Aditya birla group

A US$ 29 billion corporation, the Aditya Birla Group is in the League of Fortune 500. It is anchored by an
extraordinary force of 130,600 employees, belonging to 40 different nationalities. In the year 2009, the
Group was ranked among the top six great places for leaders in the Asia-Pacific region, in a study
conducted by Hewitt Associates, RBL Group and Fortune magazine. In India, the Group has been
adjudged the best employer in India and among the top 20 in Asia by the Hewitt-Economic Times and
Wall Street Journal Study 2007.

Over 60 per cent of the Group's revenues flow from its overseas operations. The Group operates in 27
countries – Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China, Egypt, France, Germany, Hungary,
India, Indonesia, Italy, Korea, Laos, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka,
Switzerland, Thailand, UAE, UK, USA and Vietnam.

Globally, the Aditya Birla Group is:

:: A metals powerhouse, among the world's most cost-efficient aluminium and copper producers.
Hindalco-Novelis is the largest aluminium rolling company. It is one of the three biggest producers of
primary aluminium in Asia, with the largest single location copper smelter
:: No.1 in viscose staple fibre
:: The fourth-largest producer of insulators
:: The fourth-largest producer of carbon black
:: The fifth-largest producer of acrylic fibre
:: The eighth-largest cement producer
:: Among the best energy-efficient fertiliser plants

International companies

Thailand
•

Thai Rayon
•

Indo Thai Synthetics

•

Thai Acrylic Fibre

•

Thai Carbon Black

•

Aditya Birla Chemicals (Thailand) Ltd.

•

Thai Peroxide
Philippines
•

Indo Phil Textile Mills

•

Indo Phil Cotton Mills

•

Indo Phil Acrylic Mfg. Corp.

Indonesia
•

PT Indo Bharat Rayon

•

PT Elegant Textile Industry

•

PT Sunrise Bumi Textiles

•

PT Indo Liberty Textiles

•

PT Indo Raya Kimia

Egypt
•

Alexandria Carbon Black Company S.A.E

•

Alexandria Fiber Company

China
•

Liaoning Birla Carbon

Canada
•

AV Cell Inc
•

AV Nackawic Inc
Australia
•

Aditya Birla Minerals Ltd.

Swiss Singapore Overseas Enterprises Pte Limited,

Swiss Singapore Overseas Enterprises Pte Limited, a trading company of the Aditya Birla Group, is a
trans-national bulk commodity trading solutions provider with a global presence. Incorporated in
Singapore in 1978, its operations started off humbly as an international trader in the markets of
Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia. As reputation and business grew, SSOE made its foray into the
Middle East in 1991, diversifying its product range and has enjoyed unparalleled growth ever since.

With worldwide staff strength of more than 85 dynamic professionals, it now has a continental reach
spanning Asia, Africa and North America through offices in 13 countries:

:: Singapore
:: Dubai, UAE
:: Shanghai, China
:: Jakarta, Indonesia
:: Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi in Vietnam
:: Dhaka, Bangladesh
:: Colombo, Sri Lanka
:: Abidjan, Ivory Coast
:: Dar-es-salaam, Tanzania
:: Yangon, Myanmar
:: Edmonton, Canada
:: Moscow, Russia
:: Cotonou, Benin

The company trades in the following products:

:: Sulphur and fertilisers: sulphur, sulphuric acid, rock phosphate, urea, DAP, MOP, MAP, CAN,
NPK, SSP, TSP, ammonium sulphate, ammonium nitrate
:: Petroleum and petrochemical products: naphta, Jet A-1/Kerosene, gasoil, fuel oil, condensate,
base oil, LAB, methanol, bituman, paraffin wax, polymers (PP/PVC/HDPE/LLDPE)
:: Agro products: beans, peas, pulses, corn/maize, cocoa, tea, rice, wheat, oil seeds, extractions,
raw cashew nuts, cashew kernel
:: Coal and minerals: steam coal, anthracite coal, raw petroleum coke, metallurgical coke, gypsum,
clinker and cement
:: Iron ore and steel: iron ore, iron ore concentrate, iron ore pellets, iron ore lumps, mill scale,
HBI/DRI, steel scrap (HMS, shredded and bundles), steel products (deformed bars, wire rods, hot
and cold rolled coils and sheets and coated products)
:: Timber: Myanmar teak, pyinkado, gurjan, logs, padouk, beli, okam, keva and all other African
species, okoume, all Malaysian species, Papua New Guinea timber

