With so much competition in the market, a legacy home appliances brand, Westinghouse has also entered India again through its brand licensee Amerex. The company is slowly and steadily expanding its footprint across the country. Sachin Goel, CEO, Westinghouse Small Appliances India talks to digitalworldeconomy.com on the company’s presence in India and its future plans.
Please share some information on your product range
US-based Westinghouse Electric Corporation has entered the small appliances segment in the country through its brand licensee Amerex. Amerex is currently investing in branding and marketing for Westinghouse, which entered India in 2017. The range of products on offer from Westinghouse India include sandwich makers, electric kettles, mixer grinders, irons, OTGs, among other electronic appliances that are musts in a technology-conscious household in India. The products are positioned in the mid- to premium segment of the market and are available in the North and now, western region. We have based ourselves on such market intel at Westinghouse and are presently in the process of expanding our retail network and fill the gaps in offerings across SDA verticals. We are also focusing on the online segment through our channel partners.
What are the USP of Westinghouse products?
Westinghouse electronic appliances are designed to enable the discerning and aware consumer across the world, including India, to fill their lives with convenience and value. The Westinghouse products are innovative, easy-to-use and have the legendary Westinghouse reliability with each of them. They are safe and promise peace of mind as each Westinghouse product undergoes independent testing and meet the applicable safety standards.
Westinghouse products are renowned for their exceptional performance, they are loved world over for their long-lasting reliability, as each appliance can be counted on to do a simple but specific job and to do it well.
How would you differentiate between Indian market and western market?
India is ranked seventh largest among consumer markets of the world. Therefore it would be prudent to say that India is already on the global band wagon and the consumer behaviour is rather distinct than different here.
Indians look for value-added services. This is a culture that is fast evolving in India just like it is in Western countries. Some years ago, the key word for shopping was “cheaper” but not anymore among the Indian purchaser. We love to bargain but price is no longer paramount.
All in all, the Indian consumer is a demanding one. We have based ourselves on such market intel at Westinghouse and are presently in the process of expanding our retail network and fill the gaps in offerings across SDA verticals. We are also focusing on the online segment through our channel partners.
What is the relevance of Westinghouse in Indian market?
Westinghouse as a legacy company has its heels dug in in the market for a long time. The band is well recognised among the people in the prime of their youth at the turn of the Millennium and thus there was always a ready market for us to ‘Indianise’. With the brand coming along with Amerex, it’s a re-establishment of our presence in the market and we are looking at around 4 to 5 per cent market share in the small appliances segment in next five years.
In terms of the products, we believe that the market is quite attuned to the reliability and sustained-functioning quotient that Westinghouse products guarantee.. Currently we are expansion phase having found that there are gaps that can be filled by quality that Westinghouse products assure. We are trying to build a name as a brand that caters across all common products’ range with an uncommon and unique take. Take the dual-layer electric kettle for example. It’s poised to be a gamechanger as it is made of stainless steel from inside with a plastic body outside. The absence of any plastic layer inside makes them hygienic, cleaning friendly and saves you from any BPA side-effects. Furthermore, the kettle is made up of 304 grade steel – one of a-kind– which is corrosion resistant and anti-scalding in nature.
What is the future plan as per next financial year?
The SDA segment is highly competitive and price sensitive thus our products come in a variety of ranges on both the counts. Currently we are expansion phase having found that there are gaps that can be filled by quality that Westinghouse products assure. We are already across the North and have now moved to the West. By the end of 2018, we would have a pan-India presence. You will see more range of Westinghouse products with their unique feature, including coffee makers, grillers and air-friers, in the times to come.
