Volume 6. Issue 9. September 2012 Rs. 25/-
THE
INSIDE TRACK CONNECTING THE DESIGN COMMUNITY Now view our web edition at www.theinsidetrack.in
Cover Story
I
t was not too long ago that Ikea announced its India plans, and with the recent acquisition of BP Ergo by HNI Corporation it certainly seems as if the furniture market is heating up. BP Ergo was founded in Mumbai in 1992 and reaches the market through its 10 sales branches and a nationwide network of dealers. It is supported by two manufacturing locations at Nagpur in Maharashtra and Nalagarh in Himachal Pradesh that provide office furniture solutions to a wide clientele, ranging from multinational corporations and state owned enterprises to some of the
US Major Buys Into The Furniture Market HNI Corporation announced the acquisition
of a 95% stake in BP Ergo Limited, a leading manufacturer and marketer of office furniture in India, signalling increasing activity in this sector. BY ULKA MANJREKAR
(From L to R) Stan Askren, Chairman, President and CEO of HNI Corporation, Vikram Sharma, MD, BP ERGO, Dr. Gita Piramal, Chairman, BP ERGO
world’s leading retailers in India and globally. B P E r g o’s s t r o n g b r a n d , significant customer base and solid manufacturing capabilities provided a perfect opportunity for HNI Corporation, the second-largest office furniture manufacturer in the world, to enter
the Indian market. India is considered as one of the fastest growing furniture markets (pegged currently at approximately 40,000 crore) and with this strategic acquisition HNI Corporation has certainly hit the ground running. The newly acquired company will operate as a focused, stand-