The Hindu Business Line : Haworth stepping up research & design work in India

Hyderabad April 24 The $1.5-billion Haworth, with 27 furniture manufacturing plants globally, plans to step up its research and design and ideation work in India along with enhancing the manufacturing capability to serve as a regional hub.

The company has so far invested about $10 million in India, including a manufacturing base in Pune, design and ideation centre, and seven centres in the country. It now plans to invest additional $10 million within two years, according to Mr Frank Rexach, Vice-President, Asia Pacific and Middle East, Latin America, Haworth.

Chennai centre

During his visit to Hyderabad, Mr Rexach told Business Line "the company has set up its ideation centre in Hyderabad and following up on its recent centres in Kolkata, they expect to commission another centre in Chennai next week. We are also actively in the look out for tier-II cities for expansion."

"India accounts for about 50 per cent of Haworth market in the region. Along with China, it has emerged as one of the fastest growing markets for pre-designed furniture. As more and more multinational companies locate their facilities in the region, market for pre-designed furniture is set to grow significantly," he explained.

Speaking about some of the companies they work with, Mr Kapil Agarwal, Managing Director, Haworth (India), said, "We work with companies like Computer Sciences Corporation, SAP Labs, among other IT and ITES companies. The focus is not on selling furniture or elements of furniture but furnishing as a concept, that enhances office productivity."

The company said that they are setting up one of the largest ideation centres in Pune shortly that would be located in the country's first Furniture Mall developed by the Ishania Group. Apart from providing simulation of real life environment, they also serve as a centre of exchange of ideas where engineers and architects, who could experience how their buildings would look like, Mr Agarwal said.

The company had launched Zody, an environment-friendly chair at Great Spaces, its latest theme store.

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