Dankotuwa enters north Indian market

NEW MARKET: WKC Glassware (Private) Limited of India recently signed an agreement with Dankotuwa Porcelain Limited (DPL) to become a distributor for the northern states of India and to open an exclusive showroom for Dankotuwa products in New Delhi.

Dankotuwa Porcelain first entered the South Indian market in 2004 with a branch, and a showroom in the Sri Lanka EDB's Trade Centre in Chennai. Subsequently it promoted sales to several hotels in the Southern states of India.

It is now expanding to the Northern States as well Although the Indian market is competitive with imports from China and Bangladesh, Dankotuwa's heavy gold and platinum designs are in high demand. In the area of casual designs the market in India is very competitive.

"With the availability of competitive products from China, casual designs are available at low prices and our customers find it difficult to differentiate the quality, and are reluctant to pay more for higher quality. However in the case of more expensive gold designs, customers prefer to be safe with a reputed manufacturer and therefore Dankotuwa becomes the preferred choice" said Alok Gupta, Director of WKC Glassware, India.

Many of the casual designs that Dankotuwa sells in the European market are still not in demand in India but the formal designs are.

WKC Glassware has been selling Dankotuwa products previously in India and now will formalise the relationship.

"Formal dinnerware in heavy gold and platinum designs are very popular in Middle Eastern countries, Ukraine, Russia, Poland and India, and Dankotuwa excels in making such difficult decorations," Dankotuwa's Chief Operating Officer Sarath Mallawa Arachchi said.

The new showroom in New Delhi will commence operations before the end of this year.