Chapter 1

1. INTRODUCTION TO INDUSTRY

REVERSE OSMOSIS (RO) WATER FILTERS

Research on RO began in the 1950’s at the University of Florida where Reis and Breton
were able to demonstrate desalination properties of cellulose acetate membrane.
Loeb and Sourirajan continued the development of the RO technology with the
creation of the first asymmetric cellulose acetate membrane.

Research on there promising developments spawned new and better configurations of RO

elements, today the industry produces predominately spiral wound elements or in
some cases, hollow fiber elements. In the first composite Polyamide membrane. This
membrane had significantly higher permeated flow and salt rejection than celluloses
membranes.

Today with the introduction of the ESPAS by Hydranautics, the industry has attained a 20
times increase in flow per pressure over original celluloses membranes with an order
of magnitude decrease in salt passage.

1
Reverse osmosis, also known as hyper filtration, is the finest filtration available today. It
is the most common treatment technology used by premium bottled water companies. It
is effective in eliminating or substantially reducing a very wide array of contaminants,
and of all technologies used to treat drinking water in residential applications, it has the
greatest range of contaminant removal. Reverse osmosis will allow the removal of
particles as small as individual ions. The pores in a reverse osmosis membrane are only
approximately 0.0005 micron in size (bacteria are 0.2 to 1 micron & viruses are 0.02 to
0.4 microns).

There are two types of reverse osmosis membranes commonly used in home water
purification products: Thin Film Composite (TFC) and Cellulose Triacetate (CTA). TFC
membranes have considerably higher rejection rates (they will filter out more
contaminants) than a CTA membrane, however, they are more susceptible to degradation
by chlorine. This is one of the reasons why it is important that a reverse osmosis system
include quality activated carbon pre-filters.
A typical RO system is composed of an array of granular activated carbon (GAC) pre-
filters, the reverse osmosis membrane, a storage tank, and a faucet to deliver the purified
water to your countertop. Reverse osmosis systems vary in membrane quality, output
capacity, and storage capacity.

Filters out (some of them to 1/1000 micron) bacteria, metals (such as lead, barium,
cadmium, chromium, copper, fluoride, mercury, nitrates, radium), parasites, chlorine,
asbestos, cysts, even anthrax spores. – This system is better, healthier, and ultimately less
expensive. Reverse Osmosis allows Oxygen to pass through to the finished water which
is very beneficial. Properly Distilled water and Reverse Osmosis water permeates the
cells in the body easier because of their low mineral content thus creating greater
Osmotic pressure that flushes toxins and wastes out of the cell more readily and
efficiently. However, if distilled water is not filtered through a carbon system, then it will
contain chemicals, but no oxygen or minerals. Charcoal pitchers (Brita) – are used to
filter bad taste but not much else.

How it works?

In short, it is the process by which water molecules are forced through a 0.0001 micron
semi-permeable membrane by water pressure. Long sheets of the membrane are
ingeniously sandwiched together and rolled up around a hollow central tube in a spiral
fashion. This rolled-up configuration is commonly referred to as a spiral wound

2
membrane or module. They are available in different sizes for processing different
quantities of water.

Typically, a module for home water treatment is as small as 2" diameter and 10" long,
while one for industrial use may be 4" diameter and 40" long.

For the membrane to be usable it must be in some type of container (membrane housing)
so pressure can be maintained on its surface. It is this pressure that supplies the energy to
force the water through the membrane, separating it from unwanted substances. The most
amazing aspect of RO is that the substances left behind are automatically diverted to a
waste drain so they don't build up in the system as with conventional filtering devices.
This is accomplished by using a part of the unprocessed water (feed water) to carry away
the rejected substances to the drain, thus keeping the membrane clean. This is the reason
to why RO membranes can last so long and perform like new with minimum maintenance
even after years of operation.

Applications

Reverse osmosis is an excellent choice for almost all home water purification needs. It is
the most recommended solution for individuals on a pre-treated municipal water system.
While reverse osmosis can be very effective in removing bacteria and viruses, it is not
recommended that reverse osmosis be the only level of purification for water that
contains or may contain biological contaminants (untreated well or lake water, for
instance). For these applications consider a combined reverse osmosis / ultraviolet system
or the addition of a complementary whole-house ultraviolet system for maximum
effectiveness and protection against bacteria and viruses. Since membranes are subject to
degrading by chlorine, iron, manganese, and hydrogen sulfide, and to bacterial attack,
sediment pre-filter and an activated carbon pre-filter and/or post-filter should be included
with your reverse osmosis system. Water softeners can be used in advance of the RO
system when household water is excessively hard to prevent pre-filter and membrane
fouling. RO systems are generally the best choice for water contaminated with high
nitrite levels as might be found in agricultural areas.

3
 Bad
Bacteria Tastes Heavy
and & Hydrogen VOC'
Viruses Odors Chlorine Fluoride Sulfide Metals Nitrates Radon Sediment Iron s

= Effectively Removes = Significantly Reduces = Minimal or No

Removal

* Even though reverse osmosis is effective in removing bacteria and viruses, it is not
recommended that you rely upon reverse osmosis solely if your water is contaminated
with bacteria or viruses. Ultraviolet (UV) purification is also recommended.

What contaminants does Reverse Osmosis remove?

Reverse osmosis (RO) units remove substantial amounts of most inorganic chemicals
(such as salts, metals, minerals) most microorganisms including cryptosporidium and
giardia, and most (but not all) inorganic contaminants.

Reverse osmosis successfully treats water with dissolved minerals and metals such as
aluminum, arsenic, barium, cadmium, chloride, chromium, copper, fluoride, magnesium,

4
iron, lead, manganese, mercury, nitrate, selenium, silver, sulfate, and zinc. RO is also
effective with asbestos, many taste, color and odor-producing chemicals, particulates,
total dissolved solids, turbidity, and radium. When using appropriate activated carbon
pre-filtering (commonly included with most RO systems), additional treatment can also
be provided for such "volatile” contaminants (VOCs) as benzene, MTBE,
trichloroethylene, trihalomethanes, and radon. Essentially, reverse osmosis is capable of
rejecting bacteria, salts, sugars, proteins, particles, dyes, heavy metals, chlorine and
related by-products, and other contaminants that have a molecular weight of greater than
150-250 Daltons.

The separation of ions with reverse osmosis is aided by charged particles. This means that
dissolved ions that carry a charge, such as salts, are more likely to be rejected by the
membrane than those that are not charged, such as organics. The larger the charge and the
larger the particle, the more likely it will be rejected.

Advantages

 Very high rejection rate for a wide array of contaminants

 Very cost effective in the long term, costing as little as 5 cents per gallon of pure water
once maintenance and water costs are factored in.

Disadvantages

 requires sediment and carbon pre-filtration (generally included as part of the system) to
prevent membrane fouling
 because reverse osmosis works against standard osmotic pressure, the process is
generally fairly slow, producing roughly 15 gallons of purified water per day, and may
require from 3 to 10 gallons of untreated water to make a single gallon of purified water

5
Choosing a Water Filter-
What You Need to Know...
There are several details you need to consider before purchasing a drinking water filter:

Best Type of Water Filter:

Of the different types of drinking water filters, most experts agree that a Reverse Osmosis
water filter is your best choice. Reverse Osmosis filters remove the widest spectrum of
contaminants compared to other types of filters available.

Quality:
The most important! Since you'll be drinking the water and connecting the water filter
system to your water pipes, you don't want to worry about poorly designed systems that
may give impure water, break down often, and even flooding your home. So ask
questions about the quality of the materials used, the workmanship, and warranty.
We suggest purchasing systems built in the U.S. using U.S. parts.

Maintenance and Filter Changes:

Make sure this is easy to do, because changing the filters yourself will save you tons of
money in the long run. Also, the filter change schedule should be around 12 months (long
lasting filter), not too short like 4-6 months. Filter prices should be reasonable. Filter size
should be industry standard size, so you can get them anywhere. If the filters are
"proprietary" sized, then you'll be stuck with the same supplier for future replacements
even if they are expensive.
Water Treatment
70% of the human body is water
Kidneys 82.7%
Blood 83.0%
Brain 74.5%
Muscles 75.6%
Bones 22.0%

6
The average American adult consumes 300 gallons per year of water for cooking and
drinking. Water is important for your health. Without it, you will die in 72 hours.