Swiss Singapore recorded a turnover of USD 2.4 billion during FY 2008-09 and moved about 7.6 million
tonnes of goods in the same period. Timely execution of contracts and commitment to the satisfaction of
suppliers / buyers is the main motto of the company. It also has a separate shipping division, which
charters the vessels for requirement of the company on voyage and time charter basis to fulfill the
commitments to the suppliers / buyers at most competitive rates.

With more than 30 years of experience and strong business, SSOE strives to be the preferred partner
with its customers and business associates. Since 2002, the company is enjoying the Global Trader
Programme (GTP) status which was awarded by the Ministry of Trade and Industry of the Republic of
Singapore. SSOE is a board member of the Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry
(SICCI), as well as a member of the Singapore Business Federation (SBF).

Business head
:: Mr. Ravi Kastia

Presidents
:: Mr. Rajesh Somani, Dubai
:: Mr. I. C. Rao, Singapore

Board of directors
:: Mr. R. K. Rathi
:: Mr. Lee Tau Chye

Thai carbon black public co.ltd

Thai Carbon Black represents Aditya Birla Group’s first joint venture between Indian and Thai investors.
The leading manufacturer of carbon black in Thailand, this company has also consistently been
recognised by Forbes magazine as one of Asia Pacific’s best 200 small companies (2002 - 2008).

Established in 1978 with a production capacity of about 16,000tpa, the company today produces more
than 220,000tpa of world-class furnace grade carbon black at its sophisticated manufacturing plant
located in Angthong province of Thailand. It employs approximately 300 people. The plant also has its
own captive power production capacity of 35MW. With an additional capacity of 85,000tpa for Line # 6
project, which is expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2010, Thai Carbon Black will become the
world’s largest carbon black plant at a single location.

Thai Carbon Black is the first company in Thailand to achieve the following five management certificate
systems: ISO 9001 for quality management, ISO 14001 for environmental management as the first
carbon black manufacturer in Asia, OHSAS 18001 for occupational health and safety management, ISO/
IEC 17025 for lab accreditation and ISO/TS 16949 for upgraded quality management.

In constant recognition of its good work, Thai Carbon Black has also received many awards and
recognitions from various agencies. It was conferred the ‘Queen’s Award on Conserving the River’ in
2009. Earlier, in 2007, TCB received the ‘Best Client Award for Quality Management’ presented by BV
Certification Thailand. It was selected the Best Employer in Thailand and ranked the Fifth Best Employer
in Asia by Hewitt Associates in 2003. The Prime Minister of Thailand has bestowed Thailand’s ‘Quality
Class Award’ in 2002 and 2003 on TCB. The company has also won the TPM Consistency Award and the
TPM Special Award from JIPM, Japan, in 2003 and 2005 respectively. It has even won the Deming Prize
given by JUSE, Japan. In 2006, TCB was one of the only three companies to have been selected as the
Best Performance Management Company by the Stock Exchange of Thailand. In addition, TCB’s QC
Groups have continuously been representing Thailand in International QCC Presentations since 1994.

A majority of its produce is directly exported to top three tyre manufacturers – Bridgestone, Michelin and
Goodyear, besides other leading tyre manufacturers the world over.
Aditya Birla Chemicals (Thailand)
Aditya Birla Chemicals (Thailand) forms part of the Aditya Birla Group’s chemicals business, which spans
over nine units – five in Thailand and four in India. The company is engaged in the production of five
major chemical groups, namely, chlor-alkali products, epichlorohydrin, epoxy resins, phosphates and
sulphites. Four separate chemical companies namely Thai Organic Chemicals Company (TOCC), Thai
Epoxy and Allied Products Company (TEC), Thai Polyphosphate & Chemicals Company (TPC) and Thai
Sulphites & Chemicals Company (TSC) were merged together to form Aditya Birla Chemicals (Thailand)
Ltd. in 2006.

