Sustainability is at the core of our services at Lindström India
Lindström India is a 100 per cent subsidiary of Lindström Group, a Finnish workwear service company. Established in 2007, the company clothes 1.3 million people globally. Headquartered in Mumbai, Lindström India has more than three million garments in circulation with its service centres in 11 cities including Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Panchkula, Vadodara, Vizag, Tinsukia and Pune. The company has recently launched the unique floor mat rental service for India. In a conversation with Fibre2Fashion, Country Manager Marketing & Business Development Gopal Kaushik discusses the numerous benefits offered by the company’s mat rental service.
How does Lindström India position its Mat service in the Indian market compared to globally, and what key strategies do you use to stay competitive specifically in the mat services sector?
In most of Europe, mat services are considered essential due to cold conditions and cultural history. However, in India, where the concept is newer and businesses are more accustomed to buying rather than renting, rental mat services are often perceived as a premium solution for cleanliness, safety, and overall aesthetic improvement. Compared to our global operations, we have increased our focus on providing services optimised for each business’s individual needs in India. This involves detailed analysis of their location, foot traffic, and current challenges through discussions with them.
Our key strategy is to offer cyclical services with high-quality mats that eliminate the need for capital expenditure and mitigate service volatility for our customers. This approach helps reduce cleaning costs and enhances the aesthetic appeal of our clients’ premises. By choosing Lindström’s Mat services, customers benefit from reduced cleaning costs, zero capital expenditure, and significantly less degradation to surfaces and carpets, leading to substantial cost savings and operational efficiencies.
We strategically place entrance mats in layered positions, serving as the first, second, and tertiary lines of defence against grime, dust, slush, and water. This effectively prevents dirt and moisture from entering the core areas of our customers’ premises.
Who are the primary customer groups for your Mat services, and how do you customise marketing to meet their needs?
In India, our primary customer segments include businesses in industrial manufacturing (such as food, pharma, and electronics), large format retail, fine dining restaurants and cafés, cinemas, malls, residential complexes, hotels, and healthcare facilities. We tailor our marketing and communications based on the understanding that in a price-sensitive country like India, where there is an abundance of manpower and a lack of widespread automation, entrance mats and internal housekeeping do not typically rank high on the priority list. These services are often outsourced to the lowest bidder who can deliver basic hygiene at a reasonable cost.
Our goal is to establish ourselves as a reliable long-term professional partner, not just a vendor. We aim to understand the unique challenges of each business and deliver value through our multiple service lines, allowing businesses to focus on their core expertise. We have been doing this for over 16 years in India with our Workwear and Cleanroom services, and we aim to continue this approach with our newly introduced Mat service.
We highlight benefits such as improved cleanliness, reduced housekeeping costs, better health and hygiene, and enhanced floor protection in a comprehensive manner. Additionally, we emphasise the long-term sustainability and environmental friendliness of our services. This strategy helps us position ourselves as a trusted partner committed to delivering long-term value.
How are customer expectations evolving in the mat services and textile rental industry, and what strategies are being employed to meet these changing demands?
Customers now expect higher levels of cleanliness and hygiene, especially post-pandemic. Additionally, with globalisation, increased disposable income, and industrialisation, there is a growing demand for upscale facilities like malls, centrally managed offices, and fine dining restaurants.
To meet these functional demands, we offer mats that are highly effective at trapping dirt and moisture and provide regular maintenance services to ensure they remain in top condition. For aesthetic demands, we offer mats in various colours and sizes that seamlessly blend into the environment. Furthermore, our washing and delivery processes are meticulously designed to ensure thorough cleanliness and hygiene, guaranteeing that our products are impeccably clean and delivered on time.
How is sustainability incorporated into your Mat service marketing and business strategies, and what are the key initiatives currently in place?
Sustainability is central to our strategy and future. In a water-scarce country like India, we contribute to saving millions of litres of water every day by continuously improving processes through effective recycling, using more environmentally friendly and sustainable chemicals, and employing highly optimised industrial processes that save energy, effort, and time.
We use eco-friendly materials in our mats and ensure they are as recyclable as possible. With Lindström’s Net Zero targets being SBTI approved, working with us helps our customers reduce costs, save time, and manage reductions under Scope 2 and Scope 3 emissions. We also offer a recycling programme for old mats, which most companies would otherwise send to dump yards, contributing to the increasing waste problem. This initiative helps our customers reduce their overall environmental footprint and aligns with our commitment to sustainability.
