MUMBAI: VIP Industries, India’s largest luggage manufacturer, has appointed Atul Jain as its new chief executive and managing director. Jain previously transformed Orient Electric, where he delivered 60 per cent revenue growth and a 2.5-fold increase in market capitalisation during his six-year tenure.
The executive brings a formidable pedigree in digital transformation and sustainability. At Orient Electric, a CK Birla Group company, he strengthened sales and product teams whilst launching premium offerings and investing in brand-building. His efforts yielded a 400 basis points improvement in margins between 2017 and 2023.
Before Orient Electric, Jain spent six years at Samsung Electronics, rising to global senior director for home appliances with oversight of 20 emerging markets. He also served as country head for consumer electronics in India, where he grew the durables business at double the industry rate.
His career spans blue-chip companies including a stint as chief operating officer at Chinese technology firm LeEco. Earlier roles included chief marketing officer at Bharti Airtel and brand manager at Coca-Cola.
Jain has been an active angel investor since 2016, backing startups in consumer goods, education technology and sustainability. He also served as chairman of the Indian Fan Manufacturers’ Association from 2019 to 2021. VIP Industries, known for its Skybags and Aristocrat brands, has been seeking to revitalise its business as travel demand rebounds post-pandemic. The company’s shares have gained 12 per cent this year but remain below pre-Covid levels.
MUMBAI: One of India’s heavyweight building materials suppliers is having a makeover. HIL Ltd, part of the $3 billion CK Birla Group, has swapped its workmanlike moniker for the snappier BirlaNu Ltd the company announced on Monday.
The rebranding isn’t just cosmetic—it’s meant to cement the firm’s position in the global construction materials market. With 32 manufacturing facilities across India and Europe, and customers in more than 80 countries, BirlaNu appears to be building quite the empire.
“Our new identity, BirlaNu reflects who we are at our core—a company who is always pushing forward,” declares president of the newly christened outfit Avanti Birla. “We’re in this business because we believe in quality, innovation and making things that last.”
Birla, laying it on with a trowel, added: “Whether it’s creating better materials, improving sustainability, or bringing fresh ideas to construction, we’re here crafting innovative buildings and structures that stand the test of time.”
The company has been busy mixing up its business portfolio. Managing director & chief executive Akshat Seth highlighted that BirlaNu has introduced organic based stabilisers in UPVC pipe manufacturing—”an industry first in India, eliminating heavy metals.”
Not content with mere pipes, the firm has also “doubled our AAC block capacity in Chennai to four lakh cubic meters per year, making it one of the country’s largest facilities,” Seth disclosed.
In a move that will floor competitors, BirlaNu is bringing its “global premium flooring brand Parador to India,” marking its thrust into the home and interiors space.
The rebrand appears to be more than just window dressing. With “integrity, collaboration and excellence at its core,” BirlaNu is clearly hoping its new identity will provide solid foundations for future growth.
Whether this fresh lick of paint will help the firm nail its ambitious expansion plans remains to be seen. But one thing’s for certain: the company formerly known as HIL is determined not to hit the wall.
Mumbai: Orient Electric Ltd, part of the diversified $2.8 billion CK Birla Group, has launched its new festive TVC featuring brand ambassador MS Dhoni to showcase and promote its Joylite range of festive lights. The heartwarming TVC stages the iconic cricketer revisiting his old neighborhood, evoking nostalgic memories, and spreading the light of joy and togetherness.
The TV commercial unfolds with an enchanting scene where MS Dhoni stands outside a house in the very society where he once honed his cricketing skills. An inquisitive uncle, unaware of the surprise about to unfold, seeks the reason for Dhoni’s visit. In a moment of pure humility and grace, Dhoni recounts his early days when with his powerful shots, he had unintentionally smashed their house lights on numerous occasions. Just then, another neighbour playfully interjects, asking when Dhoni plans to work his lighting magic on his home as well, to which Dhoni gestures towards the entire community, which is now illuminated with the radiance of Orient Joylite festive lights. He goes on to expresses his gratitude for the neighbourhood that shaped him into the cricketing icon and the person he is today. The TV commercial ends with Dhoni saying “Diwali ki raunak tab chhayegi, jab har ghar se roshni aayegi,” reminding everyone that the true brilliance of Diwali lies in the collective radiance of every home, making it a festival larger than life, where the light of togetherness shines brighter than ever.
The ad film has been done in seven different languages making it relevant to regional audiences.
Orient Electric Ltd chief marketing and customer experience officer Anika Agarwal said, “At Orient, we have always believed in spreading happiness, and we are delighted to present our new festive TVC featuring our longstanding brand ambassador MS Dhoni to promote made-in-India Orient Joylite festive lights. Diwali, the festival of lights, symbolizes the celebration of bonds, the spirit of gratitude, and the essence of togetherness. Our TVC beautifully captures Dhoni illuminating every house in his cherished, old neighborhood with the resplendent glow of Orient Joylite festive lights, echoing the message that the true essence of Diwali is only complete when we illuminate every home and heart. We are elated to present this heartwarming story, and we hope it resonates with everyone across the country, bringing warmth, happiness, and a genuine feeling of togetherness during this special time of the year.”
BBDO India chief creative officer Krishna Mani said, “Diwali is often considered as a season of gifting. What better gift than Mahi setting up the beautiful Orient lights in the society he grew up in. That’s the story of our new campaign. We wanted to tell people that Diwali only feels special when you spread joy and happiness with the ones you love.”