These chemicals mix with other contaminants with unknown consequences. The EPA has
proven that over 700 contaminants exist in our water today, yet Health Departments by
law throughout the U.S., need only test for 86 chemicals. The 86 must pass testing criteria
that are very, very low, based on a political decision in the early 1970’s (due to disparities
from city to city throughout the U.S. regarding the cost to repair the water pipes (in the
pilot study) for those cities way below the line). However, 614 chemicals are not tested to
determine safety requirements.

Even with the lax guidelines of the EPA’s ‘The Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974, various
cities and town water departments throughout the U.S. have had to declare their drinking
water unfit for consumption. One example, the Water Dept in Utica, NY (near Ithaca,
NY -- home of Cornell University) had at one time, and may even yet today, stamped
each monthly bill with the following: “Not fit for human consumption.” This admonition
would probably apply to almost every city and town in the U.S., if comprehensive testing
with proper limit restrictions applied on the other known contaminates.

Benefits of Drinking Pure Water

Drinking water helps nearly every part of the human body function. Considering that our
bodies are almost two-thirds water, understanding water's important role in the body can
be a fountain of health.

Health Benefits of Water

 More energy
 Perform Better
 Lose weight
 Reduces headaches and dizziness.
 Helps with digestion and converting food into energy
 Facilitates elimination of waste

7
Benefits of Drinking Pure Water

1. Safety – Purified drinking water contains no harmful chemicals that can pose a
threat to human health.
2. No contaminates – POU water filtration systems eliminate all naturally occurring
contaminates like bacteria, viruses and parasites. Also all pathogens are removed
such as giardia, e-coli, etc.
3. Great taste – With all the impurities and contaminates removed, there is nothing
left but the clean, refreshing taste of pure water. Imaging looking forward to a tall,
cool glass of water as a special treats!

Which Method of Water Purification is best for you?

Now that you have decided to buy a water purifier the next step would be to determine
which technology to opt for. Domestic water purifiers available in India use chemicals,
activated carbon filtration, UV purification, reverse osmosis or a combination of
technologies. The quality of water differs from source to source and it is advisable to
select a purification system that is best equipped to eliminate the impurities present in the
water where you live.

The water purifier you select should ideally depend on the extent and type of
contamination together with the TDS (total dissolved solids) level of water.

Reverse osmosis eliminates 100% of micro organisms such as viruses and bacteria and up
to 99.8% of solid suspension including salt if the membrane is a high quality one.
Mechanical pressure is used to direct water to flow through a semi permeable membrane
that traps all solids of or larger than .0009 microns. Reverse osmosis thus not only frees
water of impurities but also desalinates it.

However, reverse osmosis is not always the best purification method. Reverse osmosis
based purifiers should not be used where TDS levels are low because it could result in
water that is completely mineral deficient and thus unsuitable for drinking. reverse
osmosis water purifiers are most suitable for water that is sourced from deep tube wells,
hard and saline water with TDS levels above 500 mg/liter and chemically contaminated
water.

Popular reverse osmosis purifiers include Eureka Forbes’ Aqua guard Total reverse
osmosis, Kent’s Mineral reverse osmosis system and Whirlpool’s Purafresh.

UV water purifiers are widely used in India and effectively render all micro organisms
inert by changing the cell structure. Deactivated microbes do not harm humans. Most UV

8
purifiers are based on a combination of ultra violet purification and filtration. These
purification systems use a lamp to simulate the sun’s ultra violet rays and emit the same
in measured degrees. This method does not remove minerals from water nor does it
reduce TDS levels. Hence UV water purifiers are best used where TDS levels are below
500 mg/liter and the water tastes normal. Ultra violet purification ensures germ free
water.

The leading UV purifier is Eureka Forbes’ Aqua guard, a time tested brand widely used in
homes, offices and commercial establishments across India. In 2007, multinational
Philips introduced Intelligent Water Purifier, which uses UV technology. The brand is
available in four models.

Resin based technology is also used to treat water and make it safe for drinking. One such
method uses a bios tat carbon block to eliminate bad taste and odour and remove chlorine
and organic chemicals. This is followed by treatment with an active disinfectant to
destroy micro organisms. Post purification, the chemical is removed from the water.
Eureka Forbes’ Aqua sure is based on this technology and is very economically priced at
just under Rs. 2000. Hindustan Unilever’s Pure it retails at around Rs.1800. Pure it is
based on a patented technology that combines chlorination and filtration to purify water,
which is ultimately free of chlorine. It is powered by a Germ kill battery kit. Neither
Aqua sure nor Pure it run on electricity.
So, selecting the right water purification system for you and your family is not nearly as
confusing as it first appeared to be. All you have to do is ascertain water quality and
select the right technology within your budget. Once you’ve done that, shop around for
the best brands that use the technology. You should enquire about after sales service,
particularly for UV and reverse osmosis purifiers as these need professional maintenance.
There’s no point in investing thousands of rupees in a high tech system that is not
promptly serviced when it malfunctions.

Advanced Benefits and Features

 Enhances bathing with more lather. Prevents hair loss

 Keeps your skin and hair healthy looking
 Extends the life of all your water using appliances.
 Reduces deposits in geyser and enhances its life
 Reduces deposits in utensils and keeps them sparkling clean
 Enhances the feel of clothes after washing by making them softer, cleaner and
brighter.
 Prevents your expensive bathroom fittings from scaling and corrosion.

9
 Reduces hard-water build-up and makes tubs, showers and sinks to clean.

10
 VISION AND MISSION

Our pervasive vision, “Every Home, everywhere, with pride, passion and
performance”, rests on the pillars of innovation, operational excellence,
customer-centric approach and diversified talent. These are embedded within
our business goals, strategy, processes and work culture.

Be it our products that are the result of innovation and operational

excellence to meet every need of our consumers or the people behind these
products that come from a wide spectrum of backgrounds, everything we do
features a distinct Whirlpool way

Chapter 2

11
 WHIRLPOOL OF INDIA PVT. LTD.
THE HOME APPLIANCE COMPANY

INTTRODUCTION TO THE COMPANY

Whirlpool India is a subsidiary of Whirlpool, a US-based company. Whirlpool was

established in 1911. The company came to India in late 1980s under a joint venture with
TVS Group. The company is present in more than 170 countries. In 1995, whirlpool
acquired kelvinator India ltd. It claims to have provided solutions to home making to
American homes over the past 90 years. A specialist in home making, Whirlpool entered
the Indian market in 1996. By 1999 Whirlpool sold over 10 lakh appliances. With a
network of over 4000 dealers and 500 service centers it claims to be one of India’s largest
home appliance company. Whirlpool also claims to be the first Indian Home Appliance
Company to receive ISO 14000 - the international environment friendly certification.

Whirlpool India has 3 manufacturing facilities located at Faridabad, Pondicherry, and

Pune. The company has an employee base of 2,200.

Whirlpool Corporation engages in the manufacture and marketing of home appliances

worldwide. Its principal products include laundry appliances, refrigerators, cooking
appliances, dishwashers, and mixers and other small household appliances. The company
also produces hermetic compressors for refrigeration systems. It markets and distributes
appliances under various brand names, such as Whirlpool, Maytag, Kitchen Aid, Jenn-
Air, Roper, Estate, Admiral, Magic Chef, Amana, Ingles, Arcos, Spermatic, Bauknecht,
Ignes, Laden, Polar, and KIC primarily to retailers, distributors, and builders. Whirlpool
Corporation also sells its products to other manufacturers, distributors, and retailers for
resale under those manufacturers? And retailers? Respective brand names in North
America. The company was founded in 1906 and is based in Benton Harbor, Michigan.

Financial Performance for the year 2007-08

- Turnover of Rs. 1274 crores
- Operating Profit of Rs 44.21 crores
- 'Profit before Interest, Depreciation and Tax' of Rs. 14.57 crores
- Growth of 25% (Approx.) in net sales.

Extension Plans

12
Whirlpool India is planning to invest $15 - 20 million in the next 1 year.

Career with Whirlpool India

In a survey conducted by Business World in 2008, Whirlpool India was ranked as No. 6
in the consumer durable sector and was given the following scores based on the different
parameters:

Whirlpool India
Innovativeness 92.0
Quality & Depth of 129.0
Management
Financial Performance 94.1
Ethics & Transparency 94.1
Quality of Products & 101.0
Services
Talent 112.0
Management/People
Practices
Global Competitiveness 102.1
Total Score 724.2

Whirlpool, right from its inception in 1911 as first commercial manufacturer of motorized
washers to the current market position of being world's number one manufacturer and
marketer of major home appliances, has always set industry milestones and benchmarks.
The parent company is headquartered at Benton Harbor, Michigan, USA with a global
presence in over 170 countries and manufacturing operation in 13 countries with 11
major brand names such as Whirlpool, Kitchen Aid, Roper, Estate, Bauknecht, Laden and
Ignis. The company boasts of resources and capabilities beyond achievable feat of any
other in the industry.

