Latest news with #RakshitHargave
India Today
18-07-2025
- Business
- India Today
Inside access
Picture a child with a sweet tooth, let loose in a candy store. That's exactly how visitors felt when they walked into this new design show. One that proved to be perfect for those dreaming of building their dream home or simply seeking a dose of design inspiration. Late June, just as monsoon tiptoed across the city's rooftops, Design POV introduced a new world with flair at Mumbai's Jio World Convention Centre. This immersive showcase, curated by Totality Solutions and powered by Tabu, Elite Building Materials, and Birla Opus, Aditya Birla Group (design partner), brought together some of the country's most exciting architects, designers, and homeware brands for a weekend that was equal parts style and substance. At the centre of it all was The Core—a dedicated space where 18 leading studios came together to reimagine future-forward design through a rich cultural and material lens. This was where design dialogue reached its peak. THE SHOW-STOPPERS: Birla Opus, Aditya Birla Group CEO Rakshit Hargave
Time of India
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Birla Opus Paints celebrates Indian heritage through the power of colour
Building on its core philosophy of ' Duniya Ko Rang Do ', Birla Opus Paints , housed under Aditya Birla Group 's Grasim Industries, has launched their new brand campaign, a national initiative that brings India's timeless monuments to life, beginning with the iconic Gateway of India , revealing how the power of colour can rekindle pride, beauty, and transformation across the nation. The new campaign – Celebrating Colours of India , is an evolution of 'Duniya Ko Rang Do' narrative, taking the vision further, revealing the power of colour to transform not just spaces, but perspectives, at every scale, the company stated in a press note. Continuing with the animated approach, the film reintroduces the Opus Boy in an attempt to colour the world around him and spread joy, deepening the premise of transformation through colour. By reimagining iconic monuments. The campaign showcases how beauty can open avenues of wonder and storytelling. While our monuments already stand tall in history and grandeur, this artistic reimagination is an effort of creative celebration and an extension of the brand's core philosophy, 'Duniya Ko Rang Do' - inviting audiences to see familiar structures through a renewed, more colourful lens. Rakshit Hargave ,chief executive officer, Birla Opus Paints said, "Following the impactful messaging and audience response from our previous campaigns, we are incredibly proud to introduce our new communication that celebrates India's heritage by reimagining possibilities of transformation through vibrant colours and patterns. The film reinforces the influence of colours and our commitment to beautify spaces, while contributing to the national spirit and pride." Inderpreet Singh , head – marketing, Birla Opus Paints, added, 'Our 'Duniya Ko Rang Do' philosophy has always been centred on the profound impact of colour, and with our new campaign, we are taking this belief to a national canvas. By showcasing the potential of our paints with places of national heritage and deep cultural significance, we aim to create a powerful story of hope, reminding every Indian of the beauty around them and the transformative potential of paints." Sachin Kamble , chief creative officer, Leo India , 'Building on the success of the much-loved launch film, this new set of Birla Opus films amplifies the 'Duniya Ko Rang Do' thought. We've continued our use of 3D feature animation to create a rich, immersive experience, this time set against the backdrop of one of India's most iconic visuals. Their grandeur and timelessness serve as the perfect canvas to inspire audiences to reimagine the world through the transformative power of colour.' The communication has been conceptualised by Leo India and Zombie Studios , Brazil and is being amplified across various media channels, including TV, digital, OOH, print and radio, ensuring widespread reach and engagement with audiences nationwide. The film opens with a familiar scene at the Gateway of India, where a photographer struggles to pique people's interest in capturing themselves with the monument's allure. The young Opus boy, observing this, is inspired to bring about a change. With the Opus touch, the monument bursts into vibrant colour and patterns, captivating onlookers and reigniting a desire to engage further with its beauty. This transformation not only uplifts the monument but also brings joy and renewed purpose to the photographer, a reminder that beauty can revive more than just walls, it can truly transform one's world, it added. Watch the video here:
Business Upturn
23-05-2025
- Business
- Business Upturn
Grasim Industries shares rise over 2% as Q4 net loss narrows, revenue beats estimates; dividend declared
