Citizen Watches to enter healthcare in 2007

The Citizen Group, the world's largest watch manufacturer, is planning to enter the healthcare segment in India by the end of 2007.

Talking to Business Standard, Hideaki Nakazaki, managing director of Citizen Watches (India) Pvt Ltd, said, "The company will enter the Indian healthcare segment with its products by the end of the next year."

Nakazaki was in Ahmedabad for the launch of the company's wrist watch 'Eco-Drive Minute Repeater, Perpetual Calendar'.

He said the group was planning to consolidate its position in the Indian market with various new products including healthcare products.

Till now, Citizen has no presence in the Indian healthcare segment. If everything works out as planned, a company will be set up in India to launch its healthcare products here.

According to Nakazaki, the company was likely to set up a marketing company under the name of 'Citizen System Company' for its healthcare products.

"We will launch the products by the end of 2007 or in the beginning of 2008," he said. However, he said that the exact details was not available as only the healthcare division of the group would be aware of that. The Citizen group has various divisions for manufacturing machinery, printers, jewellry and healthcare products.

While talking about the core products of the company, Nakazaki said Citizen Watches was focusing on developing itself as a distinguished brand as in the coming years more than 100 brands would be launched in the Indian market.

"We plan to strengthen our brand image by launching more high-tech watches. This will create a separate image of our brand," he said.