Whirlpool initiated its international expansion in 1958 by entering Brazil. However, it

emerged as truly global leader in the1980's. This encouraging trend brought the company

13
to India in the late 1980s. It forayed into the market under a joint venture with TVS group
and established the first Whirlpool manufacturing facility in Pondicherry.

Soon Whirlpool acquired Kelvinator India Limited in 1995 and marked an entry into
Indian refrigerator market as well. The same year also saw acquisition of major share in
TVS joint venture and later in 1996,

Kelvinator and TVS acquisitions were merged to create Indian home appliance leader of
the future, Whirlpool India. This expanded the

Company’s portfolio in the Indian subcontinent to washing machines, refrigerator, water

purifiers, microwave ovens and air conditioners.

Today, Whirlpool is the most recognized brand in home appliances in India and holds a
market share of over 25%. The company owns three state-of-the-art manufacturing
facilities at Faridabad, Pondicherry and Pune. Each of these manufacturing set-ups
features an infrastructure that is witness of Whirlpool's commitment to consumer interests
and advanced technology.

In the year ending in March '06, the annual turnover of the company for its Indian
enterprise was Rs.1375 Crores. According to IMRB surveys Whirlpool enjoys the status
of the single largest refrigerator and second largest washing machine brand in India.
The company's brand and image speaks of its commitment to the homemaker from every
aspect of its functioning. It has derived its functioning principles out of an undaunted
partnership with the homemakers and thus a slogan of “You and whirlpool, the world's
best homemaker” dots its promotional campaigns. The products are engineered to suit the
requirements of ‘smart, confident and in-control' homemaker who knows what she wants.
The product range is designed in a way that it employs unique technology and offers
consumer relevant solutions.

RO PRODUCTS OF WHIRLPOOL INDIA

Whirlpool India launches “Purafresh” R.O. Water purifier - 3 models: Elite, Del
uxe and Platinum

14
More and more companies are realizing the need to be in the water purifier product
segment. We covered a brief article on water purifier products before here. Today we talk
about Whirlpool India which has launched 3 water purifier products recently.
Our mission is to help you live healthier and happier by ensuring that you get the most
important nutrient of all – Piyo Pure Raho Sure.

It was also claimed to be the ''first'' Indian RO to meet the stringent quality standards of
The Water Quality Association, USA.

There are three models from Whirlpool which consumers can consider. They are Elite,
Deluxe and Platinum. All of them are certified by Gold Seal of WQA, USA. Apparently
this body offers the most stringent tests in the world for water purifiers.

15
The products are collectively being referred to under an umbrella brand name
“Purafresh”. The literature from the company also mentions that Purafresh products have
a “6th Sense purifier” and “protect technology”. The USP here is that whirlpool products
not only purify water but they also protect it post purification. So in the manufacturer’s
words: They play a dual role.

Purafresh Platinum | Direct Flow

Whirlpool brings to you India’s First

Direct flow Reverse Osmosis system. This
Unique purification system provides Pure
and fresh water at a “touch”. Continuing
with the customer centric innovation
strategy at Whirlpool, Purafresh Platinum
provides the consumer with filter change in
dictators and high class electronics for ease
of usage.

The high end Purafresh platinum model, Whirlpool claims, is India’s first and Only
Direct Flow RO with no storage tank enabling immediate consumption of freshly purified
water with 72 liters per hour capacity (Normal RO products have 8-10 liters per hour
capacity). It has an advanced 5-stage purification process and also boasts a first–of–its–
kind electronic interface with a ‘Filter change indicator’, which alerts the consumer on

16
the need to change the filter and thus ensures continual purity & protection of the water.
Other diagnostics functions like no water on tap indication, self cleaning mode indication,
and water extraction indication makes it the most advanced and best in class product.

Key Features

 Electronic display panel

 Filter change indicator
 No risk of contamination
 Push button operation
 Speedy water flow (72 liters per hour)

Purafresh Elite | 8.5 Liters

Purafresh Elite A water Purifier for the Entire family with storage capacity of 8.5 liters. It
offers your family the surety of purification through Reverse Osmosis Process and
protection from post purification contamination. Purafresh range of Purifiers is certified
by the world’s foremost water body, Water Quality Association of USA, with its gold
seal.

Purafresh purifiers use the reverse osmosis (RO) technology to purify water and claim to
not only kill the bacteria and microbes but also cleanse it of chemical impurities. It comes
in a range of three models – Deluxe and Elite, which come with a tank to store the treated

17
water, and Platinum, claimed to be India’s first and only direct-flow RO system that has
to be attached to the water inlet system enabling immediate consumption of freshly
purified water.

Purafresh Deluxe | 6.5 liters

Key features

 6 stage filtration system

 Airtight storage tank for extra protection
 Prevention of overflow
 Silver cartridge
 Sliding front deco with child lock
 Water level indicator

Whirlpool’s products are different in that they come with a silver ceramic cartridge which
keeps the water pure even after treatment, and come with filter change indicators, Mr.
Singh said. The Deluxe and Elite purifiers use 16 W of electricity while Platinum uses 60
watt. The water purifier (electric) market is estimated at Rs 1,400 crore, and growing at
12-15 per cent annually across the UV and RO technologies. RO is a more advanced
technology and the market is shifting to this, Mr. Singh said, adding that RO systems
account for 30 per cent of the market. While the segment using UV treatment is growing
at 12 per cent, the RO segment is growing at 25-30 per cent, he said

18
19
 LANDMARKS

 1911: Louis Upton founded the Upton Machine Company in this year to
produce motor-driven wringer washers.

 1916: First order of washers was sold to Sears, Roebuck & Co.

 1929: Upton Machine Company merged with Nineteen Hundred Washer

Company of New York.

 1948: First 'Whirlpool' brand automatic washer with dual distribution was
introduced. It included two product lines one each was distributed through
Sears and Nineteen Hundred.

 1957: The Company was rechristened as ' The Whirlpool Corporation.'

 1958: The Company moved out of country for the first time and invested in
Brazilian appliance market through purchase of equity in Multibras S.A.

20
 1968: The Elisha Gray II Research & Engineering Center was completed in
Benton Harbor. In the same year the company's revenues crossed the
legendary $1 Billion mark for the first time

 1978: Within a decade company doubled its feat of $1 Billion mark and
reached the $2 billion revenue level.

 1986: The 'Kitchen Aid' division of Hobart Corporation was purchased.

 1987: Whirlpool tied-up with Sundaram Clayton Ltd. of India to form TVS
Whirlpool Ltd.

 1989: This was a historic year since the revenues catapulted to heights of over
$6 Billion mark. Also, the joint venture with N.V.Philips of Netherlands called
Whirlpool Europe B.V. was formed to manufacture and market appliances in
Europe.

 1990: Company established joint venture with Matsushita Electric Company

of Japan to produce vacuum cleaners for the North American market.

 1993: First time Whirlpool became the No.1 stand-alone brand in UK, Ireland,
Netherlands and Belgium

 1996: Whirlpool Washing Machines Ltd. and Kelvinator India Ltd. merged
together to form Whirlpool of India Ltd.

 1998: This year gave birth to a new company vision that says, "Every Home
Everywhere with Pride, Passion & Performance."

 1999: Whirlpool of India crossed the milestone of 1 million sales of

appliances.

 2001: Whirlpool India registered profit & sold 1.2 million appliances. It also
achieved the No.1 position in DC & FA.

 2003: A new mission statement of "Everybody creating loyal customers for

life" was adopted.

21
  2007: Whirlpool Corporation acquires Maytag and become the Worlds largest
white goods company.

