BPL is set to launch its front-loading, fully computerised washing machine range by July.
According to M K Tribhuvan, business head, home alliances business group, BPL Ltd, the front-loading washing machine will be sourced from the company's manufacturing plant in Slovania which it had acquired last year. "It will have the latest technology and will be the only one in India with all stainless steel drums, both the inner and outer ones," he said. He said the pricing of the new product was now being worked out, "but despite several new features and the import duty, its price will be competitive with other similar models now in the market," he said.
Currently IFB, Siemens, Electrolux and LG have front-loading washing machines in the domestic market.
Tribhuvan said BPL was also considering to introduce a new appliances range in the coming months, including Net-enabled appliances. The first in the new range, a Net-enabled microwave oven, will be in the market by the year end.
He explained that the merger of BPL Refrigeration with BPL Sanyo Utilities and Appliances Co, with Sanyo holding 14 per cent in the venture, ensures BPL a whole range of new technologies in domestic appliances from Sanyo's stable.
"One of the items we are looking at is the Net-enabled refrigerator which can be controlled via wireless Web pads and that can access a host of Internet-based home services, though it may be some time before we put it in the Indian market," he said.
According to Tribhuvan, who is also director and chief operating officer of BPL Refrigeration, the Net-enabled refrigerator will have a microprocessor and a scanner which can read bar-coded labels.
As items are stored in the refrigerator and taken out for use, the scanner automatically maintains an inventory of the stock available. One can access the refrigerator through his mobile phone, find out the inventory available and pick up the missing items from the departmental stores while on way back home. The Web pads of the Net-enabled microwave oven will be able to download recipes from the Internet and diagonise appliances problems.
