Pergo's Expansion in India

Bangalore, India, September 13—The Indian flooring market has witnessed a lot of changes in the last 50 years, according to the Financial Times. From the traditional stone flooring, people have moved to granite, ceramic, marble and now laminates. Pergo, a Swedish brand of floor laminates, has been operating in India since 1999. "And now we have 50 per cent share of the laminate floor market in India which is about 4,00,000 sq m and worth about Rs 35 crore," says Mr K.R. Shivshankar, CEO, Pergo India Pvt Ltd. According to Mr Shivshankar, Pergo has been tried and tested in India and has stood the four seasons well. While domestic sales contribute to 70 per cent of their turnover, the institution sales comprise the other 30 per cent. Priced at Rs 130 to Rs 270 per sq foot, Pergo flooring is catching up in cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad and Bangalore, he says. "Mumbai is mainly a renovation market while Bangalore, Delhi and Hyderabad are new construction markets," according to Mr Shivashankar. Explaining the unique features of Pergo laminates, Mr Shivashankar says this flooring is glueless. In fact, Pergo has patented its SmartLock systems where the laminates have a tongue-and-groove system to ensure easy and accurate installation. "In fact, abroad, most customers install the floors themselves," he says. Pergo also has incorporated a sound reducing technology in some of its laminates. Soundbloc reduces sound in the room by almost 50 per cent, he adds. "Then there are the other advantages like it being stain-free, easy to maintain, scratch-resistant (unless abused) and has a 10-year guarantee," says Mr Shivashankar. Pergo is planning to set up distribution centres in the country that will be equipped to handle all user segments. Currently the company has three Design Centres (one each in Mumbai, Gurgaon and Hyderabad and will have one in Bangalore soon). Pergo has been marketing its product through advertisements, though word of mouth publicity through architects and builders plays a big role here, Mr Shivshankar says.