Whirlpool is transforming into a completely customer-centered company where the

customer lies in the core of every of our functions. This focus has arrived as direct
consequence of our core competency of customer excellence. It allows us to build
Customer Loyalty. The transformation is made up of five elements:
 Market leadership through customer loyalty
 Innovation
 Diversity with inclusion and core competencies
 Passion for customer excellence
 Operational excellence

The elements of the transformation hold the promise of making Whirlpool a growing
company and thereby increasing value for our shareholders. The five elements are the
basis for describing our strategy internally and guide the development of our plans and
initiatives.
Whirlpool has swiftly moved from being a World Class Manufacturer to a World Class
Marketer using the brand-building framework. We are dedicated to creating unique
branded solutions that build customer loyalty and achieve brand excellence

SWOT Analysis

22
Strengths
 Largest distribution network
 Ability to constantly innovate
 Current leaders in quality service
 Entrepreneurial zeal
 Good technology
 Gives Good Offers
 Continuous product enhancement

Weaknesses
 Need for Government support
 Awareness
 To prove credibility
 Price pressures
 Sales and Marketing
 Customer-care, only in name

Opportunities
 Attain higher value services
 Collaborative business needs to be explored
 To sustain passion and commitment
 Low penetration level in rural markets.

Threats
 Foreign investment
 Other competition

BRAND AMBASSADORS

23
Beautiful and Vivacious – Kajol
Like a fresh breath, Kajol wafted into the film world that thrived on predetermined codes
of demeanor. She carries the halo of spontaneity. Kajol swept across millions of hearts
with her energetic pace. Her vivaciousness and frisky persona proved contagious and
singularly her own in the contemporary scene.

Kajol has made a distinctive indent into the Hindi film

industry. Though she has the girl next door image and is not as glamorous as the others in
her field, Kajol is outstanding in her acting. The flexibility of her acting can be seen from
the various characters done by this natural actress. She gives more attention to her acting
than the financial success of a film.

On association with Whirlpool:

"Whirlpool believes in providing world-class quality to its consumers. Whirlpool is a

'‘Perfect partner to the demanding homemaker' of today. Whirlpool's products are stylish,
modern and contemporary with elegant looks and reflect the sense of pride homemakers
take in choosing them for their homes."

The intense emotional hero – Ajay Devgan

Ajay Devgan, known more for his intense acting abilities carved a niche for himself as an
actor. Ajay is one actor who has gained stardom on the merit of his performances, not
based on Bollywood-style good looks. Earlier known as a dhishum-dhishum action hero,
Ajay shifted his image to a romantic lead, setting the trend with Ishq, a soft romantic

24
Comedy paired opposite wife- Kajol. The image became
much prominent with Pyaar to Hona Hi Tha, bringing out his softer side. Then there was
no looking back for Ajay. It became a habit for him to deliver emotional roles par
excellence.

On association with Whirlpool:

"Whirlpool brand has successfully emulated the dreams, aspirations and expectations of
Indian home maker through the years. It symbolizes a relationship based on equality, love
and romance, which is why I agreed to represent the brand," declares Ajay Devgan. “We
are very pleased to be associated with Whirlpool – the leaders in home appliances”, he
adds.

25
COMPANY PROFILE OF KENT
Kent is a challenger brand in the Rs 600-700 crore Indian water purifier industry
dominated by none other than Aqua guard from Eureka Forbes. Kent was launched in
1995 by Mahesh Gupta an IITian.

Kent is positioned as a premium brand of water purifier targeted at SEC A&A + Most of
the existing purifiers are based on Ultraviolet technology .The brand Kent is
differentiated from the main competitor Aqua guard through its Reverse Osmosis ( RO)
technology. The brand uses the Markonym “RO" to communicate this to the customer.
Most of the existing water purifiers use Ultraviolet technology which is much inferior to
RO technology.

They are a 21st century health care products company with a vision for making the world
a healthy and a happy family. Our mission is to produce innovative health care products
that purify the water we drink, the food we eat and the air we breathe, thus help people
live healthier. For us, bringing health care products for you, is more than just a business,
it is a passion. It is, in fact the very purpose of our existence.

Pioneers in bringing revolutionary RO™ technology to India for the first time, Kent,
started in 1995 in Noida, despite a humble beginning, today Kent is a strong organization
with offices spread across Delhi, NCR, Mumbai and other major cities. Most importantly,
having lacks of satisfied customers to its credit.

Our product philosophy is unambiguous. We help people in attaining the biggest and
most precious wealth, perfect health, and this is reflected in our range of health care
products.

There’s nothing like a cold glass of water to quench your thirst, on a hot day. The point to
ensure however that is it must be clean. And as you know, clean water comes to you only
from the best water purifier systems. If you are on the look out for a trusted brand of
water purifier in India, Kent is your answer. Kent uses the revolutionary and its
proprietary technology – Mineral RO to make every drop you drink, pure and germ free.
Kent is a Noida based company, which was established in 1995. Today, it has offices in
major cities and a large satisfied clientele all over India.
There are hordes of brands in the market, each claiming that theirs is the best water
purifier. There are also many types of water purifiers available. Some use cartridges for
filtration, while some others use Ultra Violet filtration technology. In a cartridge water
purifier, water is allowed to pass through minute pores, just as rainwater seeps through

26
the ground and purifies itself. The water collected thus, looks clean, i.e., there are usually
no visible contaminants. But is water purified in this manner, pure enough? Answer is
certainly not. Research has shown that, most importantly, water needs to be treated to kill
bacteria that are so well protected in their cysts. It usually requires twenty minutes of
continuous boiling to kill them. In a UV water purifier, the UV rays kill all the disease
causing microorganisms - the reason why some of the best water purifiers available in
India today, use this technology.

Kent water filters use the RO and UV filtering technology in combination and hence
count among the best water purifiers in India. Water is at first filtered in using RO, to
remove physical and visible impurities. It is then treated using UV rays to kill any
microorganisms that may be present. Kent, the best water purifier available in the market
today, not only gives you the cleanest water, but also offers other advantages. It is easy to
install, use and maintain. Some versions come with an in-built water storage tank. And
most of all – Kent water purifiers do not strip water entirely of its mineral contents. They
retain the essential minerals, required for your body.
Kent water purifier is a dependable and efficient water purifier that is ideal for home and
office use

There Clientele

KENT has a plethora of very distinct clients to its credit, which includes individuals,
Government Sector, Public and Private Sector, Armed forces, Corporate, Institutions,
NGO’s etc.

Some notable clients are as under:

 4orld Health Organization – Regional Office for South East Asia, New Delhi. Indian
Army
 BEL, NTPC, NPTI, IOC, BPCL, DIAL
 Amongst Corporate & Builders, we have, Ansals, Omaxe, Parsvnath, Supertech,
Amrapali, Niho, TDI, ATS, Eldeco, Assotech, Eros, Mahagun etc.
 American Embassy, Canadian Embassy, Sri Lanka High Commission.
 Overseas Clients - SAARC countries, Middle-east, South West Asia, Africa, Greece,
Romania, Croatia, Australia, New Zealand, Philippines.

27
Awards and Affiliations

Due to very aggressive and extensive advertising & marketing strategies of the company
KENT Mineral RO has gained immense popularity amongst the general public. The
product has been so successful and popular that it was awarded three International
Awards in 2007.

BEST DOMESTIC WATER PURIFIER 2006-2007 and 2007-2008, BY

UNESCO AND WATER DIGEST INTERNATIONAL AND GOLDEN
PEACOCK AWARD FOR BEST ECO INNOVATION 2006-2007.

SWOT Analysis
Strengths:
 Good reputation in community
 Higher enrollment
 Great community support
 Strong array of program offerings
 Good management/staff relations
 Move toward more web-based services
 Continuous increase in customer population
 Excellent financial position
 Collaborative governance
 Excellent leadership at the top
 Employees have good morale

28
Weaknesses:
 Difficulty in recruiting qualified Staff for their clients
 Need to develop programs and procedures for staffing
 Too many adjuncts
 Internal and external customer service
 Marketing and Public Relations
 Low morale among adjuncts
 Multiple locations (infrastructure/communication difficulties)
 Need for more documented processes (how to get things done can change based
on who gives you the information)
 Keeping up with technologies
 Some of the instructors are not current within field

Opportunities:
 Demographic trends – growth of area
 New Advanced Technology
 Opportunities for the expansion of services
 Huge potential exists for coordinating with local businesses to meet their needs.
 If we grow a little, we will be able to offer a better schedule, more options that
will add to growth.
 Potential financial resources through active pursuit of grants and other non-state
funds
Threats:
 High competition from other organizations
 Service-based local economy makes higher education optional
 Tax base is over-burdened
 Budget cuts
 Higher staffing costs
 Economy Recession
 Lack of appropriate State funding
 Direct State control
 Insufficient basic skills on the part of incoming staff

29
RO PRODUCTS OF KENT

Kent Grand

 Wall mounted with in-built water storage tank. No space wastage on or

below the kitchen counter

 Modern styling with elegant transparent cover to protect from dust and
moisture.