The made-in-India Orient Joylite festive lights are designed to add a touch of radiance and a sense of celebration to any space. The lineup includes Diya curtain, Star curtain, Ball curtain, Crystal LED Toran light, Ganesh Ji and Swastik curtain, Rosary and Pixel lights, and Rope light. The company is also offering bundled Diwali gift boxes containing different combinations of Joylite festive lights through its brand store.
The TVC has gone on air on 15 October and it will be strongly flanked by active engagement through digital touchpoints.
NEW DELHI: Orient Electric, part of the diversified $2.4 billion CK Birla Group, has expanded its fans range with new variants in line with robust demand coming in from tier-3 and 4 markets and rural parts of the country. The company has introduced two new fans – Summer Breeze Pro and Rapid Air – and has further plans to refresh an existing fan named Twister as well as augment the range in the base, economy and decorative segments in the coming months. The launch is part of the company’s plans to cash in on the positive rural sentiments to increase its fans market share in the next 12 months.
The uptick in demand for fans from smaller cities and villages is stemming from reverse migration, favourable monsoon, and the government’s fiscal stimulus measures, said Orient Electric VP Atul Jain.
“With increased buying power, India’s rural consumers are becoming more aspirational, looking for branded and high-quality products. In order to take advantage of the rapidly growing opportunity in rural India and to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage, we are working aggressively to ramp up our distribution network and make our fans available at most retail counters in tier-3, tier-4 and rural markets. We will continue to introduce new fans featuring advanced technologies and alluring designs catering to the rising aspirations of emerging rural Indian consumers,” he added.
The new models Summer Breeze Pro and Rapid Air are high-speed, value for money fans which come with a strong and durable motor, superior paint finish and stylish designs. These fans are available in different sweep sizes and colour options to suit different spaces and preferences.
Orient Electric has a well-organised distribution network reaching 1,25,000 retail outlets and a strong service network covering more than 450 cities. It currently holds close to 20 per cent market share in the organised fans sector and manufactures 10 million units per annum at its Faridabad and Kolkata plants.
NEW DELHI: While Covid2019 has led to a struggle for survival for some of the integrated communication consultancies, it has turned out to be an opportunity for Zero Gravity Communications. The Ahmedabad-headquartered consultancy was quick to adapt to the new normal through leveraging creativity, communication and collaboration. The team tapped sectors such as health and wellness, e-commerce and education and intensified its investment into digital strategy and showcased its landmark achievements in the domain.
While many firms struggled to hold the fort to their existing clients, Zero Gravity Communication achieved a unique distinction of onboarding seven clients amid lockdown. The new addition to its clientele includes Nimba Nature Cure, Roastea, Clear Water, Jivraj 9, Asia NEI from the CK Birla Group, Clearth, Hygiene Labs, and Troikaa Nutrascience. Another trend is the diversification of its portfolio into health and wellness. It has onboarded some interesting firms in this segment like Synershield Z- a Troikaa. Nutrascience’s immunity medicine, Imbue – a women’s hygiene and intimate wash, and Clearth – a sanitiser range. The diversification will enrich its portfolio and hasten its expansion due to its ability to cater to new segments.
Zero Gravity Communications founder and CEO Khushboo Sharma credited her team #theideapeople for this remarkable success. "The pandemic has demonstrated the resilience and adaptability of integrated marketing consultancies. We foresee agility and out-of-the-box thinking to become enablers to navigating exigencies. Upon the imposition of the lockdown, our team worked virtually and brainstormed on strategy and creative ideas that had the potential to resonate with consumers. We channelised our energies into digital as it had gained currency during this unprecedented time. Our collaborative efforts and perseverance lead to our success. We intend to redefine the communication landscape by evolving continuously to cater to changing tastes and preferences of consumers."
MUMBAI: HIL, building material company, today announced its first association with the Indian Premier League (IPL) by partnering with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) which is making a comeback after two years. HIL Limited is the flagship company of the CK Birla Group.
As a part of this engagement, all the CSK players’ uniforms will carry the HIL logo and its super brands Birla Aerocon and Charminar logos. With this association, the company aims to boost its reach amongst its consumers, dealers and influencers.
Commenting on the association HIL Limited MD & CEO Dhirup Roy Choudhary said, “We are excited to partner with Chennai Super Kings, which has emerged as champions over the years and look forward to the upcoming IPL season in 2018. The team is known for its performances and consistency, and HIL complements all of this. We truly believe both HIL and CSK are champion brands, and this association is an exciting platform to establish the same. We are confident that it will bring in a new wave of awareness for HIL and its products and provide a fresh take to evolve the market for HIL.
The CSK spokesperson said, “We are glad to join hands with HIL as both of us have synergies of being innovative, passionate and trendsetters. HIL has some of the iconic brands like Charminar and Birla Aerocon under their ante, just the way we have Dhoni, Suresh Raina and Jadeja in our team. Our aim has always been to enhance the experience of our fans and supporters. We believe that this will mark the beginning of a long and fruitful journey for both organisations and help both brands expand its reach.”
This investment is supported by the launch of its ingenious product, the non-asbestos roofing solution – Charminar Fortune and expansion of the PVC pipes and fittings business. Chaminar Fortune is manufactured by using an advanced autoclaving technology and the asbestos-free roofing sheet provides to consumers a solution, which is eco-friendly, long lasting and durable due to its high impact strength, good dimensional stability, light weight, sound and thermal insulated, fire resistant and low drying shrinkage characteristics.
