Client Context
A European industrial pump manufacturer was evaluating expansion into India to develop new customers beyond its established markets. While its products served several industrial applications, the company needed greater clarity on customer demand, competitive conditions, and distribution requirements before committing resources.
In this scenario, the client engaged Kepler Ventures to develop an India entry strategy: identify priority applications, assess customer purchasing requirements, and evaluate practical routes to market.
The Challenge
The client faced uncertainty about where and how to establish a commercially viable presence in India:
- Limited visibility into the customer segments best suited to its product portfolio.
- Strong competition from established suppliers with existing customer and distributor relationships.
- Need to understand purchasing priorities beyond initial equipment price, including reliability, operating costs, and maintenance.
- Difficulty identifying distribution partners with suitable technical expertise and customer access.
- Uncertainty about the local service capabilities needed to support initial market entry.
Our Approach
The four-month engagement combined market intelligence, customer assessment, and channel analysis to develop a focused India entry strategy.
Phase 1: Market Profiling & Application Assessment
Analysis of six end-use customer segments, their industrial applications, demand drivers, and purchasing requirements to identify opportunities aligned with the manufacturer’s product capabilities.
Phase 2: Customer & Competitive Landscape Assessment
Evaluation of customer selection criteria and competing suppliers across product performance, pricing, delivery, and service support to assess potential positioning.
Phase 3: Distribution & Service Partner Assessment
Mapping and evaluation of 12 potential distribution and service partners based on technical capabilities, customer relationships, geographic coverage, and after-sales support.
Phase 4: India Entry Strategy & Commercial Roadmap
Comparison of feasible entry models and development of a phased roadmap covering three priority applications, partner qualification, customer engagement, and service-readiness requirements.
Outcomes & Recommendations
- Recommended three priority applications for initial entry based on alignment between product capabilities and customer purchasing requirements.
- Clarified potential positioning against customer priorities, including reliability, maintenance requirements, and operating costs.
- Established a shortlist from the 12 potential distribution and service partners evaluated for further due diligence.
- Defined a phased entry roadmap to guide initial customer engagement, partner qualification, and service preparation.
Plan a Focused Entry into India
Identify priority customers, assess distribution and service requirements, and define a practical route to market.