How are you addressing environmental concerns within the mat services industry, and what are some innovative sustainability practices being adopted to reduce the ecological footprint?
Like I said, sustainability is at the core of our services at Lindström India. We adopt practices like using recyclable materials, reducing water and energy consumption, using non-corrosive chemicals, continuously reducing energy usage in production and maintenance, and promoting mat recycling and reuse. This reduces the ecological footprint and aligns with our commitment to environmental responsibility.
For example, our mats are designed to trap dirt and moisture, reducing the amount of dirt walked into premises and enhancing overall cleanliness. This, in turn, helps businesses save water, chemicals, energy on washing, drying, maintenance costs, and consumables like single-use plastics, sticky mats, and shoe covers. To put this in perspective, a company with 1,000 workers can discard 750,000 pairs of shoe covers in 250 working days per year on average. This can be largely replaced with a layered solution of Lindström mats, which, if deployed properly, can reduce up to 90 per cent of the dirt from entering the premises, thereby minimising the need for secondary protections like shoe covers. This approach reduces the environmental burden while being financially prudent.
What measures are being taken to raise awareness and visibility of your mat services in the Indian market, especially in regions where the brand might not be as well-known?
To enhance brand awareness, we conduct targeted marketing campaigns, run digital campaigns based on specific search keywords, participate in industry events, and engage with potential customers through personal meetings and social media. We also rely on word-of-mouth and testimonials from satisfied clients, especially in regions where our brand is less known.
By highlighting the benefits of our mat service—such as reduced cleaning costs, consistent and reliable end-to-end service, and zero capital expenditure—we aim to attract new customers who seek efficient solutions that enhance their operations and image. These measures help us establish a strong presence and build trust with potential clients across various regions.
What are the biggest challenges faced in the mat services market, and how are you addressing them through your marketing and business development strategies?
One major challenge in the short to medium term is changing the perception of mat services in India. Currently, mats are often seen as just pieces of material lying at entrances without much thought to their functionality. We aim to raise awareness about the essential roles mats play, such as trapping over 80 per cent of dirt at the entrance, reducing cleaning effort, preventing slips and falls, reducing floor degradation, and, for manufacturing companies in food, pharma, and electronics, reducing potential contamination and the cost of single-use plastics like shoe covers and sticky mats. Mats also enhance the ambience as pieces of décor.
We want businesses to understand that these benefits are not always achievable with low-quality, low-longevity mats managed internally. To address this, we emphasise the long-term cost savings from the long life cycle (5-6 years) and superior performance of Lindström mats, along with our comprehensive service packages that include regular washing, delivery, maintenance, and replacements. We also conduct on-ground demonstrations of our services for prospects, helping them understand these benefits practically.
By highlighting the significant advantages and cost-effectiveness of our high-quality mats and services, we aim to shift the perception of mat services from a basic commodity to an essential, value-adding service.
How do you innovate your Mat service offerings to stay relevant and competitive in a rapidly changing market?
We continuously innovate our mat offerings by incorporating new materials and technologies that enhance durability and effectiveness. For instance, our mats are designed with twisted nylon yarn and a nitrile rubber base to trap more dirt and moisture, provide longevity, grip surfaces to avoid slips and falls, and keep interiors cleaner, thereby reducing maintenance efforts for our customers.
We leverage quality control measures and customer feedback to ensure our products meet the highest standards. Additionally, all our processes are continuously reviewed and improved by internal and external auditors, as well as through feedback from our customers and vendor partners. This ongoing process of learning and improvement helps us stay competitive and innovative in the market.
How do you ensure a consistent and high-quality customer experience across different touchpoints in the mat services, and how does customer feedback shape your strategies?
Ensuring a consistent and high-quality customer experience across different touchpoints is achieved through rigorous quality control, personalised interactions, and proactive feedback mechanisms. We have a dedicated online customer portal called e-Lindström, where customers can view, interact with, modify, and manage their current services and offerings from Lindström. They can also share feedback 24/7.
