Strengthening its presence in emerging markets, small E&E appliance manufacturer SEB (Ecully / France; www.groupeseb.com) at the end of last year acquired a 55% ownership of India’s Maharaja Whiteline (New Delhi; www.maharajawhiteline.com). Financial details of the deal were not disclosed. Founder Harish Kumar – who will stay on as chairman and CEO – will retain the remaining shares in the Indian small electrical appliances producer.

Founded in 1976, Maharaja Whiteline employs about 350 people at its plant in Baddi, Himachal Pradesh. An established brand name in mixer grinders, the Indian group posted sales of EUR 21m in the financial year ended 31 March 2011 and reportedly grows revenues at an average 25% each year. Maharaja Whiteline is backed by a network of 330 distributors and its products are sold in more than 26,000 outlets.

Commenting on the purchase, SEB chairman Thierry de la Tour d’Artaise said, “This acquisition gives Groupe SEB a foothold in India’s small electrical appliance market, which is expanding at an annual rate of 15%.”

A few days before the Maharaja Whiteline deal was wrapped up, SEB also completed yet another investment in an emerging market when it acquired an additional 20% interest in Chinese kitchenware producer Supor (Hangzhou, Zhejiang; www.supor.com), with whom it had entered into a strategic cooperation in 2006. The transaction was valued at EUR 406m.