The company views expansion in this segment as a natural extension
Locks and security solutions major Harrison has diversified into the modular kitchen segment with the launch of kitchen wire baskets. The company has launched a new brand – The Kitchen – under which all kitchen related products will be marketed. The first step in this direction is the introduction of a wide range of wire baskets.
“Kitchen baskets are considered an integral part of base cabinet accessories in a modular kitchen setup. Harrison kitchen baskets come in innovative designs and are of premium quality,” says managing director Umang Monga, adding that along with variety the company will be offering lifetime warranty, excellent packaging and timely delivery of products. Harrison is positioning its kitchen accessories in the mid market segment, where it aims to benefit from its competitive prices coupled with smart design and quick deliveries.
“These wire baskets are durable and strong because there is no compromise on the quality of the material used. Moreover, the base of the baskets is made in such a manner that it is suitable for all kinds of modular kitchen designs and shapes,” shares Monga. He elaborates that the baskets are made from SS202 grade stainless steel, and feature 5mm adjustable holes, triple reinforced base to increase load capacity, upper heavy ring (6mm), and base with curved sides.
A soft launch of the new category has already been done by the company, and Monga says that the response from existing dealers has been tremendous. “In fact, it is the dealers themselves who have pushed us to get into this segment. The market for kitchen accessories has been growing quite rapidly and dealers always know the depth of the market. This gave us the confidence to decide on this diversification.” According to Monga, bookings worth `6 crore were made at the soft launch itself.
“We will be building a new distribution network for the kitchen business. We will be appointing C&F agents instead of distributors, as a faster turnaround time is required in the case of wire baskets and other accessories. Besides, these are volumetric products, so they need to be handled differently. This will ultimately benefit the dealers as their investment in inventory will be reduced.” To begin with, Harrison will focus on northern, western, and to some extent eastern regions.
Harrison has been investing aggressively in brand building in the past few months and also increasing its touch points with customers. Evidently, the company is preparing the ground for push into new categories within the locks and hardware segment, as well as in new businesses. Its portfolio expansion with the addition of cabinet hardware including hinges and drawer channels is among the
moves it has made to evolve as a hardware company. The kitchen business is a logical step, since besides baskets it already offers fittings that go into the making of kitchen cabinets. “Our forte is marketing and we will continue to invest in building our distribution network, expand our catalogue and strengthen our brand. All the products that we supply are subject to strict quality checks and our customers are happy with the quality we provide. We feel that this is the reason we have a strong and loyal network of business partners and this is the reason for our success.”
Harrison maintains a strict regimen of organising dealer meets across all the markets it is present in. “We listen carefully to our dealers and they know this. Our interactions are very candid and fruitful. Even though we are a legacy brand, it is important for us to stay abreast of the prevailing conditions else we will be overtaken by competition. We understand this compulsion. But more than anything else we know that our dealers are our strength and future growth will always be on the basis of their support.”
The soon-to-be-launched display and training centre in Delhi-NCR are ways in which the company is building support structure for its dealers, and eventually connecting with its customers. “Also, we intend to soon launch special schemes for carpenters and fabricators, besides providing them the necessary training.” ')}
