Utturkar’s take on technological advancements to create futuristic and innovative solutions for modern business.
It is understandable that as more individuals work from home, the need for home improvement items has increased. How much expansion have you seen, and how are you strengthening your products and innovation to make people’s work from home lives a little easier?
Capturing unique requirements, often brought about by unique predicaments, and servicing them through innovation and superior quality is the essence of entrepreneurship, and at Utturkar’s, we truly embody this by leveraging our niche strengths to complement the paradigm shift that has happened in the last few years. Of course, for the last many years, we have been unequivocally known for organising spaces in a manner that makes optimum utilisation of the available area and delivers maximum benefit to the customer through our combined know-how of woodworking and architecture. But now, with the pandemic changing the working culture 180° and the unthinkable becoming a new norm, it certainly has created a revolutionary change in perspective through disruption. And even though working from home is here to stay and the need for it might be restricted to certain fields like creative and digital, it has changed the way people are eyeing home improvement. The canvas has opened up for innovation and ingenuity. Home interior space has gained significant prominence and individuals wish to have their personal space defined in a manner that bundles up recreation, leisure, and work. Space-saving, catering to well-being, smart, aesthetically appealing and yet intuitively ergonomic are the buzz words and we make it our mission to ensure that our hardware and products personify these.
How do you see the market for premium fittings—furniture and kitchens—in India?
Any market is segregated distinctively into masses and classes. While the masses focus on basic requirements, the classes and upwardly mobile segments are filled with aspirations to have the best. There is an increasing awareness of global trends and an unmistakable preference for premium designs and features that add a luxurious touch to the home space. Whether it is a wardrobe or a kitchen, functionality, design, and luxury have to go hand in hand to give the user a timeless, classy, and pleasurable experience. From that angle, considering the demographics of the Indian buyers, we see a lot of scope in the market for premium fittings.
Is digitalization given enough consideration in the designing and manufacturing processes?
In the past 25 years since we started in this industry, it has been more in the past two years that companies have been catapulting towards digitalization of their business. Companies are looking seriously at software which will help them not just standardise processes but also capture the increase in niche demand and ability to service it. Chris Anderson, a famous industry analyst and writer, very rightly encapsulates this in his book, where he sees an increased shift away from mainstream products and markets at the head of the demand curve, replaced by a gravitation toward multiple, ever-expanding niches that constitute the curve’s “long tail,” to quote from his book, The Long Tail. Co-creation is gaining as much importance as personalisation and customisation, and those who do not embrace these changes as opportunities to do more will do so at their own peril. And it is only through digitalisation that we will be able to achieve this.
How does Utturkar employ 3D, augmented reality, virtual reality, and visuals to best serve its clients?
Several options and solutions are there in the market, but the crux of the matter is finding the right one catering to our specific industry, viz., the modular furniture industry. After exploring and researching thoroughly, we narrowed down on PaletteCad Software, which gave us precisely what we wanted for our users for the present and will incorporate our future needs too. The utility of PaletteCad is all encompassing, its scope is very wide and deep, and it seamlessly allows us to understand our customers’ vision and intuitively create an immersive environment, interaction, and experience for them, necessary for their decision making.
What are some of the new products from Utturkar’s in the offering? Any new categories you are looking for?
The Indian kitchen is distinctively different from the European one, for example. There are specialised and niche requirements that an Indian kitchen has, based on our diverse indigenous food preferences, combined with a contemporary awareness of multiple global cuisines. To suit this combination, we are introducing kitchen drawer organisers that will specifically address the unique and ethnic requirements of the Indian user, along with welcoming our “new” tastes. Our Smart Midway is one such solution, and the Chakla Belan Insert (Rolling Pin and Board) is another, something that is an imperative in the Indian kitchen, and now has its own space with our solution. We are constantly not just scanning the radar to be on top of what is new in our field, we are also pioneers in it when we create unique and new offerings, proactively gauging our customers’ requirements.
What’s your secret sauce or competitive advantage that makes Utturkar’s product unique?
Well, with complete candour, I am the only one in India who is a “qualified” carpenter, with a Master’s Degree in Furniture Making from Germany. We have spent the last 25 years adding value to Indian kitchens and furniture by connecting with European trends and adapting them to the Indian context. We have the know-how to transform possibilities there into the industry here and advise our customers with just the right solutions. We truly symbolise a learning organization; we are a group of people working together collectively to enhance our capacities to create results we really care about.
What are the latest trends and developments in the hardware industry?
The delight in visible beauty comes from the power of the invisible. The ideal is when the user opens a door and does not see what makes it open. The most relevant change in the hardware industry that you can see today is the power of the invisible. Consumers in premium and luxury segments don’t want and need to see the hardware, but are confident in the knowledge that in the background, it is quintessentially there, doing its work quietly and masterfully.
What is the one thing you feel that is missing in the furniture fittings industry compared to the other fast-growing industries?
Like any other industry, the furniture fittings industry also has its own introspection points. Some pointers that will contribute to its growth and advancement are sustainable sourcing, more training and knowledge sharing, and value addition to customers through concentration on functionality.
What are your product ranges available in the Indian market catering to the residential segment?
We have more than 3000 products which cater to the Kitchen, Bath and Bedroom segments. Our annual product catalogues are much awaited and coveted by the industry and our website gives a comprehensive insight into our offerings. We have ranges that satisfy all segments and demographics. From the industrial to the retail, we have something to suit everyone.
In addition to expertly designed, manufactured, and installed home organisation solutions, you are into space-saving furniture too. How do you adapt your ever-evolving product line-up to the demands of the market?
The answer is relatively simple. Adaptation is the name of the game! We listen to our customers, sense the pulse of the market, and keep our eyes open and glued to the ever-evolving expectations of the customers. We constantly scan the macro environment in our business and monitor the trends on the global radar. We have the viability and ingenuity to combine the global and the local, and along with that, we are passionate about what we do. We know our trade well and are keen to learn new things and adapt quickly to the ever-changing times. We thrive on the pulsating changes that happen and are often proven to be proactive in forecasting and being insightful and prepared. Therefore, devising solutions for every challenging situation happens to be in our DNA and is embedded in our organisational culture.
What are your expansion plans? Is there any new business alliances, collaborations, or expansion initiatives in the planning for Utturkar’s?
We are proud and honoured to be exclusive partners with more than 50 European brands. We have consistently upgraded our manufacturing capabilities to suit changes in the industry. When we started, it was just wood. Today we are into plastic injection moulding and have now added aluminium and sheet metal processing as well. Additionally, we have several more ideas buzzing that are always kept warm and worked upon with strategic intent. Time will crystallise and allow us to manifest our ideas sooner rather than later, and we are excited about launching our plans into the market.
Interview Attributes
Tarek Utturkar
Managing Director
Utturkar’s Wood Culture