The Aditya Birla Group's chemicals business has built a strong global presence with products that are
recognised the world over for their high quality. The Group's chemicals are exported to 58 countries and
serve customers in a large number of industries such as food, food processing, personal consumer
products, coating, civil engineering, wind energy, composites, electrical, pulp and paper, detergents,
water treatment, metal treatment and more.
Bajaj Auto
Bajaj Auto is a major Indian automobile manufacturer started by a Rajasthani merchant. It is
based in Pune, Maharashtra, with plants in Chakan (Pune), Waluj (near Aurangabad) and
Pantnagar in Uttaranchal. The oldest plant at Akurdi (Pune) now houses the R&D centre Ahead.
Bajaj Auto makes and exports motorscooters, motorcycles and the auto rickshaw.

The Forbes Global 2000 list for the year 2005 ranked Bajaj Auto at 1946.[2]

Over the last decade, the company has successfully changed its image from a scooter
manufacturer to a two wheeler manufacturer. Its product range encompasses scooterettes,
scooters and motorcycles. Its real growth in numbers has come in the last four years after
successful introduction of a few models in the motorcycle segment.

The company is headed by Rahul Bajaj who is worth more than US$1.5 billion.[3]

Bajaj Auto came into existence on November 29, 1945 as M/s Bachraj Trading Corporation
Private Limited. It started off by selling imported two- and three-wheelers in India. In 1959, it
obtained license from the Government of India to manufacture two- and three-wheelers and it
went public in 1960. In 1970, it rolled out its 100,000th vehicle. In 1977, it managed to produce
and sell 100,000 vehicles in a single financial year. In 1985, it started producing at Waluj near
Aurangabad. In 1986, it managed to produce and sell 500,000 vehicles in a single financial year.
In 1995, it rolled out its ten millionth vehicle and produced and sold 1 million vehicles in a year.

According to the authors of Globality: Competing with Everyone from Everywhere for
Everything, Bajaj has grown operations in 50 countries by creating a line of value-for-money
bikes targeted to the different preferences of entry-level buyers.[4
Bajaj in Indonesia

Bajaj Auto which tasted immense success with the launch of the smallest Pulsar in the stables
went ahead and unveiled the spirited performer Pulsar 135 Light Sports in Indonesia recently.
This 4 valve 135cc bike has been doing wonderfully well in the Indian market and has helped
Bajaj chart new projections for the forthcoming months. Indonesian market for bikes has been
increasing prominence as purchasing power of the masses has seen an increase in interest and
capabilities. First quarter of this year registered official national sales of 1.66 million units which
are around 34 percent more than the corresponding period last year with the major part
dominated by the Japanese brands Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha. However, the official release and
sales of this bike would begin from June this year. Bajaj would start with Pulsar 135LS’s
production keeping 2000 units per month as the base starting this June and will keep a keen eye
on the response it will garner.

All the specifications and features remain absolutely same as the Indian model. The only
noticeable changes are the inclusion of a slightly modified rear fender which received mixed
responses from the Indian crowd and a half chain cover. The Indian version has a rear tyre
hugger as a single unit which encompasses the tyre completely, however this Indonesian version
contains this hugger in two different parts which look slightly upmarket and lends better looks to
this bike.

Indications are there that this newly designed rear might find its way on the Indian version as
well. In order to promote this bike aggressively Bajaj is rewarding customers who come to the
showrooms for test drives of this bike. A number of lucky winners will win free tickets to watch
the F1 race in Singapore in September 2010.
With the launch of this bike, Bajaj expects to increase its Pulsar sales by almost double this year
in Indonesia. From 11,954 units sold in 2009 Bajaj plans to improve this figure to almost 24000
Pulsars and launch of this variant of Pulsar is keeping in with the same lines. Launch of Pulsar
135LS in the Indonesian market would further strengthen Bajaj’s penetration in the market as
sales has already reached 38,000 units since the company’s advent in 2006. Bajaj currently offers
XCD 125 DTS-Si, Pulsar 180 DTS-I and Pulsar 200 DTS-I to the Indonesian market and Pulsar
135LS would be the fourth model in the portfolio.

