Delhi-based Navneet Bath Systems, manufactures of bathroom fittings and bathroom accessories under the brand name Speed, is taking steps to create awareness about hygiene and will launch its awareness campaign by partnering with schools and students. “In 2018 we will launch our ‘Live Hygienic’ campaign and involve schools and students to spread awareness about hygienic living,” informed Bhupinder Singh (ccare@speedbath.in), director of the company. He added that the company has already registered the brand ‘Live Hygienic.’ “Not only this, we will also launch a book on the subject, distribute it and create a sort of mass movement to promote hygienic living,” he added.

Singh shared that the company would first install bidets in washrooms of schools selected on a pilot basis, and then a week later conduct the awareness programme. “First, we need to create inquisitiveness among the students as to what new has been installed in the washroom. It’s only then that we can explain to them what it is, what purpose it serves, and how it promotes hygienic living,” shared Singh. He added that the cost of bidet is minimal and it is due to lack of awareness around hygiene that people have to visit doctors regularly for something that can be easily taken care of by opting for hygienic living.

Talking more about the company, Singh shared that at present there are  around 800 dealers and four distributors associated with the brand Speed. “We are not aggressively pushing to have more dealers on-board, it is the other way round; people want to partner with us and they contact us,” he said. However, he added that the company would like to strengthen its base in Kerala and Assam. The company, he said, provides periodical product training to dealers and plumbers associated with them. The company with its manufacturing unit spread over an acre in Bahadurgarh, is readying to launch new products in the rain shower category. While there is an uptick in the realty business, Singh says that he does not directly deal with builders and any business with them is through distributors.

“GST, post rate-rationalisation, has given a new impetus to the industry,” shared Singh, explaining that initially when products were placed in the 28% slab there was a lot of heart-burn, but now with rates down to 18%, business is gradually getting better. “Now we get ICT on raw materials, and we have to pay taxes only on the labour and profit, and this is fine for us,” he said.