Right from paper shredders to air purifiers to label printers, office automation market is expected to see healthy traction in India. It has the potential for growth not only in the bigger metro cities but may also witness good penetration in smaller cities as well. It is expected that as the Indian economy continues to evolve, large to small-scale businesses will also have to adapt to the change and move towards adopting office automation technology. The office automation space is currently growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7-12 per cent in India. These observations were made by Harshal Dunakhe, chief operating officer, Kores India which is trying to target the market by bringing in new innovations in the space.
Dunakhe feels that one of the key challenges in the office automation space is the low product understanding and awareness. “Big or small organisations should make use of automation products to minimise waste like useless papers or even disposing of old hard drives which is essential for data security and proper e-waste disposal. Companies and individuals can make use of good quality air purifiers, which is essential these days and multiple other products that can minimise workload like currency counting machines, which can also detect fake currency or label printers that can exponentially reduce time invested towards the job. Additionally, the market is highly fragmented and more driven towards import,” Dunakhe told THE WEEK.
Dunakhe said that India has been a relatively late adopter when it comes to office automation adoption compared to the west and east Asia. “Since we are witnessing a fast growing economy, the quest for productivity makes office automation a compelling option. The major drivers for this market is the rising demand for high-end security devices, growing popularity of cost effective products, rising demand from the service industry, growing focus of MNCs towards emerging cities and rising demand from government entities. Our product development process consists of a demographic, geographic and behavioral consumer study, competition mapping, and customer site visits among others. We are also introducing customised products based demand from the key target audience. For instance, our currency counting machines also makes the detection of fake notes easier,” added Dunakhe.
The Indian office automation market has scores of companies vying for their share of the market space. Avery Dennison India, Cello Writing Instruments Limited, HP India, Kangaroo Industries Limited, Kokuyo Camlin Ltd, Luxor Writing Instruments Limited are some of the prominent players in the market.