Havells Eyes Global Markets through Dubai

HAVELLS, one of the leading household names in India, will expand its presence to the Middle East, Europe and the US markets through its regional business hub in Dubai, its top official says.

Anil Rai Gupta, CMD, Havells India, said Dubai is an international financial market and it is a good idea to establish our hub to expand presence in the region and western markets.

“As Havells, we have been present in more than 50 countries, as Lloyd the journey has begun and we see Dubai as a very vibrant city and the best way to introduce ourselves to the world. Dubai has presented itself as a coveted place for a global destination,” Gupta told BTR during an interview.

Havells has become a household name, producing over 90 per cent of its products in-house, across 15 state-of-the-art manufacturing plants. Havells operates in more than 70 countries through a network of distributors and long-standing strategic channel partners.

In reply to a question why are you targeting the Middle East first, Gupta said there is a huge demand in the region for the quality consumers goods and Llyod is keen on to capitalise on the business opportunities.

“The UAE market is significant and serves as a gateway to other markets. We anticipate that within the next one or two years, as we achieve success in the UAE and Middle East markets, we will expand the brand to other regions, including the US and Europe,” he added.

“Our belief is that customers from around the world are drawn to the Middle East markets, making it an ideal location for our brand launch. I have great confidence in the quality and technical aspects of our product,” he added.

FASTEST GROWING BRAND

Post Lloyd’s acquisition by Havells in 2017, the brand has swiftly become India’s fastest-growing and top three AC brand in India, earning strong consumer affinity and channel affection. Havells launched its leading consumer durable brand Lloyd in Dubai in December to initially expand its presence in the region.

“Havells India Ltd is the largest electrical products company in India. We started off as an electrical switchgear company and today we have the widest product range in the electrical industry,” he said.

“As far as Llyod is concerned, we acquired the company and the brand in 2017 and at that time it was an import dependent brand,” Gupta said.

With state-of-the-art manufacturing units in Ghiloth, Rajasthan and Sri City, Andhra Pradesh, Lloyd has one of the largest annual manufacturing capacity of two million air conditioners in India. These cutting-edge manufacturing facilities stand as pioneers in India, integrating artificial intelligence, IoT, and a manufacturing execution system (MES) into Lloyd's operations. This integration positions Lloyd at the forefront of technological advancement in the appliances segment, aligning seamlessly with Industry 4.0 principles.

“In the past five years in the Indian market, we have done a few things. We have invested heavily in our own research and development (R&D) and emerged as the largest manufacturers of air-conditioners in the country. We have set up two largest capacity units in India.

“From being completely import dependent when we acquired the company to completely self-reliant in terms of both technology and manufacturing. And so, we are also one of the largest air-conditioners selling company in the industry in India,” Gupta said.

WIDE RANGE OF PRODUCTS

Lloyd's focus in the Middle East encompasses a range of technologically advanced and energy-efficient products. The launch portfolio includes a premium range of AC's (fixed speed, inverter, and hot and cold), front-load and semi-automatic washing machines, frost-free and side-by-side refrigerators, and LED TV range. These offerings are meticulously designed to meet the diverse needs of consumers, seamlessly blending innovation with functionality.

“We also have a wide range of consumer durables products under Llyod today which are air-conditioners, washing machines, refrigerators, and LED panels. With the success of the Llyod brand under the umbrella of Havells, we now wanted to go international, just like the way Havells have gone international in the last 20 years. Middle East is the first market we are looking at in a bigger way for setting up our own distribution and setting up the brand here, though we have started exporting in the last two years,” Gupta said.

TEKNODOME PARTNERSHIP

Lloyd has partnered with TeknoDome, a distribution conglomerate headquartered in Dubai, for the desired coverage and reach in the Middle East region. This expansion marks a significant milestone for Havells, fortifying Lloyd's presence beyond the confines of India.

Saket Gaurav, CMD, Teknodome, said this collaboration represents a significant step forward in our commitment to delivering high-quality, innovative products to our customers.

“We look forward to a successful journey together, combining TeknoDome's retail and distribution expertise with Lloyd's legacy of excellence."

To a question about the role of promotions in brand’s awareness and popularity, he said promotions across the region are consistently offered throughout the year, making it an integral part of the brand's pricing strategy. The brand's position in the market is well-defined and understood.

“Our distribution channels are well-established across the Middle East, and we leverage these channels to advance with Lloyds,” he said.

“We are totally committed to the brand Llyod and we are very excited on looking at this brand to finally be launching in this part of the world. The brand role over here is to keep the quality product and at the same time be par with all the promotions that take place in this part of the world,” Gaurav said.

— muzaffarrizvi@khaleejtimes.com

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