 Purified water capacity of 15 liters/hour with a duty cycle of 75

liters/day.

 8 liters water storage capacity with purified water available on demand,

even during load shedding.
 Fully automatic with auto-start and auto-off.
Kent Elite 1

 High capacity RO™ water purifier for offices and commercial

establishments.

 Best suited as attachments to water coolers.

 20 inch housings for sediments and carbon filters.

30
  High purifying capacity.

Kent Excel

 Best suited for installation under the kitchen counter with a faucet mounted on
the sink.

 High purifying capacity of 15 liters/hour & duty cycle of 75 liters/day.

 Purifies even stored tank water to sweet pure drinking water while retaining
natural minerals.

 7 liters of purified water storage capacity in Hydrostatic tank. Water available

on demand even during load shedding.

Presenting world's first Mineral RO™ technology based water-purifier. Now, whenever
you will drink water from Kent Mineral RO™ water purifier you will be sure of:

31
  More pure water free from bacteria and viruses as it will be purified
through RO followed by UV sterilization.
 Free from dissolved impurities like salt and heavy metals as it will
be purified by RO process.
 Having essential natural minerals too as it will be purified by
mineral RO technology


NEED FOR MINERAL RO™ WATER PURIFIER

The quality of drinking water is deteriorating day by day. One has to drink water now
even from bore-well, overhead storage tanks & water tankers, besides municipal tap
water. These water sources generally contain bacteria, viruses as well as more dissolved
impurities like salts & harmful chemicals.

Double Purification by RO & UV

Water is first pre treated by Sediment and carbon filter, where after by RO Process. TDS
of the purify water is adjusted by adding pre treated (Sediment & Carbon) raw water.
This stream of water is further purified by 11 watt UV lamp sterilized.

PRESENTING THE NEXT GENERATION WATER PURIFIER

We present Kent Mineral RO™ water purifier based on our patented Mineral RO™
technology which removes even dissolved impurities while retaining essential minerals
and offers double purification of bacteria & viruses. These purifiers are suitable for all
types of raw water like bore-well, overhead storage tanks, water tankers & municipal tap
waters.

TDS of purified water should be kept at lowest level to remove soluble impurities.
However, we recommend that it should not be below 50 mg/l (ppm) to ensure minimum
minerals content in the drinking water.

32
Brand Update: Kent RO

Kent RO has landed its brand ambassador in deep trouble. Today Hema Malini who also
is a Rajyasabha MP asked a seemingly innocent question in Parliament. “Whether
government has any plans to reduce the excise duty of RO purifiers?” This question has
created a controversy which may snow ball into a terrible headache for Hema Malini.

We know that having a superior technology is not a recipe for success in marketing front.
The brand faced two major issues, one to establish the brand equity and second to educate
the customers about the new technology. The brand then chose the easy way out in
establishing the brand in the market i.e. through celebrity endorsement. Kent roped in the
Dream Girl (or lady) Bollywood diva Hema Malini and surprisingly her daughter Ahana
to endorse the brand. Hema Malini gave the brand instant eyeballs in the sense that
viewers (including mine) were intrigued with the new brand Kent. The media chosen was
print and TV. Hema Malini made sense because the target audience who are Mothers
could easily identify with this celebrity homemaker. More over the presence of Ahana
made this a family brand.

Last year, the brand roped in Hema Malini's eldest daughter Esha Deol to support the
brand. Thus Kent became the only brand which is endorsed by a celebrity mother and two
daughters. According to reports, the new brand ambassador Esha is expected to give this
brand an entry into the younger generation customers. The move also makes sense with
the rise of lot of young professionals managing their own homes.
The brand had gained good reputation in the market which has prompted the market
leader Eureka Forbes to come out with its own range of RO product.
Besides water purifier, Kent also innovated a fruit and vegetable purifier. This when used
on vegetables and fruits, will clean the impurities and make them fresh. But the price of
Rs 5000 makes it little unaffordable to ordinary customers.
Kent is positioned on the specific feature whereby the mineral content of the water is
sustained even after purification. Hence the brand takes the positioning platform of

33
Mineral Rich Pure Water which also acts as a differentiator.
The real impact of this brand on the market leader Aqua guard will be felt when the price
of the RO purifier will match that of the popular UV purifiers. It will take a little while
before that happens. Industry watchers predict that the product is moving towards the
Reverse Osmosis Purifiers. When that happens Kent RO will reap the rewards of its
investments.

Press release
India, Republic of (Press Release) September 24, 2007 -- There’s nothing like a cold
glass of water to quench your thirst, on a hot day. The point to ensure however that is it
must be clean. And as you know, clean water comes to you only from the best water
purifier systems. If you are on the look out for a trusted brand of water purifier in India,
Kent is your answer. Kent uses the revolutionary and its proprietary technology – Mineral
RO to make every drop you drink, pure and germ free. Kent is a Noida based company,
which was established in 1995. Today, it has offices in major cities and a large satisfied
clientele all over India.
There are hordes of brands in the market, each claiming that theirs is the best water
purifier. There are also many types of water purifiers available. Some use cartridges for
filtration, while some others use Ultra Violet filtration technology. In a cartridge water
purifier, water is allowed to pass through minute pores, just as rainwater seeps through
the ground and purifies itself. The water collected thus, looks clean, i.e., there are usually
no visible contaminants. But is water purified in this manner, pure enough? Answer is
certainly not. Research has shown that, most importantly, water needs to be treated to kill
bacteria that are so well protected in their cysts. It usually requires twenty minutes of
continuous boiling to kill them. In a UV water purifier, the UV rays kill all the disease
causing microorganisms - the reason why some of the best water purifiers available in
India today, use this technology.
Kent water filters use the RO and UV filtering technology in combination and hence count
among the best water purifiers in India. Water is at first filtered in using RO, to remove
physical and visible impurities. It is then treated using UV rays to kill any
microorganisms that may be present. Kent, the best water purifier available in the market
today, not only gives you the cleanest water, but also offers other advantages. It is easy to
install, use and maintain. Some versions come with an in-built water storage tank. And
most of all – Kent water purifiers do not strip water entirely of its mineral contents. They
retain the essential minerals, required for your body.
Kent water purifier is a dependable and efficient water purifier that is ideal for home and
office use.

34
RO PRODUCTS OF SOME OTHER WELL REPUTED
COMPANIES IN THE MARKET

HINDUSTAN UNILEVER

Formerly known as Hindustan Lever Limited. The Group's principal activities are to
manufacture and market consumer products. The Group operates through seven
segments: Soaps and Detergents, Personal Products, Exports, Beverages, Foods, Ice
Creams and Other. The products include home and personal care products, foods and
beverages, industrial and agricultural products. Home and personal care products consists
of personal and fabric wash, household, oral care, skin and hair care, deodorants,
perfumery, color cosmetics and baby care. Foods and beverages includes tea, coffee,
cooking fats and oils, bakery fats, ice creams, tomato products, fruit and vegetable
products, rice, salt, atta and rawa, marine products and mushrooms. Industrial and
agricultural products includes specialty chemicals, bulk chemicals, fertilizers, animal
feeds, seeds, plant growth nutrients, processed-tri-glycerides and agri commodities, yeast,
leather, footwear and carpets, thermometers and plantations.

SWOT Analysis
Strengths:
 Vast improvements recently with regard to physical appearance
 Public relations endeavors
 Well-functioning management group

Weaknesses:
 Lack of strategic planning history
 Inadequate resources to address needs of international customer
 Communication needs to improve with the resources and clients

Opportunities:
 Continuing interest in Information Technology
 We need to sell ourselves to local
 Potential financial resources through active pursuit of grants and other non-state
funds
Threats:

35
  New “security” restrictions that might hamper the development of foreign
exchange staff
 Recession in the industry
 Competition with major players in service area
 Loss of “key” individuals to higher paying or less-stress working environment

Pure it - The world's most advanced in-home water purifier

Pure it, a breakthrough offering of Hindustan Unilever (HUL), comes with many unique
benefits – complete protection from all water-borne diseases, unmatched convenience and
affordability. Pure it not only renders water micro-biologically safe, but also makes the
water clear, odorless and good-tasting. Pure it runs with a unique ‘Germ kill battery
Kit’™ that typically lasts for 1500 liters* of water. The Germ kill Battery Kit™ is priced
at Rs.300. This means consumers will get five liters of water that is ‘as safe as boiled
water’ ™ for just one rupee. Which works out to an extremely affordable 20 paisa per
liter?

