Talking specific about the different businesses, Godrej is already India's largest lift truck manufacturer-exporter when it comes to the material handling business. What is the next horizon? Godrej sees a sustained growth opportunity for the next decade and half in the Indian industry at the current stage.
He believes that initiatives like Make in India, and the responsibility to uplift a large section of population would mean far greater emphasis and focus on manufacturing and distribution and logistics. "We have enjoyed market leadership position for the past over two decades and we will consolidate this and achieve even stronger market position.
The developing economy will also provide greater opportunity for launching categories of products not available / used in the country today. So, our focus will be to expand our line of products and serve all or most needs of material handling in industry and logistics area." While consolidating the position in the domestic market, Godrej will also continue to focus and grow the overseas presence with the aim to be amongst the top 20 brands worldwide. "Given the presence of world leaders in those markets that will be a significant feat," he says.
Godrej was one of the few private players to enter the aerospace and defence sector much before most players could even think of it. Does Jamshyd Godrej believe this division has evolved enough to grab a considerable share of the pie which itself is now getting bigger with the Government further opening it up?
He explains: "Our foray in Aerospace business was about three decades back and that in Defence sector about a decade and a half. It was more out of a sense of national duty and doing purposeful work. The volume of business did not justify the investments we made in infrastructure, people and building competencies and knowledge.
"And all of it was home grown, painstakingly developed in partnership with our customers. We are therefore poised well to grow the business under the new thrust for indigenous development. With the plans articulate by the government there is going to be a big surge and we are energised and ready to meet the demand."
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