Locks major Harrison Locks is taking a number of initiatives to meet new challenges that are being posed by an industry beset by change. The company is strengthening its dealer network in order to increase reach, preparing for the roll out of GST, and launching new products in anticipation of demand from smart cities.

Umang Monga, managing director of the company, in an exclusive interaction with Sourcing Hardware divulged, “We have more than 250 star priority dealers. This year we are planning to augment this number by 25%. The idea is to provide more and more consumers access to our entire product displays through channel partners and star priority dealers.”

Monga further shared that the company is increasing its interaction with the trade network through dealer meets. “We normally conduct 30-40 dealer meets in a year, wherein we invite all leading builders, architects and interior decorators besides the dealers. We have very recently held meets in Madhya Pradesh at Indore and Jabalpur,” he shared, adding that the company supports its dealers through advertisements in print and on FM radio. “Our technical team visits all leading builders and architects to generate awareness about the company’s product offerings. We also have ‘Display on Wheels’ for showcasing our product ranges and their functionalities.”

This April, Harrison introduced TSA accepted locks during the Jabalpur meet. The event was supported locally by the company’s authorised distributor Payal Plywood. The company used the platform to share information about other forthcoming products in its portfolio of locks and kitchen hardware. “Such events provide us with opportunities to interact directly with our trade partners, understand their trade and product related developments and requirements from time to time. Accordingly, with our distributor we can help them overcome these issues for carrying out business activities with profitability,” Monga opined.

On the latest trends and innovations in the industry, Monga informed, “Harrison is keeping up with the pace of innovations in the industry and is actively involved in technological developments like smart key and dimple key with one million key combinations. In the last few years, the security aspect has improved with the introduction of main door locks, shutter locks and godown locks, which are smaller and smarter. Some of the latest innovations are dimple keys, shield tri bolt and twin bolts for main doors with LED key for night visibility.” Further, electronic locks for institutions are gaining momentum.

The company is also improving the consumer buying experiences. “We are introducing our Lock Guru Application, where customers can have access to our products, technical information and installation procedure, and also place indents. This application will save them time and they can get maximum information with just one click.”

According to Monga, increased demand is likely from smart city projects soon. “We have the entire range of products in our basket that can be used in smart city projects. We are also approaching the agencies handling these projects, and have also got on board skilled professionals to demonstrate the smart solutions.”

On the most-awaited tax reforms, the introduction of GST, he shared, “Due to various VAT structures and road permits in different states, it becomes difficult to provide similar costing in all states and maintain a free flow of material. However, the implementation of GST will take care of this issue, and it would be of great help to our hardware industry and the system as a whole.”

Monga asserts that it is critical for responsible and consumer-oriented businesses to have a skilled workforce available at all times for installation and maintenance. “The demand for installers is growing while the supply is not sufficient. However, at Harrison we had visualised this scenario much in advance. Hence, we are well prepared with a strong back-end team to provide such services. In fact our ‘Display on Wheels’ initiative, which is operating all over India, has a top priority of educating carpenters and technicians about our products and installations. We are also planning to collaborate with skilling agencies such as FFSC, CSDCI and IPSC.”

Mrinmoy Dey