By Aditya Bhagchandani Published on May 23, 2025, 09:26 IST Shares of Grasim Industries Ltd climbed 2.17% to ₹2,732.70 on Thursday after the company reported a narrower net loss and a strong revenue growth for the March quarter of FY25. The flagship company of the Aditya Birla Group posted a consolidated net loss of ₹288 crore in Q4FY25, compared to ₹441 crore in the same quarter last year. Revenue for the quarter surged 31.9% year-on-year to ₹8,926 crore, beating analyst expectations of ₹8,675 crore. However, operating performance lagged behind, with EBITDA falling sharply by 58.1% to ₹221 crore from ₹527 crore in Q4FY24. The company also declared a dividend of ₹10 per equity share of face value ₹2 each, applicable to both fully and partly paid-up shares, subject to approval at the upcoming AGM. Separately, Grasim secured its lowest-cost local-currency bond since June 2020, reflecting a favorable borrowing environment amid softening interest rates. The company plans to raise ₹1,000 crore via a five-year bond with a coupon rate of 6.56%. Standalone expenses for the quarter rose 40.3% to ₹9,406.91 crore, largely due to its ₹10,000 crore capital expenditure push into the decorative paints segment under the Birla Opus brand. Grasim aims to break even in paints within three years of full operations. Birla Opus, which grew in high single digits in FY25, plans to expand its dealer network and product portfolio further in the next fiscal year. CEO Rakshit Hargave noted the company is focused on long-term fundamentals and aims to continue capturing market share. Disclaimer: The information provided is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial or investment advice. Stock market investments are subject to market risks. Always conduct your own research or consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions. Author or Business Upturn is not liable for any losses arising from the use of this information. Aditya Bhagchandani serves as the Senior Editor and Writer at Business Upturn, where he leads coverage across the Business, Finance, Corporate, and Stock Market segments. With a keen eye for detail and a commitment to journalistic integrity, he not only contributes insightful articles but also oversees editorial direction for the reporting team.
Economic Times
08-05-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
Asian Paints under pressure: Will the market leader regain its shine in 2025?
10%. That was the discount offered by the Aditya Birla Group on prices as it entered India's $9 billion paint market last year. That number lured many dealers to the new brand, Birla Opus, as did the intent that the group signalled when it doubled the initial investment into the sector to Rs 10,000 is a big name, and with its plan to construct six plants spread nationally, it was clear to the dealers that this foray was to be taken seriously. Dealers are a critical cog in the wheel in the paint market, and in just one year, Opus became a weighty competitor to the incumbents. Birla's aggression has resulted in many asking the behemoth Asian Paints a critical question—has the market leader lost its edge? It is a question worrying investors as well. Birla Opus's entry, combined with a slowing market, has led to Asian Paints' recording one of its biggest stock slides in years. It has fallen nearly 15% in the last one year, suffering a market cap loss of about Rs 40,000 the December quarter, Asian Paints' profit dropped nearly a fourth to Rs 1,110.5 crore from the same period in the previous year, while consolidated sales fell 6.1% to Rs 8,521.5 crore. Operating profit shrank more than a fifth to Rs 1,636.7 are being raised about the company's organisational culture, its sluggish response to emerging competition and its seeming lack of proactive approach in a disrupted marketplace. Once considered a 'leadership factory', second only to Hindustan Unilever in nurturing top industry talent, Asian Paints has suddenly found itself under a cloud. The market leader is now preparing to push back. Can it regain the sheen? BIRLA'S BIG MOVE What exactly is Asian Paints up against? For decades, it has enjoyed an almost unassailable position in India's decorative paints market. Aditya Birla Group's Grasim Industries has targeted that status quo with Birla Opus, shaking the landscape with huge price cuts and aggressive is on track to reach an installed capacity of 1,322 million litres per annum (mlpa) by the first half of FY26 after it commences production in its sixth plant in West Bengal. Importantly, it has also managed to muscle up distribution. The company introduced 129 products with over 900 SKUs available in 4,300 towns across India. Birla Opus' CEO Rakshit Hargave claimed recently on an analyst call: 'We had talked about 50,000 dealers by the end of the first year, and I think we are very close to that journey in terms of where we will end the first year.' This year, Birla Opus is looking to tap tier-2 and -3 markets through a franchise model, targeting smaller towns, with compact 300-400 sq ft stores equipped with paint consultants and trained local entrepreneurs. They are also piloting PaintCraft Partner, a franchisee-led painting services initiative. Aditya Birla Group Chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla has said the business is on track to achieve its revenue target of Rs 10,000 crore within the first three years of fullscale operations. The company has invested more than Rs 9,000 crore in the paints business so far, which is 90% of the planned capital Trivedi, a consumer analyst who also tracks the paints sector at broking firm Motilal Oswal Financial Services, says, 'From a competition point of view, the product quality of Grasim is getting good market feedback and they are at discounts. While Grasim's channel partners were mostly limited to smaller players last year, the positive product feedback will also lead to larger distributors partnering with them.' That should worry Asian Paints even more. THE FIGHTBACKAsian Paints has responded to all this aggression with enhanced dealer