Whirlpool introduces more premium range

Consumer durables major Whirlpool India has expanded its focus areas to include dryers and modular kitchens. Last week, the home appliances firm introduced a fully automatic clothes dryer into the market. The dryer priced at Rs 20,000 will be distributed in urban areas. In the second half of the year, the company will bring modular kitchenware into the Indian markets, in partnership with European firm.

Arvind Uppal, managing director, is confident about the acceptance of the new and modern categories of home appliances. He said, "Consumer behaviour has come full circle. While earlier, the kitchen came last on the list, today it is the most valuable room in the house with several apartments offering modern amenities such as built-in kitchens, washers, dryers and microwaves." The modern working woman, who is pressed for time, is inclined to buy efficient and technically savvy products.

Says Arvind Uppal, managing director, "We plan to move into high-end categories. We are focussed on product innovation and consumer-relevant solutions, launching a brand new product in one of the categories we operate in, once every six months. And in doing so, we are catering to current consumer demands and evolving needs of the Indian consumer."

Aiming at the first-mover advantage into a brand new category, Whirlpool plans to target contemporary consumers in the metros. Uppal explains why the time is right to introduce premium and niche products. He says, "People are buying premium apartments worth Rs 50 lakh to a crore and are not averse to spending upto a lakh to furnish their apartments with state-of-the-art home appliances. No one wants to put up their clothesline in their plush apartments".

Whirlpool manufactures refrigerators at its Faridabad and Ranjangaon, Pune factories and sources airconditioners from its global network partnerships in China. The dryers and modular kitchen appliances will be sourced from Europe.

Whirlpool India, which had incurred losses in the past, expects to turn around and become profitable by 2008. The company's operating profit for April-December 2006 stood at Rs 44 crore. Net sales for the period April 2005-March 2006 stood at Rs 1,274 crores.

Earlier this year, Whirpool India announced an investment of Rs 160 crore for intensifying operations over the next one and half years.