Meet Dev Bathla, the third-gen entrepreneur continuing a 55-year-old aluminium business legacy

Today, when most companies don’t survive the first few years of being in business, 55-year-old Bathla, a company dealing in aluminium home utility products, has stood the test of time. 

In the fourth episode of the GenNEXT series by SMBStory, we meet Dev Bathla, the third-generation entrepreneur and chief marketing officer (CMO) of Bathla, who is carrying forward the legacy of his family business.

Founded by Balraj Bathla in Bengaluru, the company began as an aluminium trading venture in 1968. It transitioned to manufacturing in the late 1990s, when Balraj's sons Rohit and Gaurav joined the business. They launched their first aluminium ladder from their family-run store in Bengaluru. The product was an instant hit. 

“Bathla is synonymous with ladders and that’s the trust we have built,” says Gaurav, Director of Bathla Aluminium Pvt Ltd.

"Our products were outlasting their warranty periods by over four times. When we said a Bathla ladder would be the last ladder you'd ever buy, we truly meant it,” says Dev.

In a span of two decades, Bathla ventured into different categories including ironing boards and cloth drying stands. More diversification happened when Dev joined the business in 2019 as the CMO and explored the market in the plastics segment.

Dev has a vision to take the legacy forward and explore the untapped potential lying ahead. 

To enhance the repeat customer ratio, Bathla forayed into the plastics category.

Today, Bathla sells 800 SKUs across a number of categories such as storage organisers, planters, kitchenware, table mats, bathroom fittings, mops, bins, and cleaning supplies. The company's cloth drying stand is one of the most sought-after products by its loyal customer base. 

Bathla is geared up for 50% growth YoY, and Dev intends to add more kitchen and dining products this year.