Hitachi shifts Indian elevator and escalator marketing into full-scale operation

Tokyo: Japanese conglomerate Hitachi Ltd announced today that Hitachi Lift India Pvt Ltd, an elevator and escalator marketing and service company established in New Delhi in January 2008, has moved into full-scale operation.

The rapid expansion of the Indian economy is fueling surging demand for infrastructures including offices buildings, hotels and private homes. The elevator market is growing in proportion.

In 2006, demand for mid to high-end products, the category Hitachi targets, exceeded 15 thousand units per year, making India one of the world's most active markets. Market growth is expected to continue at a brisk pace of 10 per cent or more annually in coming years.

Hitachi first entered the Indian elevator business through Hitachi India Pvt Ltd in October 2007. Its next major move came in January 2008 with the establishment of Hitachi Lift India as a Hitachi Group wholly-owned company, which specialises in elevator and escalator marketing and services.

The initial focus was on building top-notch marketing and servicing capability, especially by recruiting experienced Indian experts. With that capability now in place, Hitachi Lift India has launched full-blown marketing activities in Delhi and Mumbai, India's two largest metropolitan areas. The company plans to increase the number and scale of its bases toward placing itself among the top three in mid to high-end models, which account for more than half of the Indian elevator market, by 2012.

In August 2006, Hitachi appointed a chief executive for Asia to take charge of formulating business strategy in Asia, as well as developing new businesses that exploit Hitachi Group synergy and bolstering partnership with key customers in the region. The importance the Hitachi Group attaches to growing its businesses in India is pointed up by the fact that the chief executive for Asia makes Delhi his home and primary base of operations.

In April 2007 Hitachi established the Hitachi Group India Strategy Council, which is chaired by the company's president, and in December the same year, set up an India Business Support Centre in Delhi to assist Hitachi Group companies newly entering the Indian market, in addition to offering support to existing group businesses in India, including those in the air-conditioning systems and construction machinery sectors. Hitachi's stance thus reflects an intense focus on accelerating expansion of Indian operations and creating a stronger presence in India for the Hitachi Group as a whole.

"Hitachi has been involved in India for many years - ever since setting up a liaison office there in 1954,'' says Kazuo Furukawa, president and chief executive officer of Hitachi Ltd on Hitachi's entering a new phase in its Indian elevator operations. ''We have extensive experience in supplying infrastructure equipment in India, including power plants, electrical machinery, construction equipment, and air-conditioning systems.

''Hitachi prides itself on having played a major role in building India's national infrastructure. In April 2007, the Hitachi Group India Strategy Council was set up to coordinate an initiative to develop Indian markets and strengthen operations in India across the whole Hitachi Group. The newly established Hitachi Lift India is a company wholly owned by the Hitachi Group that I believe will be a strong driving force behind the development of Hitachi businesses in India."

Yusuke Takahashi, managing director of Hitachi Lift India said, "Hitachi Lift India is committed to going beyond just the supply of quality products to also offer the best in customer relations and after-sale services. The extensive elevator product technologies and maintenance/service know-how Hitachi has assembled over nearly 100 years, together with our team of well-experienced experts, will enable us to offer outstanding services in India.

As Hitachi Lift India wants to make the biggest contribution possible to India and its people, it intends to take advantage of the high-growth Indian elevator market to vigorously expand and upgrade its businesses."