Kohler looks to be present in 100 cities by year end

US-based kitchen and bathroom major Kohler is looking to expand its base to 100 cities in the country by the end of this year, a strategy aimed at minimising the impact of slowdown in the real-estate sector. "We'll be in 100 cities by this year and will expand to further 50 more cities by the end of next year for wider reach," Kohler India MD Salil Sadanandan told PTI. The expansion would minimise the impact of the slowdown in the sector and keep up the momentum for the company, he added.

The strategy seems to be working well for the company as Kohler claimed the company was growing much faster than industry average of 12-15 percent. "We are already the market leader in the premium and luxury segment of organised kitchen and bathroom fittings which is estimated at 40 percent of the Rs 7,000-7,500 crore industry in India," Sadanandan said. Kohler is also expanding its product portfolio for a wider reach to consumers.

"We have launched tailor-made bath cubicles and bathroom furniture. In days to come we will have to get into readymade bath cubicles as those are easy to manage," he said. Kohler has two manufacturing plants in Gujarat spread over an area of 226 acres.

Sadanandan said, the company has excelled in few products like faucets and wall mounted toilets for which India is one of the global sourcing hubs. "Exports are not big now and would be 15 percent of total revenue," he said.