incentives, more affordable product variants and increased marketing spend. The company is also investing in operational efficiencies and capacity expansion, hoping to fight on both cost and quality. Amit Syngle, CEO, Asian Paints, struck a defiant tone on analyst calls: 'We strongly believe that as a brand we need to take calibrated action to ensure that we tackle the competition in a more sustainable way.' Dealers say Asian Paints has lately been aggressive on channel incentives, better quality product launches and has dialled up on-ground engagement intensity with dealers and contractors. A former senior executive at Asian Paints says on condition of anonymity: 'To be fair to Asian Paints, the launch of Birla Opus and its aggressive market-entry strategies coincided with a period of already low consumer sentiment. In such times, even the largest players tend to feel the impact. In a booming market, perhaps Asian Paints would not have been affected to the same extent.' However, he concedes that the company should have been better prepared. 'Asian Paints had months of prior knowledge that the Birla Group—with its deep pockets— would be a formidable competitor,' he says. QUESTION OF ORGANISATION Industry watchers have highlighted another problem—Asian Paints' inability to retain key talent, with competition luring away some key senior and middle-level people. A few sudden senior-level exits around February sparked speculation about deeper organisational issues. Responding to questions from ET, Syngle says, 'The senior exits were on account of personal reasons and we had accordingly made the required disclosures. All these positions were filled up with internal replacements on an immediate basis which was also disclosed.'But the criticism has persisted, and one continuing theme is around company culture. A senior industry official says the thirdgeneration promoters, apart from vice chairman Manish Choksi, have little operational experience. 'They don't understand the bazaar network. The board is strong on governance, but who is stewarding the company's culture and future?' Asian Paints' alumni echo this sentiment, pointing to what they perceive as a drift in strategic clarity and a lack of cultural renewal as evidence. 'This isn't about one bad quarter,' says a former executive. 'It's about how the company has responded—or failed to respond—to a shifting landscape. You can't run a market-leading company on legacy alone.'Asian Paints' diversification into adjacent categories like kitchens, lighting and home décor under Beautiful Homes has also come under scrutiny. 'After 10 years, what do they really have to show in those segments? Either dominate or move out,' says a senior industry common thread in the criticism is the perceived stagnation in brand identity and consumer engagement. 'When was the last time Asian Paints excited you?' asks a former marketing head. 'The campaigns are tired, uninspiring and disconnected. When a challenger brand like Birla Opus arrives, you should remind consumers of your heritage, your reliability. Instead, the messaging is all over the place.' This is something Asian Paints seems to be addressing, having unveiled a new, highdecibel marketing campaign during the Indian Premier League. The ad, created by Ogilvy, emphasises on the brand being used in homes across regions in India, with the line, 'Asian Paints ki Warranty, India ka Har Doosra Ghar Kehta Hai (Asian Paints' warranty is evident in every second home in India).' It is evident that Asian Paints is trying to evoke nostalgia for the brand, but is that enough? WAR PAINT In February, after the ear nings announcements, Syngle said they were negotiating possibly the industry's toughest demand environment in nearly three decades. Talking to analysts after Grasim results, Birla's Hargave countered, saying demand in the paints industry, while 'flat', was not as negative as competitors painted it to be. Competition has intensified even for Paints India MD and CEO Abhijit Roy recently told ET that companies that are undertaking price cuts to make inroads may not be able to sustain and wrestle with the might and network of existing players. 'Newer players are also going via a discounting route, but is that a sustainable strate g y? We are going profitably but some of the other entrants will have to suffer losses,' said Roy. As Syngle says, 'Some of this aggression is reflected in terms of high sales and distribution expenses by competition.' How much longer will Birla bankroll discounts? Insiders expect the likes of JSW to up the ante. The Jindal-led company and Indigo Paints are said to be in a close tussle to strengthen their market share in the luxury and uber-luxury segments and are currently said to be frontrunners to acquire the Dutch paint maker AkzoNobel's India business. Amid all this, it is easy to forget that Asian Paints still has more than 50% market share in India. 'This will be a defining year for Asian Paints,' says Trivedi, while maintaining a 'neutral' position on the stock. As an insider sums it up: 'Asian Paints has to sort itself out but, believe me, it will make a comeback if it gets the right ecosystem. It is still a very strong company.' Despite headwinds, analysts and industry experts are not writing Asian Paints off. Its dominant market share, vast dealer network and deep brand equity give it a strong platform to recover. But it will need to reignite consumer connection, sharpen strategy and reinvigorate its culture as it paints a fresh coat.