Bajaj is banking more on competitive pricing of this bike and this bike would sport a price tag of
Rp 14.7 million on road Jakarta which would be almost 20 percent lesser than its competition.
Similar to the Indian market, Bajaj counts 150-160cc bikes as this bikes competitors and projects
that at a lower price people would get equivalent performance and slightly better fuel efficiency.
Notwithstanding how this bike does in the Indonesian market, it’s a proud feeling that our home
grown company is carving a niche in the foreign markets and keeping the renowned Japs on their
foots. Kudos to Bajaj!
 Dabur
Dabur (Devnagri: डाबर) derived from Daktar Burman is India's largest Ayurvedic medicine

manufacturer. Dabur's Ayurvedic Specialities Division has over 260 medicines for treating a range of
ailments and body conditions-from common cold to chronic paralysis.

The story of Dabur goes back to 1884, to a young doctor armed with a degree in medicine and a
burning desire to serve mankind. This young man, Dr. S.K. Burman, laid the foundations of what is today
known as Dabur India Limited. The brand name Dabur is derived from the words 'Da' for ‘Daktar’ or
‘Doctor’ and 'bur' from Burman. From those humble beginnings, the company has grown into India's
leading manufacturer of consumer healthcare, personal care and food products. Over its 125 years of
existence, the Dabur brand has stood for goodness through a natural lifestyle. An umbrella name for a
variety of products, ranging from hair care to honey, Dabur has consistently ranked among India’s top
brands. Its brands are built on the foundation of trust that a Dabur offering will never cause anyone
slightest of harm. The trust levels that this brand enjoys are phenomenally high.

Dabur, which bought Turkey’s Hobi Kozmetik Group in July, plans to expand its business in
Africa and the Middle East, and may raise its overseas sales to 35 percent of the total by 2014.
The consumer goods maker derived more than 19 percent of its revenue from markets outside
India in the year ended March 2010.

“Having worked in these countries for 3 to 6 years, they’ve understood the profile of these
countries,” said Shirish Pardeshi, an analyst at Anand Rathi Financial Services Ltd. in Mumbai.
“They are experienced, having gone through the same in the Indian market. Possibly, they can
replicate the same in other countries.”

International business will be spearheaded by two business heads

– one based in Dubai and the other in India.
For the developed markets in the US and Europe, Dabur is looking
•

at alliances with distributors, focusing mainly on over-the counter

herbal healthcare products.
•The company had initiated talks with local FMCG players in the
neighboring countries and finalized a deal to start manufacturing
hair oils and shampoos initially by the end of 2005.
It has targeted to achieve Rs 300 crore turnovers from overseas
•

businesses by 2007. International business is likely to be a

significant contributor to growth in future

The Dubai-based subsidiary of Dabur India Ltd completed the acquisition of Turkey’s leading
personal care products company, Hobi Kozmetik.

Dabur International Ltd acquired 100 per cent stake in three Hobi Group firms Hobi Kozmetik,
Zeki Plastik and Ra Pazarlama. The Hobi Group has now become a wholly-owned subsidiary of
Dabur International.

“With this acquisition, Dabur has consolidated its position as a leading player in the global
personal care market. The completion of this acquisition represents a significant step for Dabur
in our strategy to accelerate growth in the international market. The acquisition of Hobi
Kozmetik is an important step towards further consolidating and expanding Dabur’s already
substantial presence in West Asia and North Africa region,” said Mr P.D. Narang, Group
Director, Dabur India Ltd.

The acquisition will offer Dabur an entry into Turkey and add a host of popular international
brands to its portfolio.

“As with our previous acquisition and subsequent integration of Balsara and Fem, the Hobi
transaction too offers substantial synergies for expanding the reach of Hobi’s brands in all our
geographies,” said Mr Narang.

The investment banker operating on behalf of Dabur was Ventura Partners, while Hobi’s
investment banker was Raiffeisen Investment AG.

Hobi Kozmetik is a manufacturer of personal care products in Turkey. The company is a market
leader in the hair gel category with a 35 per cent share and markets a wide range of hair care and
skin care products under the ‘Hobby’ and ‘New Era’ brands. Its products are sold across 35
countries, including West Asia and North Africa.

