Zoho Ventures into Machine Tools Manufacturing

Zoho to foray into machine tools manufacturing

Global technology company Zoho Corp would enter into the production of machine tools under a new brand name 'Karuvi', a top official here said on Wednesday.

The company's Founder-CEO Sridhar Vembu attributed the decision to enter into a new vertical after his interaction with a Middle East-based customer of Zoho two years ago, who encouraged him to take up production of hand-held tools as it would lead to job creation in rural areas.

''A few years ago, during the pandemic, a Zoho customer and fan, Abdul Gafoor, who owns Mr Light Global, a major own-brand distributor of electrical and electronics products in the Middle East, came to see me in Tenkasi with a box full of hand-held tools from his company. He told me he wanted Zoho to make these products and he would love to distribute them,'' Vembu, a recipient of the Padma Shri award, said in a series of tweets today.

Responding to the idea mooted by Gafoor, Vembu replied saying, ''I said we know nothing about it. He (Gafoor) said this could create rural jobs.'' Following the conversation with Gafoor, the company decided to progress on this concept and set up a small engineering team. ''After a lot of designs and redesigns later, we have a suite of tools ready to start commercial production. The brand name is Karuvi, a Tamil word meaning instrument or a tool,'' he said.

''We are trying some innovative ideas in the factory being built in Tenkasi. A new adventure begins! Thank you Gafoor for pushing me on this,'' he added.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)