Time of India
03-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Asian Paints under pressure: Will the market leader regain its shine in 2025?
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel 10%. That was the discount offered by the Aditya Birla Group on prices as it entered India's $9 billion paint market last year. That number lured many dealers to the new brand, Birla Opus, as did the intent that the group signalled when it doubled the initial investment into the sector to Rs 10,000 is a big name, and with its plan to construct six plants spread nationally, it was clear to the dealers that this foray was to be taken seriously. Dealers are a critical cog in the wheel in the paint market, and in just one year, Opus became a weighty competitor to the aggression has resulted in many asking the behemoth Asian Paints a critical question—has the market leader lost its edge? It is a question worrying investors as well. Birla Opus's entry, combined with a slowing market, has led to Asian Paints' recording one of its biggest stock slides in years. It has fallen nearly 15% in the last one year, suffering a market cap loss of about Rs 40,000 the December quarter, Asian Paints' profit dropped nearly a fourth to Rs 1,110.5 crore from the same period in the previous year, while consolidated sales fell 6.1% to Rs 8,521.5 crore. Operating profit shrank more than a fifth to Rs 1,636.7 are being raised about the company's organisational culture, its sluggish response to emerging competition and its seeming lack of proactive approach in a disrupted marketplace. Once considered a 'leadership factory', second only to Hindustan Unilever in nurturing top industry talent, Asian Paints has suddenly found itself under a cloud. The market leader is now preparing to push back. Can it regain the sheen?What exactly is Asian Paints up against? For decades, it has enjoyed an almost unassailable position in India's decorative paints market. Aditya Birla Group's Grasim Industries has targeted that status quo with Birla Opus, shaking the landscape with huge price cuts and aggressive is on track to reach an installed capacity of 1,322 million litres per annum (mlpa) by the first half of FY26 after it commences production in its sixth plant in West Bengal. Importantly, it has also managed to muscle up distribution. The company introduced 129 products with over 900 SKUs available in 4,300 towns across India. Birla Opus' CEO Rakshit Hargave claimed recently on an analyst call: 'We had talked about 50,000 dealers by the end of the first year, and I think we are very close to that journey in terms of where we will end the first year.'This year, Birla Opus is looking to tap tier-2 and -3 markets through a franchise model, targeting smaller towns, with compact 300-400 sq ft stores equipped with paint consultants and trained local entrepreneurs. They are also piloting PaintCraft Partner , a franchisee-led painting services Birla Group Chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla has said the business is on track to achieve its revenue target of Rs 10,000 crore within the first three years of fullscale operations. The company has invested more than Rs 9,000 crore in the paints business so far, which is 90% of the planned capital Trivedi, a consumer analyst who also tracks the paints sector at broking firm Motilal Oswal Financial Services, says, 'From a competition point of view, the product quality of Grasim is getting good market feedback and they are at discounts. While Grasim's channel partners were mostly limited to smaller players last year, the positive product feedback will also lead to larger distributors partnering with them.' That should worry Asian Paints even Paints has responded to all this aggression with enhanced dealer incentives, more affordable product variants and increased marketing spend. The company is also investing in operational efficiencies and capacity expansion, hoping to fight on both cost and Syngle , CEO, Asian Paints, struck a defiant tone on analyst calls: 'We strongly believe that as a brand we need to take calibrated action to ensure that we tackle the competition in a more sustainable way.' Dealers say Asian Paints has lately been aggressive on channel incentives, better quality product launches and has dialled up on-ground engagement intensity with dealers and contractors.A former senior executive at Asian Paints says on condition of anonymity: 'To be fair to Asian Paints, the launch of Birla Opus and its aggressive market-entry strategies coincided with a period of already low consumer sentiment. In such times, even the largest players tend to feel the impact. In a booming market, perhaps Asian Paints would not have been affected to the same extent.' However, he concedes that the company should have been better prepared. 