Chinese consumer electronics company Haier aims to ramp up its Indian turnover to Rs 900 crore this year from Rs350 crore last year, mainly by expanding its presence through new experience zones and marketing campaign. It has set aside Rs 60 crore for marketing this year, and has signed up John Abraham to endorse the brand.
After launching the company's first experience zone in the city (and its 38th in the country this year) on Thursday, Eric Braganza, president, Haier Appliances (India), said, "A total of 75 such stores would be opened across the country by Diwali, with two of those in Hyderabad and one in Vijayawada. By the end of next year, we will have 300 experience zones, and we expect a doubling of our turnover by then."
"Consumers have not been able to experience our products. There are no quality issues," he said, explaining the company's market share of seven per cent in the six years since its Indian launch in 2004.
Haier currently manufactures air-conditioners and washing machines at its facility in Ranjangaon near Pune, but will continue to import LCD televisions for the Indian market. Braganza said the company would open a Rs 100-crore second line at its Pune plant by October.
The company plans to launch three to four new product categories in India by the end of next year. These include dish-washers, laptops, and cameras. "We are trying to introduce dish-washer before Diwali," Braganza said.