A leading furniture and interior solution provider since 1985

The Trusted Name for over 40 years.

Journey of Durian started being a plywood manufacturer which later progressed to being a leading interior solutions company offering quality home and office furniture, sturdy laminates, exquisite veneers, solid doors, commercial plywood, and institutional sales for projects.

The business of Durian flourished under the effective leadership of Mr. Sajjan Dokania who has been part of the business since its inception. Under his leadership the company has grown from scratch to strength with over 47 furniture stores, 8000 dealers, 9 manufacturing units, central warehousing, and logistics arm enabling the company to deal with customers and clients across the length and breadth of the country.

Durian has forayed into selling products online through www.durian.in and other e-commerce marketplaces. The Projects arm has completed over 8000 projects across India having worked with some noteworthy companies in the government, private sector, and media.

The world-class furniture from Durian comes with an unmatched 5-year warranty backed by certifications from the FSC, ISI, and ISO institutes for their quality and comfort.

Full- Fledged Key person – Sajjan Dokania- The Chairman MD of Durian Industries Ltd.

The man behind transforming Durian to be a trusted and renowned name in the furniture industry.

Previously engaged as a business analyst for the business in Kolkata, he has handheld the firm since its inception in Mumbai in 1981. He has had a significant role in transforming the business into fully-fledged interior solutions firm over the last 4 decades. Having understood the market requirements; Mr. Dokania, set up 9 manufacturing units over the course of 4 decades to manufacture Plywood, Veneer, Laminates, Doors, and World Class Furniture right here in India. Leading by example, Mr. Dokania personally looks into each and every business vertical sometimes personally selecting products and materials from across the world.

Mr. Sajjan Dokania’s business efficiency and his contribution as a whole to the Indian furniture industry have made him recognized as a Global icon by Entrepreneur Insights.

Recently we interacted with Mr. Sajjan Dokania and had a detailed insight into how the business Durian runs and what is the real story behind the immense success.

Entrepreneur Insights – What have been the biggest challenges Durian had to overcome?

Laying the first footsteps towards the wholesale and retail trade of plywood in 1981, the company plunged into the furniture industry in 1985 to create beautiful spaces for homes and offices. From the phase of importing furniture, the company gradually forayed into setting up its own factories to manufacture ergonomic sofas, beds, tables, and chairs. Moreover, with the advent of the novel modular factory, the brand evolved into a primary provider for premium office desk and shelving systems, both big and small orders (selection of materials & furniture), and multiple turnkey projects across public and private sectors in India.

Consolidating over 40 years of profound knowledge and expertise in crafting everyday spaces, Durian currently outshines as the pioneers in devising veneer to plywood, home-to-office furniture, modular furniture for projects, and workplace solutions.

Entrepreneur Insights – Durian’s unique style of doing business

Durian provides the furniture with a five-year warranty, white glove delivery, free installation, and easy payment. our R&D unit focuses on seamless innovations in machinery being deployed and raw materials used for producing the furniture. The company is further planning to open more furniture stores and enhance the veneer dealerships.

Entrepreneur Insights – Change in the furniture industry over the decades

Initially, the furniture industry was majorly unorganized but with the advent of e-commerce giants, the paradigm shift has propelled the major players to reach out to more convenience-oriented processes of purchase. Sustainable and scalable practices, aesthetics, and material quality are emphasized with time.

The client base.

Durian combines their passion for client satisfaction with industry and business process expertise to manufacture quality products. The client base includes seasoned homeowners who are looking to acquire products that blend aesthetics and comfort to create a high-end luxury lifestyle. The pan-India presence of Durian helps it reach out to a wide base of customers all across the country.

The factor that makes you proud to be a part of DURIAN

Most of the furniture is manufactured in India which boosts small and medium-sized businesses. Since 90s Durian has grown multi folds by boosting in-house manufacturing with its manufacturing unit in Maharashtra.

The most difficult task of being in the industry

Most of the furniture is manufactured in India which boosts small and medium-sized businesses. Since 90s Durian has grown multi folds by boosting in-house manufacturing with its manufacturing unit in Maharashtra.

With a young, motivated team of professionals Durian has forayed into selling of products online through www.durian.in and other e-commerce marketplaces along with a significant brick-and-mortar presence with over 40 stores.

Entrepreneur Insights – What are the most important decisions you make as a leader of your organization?

Mr. Sajjan says, “Staying true to the basic DNA and mission of the company while adapting to the numerous changes that come with advancing time is the challenge we face today. As directors, it is essential that we stay in sync with the industry advancements and have the vision to lead the team. The goal is to have complete clarity of achievements and the stepping stones that lead us to them.

Encouraging creative thinking within the organization

In the furniture world, creativity fetches an important place. Design, style, and ergonomics are important. At Durian open flow of ideas, thoughts, and discussions with a common goal in mind is the quintessential aspect of the creative thinking process. This allows employees to feel that they are a part of the bigger picture which helps create ownership and facilitates thought and action.

Future endeavors

Durian is currently striving to gain more foothold Pan India by creating multiple touchpoints for our customers in the form of brick-and-mortar stores and experience centers. The goal is to become the country’s top interior solutions provider. Growing the range of products and services offered and also the online presence and performance of the brand is a significant endeavor for the upcoming years.

Piece of valuable advice for the budding entrepreneurs

In the growing entrepreneurial environment, it is important to have a vision that is true to the purpose. Dare to dream, and always aim higher by constantly setting new standards. Work as a team with mutual trust and shared accountability towards a common goal in a collaborative environment. Challenging the way, we see things, leads to fresh perspectives and new ideas that inspire business innovation, drive sustainable efficiencies, and deliver superior product offerings.

Editor – Indrani Banerjee