Herman Miller gets a plant in Bengaluru

Herman Miller, the NASDAQ-listed, Zeeland, Michigan-based well-known office-furniture company, on Wednesday launched its first manufacturing facility in India at Bidadi, Bengaluru.

The 5,600 square metre new facility is the third one in Asia- Pacific (after two in China), and will employ 150 people to begin with. By 2016, the plant will be able to make 2,000 units of chairs and 1,000 units of work chairs per week.

Speaking to Deccan Herald, Jeremy Hocking, VP (Asia-Pacific), Herman Miller, said: “This is our fifth manufacturing hub. So far, our Indian customers have been getting products shipped from China and it took 10 to 12 weeks lead time. But with this, we can significantly reduce the time, and products will reach customers faster.”

The new facility offers a fast-track delivery service that includes Herman Miller’s high performance seating range  — Aeron, Mirra 2, Celle, and Sayl. Branded Fastrak, the Made in India offer is designed to cater to the increasing demand for high performance ergonomic solutions.

“These are designed keeping Asia in mind. We are very keen to listen to the market,” he said. The facility will also manufacture POSH Imagine Desking System in 2016, he added.

Herman Miller in 2012 announced its acquisition of Hong Kong-based designer, manufacturer and distributor of office furniture systems, POSH Office Systems.

To serve customers faster

Kartik Shethia, Sales Director APAC, Herman Miller, said, “Over the last 10 to 12 years, we have created many wonderful office spaces across the country. This facility will help and serve our customers better and faster. There is immense room for growth and in the next five years, we are looking at the upward chart.”

He added that products can be manufactured within 10 days and dispatched to different centres across the country and also to neighbouring countries.

Talking about the company’s revenues, Hocking said, “Worldwide, our revenues are $2.2 billion and the major chunk of it, nearly $500 million, comes from international business.”

Open to retail showroom

Soon, Herman Miller products, which are manufactured at the Bidadi facility, will be available online.

“We are in talks with Flipkart and our portfolio products will go live in February,” Hocking informed, explaining how it was a huge hit in China when the company went online.

When asked on its plans to open retail showrooms in India, he said, “In Asia, we have around seven or eight shops. Right now in India it is hard to find out the right location. Retail is a great way to build brand awareness, and we are open to start one at the right place. Online supplements retail.” Herman Miller works with the world’s leading industrial designers.

India already has a strong R&D team and Hocking said, “I see a lot of creativity in India and design education is probably more here when compared with China. Already a group here supports engineering and development.”