 "Usha Sewing Machine")
Homegrown consumer durables and appliances major Usha International is treading the rural hinterland for future growth in Uttar Pradesh.
The company has planned to expand its rural retail format 'Usha Joy Stores' in rural pockets and tier-IV towns with population of less than 50,000.
"We plan to open 60 such stores pan India during the current 2016-17 financial year," Usha home appliances President Harvinder Singh told Business Standard here.
He said Usha products carried tremendous brand equity in both the urban and rural customers.
Currently, Usha operates about half dozen rural format stores in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
Singh said UP, Bihar and Rajasthan were the biggest markets for the company's flagship product of sewing machines.
"Currently, we have 224 dealers and 2,000 sub dealers for our sewing machine range," he added.
The company has already forayed to other home appliances segments, including juicers, halogen oven and air coolers. Yet, the sewing machine continues to be the largest selling item from the Usha International stable in unit terms.
Of late, the company has undertaken an aggressive brand positioning and advertising to break new grounds in the market and expand customer base.
Usha has also associated with the Mumbai Indians team in the ongoing IPL Twenty20 Cricket Tournament. "The association has helped strengthen brand Usha in the last two years."