'Asian Paints had months of prior knowledge that the Birla Group—with its deep pockets— would be a formidable competitor,' he watchers have highlighted another problem—Asian Paints' inability to retain key talent, with competition luring away some key senior and middle-level people. A few sudden senior-level exits around February sparked speculation about deeper organisational issues. Responding to questions from ET, Syngle says, 'The senior exits were on account of personal reasons and we had accordingly made the required disclosures. All these positions were filled up with internal replacements on an immediate basis which was also disclosed.'But the criticism has persisted, and one continuing theme is around company culture. A senior industry official says the thirdgeneration promoters, apart from vice chairman Manish Choksi, have little operational experience. 'They don't understand the bazaar network. The board is strong on governance, but who is stewarding the company's culture and future?' Asian Paints' alumni echo this sentiment, pointing to what they perceive as a drift in strategic clarity and a lack of cultural renewal as evidence. 'This isn't about one bad quarter,' says a former executive. 'It's about how the company has responded—or failed to respond—to a shifting landscape. You can't run a market-leading company on legacy alone.'Asian Paints' diversification into adjacent categories like kitchens, lighting and home décor under Beautiful Homes has also come under scrutiny. 'After 10 years, what do they really have to show in those segments? Either dominate or move out,' says a senior industry common thread in the criticism is the perceived stagnation in brand identity and consumer engagement. 'When was the last time Asian Paints excited you?' asks a former marketing head. 'The campaigns are tired, uninspiring and disconnected. When a challenger brand like Birla Opus arrives, you should remind consumers of your heritage, your reliability. Instead, the messaging is all over the place.'This is something Asian Paints seems to be addressing, having unveiled a new, highdecibel marketing campaign during the Indian Premier League. The ad, created by Ogilvy , emphasises on the brand being used in homes across regions in India, with the line, 'Asian Paints ki Warranty, India ka Har Doosra Ghar Kehta Hai (Asian Paints' warranty is evident in every second home in India).' It is evident that Asian Paints is trying to evoke nostalgia for the brand, but is that enough?In February, after the ear nings announcements, Syngle said they were negotiating possibly the industry's toughest demand environment in nearly three decades. Talking to analysts after Grasim results, Birla's Hargave countered, saying demand in the paints industry, while 'flat', was not as negative as competitors painted it to be. Competition has intensified even for Paints India MD and CEO Abhijit Roy recently told ET that companies that are undertaking price cuts to make inroads may not be able to sustain and wrestle with the might and network of existing players. 'Newer players are also going via a discounting route, but is that a sustainable strate g y? We are going profitably but some of the other entrants will have to suffer losses,' said Roy. As Syngle says, 'Some of this aggression is reflected in terms of high sales and distribution expenses by competition.'How much longer will Birla bankroll discounts? Insiders expect the likes of JSW to up the ante. The Jindal-led company and Indigo Paints are said to be in a close tussle to strengthen their market share in the luxury and uber-luxury segments and are currently said to be frontrunners to acquire the Dutch paint maker AkzoNobel's India business. Amid all this, it is easy to forget that Asian Paints still has more than 50% market share in India. 'This will be a defining year for Asian Paints,' says Trivedi, while maintaining a 'neutral' position on the an insider sums it up: 'Asian Paints has to sort itself out but, believe me, it will make a comeback if it gets the right ecosystem. It is still a very strong company.' Despite headwinds, analysts and industry experts are not writing Asian Paints off. Its dominant market share, vast dealer network and deep brand equity give it a strong platform to recover. But it will need to reignite consumer connection, sharpen strategy and reinvigorate its culture as it paints a fresh coat.
