Havwoods International now in India

by Shrutee K/DNS

“Wood was my calling, I guess…and I answered.” smiles Aashish Poojari, Director, Havwoods International. It was in a wood working unit in Daman that this first generation entrepreneur flagged off his career in what would become a life enterprise along with his brother Adesh Poojari. The metamorphosis has been impressive - from manufacturing and marketing furniture components and gift articles to setting up India’s largest showroom for European wooden flooring to becoming India-exclusive partners to one of Europe’s major market leaders.

“It was the late 1900’s that we shifted focus to wooden flooring. It was a very exciting idea at that time and we wanted to be part of this new industry.” Aashish and Adesh set up Plan B. This  5000 sq. ft. showroom was possibly India’s largest that offered select, hand-picked European wooden flooring brands like Moso, Kahrs, Karelia, Giant, etc. Plan B soon became synonymous with world-class products, quality and service. In the six years that the company participated in AceTech - Asia’s largest exhibition for building materials, Plan B won the “Most Innovative Wooden Flooring Company” twice.

“We were accepted and applauded for our work,” explains Adesh, “because we never compromised on our offering be it products, after sales service or customer relationship.” Plan B boasts of having worked with some of India’s top architects and designers including many celebrities.

Having set a rock solid milestone in the industry, it was time to move ahead. It was around the same time that Havwoods International was looking for worthy partners to mark their entry into India. Based in the United Kingdom, Havwoods International has a global presence with a network of showrooms across four continents. For their foray into India, they were on the lookout for a company that reflected their set of values. It was the meeting of similar minds. It fit.

Aashish describes his strategy as “Find a gap and fix it”. The wooden flooring industry in India is not very organized and professional. What is needed is a strong, grounded approach to convert this staunch stone flooring market into wood. This is the gap that will be addressed by Havwoods International, Mumbai.

A sprawling 5000 sq. ft. showroom located in the Interior Design district of South Mumbai is the answer. Over 300 shades in real wood flooring are displayed and shown off proudly in an ambient and pleasant setting. Large sample planks and detailed catalogues with the latest trends, techniques, colours and concepts in addition to the trained staff help clients make informed decisions.

“The showroom has been designed keeping in mind the appeal of the company globally, hence we decided to give this showroom a similar look and feel. Considering the Indian weather, it was a difficult task but we just couldn’t compromise. We made the use of best suitable materials like copper and wood, and the result is right in front of you. The showroom is more of an experience, where you can actually see how our products would look like on the floor or walls.” Added Mr. Amit Jhadhav, Principle Designer, JAD Studios who was handed the task of designing the interior of the showroom.

Havwoods International is one of the leading players in the global market with four decades of expertise in hardwood. It boasts of an impressive clientele like Harrods, Breitling, Harley Davidson, Paul Smith, Jamie Oliver, Marks & Spencer, Nando’s etc. The India chapter will benefit tremendously from this experience and expertise. The plan is to test the waters in Mumbai first and then on to the other metros.

The wooden flooring market in India is still developing with a fantastic potential ahead. As a customer base, Indians are partial to marble and ceramic tiles. This mindset is slowly changing. Wooden flooring is now considered as a classy new option and also a status symbol. This paradigm shift has opened up our audience to considering using wood flooring extensively. Earlier it was restricted only to the bedroom but now designers as well as the end users are more confident of laying wooden flooring in living areas as well. This will directly affect the demand for wooden flooring. The stage is set.

Going forward, we are looking at establishing a pan-India presence and emerging as a strong wooden flooring brand. Havwoods International has one of the world’s largest collections of real wood flooring with new additions every quarter. We are offering international quality products and services that will cater to any and every design and budget parameter. 

We have been seen as a company that always beings something new and exciting to the table. And we are not going to disappoint. You got a floor to cover? We have wood!