Versuni expands Chennai plant, ramps up Ahmedabad output

Chennai: Global home appliance company Versuni, which sells products under the Philips and Preethi brands in India, has expanded its manufacturing footprint in Chennai with the addition of a new motor production facility, while simultaneously scaling up capacity at its appliance plant in Ahmedabad to support growing domestic demand. The Chennai facility—spread across about 12,000 sq m—has added a production line for air fryer motors with an initial capacity of 750,000 units annually, in an effort to deepen localisation and build a stronger component ecosystem in India. "We have focused on localisation—not just for the sake of it, but to improve quality, efficiency and flexibility while reducing dependence on imports," said Gulbahar Taurani, managing director & CEO, Versuni India (formerly known as Philips Domestic Appliances, which rebranded in 2023 following its sale to Hillhouse Capital in 2021).Versuni has increased localisation of its India portfolio in recent years, reaching about 94%–95%, compared with significantly higher import dependence earlier.The Chennai plant already manufactures universal motors for mixer grinders and produces kitchen appliances such as mixer grinders and gas stoves. With the new line, the facility will now also supply motors for the company's fast-growing air fryer portfolio. The expansion will create around 100 additional full-time jobs. While Chennai focuses on components and kitchen appliances, Versuni's plant in Ahmedabad produces air fryers, garment steamers and air purifiers. The company is now rapidly expanding air fryer capacity at the western India facility. Manufacturing capacity, which stood at around three to four lakh units annually when the plant started operations in Jan 2024, has already reached about one million units and is being expanded to two million units. Taurani said entry-level air fryer models currently start at around Rs 5,000, compared with Rs 14,000 to Rs 15,000 a few years ago. While mixer grinders are among the most widely used kitchen appliances in the country, air fryers have a household penetration of just 3%–4%, leaving substantial room for expansion. Across the two brands, the company launches 20–25 new products annually, with a portfolio of fewer than 500 products. Future product launches will continue to be designed specifically for Indian consumers, Taurani said, adding that the company is preparing to introduce a new "Made-in-India, for-India" product soon.