Taps, Fixtures and Emerging Markets for Hansgrohe, Oh My!

On the Breakfast Grille, Hansgrohe Prvt Ltd's MD KC Lee, which overseas the operations in Southeast Asia, talks about the companuy's growth prospects in emerging markets while remaining true to its "Made in Germany" brand. The company is best known in the sanitation space, with a product range that includes showers, taps and bathroom fixtures, and in 2011, the German parent registered a revenue of EUR761 million. Other salient points include:

- How China is a double-edged sword. While the market is vast, but there is also the threat of intense competition. 

- About how controlling costs remains an issue, and adding to that is the fact that the bulk of their factories are in Germany.

- However, KC feels that there is still upside for the higher end segment. 

- He admits that the property cycle, where they are a presence, can be cyclical but says that the retail segment can help to smoothen it out

- Also the importance of advertising, with an emphasis on emerging markets.