Cognis Opens Liaison Office in India 

04/02/08 Global specialty chemicals supplier Cognis has opened a liaison office in Mumbai, India. The office will be responsible for strengthening relationships with existing customers, identifying and initiating new business opportunities, and promoting the Cognis brand in local markets. The decision to open the new office reflects the significant growth Cognis has achieved in India in the last few years. It will bring the company even closer to its customers in the region, while improving its understanding of consumer markets there.

As a global supplier of innovative specialty chemicals for the wellness and sustainability markets, Cognis has been successful by focusing on areas of high demand and growth. This is why the company is increasingly devoting resources to its operations in the Asia-Pacific region, which is now its third biggest market behind Europe and North America. Over the last decades, the company has already built up a strong network of distributors in India, which serves customers in the entire country covering almost all market segments of the current Cognis product portfolio.

By opening the Liaison Office in Mumbai, Cognis aims to consolidate its activities and expertise in India, and establish a base for further networking with new and existing business partners. The functions of the office will also include analyzing market trends and developments, strengthening relationships between Cognis and Indian companies, establishing links with universities and institutes with a view to joint R&D activities, and investigating opportunities for establishing local production capacity. It will represent the interests of all three of Cognis’ strategic business units – Care Chemicals, Nutrition & Health, and Functional Products. The company’s sales activities in India will continue to be carried out by its local distributors and international key account managers supporting with their expertise from abroad on a regular basis.

Comments Goutam Bhattacharya, Head of Liaison Office India: “Cognis wants a local presence in one of the world’s most important emerging markets. The liaison office will help us to understand the Indian market even better, and anticipate developments there at an earlier stage. The direct accessibility will further enhance our customers’ confidence and help us give them the competitive edge they need to succeed – and of course, enable us to grow our own business in India.”