EUREKA FORBES

 RS. 10 billion multi- product, multi- channel corporation- part of the Shapoorji
Pallonji group over 7000 employees.
 Leaders in domestic and industrial water purification system, vacuum cleaners, air
purifiers and security solutions.

Pioneers in direct selling- Asia’s largest direct sales organization.

 6000 strong direct sales force touches 1.50 million Indian homes, adding 1500
customers daily.
 Customers’ family now numbers 6 million enduring relationships as “Friend
for Life”.
 Operations in over 550 cities and towns across India.

Eureka Forbes Aqua guard Compact

36
Eureka Forbes is a specialist in 5 water technologies, addressing 17 diverse water
conditions. Over 71 million liters of Aqua guard water is consumed daily.

Eureka Forbes is the world's largest manufacturer of Ultraviolet based Water Purification
System. With over 20 products and over 3 million units sold.

This water purifier has a flow rate of 1 liter per minute. It has 3 purification stages like-
Candle-filter purification, Silver-impregnated activated carbon purification and Ultra-
violet purification. This has a compact cartridge, integrating the sediment filter candle
with the activated carbon improving the filtration process.

 Customers have always been the center of their business.

 They are in close and constant touch with their customers, listening to them and
understanding their needs.
 They have created exciting new products and service to satisfy their needs.
 A significant part of their revenue comes from relationship marketing including
service contacts, product up gradations and reference of new customers.
 Everyone in the company strives to make their customers Friend for Life.

SWOT Analysis
Strengths:
 Emphasis on planning
 Renewed emphasis on assessment and accountability
 New access to information and data

Weaknesses:
 Responsiveness can sometimes be bogged down in bureaucracy
 Measuring customer satisfaction
 Marketing and Public Relations

37
  Low morale among adjuncts
Opportunities:
 Continuing interest in Information Technology
 To sustain passion and commitment
 Low penetration level in rural markets.

Threats
 Foreign investment
 Other competition
 We must be diligent to protect our reputation for quality strength
 New “security” restrictions that might hamper the development of foreign
exchange staff
 Recession in the industry

38
 Chapter 3

Research methodology

The purpose of the methodology section is to describe the research procedure. This
includes the overall research design, the sampling procedures, the data collection method,
the field methods, and analysis procedure.

“Research is a tool of science and that its purpose is to ‘advance human knowledge’ –
features which distinguish research from other investigatory activities. Research and
research methods might be studied for a variety of reasons. First, it is useful to be able to
understand and evaluate research reports and articles which one might come across in an
academic or professional context. It is therefore advantageous to understand the basis of
such reports and articles. Second, in an academic environment, research is conducted for
its own sake, in the interests of the pursuit of knowledge for example for a thesis. Third,
most readers who are managers will find themselves conducting or commissioning
research for professional reason.”

Qualitative and Quantitative

“The quantitative approach to research involves statistical analysis. It relies on numerical
evidence to draw conclusions or to test hypotheses. To be sure of the reliability of the
results it is often necessary to study relatively large numbers of people and to use
computers to analyze the data. The data can be derived from questionnaire surveys, from
observation involving counts or from secondary sources. The qualitative approach to
research is generally not concerned with numbers. It involves gathering a great deal of
information about a small number of people rather than a limited amount of information
about a large number of people. The information collected is generally not presentable in
numerical form. It is used when a full and rounded understanding of the leisure or tourist
behavior and situation of a few individuals, however ‘unrepresentative’ they may be, is
required, rather than a limited understanding of a large, ‘representative’ group.”

39
Primary Research
“Primary data collection is the collection of data which is done by using methods such as
interviews and questionnaires.
There are many methods of collecting primary data and the main methods include:
 Questionnaires
 Interviews
 Focus group interviews
 Observation
 Case-Studies
 Diaries
 Critical incidents
 Portfolios

Questionnaires
Questionnaires are a popular means of collecting data, but are difficult to design and
often require many rewrites before an acceptable questionnaire is produced.

Interviews
Interviewing is a technique that primarily used to gain an understanding of the underlying
reasons and motivations for people’s attitudes, preferences or behavior. Interviews can be
undertaken on a personal one-to-one basis or in a group. They can be conducted at work,
at home, in the street or in a shopping centre, or some other agreed location.

Secondary Data Collection

“Secondary data is that data which is already been collected by someone else for a
different purpose for e.g.
 Data supplied by a marketing organization.
 Annual company reports.
 Government statistics.

a. Title- COMPARATIVE STUDY OF RO INDUSTRY

TITLE JUSTIFICATION

40
 As I am a RO product user it’s very essential to know about the features and
benefits of its uses. How it affects our body and health as 70% of our body
contains water. This title helps me to gain knowledge about RO industry,
companies providing RO products- their marketing strategies and the most
important what people think or what are their criteria about the RO.

b. Objectives

 Excelling the customer expectations from the company, its brands, products and
services.
 Providing a methodology for solving problems and continuous improvement of
products and processes.
 To see how effective is the promotional and positioning strategy of whirlpool.
 To find out the problems faced by customers.

c. Scope of study

 To find out the most preferred service in the market.

 To know the awareness level of consumers about the services offered to them.
d. Significance of the study

SIGNIFICANCE TO THE INDUSTRY

The industry will be able to get more information about their customers so as to develop
new strategies, planning, controlling, organizing and staffing their agents to analysis the
market and customer problems.

SIGNIFICANCE FOR THE RESEARCHER

This research helps me a lot to understand the situation of the RO industry and how safe
the impure water is for our health. Following consideration had been made:

 How to improve the quality of your tap water

 How to find a top quality water filter, the facts you need to know before you buy
 Reviews of different water filtration methods and of major brands/configurations
of reverse osmosis water filters
 How to test your water
 Is bottled water really the safest?
 What are the different types of bottled water and their quality?

41
  How do reverse osmosis filters give you the purest water
 Contaminated water risks and what to do to ensure pure water

Reverse osmosis (RO) based water purification systems are the most expensive and can
cost up to Rs. 25000. Major vendors of RO water purifiers include Kent and Eureka
Forbes. Whirlpool also markets RO purifiers and claims that its Purafresh brand not only
eliminates all micro organisms but chemical toxins as well. Consumers living in areas
that have hard water prefer RO water purifiers because they remove not just biological
impurities but improve taste and odour. Kent claims that their patented Mineral RO
technology, which combines RO and UV sterilization, not only removes biological
impurities and chemical toxins but retains essential minerals as well.

The water purifier (electric) market is estimated at Rs 1,400 crore, and growing at 12-15
per cent annually across the UV and RO technologies. RO is a more advanced technology
and the market is shifting to this, Mr. Singh said, adding that RO systems account for 30
per cent of the market. While the segment using UV treatment is growing at 12 per cent,
the RO segment is growing at 25-30 per cent, he said

You would be wise to select a brand that comes with an adequate warranty and has a
proven track record of efficient and prompt after sales service. Whatever your budget,
you can now find a suitable water purifier to ensure safe drinking water that will protect
you and your family from water borne diseases.

e. Research Design
“A research design is the arrangement of conditions for collection and analysis of data in
a manner that aims to combine relevance to the research purpose wills economy in
procedure.” In fact, the research design is the conceptual structure within which research
is conducted; it constitutes the blueprint for the collection, measurement and analysis of
data.

Exploratory Research
Exploratory research is also termed as formulated work. The main purpose of such
studies is that of formulating a problem for more precise investigation or of developing a
hypothesis from an operational point of view. The major emphasis in such study is on the
discovery of ideas insight.

Descriptive Research

42
Descriptive research is concerned with describing the characteristics of a particular
individual or of a group.

f. Sampling Methodology

Sampling
A sample is a sub-set of a larger grouping, a population. Samples are frequently studied
in order to learn something of the characteristics of the larger groups (population) of
which they are part. There are two types of Sampling Techniques. One is Probability
sampling and another one is Non-Probability Sampling.

Probability sampling is where each element in a population is randomly selected when

constituting a sample and has a known, non-zero chance of being selected.

Non-probability or purposive sampling is technically defined as where the chance of

selection for each element in a population is unknown, and for some elements, is zero.
Sample size: 150 respondents

g. Limitations

 People were biased

 Lack of information about the competitors.

