Kohler eyes big business
KOHLER, a global leader in kitchen and bathroom products, aims to strengthen its foothold in Bangladesh by opening more outlets to meet the growing demand.
“Bangladesh is a promising market for upscale sanitary and kitchen products as its economy has been growing at around 6 percent for several years,” said Salil Sadanandan, managing director of Kohler Kitchen and Bath for South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.
The plumbing industry in Bangladesh is worth around Tk 100 crore a year and is growing rapidly due to a rise in construction of high-end apartments and luxury hotels, he told The Daily Star in an interview in Dhaka recently.
Kohler, a US-based company, has already set up its maiden showroom in the capital and plans to open two more in Dhaka and Chittagong.
As a number of luxury hotels will open in Dhaka, Cox's Bazar and Chittagong in the coming years, it is the right time for Kohler to strengthen its presence in Bangladesh, Sadanandan said.
Kohler will sell its products in Bangladesh through a local distributor, Executive Lifestyle, which also sells BMW, Apple and Acer among other global brands.
“Bangladesh is a growing economy and the number of luxury-loving consumers is on the rise. We collaborate with architects and designers to create revolutionary and dynamic designs for our big projects,” he said.
Nowadays, consumers visit global destinations regularly and are aware of the changing trends, he added.
“The affluent consumers in Bangladesh are not very different from those in developed markets, and are ready to spend heavily on high-quality products,” Sadanandan said.
Kohler is known for excellence in design, craftsmanship and artistry, and uses its expertise in product innovation to meet the requirements of its consumers, he said.
The company was the first to bring a digital shower system that lets users control their shower with the touch of a button. Its interface includes four buttons, and a large, backlit LCD screen. A button allows users to turn on, pause, or turn off the shower.
Founded in 1873 and headquartered in Wisconsin, Kohler has more than 50 manufacturing plants and over 30,000 associates across the world.
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