As one of the fastest growing global markets, the Indian Plastic Industry continues to depict a steady trajectory in terms of production and contribution to the economy. From the traditional households to the modern society of today, housewares have always existed as a major product category in the marketplace. With Government reforms and initiatives, the largely unorganized industry is slowly and steadily embracing the mainstream that ultimately helps to increase the quality standards across the industry.
In its perseverance of upscale quality products, Prime Housewares Ltd is one of the giants in this sector that needs no introduction! Incorporated in 1989, this entity carries a legacy and has been a witness of the transition taken place in the industry.
The gradual advent of urbanization, proliferation of nuclear families and technological advancement has driven the evolution of change amongst the Indian household. Innovations in time-saving devices and cookware, convenience, safety & functionality are now driving the sales figures. With its constant endeavour to develop, modify & innovate novel products specially with respect to aesthetics and customer needs, Prime has been at the forefront in embracing changes to the core!
Prime is also the pioneer in the microwave cooking range in India. Anticipating the future and the paradigm shift towards technology, it has been immensely successful in creating niche products that are convenient, easy to use & time saving. Prime continues to be associated with major brands like L.G. Electronics, Godrej, Samsung, Bajaj, Morphy Richards, Whirlpool, and Onida for providing Microwave & Refrigerator Kits.
The Inception Saga
The journey commenced with a 5000 sq.ft. factory in the industrial hub of Daman, with a seed capital of 50 lakhs and an initial product list comprising just 20 SKUs. In 1989, the plastic industry was largely unorganized and majorly dealt in cash transactions. With an intent to reform and align the sector with the main-stream organized industry, Prime was a non-competitive player from a price point-of-view and hence had to face countless obstacles to penetrate the market.
The major break-through came in 1995 when Prime introduced the ‘Rio’ basket product line. By virtue of superior quality and novelty, these products were sold above MRP by dealers / distributors & there used to be waiting of one month for execution of orders. This was the turning-point for Prime and as we say – ‘the rest is history’. The remarkable journey is represented along with the numerous milestones it has achieved till date.
1995: Rio Maxi – Rio Basket replaced the popular ‘Cycle Baskets’ with new multiutility & completely closed version baskets.
1996: Tiny Tot Containers with spoon – Replacing the small mouth jars with wide mouth containers thereby making it easy for cleaning.
1997: Rice Cooker – Making pre-soaked rice ready in less than 10 minutes.
1998: Microwave Zat–Pat Idli maker – making 24 Idlis in just 4 minutes.
2000: Bucket / Tub – Replacing the metal Handles with plastic handle bucket and also changing the colors and pattern from traditional Red / blue / green to new vibrant colors.
2002: Shoppe Basket – Replacing the earlier design & size with sizes to accommodate tiffin box and water bottle of school going children.
2005: Introduced cleaning products – Replacing the low quality cleaning products with high quality & affordable products.
2008: Hyper Basket – Introducing basket for Modern retail in store.
2011: Zara Cloth Pegs – Replacing the orthodox metal spring pegs with all plastic rust free Pegs, with much more durability.
2014: Vintage canisters – Replacing the steel Tea, Coffee, Sugar containers with vintage ceramic looking plastic canisters.
2016: Bag Hanger – special shape hanger that protects the bag from wear and tear and also saves space in the wardrobe.
2018: Introduced household products imported from Turkey – Launched unique pedal laundry bin.
Prime has been a forerunner in embracing changes ahead of time. This has helped the company to attain instant recognition, acceptance & popularity amongst the trade & consumers in the shortest possible time.Today its products are stylish, modern and come with a contemporary look. Incorporating the market demands and changing consumer needs, it manufactures products that are appealing to the eye along with having uniqueness and smart features. It has registered several designs & patents with the Trade Mark & Patents Authority. The company has consciously & carefully nourished & built intellectual property rights around its innovative products.
Challenges ahead
The big challenge that the company is facing in current times is the lack of awareness & knowledge, of good or bad plastic & the health implications associated with it. Due to the government & media coverage, all plastic products have come under the scanner for being bad for health, which is not the case. People world over are using it & the convenience that plastic offers cannot be substituted. It is important to educate the customers about the various grades of plastic available and the correct recycling practices that need to be employed.
The Leading Light
Prime was started by two brothers Mr Surendra Sanganeria & Mr Jitendra Agarwal. Now as the Managing Director of Prime Housewares Ltd, Mr. Jitendra Agarwal has been the source of inspiration for the entire group. Today as Prime is scaling new heights and creating milestones by each passing day, Mr. Agarwal continues to be the epicentre of all business activities at Prime. An enthusiastic, self-motivated and a challenge-driven person, it is his entrepreneurial personality that is reflected in Prime’s constant endeavour to develop, modify & innovate novel products. All these years, Prime has been nourished by Mr. Agarwal & his team, headed by his brother–in–law Mr. Arun Agarwal. The roots of Prime are further strengthened as his children – Mr. Ankit Agarwal & Mrs. Aditi Purohit have also joined the business after completing their education from the U.K & U.S.A respectively. These next-generation business leaders are driving the newer business initiatives within the company with a focus on innovative products and e-commerce.
Unique Products & Services that Scale Business
Executing and completing comprehensive projects with utmost excellence on-time is Prime’s forte! With its impeccable reliability quotient, it has been able to engage a diversified range of National & Multinational Appliance companies. The company has become a preferred choice for all the plastic packaging and promotional requirements of most of the corporates across India. Acknowledging the rapid growth of Private labels in the Indian markets, the company provides its clients with OEM-type quality services offering unmatched experience. The key attributes which helps Prime to stand tall amongst its competitors are:
Timely Delivery | Consistency in Quality | Competitive Pricing | Innovative Designs
Talking about the product finishing and quality, Mr. Jitendra says, “We strongly believe in ‘No Compromise in Quality’ even in the most competitive products segments. We have earned a reputation in domestic and overseas market due to our ‘Quality comes first, Customer is centric’ policy.”
When it comes to products, Prime twinkles like a one-of-its-kind star offering a curated range of exquisite products which includes Premium Microwave products, Microwave cookware, Microwave food containers, and ‘Stack and Store’ storewel containers. The product list goes on and also includes Lock–It containers, Thermal lunch sets, Rio baskets, Hangers, Kitchen products, Bath sanitary products, Waste bins & Kids Lunch box and bottles. Apart from all this, the company has also introduced silicone bake-ware items in India.
With such initiatives in place, Prime is now a SEDEX certified company striving to establish a global footprint. It is all set to penetrate other important markets by associating with well-known players in the industry.
Prime Housewares: A Unanimous Choice for Every Household