 Lack of time.

 Less source of finance.

 Technical awareness was not up to the mark.

 Study was restricted to Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida, Greater Noida, Vaishali and
Indirapuram.
 Study was restricted to occupied housing and shopping malls.

43
 MARKETING

According to Kotler-“marketing is a social and managerial process of which individual

and groups obtain what they need and want through creating, offering and exchanging
products of value with others.”

MARKETING MIX
Marketers use numerous tools to elicit desired responses from their target markets. These
tools constitute a marketing mix.
Marketing mix is the set of marketing tools that the firm uses to pursue its marketing
objectives in the target market.

DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS PERFORM A VARIETY OF FUNCTION:-

--- Channels provide distributional efficiency to manufacturers
--- Channels provide salesmanship
--- Channels help merchandise the product
--- Channels supply products in required assortments
--- Channels help implement the price mechanism
--- Channels look after physical distribution and financing functions
--- Channels act as change agents and generate demand
--- Channels break the bulk and cater to the small size requirements of buyers
--- Channels assist in sales promotion
--- Channels provide feedback and market intelligence
--- Channels extend credit to retailers as well as actual users
--- Channels assist in developing sales forecasts for the territory concerned
--- Channels aid in introduction of new products in the market.
PROMOTION
Promotion can be defined as follows-

44
 “In a specific sense, sales promotion involves those sales activities that
supplement both personal selling and advertising and co-ordinate them and helps to make
them effective such as displays, shows and exhibitions, demonstrations and other non
recurrent selling efforts not in the ordinary routine.
In a competitive market, sales promotion comes handy to a marketer to solve
several of his short term hurdles. Short term because the impact of sales promotion
measures is not that durable and lasting like the results obtained through advertising and
personal selling.
Sales promotion offers an extra value to the product over and above its present
value, but this extra value can be given through other means as well through advertising,
through more effective personal; selling or through better publicity or a combination of
these efforts. Sales Promotion does not attempt to achieve goals that advertising or
personal selling can accomplish. Better Sales Promotion programmes yields the best
results when they are well co-ordinate with other elements of promotion- advertising,
personal selling publicity. Sales Promotion programmes cannot run independently of this
major promotion.

Promotion serves a variety of marketing functions-

--- For introducing new products
--- For overcoming a unique competitive situation
--- For overcoming seasonal slumps
--- For getting new accounts
--- For retrieving lost accounts
--- As a support and supplement to the advertising effort
--- As a support and supplement to the salesman’s effort
--- For unloading accumulated inventory
--- For persuading salesmen to sell the full line of products
--- For persuading dealers to buy more/increase the size of orders

45
 Chapter 4

4. Data Analysis and Interpretation

1. SEX

 Male
 Female

Out of the sample size of 150-42% respondents were male and 58% respondents were
female.

46
 2. AGE
 18-25
 25-40
 40-55
 55 and above

Out of the sample size of 150- 17% among the people were between the age group of 18-
25 years, 33% were between the 25-40 years, 27% were between the 40-55 years and
23% were above 55 years.

47
 3. Are you a

 Home user
 Organizational user
 Industrial user
 Commercial user

Out of the sample size of 150- 40% customers were home users, 20% were organizational
users, 13% were industrial users and 27% were commercial users.

48
 4. Do you have any RO water purifier?
 Yes
 No

If yes, are you satisfied with the connectivity?

 Fully satisfied
 Partially satisfied
 Not satisfied


49
20% customers were fully satisfied, 30% were partially while the 50% customers were
not satisfied at all out of the sample of 150 people.

5. An RO would be a good idea on your water?

 Yes
 No
 Can’t say

Out of 150 people- 8% were not sure, 29% were totally against and 63% were in favor
that RO is a better option for their water.

50
 6. Which RO water purifier is better Whirlpool, Kent or any other?
 Whirlpool
 Kent
 Others

Out of the sample size of 150 people- 40% of them stands in the favor of whirlpool and
other RO products while only 20% were in favor of Kent.

7. Like to purchase whirlpool RO water purifier?

 Yes
 No
 Can’t say

51
30% people were not ready to purchase the whirlpool RO products and 10% were not
sure about it while 60% people stand in favor to buy the product.

8. Would you prefer to buy only whirlpool appliances?

 Definitely
 Probably
 Probably not
 Definitely not
 Don’t know

Out of 150 sample size- 28% people were definitely ready to purchase only whirlpool
appliances, 15% were probably sure, 20% were in favor for probably not to buy while
18% people out of the sample size were totally against to buy the appliances and 19%
people don’t know whether they buy or not.

52
 9. Do you think whirlpool RO water purifier is good for your family
health?
 Yes
 No
 Can’t say

For this 48% people were agreed that whirlpool RO water purifier is good for their
family, 32% were against and 20% people were not able to say anything.

53
 INTERPRETATION

Water Purification Products - The Best and the Worst

Buying water purification products can be confusing, but you need to take your time and
buy the right product or you'll simply be wasting your money. Here, we look at the best
and worst water purification systems for home use to help clear up some of the confusion.

This is one of those situations where the companies that do the most advertising provide
the lowest quality. Whenever you buy anything that you see in television and magazine
ads, you are paying for the company's advertising budget.

When it comes to water purification products, the thing that you want to pay for is
quality. In order to get the best for the least, you have to be able to buy directly from the
manufacturer.

Brita, PUR and GE do the most advertising. The quality of GE depends on the product
purchased. They offer single stage reverse osmosis, as well as water purification systems
for home owners that include multiple stages.

The units have a limited capacity. The higher the capacity, the more they cost. The most
effect GE models are the ones with multiple stages. They have priced themselves out of
the market with those.

Their single stage reverse osmosis water purification products cannot technically be
called purifiers. They don't remove chemical contaminants. Practically everyone has tap-
water that has been treated with chlorine. So, practically everyone has some variation of
chemical contaminants.

Reverse osmosis water purification systems for home use are an unnecessary investment.
There are always better options, both for your pocketbook, the great outdoors and the
quality of what you eat, drink and breathe.

Since, RO does not remove chemical contaminants, you would be getting a glassful of
chlorine or other chemical disinfectants, disinfection byproducts, primarily This, volatile
organic compounds like per chlorate, bug spray, weed killer, industrial solvents, traces of
drugs and who knows what else. Of course, minerals are removed through RO, but if

54
your mineral content is too high, you can simply choose ion exchange, which also
removes lead and other metallic traces.

Ion exchange water purification systems for home use can be adapted even to clean up
brackish wells. It's the latest technology, but it costs less than RO.

Brita and PUR water purification products use ion exchange to remove lead, but they
don't include a step that removes this or volatile organic compounds. There is a large
group of different chemicals that fall into this category. The health problems they cause
include nerve damage, respiratory disorders, skin problems and cancer.

With water purification systems for home kitchens and baths that do not remove them,
you are taking a risk every time you drink, shower or even breathe. Unlike other types of
contaminants, they become gases when you turn on the faucet.

The best systems are selective filtration devices with multiple stages that include ion
exchange and carbon block with micron sized pores to remove even chlorine resistant
bacteria. Water purification products like that can be purchased for the kitchen or the
shower for ultimate safety, wherever you go in the house.

55
 Chapter 5

5. Facts and Findings

Out of 150 sample size

1. SEX

MALE FEMALE

NO. OF PERSONS 63 87

2. What is your age?

18-25 25-40 40-55 55 AND

ABOVE
NO. OF 25 49 40 36
PERSONS

3. Are you a home user, organizational user, industrial user or a

commercial user?

HOME ORGANISATIONAL INDUSTRIAL COMMERCIAL

USER USER USER USER
NO. OF 60 30 19 41

56
PERSONS

4. Do you have any RO water purifier?

YES NO
NO. OF PERSONS 111 39

5. An RO would be a good idea on your water?

YES NO CAN’T SAY

NO. OF PERSONS 94 43 13

6. Which RO water purifier is better?

WHIRLPOOL KENT OTHERS

NO. OF 60 30 60
PERSONS

7. Like to purchase whirlpool RO water purifier in future?

YES NO CAN’T SAY

NO. OF PERSONS 90 45 15

57
 8. Would you prefer to buy only whirlpool appliances?

