100 Stories2012 Asahi Kasei India - targeting one of the largest global markets, India

With the world's second largest population, India is a growing potential consumer market. The Asahi Kasei Group plans to expand its business there in the future. In preparation, Asahi Kasei established Asahi Kasei India in Mumbai in 2012 as a base to conduct market research and provide sales support in order to quickly and accurately identify needs. This is Asahi Kasei's third regional base built to provide cross-sectional business support across the Group, preceded by those established in the U.S. and China.

Asahi Kasei's relationship with India dates back some 60 years. In the 1960s, soon after India gained its independence, the country was moving forward with industrialization. In June 1960, the company signed Japan's first export contract for rayon technology with Baroda Rayon Corporation Ltd., and completed construction of a factory in 1961. The company also established a Bombay office in 1979.

Mumbai is one of the most important commercial cities in India, where the headquarters of local conglomerates are concentrated. Through Asahi Kasei India, Asahi Kasei plans to increase its opportunities to enter the healthcare and automotive industries, as well as other promising growth fields, and to develop its business in India as one of the major pillars of its global expansion.

The opening ceremony of Asahi Kasei India was held at the Grand Hyatt Mumbai in 2013, attended by about 100 people from the Asahi Kasei Group, the Consulate General of Japan, and business partners. The ceremony was a grand affair, with a company introduction by Asahi Kasei India President Yoshitaka Hori and a dance performance by professional dancers. At the time of the ceremony, Asahi Kasei India had six employees, including full-time staff in the Chemical and Medical departments, with plans to increase the number of employees for further business expansion.

Asahi Kasei India, which has begun operations in 2013, planned to increase sales to India from less than 10 billion yen in 2011 to 20 billion yen in 2015, with the aim of expanding its business in pharmaceutical materials and other areas. Asahi Kasei India previously sold fibers for use in ethnic garb, materials for making medicines into tablets, virus removal filters, and other products via trading companies, but the company hoped to use the opening of the new subsidiary as a foothold to accelerate the group's business development toward its target of 20 billion yen.

Asahi Kasei India, which started with fewer than 10 employees, reached 22 employees by 2019, including local Indian employees. By 2021, the company consisted of a new management team and nine divisions, and its structure as a company is becoming clearer with each passing day. Asahi Kasei India's challenge to open up one of the world's largest markets has only just begun.