Rockworth Systems will begin production of office furniture from its new plant near Chennai next month, the company's officials told Business Line .
Rockworth is a Thai company that sells furniture in the same name, but Rockworth Systems Furniture (India) Pvt Ltd is a joint venture of the Thai parent and a group of Dubai-based individuals of the Al Reyami group. Rockworth owns 40 per cent stake in the Indian company.
The joint venture has invested Rs 62 crore in creating a plant that is capable of producing 36,000 work stations a year. The company will produce furniture made of particle board and steel sheets. The plant is coming up in the SEZ part of the Sri City industrial estate, 55 km north of Chennai, just over the Andhra Pradesh border.
Rockworth Thailand is “overloaded with orders” and a part of the work would be “offloaded to us” says Mr Anoop Venugopal, Head – Operations and Administration, Rockworth Systems India. The company intends to ship out 70 per cent of the production to the Rockworth markets in West Asia, East Europe and South Africa, but the major portion of the remainder would be marketed to companies coming up in SEZs in India, Mr Venugopal said. In India, Rockworth would compete with the likes of Godrej and Blowplast.
Even as the upcoming plant is getting production-ready, the company has planned expansion. Another Rs 25 crore would be invested in the second phase, at the same location. However, at a later stage, the company would put up another large plant in Gujarat, Mr Venogopal said.
Rockworth Systems expects to provide employment to about 300 people, when in full operation.