Akai eyes Rs 435 cr this fiscal; to enter IT, battery segment

May introduce laptops, netbooks and batteries

PTI | July 21, 2010



After its re-entry into India this year, Japanese electronics firm Akai today said it is aiming for a turnover of Rs 435 crore this fiscal.

The company is also considering foraying into IT, telecom and power segments soon.

"Akai's annual sales (before its exit from India) was around Rs 275 crore. This year, we target to do a turnover of Rs 435 crore. In the last six months, we have been working on developing our distribution channels and after-sales service," Akai India Managing Director Pranay Dhabhai said.

Akai re-entered India in January this year through Global Brands Enterprise Solutions after it ended its brand licensing agreement with homegrown consumer durable major Videocon in September last year.

Global Brands Enterprise Solutions, which is currently the exclusive licensee for Akai brand in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal, is also looking at bringing more global brands in the electronics segment, said the company.

Besides, the company said it would invest around Rs 25 crore on promotional activities and advertising campaigns this fiscal.

The company, which launched a range of LED and LCD television today, said it was also planning to introduce refrigerators by this year. Besides, it is also deliberating on expanding the Akai brand by foraying into the telecom, IT and batteries segment soon.

"We want to get into new verticals like IT, power (device) and telecom. It could be laptops, netbooks and batteries. It is at planning stage," he said.

Asked about the time frame, Dhabhai said one of the verticals could be introduced this year without giving further details.

At present, Akai's product portfolio includes television, washing machines, microwave ovens, DVD and home theatres.

The products are available in around 5000 outlets across the country. Akai is planning to take the number of service centers from 200 to 250 centres by the end of this month.

Besides, Global Brands Enterprise Solutions, the company said it was also looking at bringing in more global brands in the consumer electronics segment. It is also currently working on outsourcing the after-sales service to another company.

Apart from Akai, the firms also sells Haier's microwaves and modular kitchens in India.

"Our aim is to make ourselves a multi-brand company. We are in talks with some consumer electronic firms for bringing into India. Besides, we are in discussion with some firms for after-sales services of these brands," Dhabhai, who also founded Global Brands Enterprise Solutions, said.

He, however, declined to name the companies and the timeframe for introducing the brands in India.

 

Comments

 

Other News

AI: Code, Control, Conquer

India today stands at a critical juncture in the area of artificial intelligence. While the country is among the fastest adopters of AI in the world, it remains heavily reliant on technologies developed elsewhere. This paradox, experts warn, cannot persist if India seeks technological sovereignty.

RBI pauses to assess inflation risks, policy transmission

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has begun the new fiscal year with a calibrated pause, keeping the repo rate unchanged at 5.25 per cent in its April Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting. The decision, taken unanimously, reflects a shift from aggressive policy action to cautious observation after a signi

New pathways for tourism growth

Traditionally, India’s tourism policy has been based on three main components: the number of visitors, building tourist attractions and providing facilities for tourists. Due to the increase in climate-related issues and environmental destruction that occurred over previous years, policymakers have b

Is the US a superpower anymore?

On April 8, hours after warning that “a whole civilisation will die tonight,” US president Donald Trump, exhibiting his unique style of retreating from high-voltage brinkmanship, announced that he agreed to a two-week ceasefire with Iran. The weekend talks in Islamabad have failed and the futur

Machines communicate, humans connect

There is a moment every event professional knows—the kind that arrives without warning, usually an hour before the curtain rises. Months of meticulous planning are in place. And then comes the call: “We’ll also need a projector. For the slides.”   No email

Why India is entering a ‘stagflation lite’ phase

India’s macroeconomic narrative is quietly shifting—from a rare “Goldilocks” equilibrium of stable growth and contained inflation to a more fragile phase where external shocks are beginning to dominate domestic policy outcomes. The numbers still look reassuring at first glance: GDP


Archives

Current Issue

Opinion

Facebook Twitter Google Plus Linkedin Subscribe Newsletter

Twitter