Sanitaryware manufacturer Roca India believes the sluggish real estate market and flat retail sales are an opportunity to strengthen its market share.
Pau Abello, Managing Director, Roca Bathroom Products, said the delay in the completion of projects and stagnant unsold housing units, have affected the growth of sanitaryware industry. In addition, the industry is witnessing a slowdown with many smaller players selling their stakes to bigger players. Abello said, “Roca India looks at this as a chance to increase the market share and prepare itself for the future.”
Roca, which occupies about 30 per cent market share in the organised bathroom products space, will focus on increasing its production capability in existing facilities and invest in modern machineries.
The company will be investing ₹150 crore in the next three years for this purpose.
Roca recently re-launched Parryware with a new line of bathroom products, to keep in line with the changing customer preferences and to reflect the taste of millennial population.
Abello said, “In order to reach out to end-users, we are improving the service aspect of the business.” A plan to introduce coloured products is also under formulation as the demand for soft coloured pieces has been on the rise.
The company is trying to increase the market share in Kerala.
“We are in talks with dealers and opening up retail outlets in key areas to pump up sales,” Abello said. The company will also open an experience centre in Kochi at an investment of ₹1 crore to reinforce its presence there.
Abello said exports are likely to reach five per cent in two years with the demand coming from the US, Europe, West Asia, Australia and Malaysia. India is competing with its Chinese counterpart forexports.
Currently, 99 per cent of the produced units are used for domestic purpose.
The company is growing at 10 per cent in 2015 and is expected to remain the same in 2016.
Eco-friendly products Roca has introduced a range of products to reduce water consumption. In the case of ceramics, it is working on bowls and basins that will consume less water for cleaning. In the case of faucets, Roca is designing handles that will reduce the usage by 50 per cent.