Net profit

Dabur, which is present in healthcare, skincare, haircare, homecare and hygiene products and
food, last year posted a turnover of Rs 2,800 crore. Its international business contributed 22 per
cent to its sales.

For the quarter ended September 30, 2010, it registered a 15.4 per cent growth in net profit at Rs
160.35 crore on a turnover of Rs 980.46 crore, against a net of Rs 139 crore on a turnover of Rs
854.83 crore in the comparable year-ago period.
Dabur to set up unit in Nigeria

New Delhi, Nov. 20 Dabur India on Tuesday announced commissioning of its toothpaste
manufacturing facility in Nigeria built at an investment of $4 million. The facility that is being
set up by African Consumer Care Ltd, (AFCL), a joint venture between Dabur International Ltd
with 90 per cent stake in the venture and Dabur UK, would also be expanded to newer products
in skincare, home care and household disinfectant categories. "Nigeria is today one of the fastest
growing overseas markets for Dabur. We have already seen our business in Nigeria triple during
the July-September quarter of 2007, and with this new facility in place, AFCC is confident of
further boosting its presence in the Nigeria and neighbouring markets," said Mr. Sunil Duggal,
Chief Executive Officer, Dabur India Ltd. - Our Bureau

Dabur’s Gulf plant to start production by Dec

Our Bureau

Ahmedabad, Sept. 30 Dabur India Ltd’s new plant at Ras-al-Khaimah in the United Arab
Emirates (UAE) will start production of personal care products by December 2008, a company
official said here.

The new entity will cater to the personal care market in West Asia. Dabur, which has seven
plants overseas, apart from eight in India, had launched the last personal care products unit in
Nigeria in November 2007 where it manufactures personal and oral care articles, including
toothpastes to cater to local demand.

The company is projecting to increase its turnover from Rs 2,400 crore in 2007-08 to Rs 4,000
crore by 2009-10 with a CAGR of 20-25 per cent.

Bulk of its overseas sales, amounting to Rs 400 crore, comes from the Gulf markets, the official
told Business Line.

Meanwhile, in a marketing initiative during Navratri, the 58-year-old Dabur Amla brand hair oil
has announced a Gujarat-level contest to hunt for a beauty queen to popularise its hair oil.

The finale will be held here onOctober 8.

The winners will be awarded cash prizes and other benefits, said Mr Prashant Agarwal, Senior
Products Manager.

In India’s hair oil market of Rs 3,300 crore, almost equally divided between coconut and
perfumed oil categories, Dabur’s revenues in this segment are Rs 300 crore.
Challenges faced in the foreign markets are very different from that in India. Dabur products are
available in over 60 countries. We localise the products to fit the demand for the international
market like in the Middle East Dabur Vatika supplies cactus oil,which is not available in India.
We have to take decisions based on market research before introducing new products in foreign
market and understand the client requirements.
Tata group
The Tata Group (Hindi: टाटा समह ू ) is an Indian multinational conglomerate company
headquartered in the Bombay House in Mumbai, India.[3] In terms of market capitalization and
revenues, Tata Group is the largest private corporate group in India. It has interests in chemicals,
steel, automobiles, information technology, communication, power, beverages, and hospitality.
The Tata Group has operations in more than 80 countries across six continents and its companies
export products and services to 80 nations. The Tata Group comprises 114 companies and
subsidiaries in eight business sectors,[4] 27 of which are publicly listed. 65.8% of the ownership
of Tata Group is held in charitable trusts.[5] Companies which form a major part of the group
include Tata Steel (including Tata Steel Europe), Tata Motors (including Jaguar and Land
Rover), Tata Consultancy Services, Tata Technologies, Tata Tea (including Tetley), Tata
Chemicals, Titan Industries, Tata Power, Tata Communications, Tata Teleservices and the Taj
Hotels.

The group takes the name of its founder, Jamsedji Tata, a member of whose family has almost
invariably been the chairman of the group. The chairman of the Tata group is Ratan Tata, who
took over from J. R. D. Tata in 1991 and is one of the major international business figures in the
age of globality.[6] The company is currently in its fifth generation of family stewardship.[7]

The 2009 annual survey by the Reputation Institute ranked Tata Group as the 11th most
reputable company in the world.[8] The survey included 600 global companies.

