Renu Misra, Managing Director, GROHE India, enumerates company's R&D for product development, CSR and other initiatives that have helped maintain its leadership position in the Indian market. By Maria R.
What are the current trends in bathroom solutions?
Sustainable use of water is one of the biggest priorities in the hospitality and residential construction space today. There is a demand for smart showers because they promote reduced water consumption and space utilisation. Touchless faucets ensure the supply of water only when needed and also enable pre-setting of optimal water temperature. There are water-saving digital faucets that feature a flow-limiting mousseur, which moderates consumption while giving a satisfying and voluminous flow.
The intuitive digital technology GROHE Digital® with its user icons allows, the user to create a personal water experience with the help of a fingertip. It enables one to easily pre-program the preferred combination of water temperature, flow rate and duration. Simple, convenient, and discreet, the technology embraces the latest wireless technology to bring digital showering to a wider audience.
What are GROHE's R&D initiatives for the Indian market?
At GROHE, we constantly strive to create winning propositions for the Indian market, be it in terms of state-of-the-art technology or innovation. We evaluate the market opportunities lying ahead of us and ensure that all guarantee the highest levels of objectivity and meet global quality standards.
There is continuous investment in research and product development and technological innovations in terms of hardware. All the products are designed keeping in mind the preferences of Indian consumers. Before launching a new product, we study the market well to see that we are providing innovative and creative solutions to the consumers.
The Indian sanitaryware industry is growing and several international brands have entered the market. Today's consumers are brand conscious and look for advanced, eco-friendly solutions. GROHE has developed faucets and fixtures that combine economic, ecological, and safe use of water with excellent designs. It is the use of our superior technology that has been one of the cornerstones of our success in India.
What is your expansion plan for Tier 3 cities?
As one of the largest selling foreign brands in India, GROHE enjoys around 49% market share. With the active engagement of customers, we are always on the lookout to bring in more brands which are known for their quality, technology, and design. Currently, we are serving in more than 120 cities as LIXIL Water Technology. All our expansion strategies are framed keeping in mind the consumer tastes and preferences across geographies. Right now, we are present in almost all Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities. Having added 20 cities this year to our network, we plan to add more geographies, including Tier 3 cities. We are also evaluating the product portfolio across brands in the LIXIL Water Technology basket, and will confirm introduction of brands such as INAX and Jaxon at an opportune time.
Please tell us about GROHE'S tie-up with EasyFix.
How is GROHE'S partnership with Don Bosco Mondo e.V. in India growing?
So far we have been successful at imparting training for socially disadvantaged youth at the Academy. The Academy offers training and further education courses for semi-skilled plumbers and employees of plumbing firms, who clearly stand to profit from these professional offerings. We are keen to explore more such opportunities whereby we are able to contribute and give back to the industry for its holistic growth.
We are committed to the cause of uplifting the underprivileged youth of India through skill enhancement and ensuring employability for them. We will continue investing in this initiative as this unique CSR activity spans beyond India.
