As part of the Make in India campaign, IndiaConnected portrays Dutch companies that produce in India. In part 3 of this series: Basic Water Needs. This water company from Amsterdam has been developing and producing water filters in India for ten years and selling them in 30 countries. "If we had developed our product in the Netherlands, it would never have gotten off the ground," says the company.
Basic Water Needs is on the rise. The Dutch company that develops and produces water filters in India has already supplied its products to more than 2 million people in 30 different countries. In addition to India, the bulk of the sales of the fast-growing Amsterdam-based water company come from Indonesia, Malawi, the Philippines and Ethiopia.
"If you make a product for India or similar emerging markets, it is obvious to develop and produce in such a country," says managing director Jens Groot (30). "From the Netherlands, it is difficult to assess the needs of Indian consumers. If you do, there's a good chance you'll miss the mark."
Producing in India is also attractive, says Groot. "The industrial landscape is good: there are enough suppliers who can deliver quality, wages are low and the infrastructure is in order. Anything we can make in the Netherlands can just as easily be produced in India."
The factory of Basic Water Needs is located in the small town of Pondicherry in the southern state of Tamil Nadu. Groot: "Our suppliers are mainly located in Chennai, the 5th largest city in India, a few hours' drive away. There is also an international airport and a port from which we export our water filters to Africa and the rest of Asia. Ideal."
Groot, who made the switch from investment company Rocket Internet (known for Zalando and Hello Fresh, among other things) in 2012, spent the first two years in India for months at a time. "That is essential if you want to grow quickly. You have to build relationships with suppliers and gain the trust of your team. Otherwise, you don't get anything done and you go crazy screaming."
Meanwhile, Groot has appointed a local director in the Indian factory and from Amsterdam he is mainly concerned with sales. Nevertheless, he continues to keep a close eye on the factory in India. "Every morning I call my Indian director. I also keep a close eye on the finances there. In the Netherlands we are used to throwing employees in at the deep end, but my experience in India is that it is better to give people responsibilities gradually."
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