SETTING BENCHMARKS WITH GLOBAL LUXURY STANDARDS & LOCAL RELEVANCE

What is your vision for strengthening Kohler's position in India's premium bathware market?
India is a strategic global market for Kohler, and our long-term vision is to shape the future of Indian luxury bath spaces through strong design leadership, localised innovation, and immersive brand experiences. A key pillar of this vision is continued investment in India, including expanding our manufacturing capabilities to enhance scale, speed-to-market, and supply chain resilience. This is supported by our Kohler Innovation Centre, which combines global design thinking with local insights. Our network of Kohler Experience Centres in Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore, along with Studio Kohler in Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Pune, and Chennai, allows consumers, architects, and designers to engage with the brand in immersive environments. The introduction of KALLISTA, our ultra-luxury brand, marks a new chapter in India's bath design, bringing exceptional craftsmanship and premium bath experiences to discerning consumers.

What are the product innovations launched recently for the Indian market?
Our India Design Studio shapes products for India and beyond. This year, we introduced new colours like Honed Lush, Teakberry, and Honed Black, tailored to Indian sensibilities. On innovation, we launched the Radiance Shoulder Shower, designed for women to deliver a shoulderdown immersive experience; water-saving solutions offering a full flush at just 3.6L and WaterMind, a smart technology ensuring consistent shower performance across varying pressures. For India's tech-forward consumers, we expanded our intelligent ecosystem with the Leap Intelligent Toilet, a one-piece solution with touchless flushing, bidet functionality, and modern design.

What are the key challenges in India's competitive bathware market?
India's premium bathware market is growing and remains highly diverse. Evolving consumer expectations demand a balance between global luxury and local relevance, including engineering for Indian water pressure and quality, building a strong network of trained installers and service experts, and creating immersive retail experiences. With intense competition and design-savvy consumers, success requires continuous innovation, bold thinking, and design leadership, areas where Kohler continues to set benchmarks.

What role does India play in Kohler's global growth strategy?
India is a critical hub for Kohler's global growth across design, engineering, manufacturing, and shared services. Our India Design Studio has won Good Design, iF Design, and Red Dot Awards across categories. With our Global Shared Services hub in Pune, two advanced manufacturing plants in Jhagadia, and expanding Experience Centres nationwide, India playsa pivotal role in shaping Kohler's global growth and innovation strategy.