Groupe SEB to invest Rs 100 crore, introduce global brands

French appliances maker Groupe SEB today said it will invest Rs 100 crore in India over the next three years and introduce its leading international brands in 2016.
Groupe SEB had fully acquired Maharaja Whiteline in April this year from its promoter Harish Kumar and his family and now it is planning to launch its leading global brands like Krups, Moulinex, Rowenta and Tefal in India in 2016.
"The international brand which we would be launching would serve the top 'A' class market. They would be adapted to the local needs in terms of features and costs," Groupe SEB India VP - Operations Calogero Franchina told PTI.

Groupe Seb India will retain Maharaja Whiteline as a brand to cater the tier II, III and IV markets, he added.
"This year we would grow by 80 per cent and expect 100 per cent growth in 2015 and 2016 and would touch Rs 1,000 crore by the end of 2017. Growth would come from new products, technology and new markets," said Goupe SEB India CEO Sunil Wadhwa.
At present, SEB India has a turnover of Rs 260 crore.

Groupe SEB India also plans to expand its distribution base from the current 35,000 to 100,000 by 2017, he said.
"We would tap the e-commerce platforms as Flipkart, Amazon etc. We would also tap B2B platforms as Metro and Walmart with a partnership and B2C as Spencers, Big Bazar etc. We are starting Croma this moth," Wadhwa said.

Group Seb would spend substantially on marketing and branding campaign for its new corporate identity.
Groupe SEB VP Marketing Emmanuel Serot Almeras said: "The figures are not finalised yet. It would be as per market standards and to our key competitor Bajaj and Philips... We would deeply advertise on Maharaja's key belt as UP, Gujarat and Rajasthan. We would focus on digital medium and stores."
The company would expand portfolio from food preparation and home comfort segments to garment care, personal care and cookware, he added.