On 9 February 2011 a major fire broke out in the Bombay House, the Tata Group's headquarters,
causing three deaths and one injury, and reportedly gutting the building. [9]

Tata International
 

areas of business | joint ventures, subsidiaries, associates | location

Tata International is an international marketing company that exports to more than 100 countries
all over the world. Established in 1962, its main lines of business are leather and engineering.

The company has a worldwide reach for sourcing as well as marketing, with a well-integrated
network that spans global trade blocs. It works with global brands and has developed some key
international alliances for sustaining future growth. Its major markets are Europe, the Asean
countries, the Middle East, the Far East and Africa.
Areas of business
Tata International's operations are organised into three business units: 

 Leather and leather products: The company is India's leading leather and leather-products
exporter and supply chain integrator. Its value chain encompasses global sourcing, world-class
manufacturing in India and China, design studios in Europe, strategic alliances, marketing, and
world-renowned brands as clients.
 Engineering: The engineering business unit is involved in international marketing, global
sourcing, distribution and supply-chain management in the engineering domain, including the
sectors of mining, railways, power, steel, aluminium, agriculture and automotive accessories. 
 Chemicals: The chemicals division supplies chemicals spanning applications in pharma, food,
paints and textiles to glass and mining.

Additionally, the company and its subsidiaries worldwide have taken on various value-added
roles and have stakes in a cross-section of businesses. It has stakes in a five-star hotel, bus
bodybuilding and trailer manufacture, distributorships, and IT ventures.

Tata motors
Tata Motors is looking to widen its foreign campaign to more than just exports. In 2002,
recognising the need to integrate its international strategy with its domestic one, the company
split its previously independent international business arm into commercial and passenger
segments and, as part of its overall business strategy, merged them with its commercial and
passenger vehicle business units.

As part of its plans, the company has plotted four routes to international expansion. The first is
the traditional method of export, at which the company has been quite successful, notching up
export revenue of Rs969 crore in the first nine months of FY 2004-05, recording a growth of 41
per cent from sales in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia.

The second is setting up assembly operations abroad. This does not necessarily involve
establishing a full-scale manufacturing unit, but an operation where kits are sent in semi knocked
down or completely knocked down assemblies, or as a fully assembled vehicles and sold in that
market. Tata Motors worked this into its strategy when it set up its first assembly operation in
Malaysia in 1974. Since then the company has similarly expanded into Malaysia, Bangladesh,
Senegal, South Africa and Ukraine. All these assembly operations are set up by the distributors
of Tata Motors for these countries.
The third scenario would be actual acquisition, the route Tata
Motors took with Daewoo South Korea. Here, Tata Motors
bought the full-fledged heavy vehicle-manufacturing unit and,
in the process, gained not just a manufacturing asset base, but
access to the market through an already strong brand identity.
The company was also presented a wide choice in terms of the
markets in which it could use the Daewoo brand and, more
importantly, access to R&D capability in the area of commercial vehicles.

In the short period of six years since the launch of passenger cars, Tata Motors has already
achieved the No.2 position in the domestic car market in India. The company has successfully
launched Indica in South Africa and Turkey and is marketing it under its own brand name.

Tata Motors' immediate goal is to achieve a 20 per cent contribution to its overall revenue from its
international businesses by 2006. This seems to be realistic enough following the Daewoo acquisition,
and its own products getting into more than 70 countries. Looking at successful global auto majors, for
whom anywhere from 30 to 50 per cent of their business accrues from overseas sales, Tata Motors is
still a long way off, but Mr Kadle believes that with its aggressive growth strategy a contribution of
around 35 per cent may be achievable in five-six years. The trickle factor will by then begin to gather
force.

Living in interesting times

Titan watches and Tanishq jewellery will soon add their glitter to the global fashion
consciousness. It is a matter of time before Titan lives up to its name and strides across
geographical boundaries
Way back in 1991, a small neon sign opposite Place de la Concorde, the big square near the busy
Champs Elysees in Paris, heralded Titan's debut into the world business of keeping time.

