On April 5, Balkrishna Industries Ltd. (BKT) inaugurated its new headquarters in Seregno, Italy. But there is more to the opening than giving the company a place to hang its hat.
"Creating our new headquarters is more than just an architectural project," says Lucia Salmaso, CEO of BKT Europe. "For us it also has an underlying strategic meaning. We are constantly striving to increase our presence and market share in Europe and, above all, to get closer to our European OEM customers.
"Our goal is to permanently strengthen the presence of the BKT brand with original equipment manufacturers, and we know how to achieve it. We have already opened many doors with our aftermarket references and continue forging ahead with new opportunities.
"Our new headquarters has a key role in this regard," he says. "We will now be much stronger than we ever have been in every area and every segment in Europe. Agriculture, (industrial), earthmoving, mining, port handling activities, gardening and ATV. Now that we have one of the most complete ranges on the market and an increased production capacity thanks to our most recent Bhuj plant, we are ready to grow."
The European market represents 50% of BKT's annual revenue, which surpassed $900 million at a global level last year.
"We are at a watershed moment," says Rajiv Poddar, joint managing director of BKT. "Here we can embrace market challenges and launch them all in turn.
"Our very first aim is to understand the priorities and needs of our customers. We will be able to do it best at this new space, a totally innovative and technological work environment that we will use to demonstrate that we are capable of measuring up and even more. We will prove that we are ready to reach the 'Next Level.'"
The new structure also houses BKT Space, a unique information and technology center for highly specialized OTR tires that has already proven itself to be a major competitive difference-maker, says the company. It is equipped with an auditorium and training facilities for up to 50 people, perfect for organizing conferences, technical meetings and small events. With this incorporation, BKT has built an authentic Task Force Center to address the present and, above all, the future.
BKT Europe also has a field-ready technical team capable of responding proactively with specific training on and for the optimal use of products, and reactively in case of any need for support and troubleshooting.
The company's European subsidiary was founded in 2006 to oversee global strategic and operational marketing and communications functions for the entire BKT Group and manage OEM sales in Europe.
