The Hindu Business Line : Henkel Loctite to expand operations

HENKEL Loctite, a highly specialised bonding sealant products company plans to strengthen its market leadership with additional investments of Rs 3 crore this year.

The German company, which entered India by setting a manufacturing facility for its engineering adhesives with wide application straddling a variety of high technology industries such as aviation, automobile, electronics and medicare, will be increasing its capacity in its plant in Jejuri near Pune.

Henkel, a euro 12 billion company, already has a joint venture with SPIC for detergent chemicals.

Interacting with media persons Mr Milind R. Shah, Managing Director, Henkel Loctite India Pvt Ltd (HLI), the fully owned subsidiary of the German parent company, said that the company's market share of 35 per cent underlines its commitment to India. Unlike HLI's offerings to all segments of the industry, various global brands' presence was only in certain segments of the industry. Nevertheless, said Mr Shah, the competition has prompted HLI to plan additional investment to increase its reach through higher capacity and strengthen its technical centre in Bangalore, which serves as a key link in all the industrial sectors.

Mr Shah said with its strength of indigenous production of engineering adhesives accounting for 85 per cent of its sales (the remaining being imported) of about Rs 40 crore, HLI hopes to increase its share in the Rs 130-crore market for specialised adhesives.