The company is now present in 30 markets worldwide. It has approximately 2,500 dealers in the
world ranging from 10 in a small market like Brunei to 300 outlets in a large one like Spain.
Titan Industries achieved a turnover of Rs800 crore last fiscal. This year, it has set a target of
Rs1,000 crore and aims to make it to Rs1,500 crore in three years. It is expecting a 20 per cent
growth in top line this fiscal.
Turn back the clock
Titan had been itching to go global way back in the early 90s, soon after tasting success in the
Indian market.

At the time, it had even toyed with the idea of turning into a contract manufacturer for a global
watch brand. This would mean minimum investment, cost and manufacturing efficiencies, and
substantial profits. Besides, it would be totally risk-free. Yet, the idea died a quiet death. "We
strongly felt there was no glory in being a contract manufacturer. You constantly get driven
down in terms of price," explains Bijou Kurien, chief operating officer, Watches, Titan
Industries.

This meant that to take Titan to the world, the company would have to take the arduous route of
brand building and large investments. "Building your brand abroad and creating value provides
the highest return on investment in the long run," Mr Kurien adds.

The next step involved deciding the ideal global launch pad. The Middle East emerged as the
best choice as it had a sizeable non-resident Indian (NRI) population that was familiar with the
brand. With the availability of Indian newspapers and television channels, the spill over of
domestic advertising was another influential factor. The first global footprint was placed in the
United Arab Emirates the largest market in the Middle East.

The Middle East was a no-entry barrier market in 1991. Every good brand fought fiercely for
shelf space there. The experience gave Titan a taste of international competition and an insight
into international product design and consumer demand. The company was able to observe the
marketing and branding strategies of its rivals.

This knowledge was invaluable. "We knew that the entry barriers in India would also be
dismantled eventually. Then all these global brands would want a slice of the large lucrative
Indian market. They were likely to duplicate the same marketing strategies here. It helped us
prepare for the competition that we could face back home," says Bhaskar Bhat, managing
director, Titan Industries. Subsequently, the company also replicated the gains abroad in its
domestic markets.

After UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and a few key markets in Africa followed. With
the success of the Middle East venture, the company was eager to advance its geographic
presence. The neighbouring countries of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and Maldives seemed
ideal. The company also moved into the Asia-Pacific markets of Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia,
Thailand, Fiji and Australia, which were large economies with India-like market structures.
Currently, the company has also extended its presence to the Philippines and Indonesia.

In the nick of time

After covering these markets, the company set its sights on Europe. "If we could crack this
market, it would have been an achievement that would have given us the satisfaction that we are
as good as the rest of the world," says Mr Kurien.
The Mecca of Swiss watches was a huge challenge in every sense of the word. The country of
origin is very important in the international watch industry. And the Made in India tag was more
of a disadvantage for Titan.

In those days, there were also several restrictions on obtaining foreign exchange. So the company
had to craft a complicated export strategy of three marketing associates based in London, Dubai
and Singapore, and two investment companies to maintain continuity of investments.

In Europe, the direct sales route was employed in the UK and the distributor-led route in other
markets. With brands jostling for shelf space, retailers needed good reasons to stock the brand.
The need of the hour was also to create strong consumer demand. So the company unleashed a
massive advertising campaign to create brand awareness. Titan, then present in 12 European
markets, had to create a specific campaign for each market. The action achieved the desired
effect. But the investments were huge and the returns meagre. Also, in the time taken to launch,
the initial designs created had to be augmented with a new collection. So the company went back
to the drawing boards and created a completely new collection for the European market. The
efforts were arduous and time consuming.

After a few years, the company discovered that the returns failed to meet the expectations. The
cumulative losses of its European operation touched 9 million. "It was an expensive learning
experience for us. In hindsight, we underestimated the investments required for the European
market and overestimated the returns we could achieve," reflects Mr Kurien. Echoing the
sentiment, Mr Bhat says, "We did not have the financial wherewithal to continually invest in the
market. But, at the same time, I would say it was an investment worth making."

The learnings helped shape a new business model for Europe. The company's presence was
shrunk to four key European markets, Spain, Portugal, Greece and UK, in which it had a fairly
large presence. All sales and marketing efforts were focused only on these markets. This also
halved the advertising spend. The company also decided to shift its warehouse to lower cost
locations to reduce the overhead costs.

