‘We have started working with a new partner’, says Logitech’s Sree on India manufacturing expansion

Sree Chenincherry tells CRN India that the company is building local manufacturing support capabilities, hiring talent and assessing a wider supplier ecosystem after starting production in Manesar, Haryana.

Logitech has started local manufacturing in India with a new domestic manufacturing partner and has already hired manufacturing talent in the country, Sree Chenincherry, chief supply chain operations officer at Logitech, tells CRN India.

The company is building its manufacturing support capabilities alongside local production and is evaluating the wider ecosystem of manufacturers that could support its operations in India. Its initial production covers selected products in the webcam and pointing-device categories.

“We do not normally name our manufacturing partners. We are starting local manufacturing with one partner, and we are looking at the broader ecosystem of partners as we move forward. The partner we have started working with is a local partner and is new to us,” Chenincherry says.

The development expands Logitech’s manufacturing presence in India beyond its existing commercial operations and Chennai Global Capability Centre (GCC).

The company announced the start of local manufacturing, describing the initiative as part of its commitment to the government’s Make in India vision.

Logitech has not disclosed the manufacturing partner’s identity, the investment in the operation, production volumes, or the specific products it will manufacture in India.

Logitech looks for long-term manufacturing partners

Logitech is considering manufacturers with a presence in India that can meet its operational requirements as its local manufacturing operations mature.

Chenincherry says the company “evaluates potential partners” on their long-term commitment, strategic alignment and ability to develop manufacturing as a sustained business.

The selection process also considers infrastructure, talent, operational footprint and the capabilities needed to meet Logitech’s requirements.

“We are looking at the broader ecosystem of partners as we move forward,” he says.

The company’s requirements can extend beyond manufacturing capacity. Depending on the work involved, engineering capabilities may also form part of the assessment. Logitech also considers sustainability and social responsibility when evaluating potential suppliers.

Chenincherry says the company prioritises long-term relationships and applies a rigorous supplier qualification process. It does not rush the process to bring partners into its manufacturing ecosystem.

The company has not provided a timeline for adding more partners or set a target for the number of suppliers it intends to onboard.

Chenincherry says he has spent more time in India in recent years working towards the manufacturing initiative.

“I have spent considerably more time in India over the past three years working towards this objective than I did in the previous five years,” he says.

The comments point to a longer period of work behind the manufacturing launch, although Logitech has not disclosed when it began evaluating the current partner or the full timeline of its localisation plans.

Logitech hires manufacturing talent in India

Building a local manufacturing operation also requires Logitech to establish the capabilities needed to support and oversee production.

The company has already hired some manufacturing talent in India but expects to expand its capabilities further. It is currently drawing on resources from other regions while it develops its local team.

“We have already hired some manufacturing talent in India, although we will probably need to scale up further,” Chenincherry says.

He adds that Logitech is building manufacturing support capabilities in parallel with production. The company maintains direct oversight across its manufacturing operations, including those handled by external manufacturing partners.

“Across our manufacturing operations, including outsourced manufacturing, we maintain direct oversight. We monitor manufacturing process parameters, quality and other aspects of the process on a day-to-day basis,” he says.

The oversight covers manufacturing processes and quality rather than relying solely on checks after products leave the production line. However, Chenincherry has not disclosed the size of the team in India, the number of employees recruited or the extent to which the company plans to transfer manufacturing responsibilities from other regions to local staff.

Logitech has also not specified whether it will establish a dedicated quality-control team at the Manesar facility or how many employees will be assigned to the operation.

Local manufacturing adds to Logitech’s India footprint

Logitech’s manufacturing initiative builds on its existing presence in India, which includes commercial operations and a GCC in Chennai supporting software engineering and research and development.

The company is also looking at India in the context of its broader product and technology strategy.

Delphine Donné, vice president and general manager of Personal Work Solutions at Logitech, described the country as a growing market and a base for software and AI-enabled hardware development.

Donné said local production “would expand Logitech’s presence” in India. She also highlighted the continuing importance of devices in the AI era, with hardware remaining a point of connection between people and technology.

The initial manufacturing scope includes selected webcams and pointing devices. Logitech has not identified the individual models being produced locally or disclosed whether production will serve only the Indian market or support exports.

In its announcement, the company said local manufacturing would help improve supply chain responsiveness and shorten delivery times for Indian customers.

It also said the initiative would support the development of local capabilities and its engagement with domestic vendors.

For Logitech, the next stage involves building manufacturing support capabilities in India while assessing potential suppliers that can meet its requirements.

The company has not disclosed production targets, a localisation roadmap or the scale at which it expects Indian manufacturing to contribute to its wider supply chain.