Chinese electronic major sees roaring sales at IITF

Monday, 15 November 2004, 20:30 IST
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NEW DELHI: An innovative marketing tool has enabled a television manufacturer become a star attraction at the Chinese pavilion at the India International Trade Fair (IITF) that opened Sunday. "On the first day itself, we sold around 125 colour televisions including plasma TVs and 29 inch flat televisions. The response to our products is very encouraging," said Ramon Wang Chunquan, senior marketing manager of TCL India Holdings Pvt Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Shenzhen based TCL-Thomson Electronics. "We are targeting 200,000 sets by yearend and 800,000 next year," Ramon told IANS. To lure customers, TCL is offering an attractive scheme of booking TVs at a fraction of the total cost and gifts after the balance is paid to one of its dealers. The company re-launched its products in India in September after tying up with around 4,000 dealers and franchisees for after-sales service. "We have set in place good after- sales support with over 1,000 sales personnel and local franchises," Ramon said. Targeting the entertainment, IT and home appliances segment, the Chinese company has already set up six manufacturing units in the country. "We see tremendous potential for growth in India with its growing economy and large middle class segment. We are planning to increase our manufacturing capacity in the country in due course and see India becoming a major market in our growth," the official said. The company currently has annual sales of 22 million sets globally with the US and the European Union as the major markets. "We have already invested $35 million in India and in the next three years plan to add more investment to raise our production capacity. The returns are not so good at present but by 2005-06, we hope to turn profitable and hope to emerge as the top brand in India," said Ramon. To keep production costs down, a key to its global success, TCL India is sourcing a large number of components from its our manufacturing plants in countries like Thailand. Around 80 Chinese companies are participating in the fortnight long IITF, the largest in Asia. Seeking importers and trade representatives, several of the Chinese companies admitted to have come back encouraged by the response at previous trade shows in India. Over 320 foreign companies from 28 countries including China as the partner country and Brazil as the focus country are participating in the fair. The organisers, India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO), are hopeful of surpassing the three million visitors count at the fair last year. This year, alongside Chinese companies offering electronic goods, textiles, chemicals, surgical goods, IT products and household goods, there are also three companies showcasing pianos and other musical instruments. Richwood International, a Chinese logistics major company, reported keen response among visitors seeking a foothold in China. "Though the fair started only Sunday afternoon, we have already had tremendous response from visitors keen to take up our offer of logistics help to tie up with Chinese companies for import and export of products," said Conan J. Lew. The company, which has a presence in several countries, is looking for business partners in India too. Among those seeking bulk orders are 16 companies from Tibet, many of which are making a repeat presence to build on the contacts already made, said Da Wa Dun Zhu of Tibet Dashi Group. "We are looking for agents while some of the others who are already trading in India are keen to further build up contacts," he said.
Source: IANS