Legrand to Focus on IoT & Automation to Drive its India Business

Legrand expects IoT, energy efficiency, connectivity, and user-interface product verticals to drive its business in India, contributing the bulk of its revenue, over the next few years. "We aren't there yet (2019 sales levels), September was very close to that, maybe only 2-3 per cent down; but in October we touched the 2019 level. So if there is no third wave, we're very confident of reaching at least the 2019 volume levels, if not better it. Going by the current demand trend, I am sure we'll easily make it," Legrand India, CEO and MD, Tony Berland. On the future of India business, he said the Internet of things (IoT), energy efficiency, connectivity, and user interface products will drive the business here, contributing the bulk of its revenue over the next few years. "Currently, IoT fetches around 19 per cent of the topline and I want to take it to at least 25 per cent over the next few years. When it comes to IoT, I've a very clear roadmap ready and most of the IoT products sold here are also developed locally," Berland said, adding the connectivity vertical is the single largest revenue head now. What makes him really optimistic about India is the huge scope for IoT and the large energy saving objectives. Berland also said they're investing heavily in digital infra here especially in data centres where they are getting new products to keep pests away, ensure connectivity and better user-interface. "We are very happy to be here and are very confident of making it big here--among the top three, which is our headquarters' target, because India is a very important brick of our global operations. "We've high confidence in the capabilities of India and in the huge untapped potential here," he said yet admitting that they have a long way to go. "We aren't increasing manufacturing capacity because we already have excess capacity. Now we're adding more automation and thus investing in products and R&D and not in manufacturing capacity as our focus is more on IoT and automation. We've no issue at all with capacity as we can increase it manifold at any plant because of the way the plants are built." Berland, who took over India operations in March 2019, says despite India fetching only under 5 per cent of its global revenue, the headquarters is pleased with the success so far and is keen to make it bigger and considers this market to be among the key growth pillars going forward. Encouraged by the appetite for technology here with projects like smart cities, the company is also bringing its IoT-based home solutions to the country and has partnered with Google, Amazon and Samsung for its interoperability.