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Sriram Srinivasan

It wants to promote products such as glue sticks, notebooks, writing instruments, inks.

Chennai , Jan. 7

KORES (India) Ltd, which has an over 80 per cent share in the carbon paper market, reckons it is time to shrug off its image as a "carbon paper company."

With the market for carbon papers, duplicating stencils and other office products - central to Kores' earlier business model - falling steadily, the company wants to promote a slew of products which include glue sticks, notebooks, writing instruments, pen holders, inks, clips, among others.

There has been a huge drop in private offices' demand for carbon paper and stencils but the Government is still a major customer, says the Kores' Wholetime Director, Mr K.G. Menon. With the overall pie falling, the latter's share has only increased: from 60 per cent of revenues earlier, government buying now accounts for 75 per cent of earnings from carbon paper and stencils sales.

Albeit the yearly drop in volumes, Kores has been able to earn between Rs 60 crore and Rs 80 crore from these products in recent years, thanks to increase in prices. The company expects the new set of office stationery products, which are also offered as packages, to contribute increasingly to the office products division, and over the years to neutralise the inevitable fall in revenues from carbon paper.

The closely held company of the Mumbai-based Thirani family is said to have revenues of Rs 400 crore this year, one-fourth coming from the office products division. Kores also believes its future growth will come from divisions that sell banking and office automation products, chemicals, printer consumables, art products (like washable crayons and spray painting material) and from exports and its foundries.

Kores is also experimenting with selling what it calls consumer electronics solutions. According to Mr Menon, a specific division will provide customised home theatre solutions, offering products that will be 20-25 per cent cheaper than the market rate.

The company has started the service in Mumbai and will extend it to Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai.

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