Manpower employed in managing European operations Titan International Marketing has also
been rationalised. It has also started monetising some of its European investments. This whole
exercise will be completed in the coming two years. The company is hoping for cash break-even
by next year. Meanwhile, its operations in other key markets in the Middle East and Africa and
the Asia Pacific regions continue as per plan. Titan has notched many successes in various
markets in these areas.

"Almost 95 per cent of our international investments amounting to Rs150 crore are in Europe.
Comparatively, our exposure in Middle East and the Asia Pacific region is minimal and both
these markets continue to be extremely profitable. They are now self-sufficient in terms of their
financial capability," says Mr Bhat.

Hence, while Titan plans to enter Japan, Taiwan and Korea in the Far East, and Brazil, Argentina
and Chile in Latin America, the US will not be considered because it would require large
investments. China is another market being watched with great interest.
The company aims to make it to 50 countries in the next three years, from 30 at present.

Watching the future

To gear up to meet the challenges of covering all that ground, Titan has taken many initiatives.
"We have repositioned our brand in the European market and we are doing the same in the
domestic market as well. We want to be positioned in between the fashion brands and the
functional ones. The quality will be world-class but the prices will be affordable," says Mr
Kurien.

According to the company, Titan watches combine the qualities of conventional watch brands
like Seiko, Citizen, Rado, Tissot or Omega with the style quotient of brands like Calvin Klein,
Esprit, Christian Dior or Guess at reasonable prices.

In the initial phase of globalisation, Titan was positioned in the premium segment. But the going
on this route was tough. Now, it is targeting the younger consumer between 25 and 35 years of
age, who is seeking distinctive fashion designs at affordable prices and for whom the country of
origin is not a major deterrent. The European and Far East markets have these characteristics.

As far as the range of product designs go, they are by and large based on the preferences of local
consumers as they vary from market to market. For instance, the Europeans like their watches to
have large dials, which are white, silver or champagne-coloured.

They like their watches to have a white metal look. They prefer them to be made of steel with a
hint of gold. On the other hand, Indians like darker dials, leather straps or even a complete gold
look. Hence, Titan has to create a sense of distinctiveness in the product lines.

"In Europe, we have 400 designs which are exclusive to that market. In the Middle East, we have
400 designs with a 50 per cent overlap with the Indian market. In India, we have 1,000 designs,
of which only 10 per cent are sold in the international markets," says Mr Bhat.

Titan's jewellery arm Tanishq also owes about 7 per cent of its turnover to exports. However, so
far it has been exporting non-branded products. But it is expected to follow Titan's footsteps in
marketing the brand abroad. It has already successfully experimented in the Middle East market
on a small scale. Now plans to enlarge this exposure are on the anvil.

Titan watches and Tanishq jewellery will soon add their glitter to the collective fashion
consciousness of the world. It is a matter of time before Titan lives up to its name and strides
across geographical boundaries.

Tata swatch water purifier in sri lanka

After analyzing the market we have found out that there is huge market opportunity in Sri Lanka to sell water

purifier. Due to low price there are more chances that Tata Swach can become the market leader successfully

after some time because of many reasons such as low cost, already operation exist in Sri Lanka and due to

climate condition. The water purifier market is growing by 25-28% annual. If we talk about local competition,

it is very less. The local players get the help by the government also where the government has distributed free

water purifier to households and started a project to provide water supply to those households. There is huge

competition from outside because many multinational firms entered in this field to capture the market share in

which Eureka Forbes is on the top. It is considered as market leader in many countries but still it has to earn

market share in Sri Lanka. Some other firms are Philips, Kent, Godrej and Usha Ltd.

In marketing mix if we talk about segmentation, we can segment our market base on income, geographic and

physiographic bases. We can position ourselves in the market as new technology, low price and good quality.

We can target the government where the government buy our product and distributed to households and we

can also target by income level.

Overall we want to say that before making a marketing plan a company should do marketing auditing which

includes socio-cultural analysis of that country, industry analysis and competitor analysis which will help to

make effective marketing plan.