1. Introduction: Meeting the Leader of India’s Cleaning Revolution
On January 22, 2026, Aisen Industrial Co., Ltd. met with Suraj Shah, the founder of MinuteToCleanIt (MTC), in Mumbai. MTC is an innovative brand that has quickly become a category leader on Amazon India, serving over 150,000 homes. The meeting focused on how Japanese technology can solve the unique cleaning challenges in the Indian market.
2. The “Indian Floor” Reality and MTC’s Business Model
The discussion highlighted that international brands often struggle in India because they do not understand local conditions.
- The Challenge: Indian floors require heavy-duty cleaning due to stone or tile materials, hard-water stains, and heavy dust.
- The Solution: MTC has built India’s first “repairable cleaning appliance” brand. Their “repair, not replace” philosophy creates long-term trust by selling spare parts instead of just new tools.
3. Synergies: Japanese Precision meets Indian Durability
The partnership aims to combine Aisen’s material science with MTC’s rugged hardware.
- Non-Abrasive Cleaning: Suraj was highly impressed with Aisen’s Trepika technology, which cleans delicate surfaces without scratching. This is perfect for India’s growing market of high-end appliances and furniture.
- Durability: Aisen’s high-quality materials will be integrated into MTC’s systems, which are designed to withstand the high pressure used during Indian household cleaning.
4. Proposed Strategic Partnership
Instead of a simple supplier relationship, both companies agreed to explore a co-branding model, such as “AISEN by MinuteToCleanIt“.
- The Pilot Program: A low-risk pilot launch featuring 2-3 “hero” products is planned for Amazon India and D2C channels.
- Future Growth: If the pilot is successful, a joint venture (JV) for local manufacturing in India may be considered to improve profit margins by up to 50%.
5. Conclusion and Next Steps
The encounter with Suraj Shah confirmed that the combination of Japanese “J-Beauty” quality and local Indian insights is a powerful strategy. Aisen will dispatch Trepika samples for delicate surface cleaning in mid-February to finalize the product selection for the pilot program.
