning, we started designing and developing products for the Indian market. We also believe in building a network of strong business partners, distribution partners.

So, we have invested significantly in the country. We build manufacturing and supply chain capability across India. We have two modern manufacturing facilities in Gujarat. We also use those manufacturing locations for export to the US and Europe. We’re trying to build our brand in India in a very creative way.

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