DEFINITELY PROBABLY PROBABLY DEFINITELY DON’T

NOT NOT KNOW
NO. OF 42 22 30 27 29
PERSONS

9. Does whirlpool RO water purifier is good for your family health?

YES NO CAN’T SAY

NO. OF PERSONS 72 48 30

58
 Chapter 6

Recommendations

1. Customers should get immediate response from the company.

2. Customer care service should be advanced so that the company would be able to
improve their service techniques.

3. After sales service should be improved by the company.

4. Deeper penetration of the market should be present from the company side.

5. Company’s risk taking should be more.

6. Company can serve more customers by entering into new markets.

7. Stabilization of prices and margins in the market should be maintained by the

company to stay within the market.

8. Company should create customer oriented image.

9. Company should also emphasize in creating service oriented image.

10. Company should add facility to their valued customers.

11. Different plans should be made to suit the business needs.

12. Create awareness level of consumers about the services of the company on a
product.

59
 Chapter 7

Conclusion
The Water Purifier Market Today

Approximately 80% of diseases in India are caused by water borne micro organisms. This
is true in rural as well as urban India. However, awareness of health risks linked to unsafe
water is still very low among the rural population. The few who treat water resort to
boiling or use domestic candle filters. In comparison, the urban Indian is definitely more
health conscious and understands the necessity of purifying water before it is fit for
consumption. Even so, it is estimated that roughly 7% of urban Indians use non manual
water purifiers. More Indians need to become aware of the importance of installing
drinking water purifiers. There remains a huge untapped market.

Though quite a few city dwellers still boil water, many are switching over to modern
domestic water purifiers. Electrical or chemical based home water purification systems
are most suitable for urban households because they require little or no manual operation
and depending on the technology can eliminate biological contaminants, chemical toxins
and excessive salts. The main contaminants are, however, micro organisms. UV purifiers
and advanced chemical based systems deal effectively with viruses, giardia and bacteria.
This is one of the reasons why UV and resin based purifiers are the most widely used
water purifiers in India today.

It is estimated that around 80% of urban dwellers do not purify tap water. Many of them
are from the lower income strata and cannot afford UV or reverse osmosis water
purification systems. They are the potential buyers of economical but effective chemical
purifiers. This is the market that Eureka Forbes and Hindustan Unilever are tapping
aggressively. Chemical based purifiers, Aqua sure and pure it, together account for 20%
of water purifiers sold. Both are becoming increasingly popular because they are effective
and affordable. The two brands are reported to be growing at 100 percent per annum.
Also, they do not run on electricity and are ideal for locations where power supply is

60
unpredictable. Neither do they demand continuous water supply. Power and water are still
scarce even in urban India.

It is estimated that roughly two thirds of the existing water purification market belongs to
UV water purifiers and one third is shared between reverse osmosis purification systems
and chemical purifiers. In the UV purifier segment, Eureka Forbes’ Aqua guard is the
clear market leader with approximately 68% market share. Other brands include Philips’
Intelligent Water Purifier and Kent’s UV purifier. The UV purifier market is estimated to
be growing at a lower rate than the chemical based segment.

Reverse osmosis purifiers, which are rather expensive and not the preferred option in
many areas, have a smaller share of the market when compared with UV purifiers and
chemical based systems. In the reverse osmosis segment, Eureka Forbes is again the
major player with 60% share. A major portion of the remaining 40% belongs to Kent
reverse osmosis Systems.

That the Indian market has tremendous potential is evident from the fact that global
majors such as Philips and Hindustan Lever have stepped in and are looking to increase
their share of the market. The three principal players today are Eureka Forbes, Hindustan
Lever and Philips. In the years to come, we are likely to see others entering the fray.

With more and more Indians becoming aware of the hazards of drinking impure water,
the demand for effective water purifiers is growing rapidly. The majority of intestinal
disorders and infections are caused by water borne micro organisms. As a result, the
number of consumers looking for reliable purification options is increasing not only in
the metros but also in towns across India.

Tap water may contain both biological and chemical contaminants. Biologically
contaminated water contains microbes such as viruses, which may result in minor to
serious infections, and bacteria and giardia that lead to stomach disorders. Common
causes of chemical contamination are improper treatment of industrial waste and
pesticide overspill. If chemically contaminated water is used regularly it could lead to
serious long term ailments.

Boiling is one of the oldest methods of purifying water and is said to kill most micro
organisms. Candle water filters are still used in many households across India. However,
the pace of life in urban India has quickened so incredibly over the last decade or so that
few householders now have the time to treat water manually. Also, mechanized water
purification systems are often considered more reliable as far as eliminating micro
organisms is concerned.

61
How does one choose from the plethora of technologies and brands now available in
India? Which water purification system would be best for you? The two parameters of
selection here would be degree of purification and price. Different technologies deliver
differing degrees of purity. Water may be purified using the following technologies:

 UV purification
 Reverse Osmosis
 Activated carbon filtering
 Distillation
 Ion exchange
 Electro deionization

Domestic water purifiers usually use chemical purification, ultraviolet treatment and
filtration, or reverse osmosis. Major vendors include Eureka Forbes, Philips, Hindustan
Unilever, Whirlpool and Kent. Eureka Forbes is the overall market leader. Others are Ion
Exchange, Zeolite, Ken star and Maharaja White line.

Eureka Forbes’ Aqua guard is still the market leader. Aqua guard Classic is a UV purifier.
Major global player, Philips has also launched UV purifiers, which are selling well.
Purifiers that use ultraviolet technology are usually priced above Rs. 4000.

Those looking for less expensive purifiers might want to consider chemical based
purification systems such as Hindustan Unilever’s Pure it and Eureka Forbes’ Aqua sure
both of which are priced below Rs. 2000. They don’t run on electricity so power outages
and electricity bills are not a problem. Also, pure it and Aqua sure are reported to be user
friendly allowing customers to service the devices themselves. There are several other
resin based purifiers as well but these may not be as effective as Pure it and Aqua sure.
Also, it is best to select a chemical purifier that is capable of removing the chemicals that
are used for purification.

Reverse osmosis (RO) based water purification systems are the most expensive and can
cost up to Rs. 25000. Major vendors of RO water purifiers include Kent and Eureka
Forbes. Whirlpool also markets RO purifiers and claims that its Purafresh brand not only
eliminates all micro organisms but chemical toxins as well. Consumers living in areas
that have hard water prefer RO water purifiers because they remove not just biological
impurities but improve taste and odour. Kent claims that their patented Mineral RO
technology, which combines RO and UV sterilization, not only removes biological
impurities and chemical toxins but retains essential minerals as well.

62
You would be wise to select a brand that comes with an adequate warranty and has a
proven track record of efficient and prompt after sales service. Whatever your budget,
you can now find a suitable water purifier to ensure safe drinking water that will protect
you and your family from water borne diseases.

Chapter 8

Bibliography

a.) Books Referred

 Philip Kotler-“Marketing Management”

b.) Internet

1.) Web Sites Referred

 www.home-water-purifiers-and-filters.com/water-
purification.php
 www.reverse-osmosis-water-filter-guide.com
 www.whirlpoolindia.com
 www.kent.co.in
 www.marketingpractises.blogspot.com/2007/06/kent-
mineral-ro-for-mineral-rich-water
 www.hul.co.in/brands/water
 www.corporate.eurekaforbes.com/products

2.) Search engine

http://www.google.co.in/

63
 http://www.yahoo.co.in/

Annexure

Sample Questionnaire

Please tick (  ) in the appropriate box.

1. (a) Name of the user: ……………………………………….

(b) Sex : Male Female

2. Age
(i) (18-25) Years
(ii) (25-40) Years
(iii) (40-55) Years
(iv) (55 and above) Years

3. Are you a: ………………………………..

(i) Home user
(ii) Organizational user
(iii) Industrial user
(iv) Commercial user

4. Do you have any RO water purifier?

64
 (i) Yes
(ii) No

. If yes, are you satisfied with the connectivity?

(i) Fully
(ii) Partially
(iii) Not satisfied

5. An RO would be a good idea on your water?

(i) Yes
(ii) No
(iii) Can’t say

6. Which is better among the following?

(i) Whirlpool
(ii) Kent
(iii) Others.

7. Are you interested to purchase a whirlpool RO water purifier?

(i) Yes
(ii) No
(iii)Can’t say

8. Would you prefer to buy only whirlpool appliances?

 Definitely
 Probably
 Probably not
 Definitely not
 Don’t know

65
9. Do you think whirlpool RO water purifier is better for your family health?
 Yes
 No
 Can’t say

66