Our service model is cyclical, with weekly or bi-weekly visits to our customers depending on their situation and agreements. Each delivery interaction serves as a point of contact and feedback, helping us identify areas for improvement and make necessary adjustments. This continuous feedback loop ensures that we can consistently enhance our services based on customer needs and experiences.
How have digital tools been used to support your mat service marketing and business development efforts, and what impact has this had on customer engagement and acquisition?
At Lindström India, we have integrated digital tools like e-Lindström, our online service management portal. For workwear, healthcare, and cleanroom service customers, we offer products equipped with RFID technology. These tools allow customers to track services, request replacements, and provide feedback easily at any time. This digital approach has significantly improved customer engagement and acquisition by making our services more accessible, transparent, and user-friendly.
How is the integration of technology, such as IoT and data analytics, transforming operations and service delivery at Lindström India in the mat services and textile rental industry?
The integration of IoT and data analytics at Lindström India is transforming our operations and service delivery by continuously providing insights for product and process optimisations. We use these technologies to offer smart workwear services and plan to equip mats with RFID technology in the future. This will help monitor usage and alert us when maintenance is needed, ensuring our mats always perform at their best and provide optimal value to our customers. These technological advancements enhance efficiency, transparency, and customer experiences while reducing costs for everyone.
What are the current trends and emerging technologies in the mat services and textile rental industry, and how are they shaping the future of the sector?
Current trends in the mat services industry include a growing focus on automation, improved aesthetics and ambience, enhanced sustainability practices, and the potential use of smart mats equipped with RFIDs and sensors to track usage and maintenance needs. These technologies make services more efficient and environmentally friendly. By integrating IoT and data analytics, we can enhance our operations and provide customers with innovative, value-added services. These advancements are shaping the future of the sector by increasing efficiency, reducing environmental impact, and offering superior customer experiences.
Can you share some insights into key partnerships or collaborations that have significantly impacted your growth and market presence in the mat services sector?
Key partnerships and detailed interactions with leading businesses and customers in various geographical areas and industries have significantly impacted our growth and market presence in the mat services sector. On-ground pilot studies with these partners have helped us understand the consumer behaviour of businesses looking to buy mats in India. We have gained valuable insights from these interactions and joint pilot activities, allowing us to localise our services for the Indian market.
Additionally, feedback and insights from our existing Workwear service customers, who understand Lindström’s service and have been with us for a long time, have been invaluable. These collaborations and interactions have the potential to expand our reach and market presence, allowing us to offer more integrated solutions to our customers.
For instance, partnerships with industrial manufacturing companies, housing societies, and malls have helped us establish a strong presence in the industrial, residential, and large format retail sectors. These collaborations enable us to better meet the specific needs of these industries and enhance our service offerings.
What are the major regulatory challenges faced by Lindström India in the mat services industry, particularly concerning hygiene standards and safety regulations, and how is the company navigating these issues?
Since mats are ubiquitous and there is no fixed industry per se, the biggest challenge is that most small to medium-sized businesses are not thoroughly aware of the potential risks and compliance needs of their segment. Lindström India navigates these challenges by identifying the specific challenges each customer and prospect faces based on their industry and situation. We adhere to strict compliance measures, ensuring our services meet and exceed industry standards, which are regularly audited against various ISO standards by auditors like DNV. This commitment guarantees high levels of quality, hygiene, and safety for our customers.
What are your strategic priorities for the next 3-5 years, and how do you plan to achieve growth in both marketing and business development for mat services in India?
Over the next 3-5 years, our strategic priorities include raising awareness about Lindström’s service benefits, gaining mindshare among potential and existing customers, expanding market share geographically, enhancing digital services, and deepening sustainability efforts.
We plan to achieve growth by investing in technology, building stronger customer relationships, and continuously improving our service offerings. For example, our focus on sustainable, cost-efficient solutions will help us provide mats for high-footfall areas that are designed to withstand wear and tear, maintaining functionality and appearance over time. By emphasising the long-term cost savings, environmental benefits, and superior performance of our mats, we aim to attract and retain a broad customer base.
Additionally, we will leverage digital tools to enhance customer engagement and streamline service management, ensuring that our offerings remain accessible, transparent, and user-friendly. These efforts will help us achieve significant growth in both marketing and business development for mat services in India.
