The Hindu Business Line : InterfaceFLOR setting up arm

Bangalore June 14 InterfaceFLOR, the modular flooring division of US-based Interface Inc, announced on Thursday the setting up of a 100 per cent subsidiary, InterfaceFLOR India Pvt Ltd, to be headquartered here. The company, which manufactures and sells a diverse range of carpet tiles, has also set up sales offices in Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai.

Announcing the India expansion, Mr Lindsey Parnell, President and CEO, InterfaceFLOR in Europe, West Asia, Africa and India, said, "We have been selling carpet tiles for commercial use in India since 2001 primarily to the office segment. In the last seven years, we have sold more than 1.4 million sq. metres of carpet tiles in India and have built a base of over 200 customers."

He added that the company expects a 30 per cent year-on-year growth and hopes to achieve the one-million-sq-metre mark in sales in 2009.

Mr Raj Menon, Country Manager - India, said that the company, which has seven manufacturing units globally, does not have a manufacturing facility in India yet.

Feasibility

"This is a capital-intensive business, and it would be feasible to have a facility here if the demand is at least 1.5 million sq. m. annually." The company's projected sales for calendar year 2007 are about 7 lakh sq metres, and the actual sales in 2006 were about five lakh sq metres.

He said that the company has introduced climate-neutral products to customers in India through its `Cool Carpet' programme in partnership with Climate Care, whereby, certified carbon offset projects, such as forestry plantation acting as a carbon sequestration store, offset gas emissions generated during the lifecycle of a carpet.