Date:12/04/2005 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/04/12/stories/2005041202200200.htm

Back Samsung eyes Rs 100-cr exports, $1.4-b revenue

Our Bureau

Hyderabad , April 11

SAMSUNG India plans to make a mark with exports to cross Rs 100 crore this year and top about $1.4 billion in revenues.

Addressing a press conference here on Monday, the Director, Mr Ravinder Zutshi, said that the company is aiming at about 40 per cent growth overall in sales across various divisions and the revenues are set to top the Rs 6,500-crore mark up from Rs 4,900 crore last year. "We have begun to export refrigerators to CIS, West Asia and SAARC nations. While we expect to ship about 50,000 refrigerators, the mix would include flat panel TVs," he said.

The company plans to double its sale of ACs this year. While consolidating its position as No. 2 player in ACs this year, Samsung is eyeing leadership position in frost-free refrigerators by the year 2006.

Trends indicate that people are increasingly opting for split ACs as opposed to window-mounted ones. While the AC industry is expected to grow by about 20 per cent, the split ACs segment is in fact growing by 40 per cent, reflecting changing user pattern.

"The Noida plant has the capacity to ramp up significantly and there would not be any fresh investments in there. With one shift we are able to meet our requirement. If the business demands addition of another shift, we would be able to do so quickly," he said.

Referring to South as a key market for Samsung accounting for about 28 per cent in overall sales, Mr. Zutshi said, "A significant part of this sales comes from Andhra Pradesh. As against total sales of Rs 145 crore last year, we expect to notch up Rs 250-crore sales in the State. "