Chennai: FMCG player Usha International is strengthening its overseas presence and setting up offices in Dubai and Nepal. The company has a presence in neighbouring countries, including Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka, and entered the UAE market about two decades ago.Anil Dua, COO, Usha International, said Dubai would serve as a base for further distribution of its products across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. “We are looking at expanding our distribution there (in Dubai). Now, we have a few redistributors who are looking at specific countries. We are exploring whether we should go to those countries directly or not. So, those are the things that the export team is working on. The reason for an office in Dubai is more to do with getting our presence into the other parts of the Middle East and Africa,” he said.According to him, Dubai accounts for 4%-5% of the company’s total exports, comprising fans, sewing machines and auto parts such as fuel-injection components. About four lakh fans are exported to Dubai annually, he added.Noting that the company is looking to grow in the GCC and African markets, he said it would continue to operate as a B2B business in Dubai. Asked about the impact of the West Asia crisis on the GCC region, Dua said, “Sales have come down. But the demand has gone up because everything is sold off there.”
