Somany Ceramics, one of the leading players in the Indian ceramic industry, is targeting a 30 per cent growth in the business in the current fiscal, as the company has registered a business revenue of Rs 800 crore in the last fiscal.
Mr Abhishek Somany, Joint Managing Director, Somany Ceramics, pointed out that the company had registered a growth of 25 per cent last year when the industry had grown at 15-16 per cent. The company has collaborated with leading design houses in Spain and Italy to bring out 30 new designs, which will hit the market in the current year.
Mr Somany, who was here in connection with the opening of the first Somany Global Exclusive showroom at Kochi on Friday, said that the Kerala market holds good potential as the company has got the No 2 position in the market after Tamil Nadu.
“We are targeting a business of Rs 110 crore from the Kerala market this year against Rs 85 crore registered last year,” he added.
Fair market share
The tile industry in India, he said, is estimated at Rs 14,000 crore of which 70 per cent is from unorganised sector. The company holds 18 per cent market share in the organised sector.
The organised sector is facing severe threat from unorganised manufacturers especially from Morvi in Gujarat in the form of tax evasions as well as from the inverted duty structure of the Government for importing raw materials required for manufacturing.
Considering these issues, he said, the Government should take some measures for the benefit of the organised sector. The company is currently producing nearly one lakh sq metre a day from its manufacturing facility at Haryana and Ahmadabad. This included contract manufacturing also, he added.
Somany Ceramics has also initiated a skill development programme for masons to improve the quality of labour as part of CSR initiative. They will be provided with a Tile Master certificate. The programme which commenced last year has enhanced the efficiency of the labour by 25 per cent, he said.
The Kochi showroom is a complete imported tiling solution showroom exhibiting one of the most exquisite imported tile collections. The showroom also has on display Somany's imported range of sanitary ware products, water closets, basins and pedestals.