Afidamp Servizi

Sometimes interviews are not planned, they’re “stolen”: on trains or planes, during a trip for a meeting, during a post-meeting buffet. Anywhere to obtain statements in the heat of the moment and provide them to the readers. This is the premise of the interview on the road  to Toni D’Andrea, executive director of Afidamp Servizi, to whom we’ve asked to speak about the Indian Market, taking into consideration the great success of Pulire India held in Mumbai last 12-14 November. Before presenting on the GSA issue of January the data and numbers of this format’s success, we wanted his opinion on the evolution of a market and people of which may speak about but that only few really know.

How has the Indian Market changed in the last years? What were the opinions you previously had?
Not to expand on subjective personal opinions, I would like to quote the ICE that has recently published a study that draws an accurate picture of the current situation of the Indian cleaning market and all of his players. It is stunning the growth and expansion recorded compared to the previous study commissioned by Afidamp Servizi to ICE four years ago: in less than five years the Indian cleaning sector has made great strides.  

I assume Pulire India was a further reason for satisfaction.
Pulire India was a great success, especially in terms of space occupation. Even if the German groups were absent, this has not influenced the growth percentage that reached 27%, at least speaking  in terms of space. The Italian enterprises were present both directly and through exclusive distributors and, according to the first data, we proudly announce that they exceeded 50% of the exhibitors.

Can you draw the identikit of the average visitor?
Now, this is a very interesting cue. This year, the visitor of Pulire India had a very high profile. There were representatives, managers and sales executives. Many opinion makers and operators directly involved and interested in the sector. The exhibitors were really satisfied for having had the chance of  entering into relations with representatives seriously interested in making new business relations.  

So there was a relaxed and calm atmosphere…
Much more. There was an atmosphere of participation unusual for foreign fairs. I don’t know if this was a - let’s say – anti-crisis attitude, but there was an absolutely tangible interest among the various subjects of the production line. As a matter of fact the ratings were much more positive than what expected.

In short: when in India do as the Indians do…
Exactly. Indians are quite a peculiar people, substantially poor but attached to the old values and cultural traditions. They invest on education and training which means investing on a future of growth. Imagine this: taking into account family savings, 64% of the budget is dedicated to the education and vocational training of the children. This is the best way to invest in the future of a nation.  

…even if they still are among the poorest nations of the world.
More or less. India is a rough diamond and needs time to be cut.  It is a paradox to figure this people and the continent itself into the cleaning world, because of the sharp contrast between their well known joviality framed by a never-ending misery, where the smell of dust blends with that of the spices, and where the hygiene market crops out from a context of distressing scarcity. In short, it’s a growing market with a strong potential of development but still very poor.  

Which is the actual market segment with less penetration margin in the Indian market?
It is certainly the production section of machinery: we still are in a phase in which the use of highly technological machinery is unjustified. This is why it is important to attend these fairs: not to lose the chance of showing the importance of integrating equipment and sophisticated machines. We are strongly promoting this awareness campaign and we are sure it will  yield benefits.

Speaking of India, another emerging country comes to the mind: China. What are the differences between the two markets?
In our section the association India-China is not that obvious. Both countries have potentials but totally different tools. Cleaning reached China before India and in 10 years the Chinese were able to create a widespread network of local suppliers being incredibly efficient. Chinese rates, in fact. This goal is far from being reached in India, because the Indian market has very few producers and most of the products are imported from Europe. But Indians easily win on the front of research and education, far away from the tendency to “fake copy”, from the made in china-counterfeits that are forcing to their knees whole sectors of the global economy.