SANYO-BPL join venture emerges successful

Bangalore, Aug 2: Sanyo-BPL Ltd, a new joint venture launched in December last, has emerged successful, capturing four per cent of the colour TV (CTV) market in the country and is confident of achieving the projected 16 per cent market share over the next three years.

BPL, erstwhile leaders in the consumer durable segment, especially the CTV market for nearly two decades, had lost its position due to various reasons. Firstly they were pushed aside by the marauding Korean giants like LG and Samsung and Japan's Sony Corporation in different segments. The other reason for the company's slide had been the internal problems arising out of infighting among the stakeholders.

However, the bad days seem to be over with the new entity launching products with cutting edge Japanese technology across categories like televisions, washing machines, refrigerators, microwaves and audio.

The CTV category, which had always been the forte of BPL, saw a great comeback with launch of TVs with Susoc technology and Sanyo CRT Vizzon slim TV which had become the leader in its segment.

Briefing newspersons about the new thrust the company had launched to claim back its lost glory, Sanyo-BPL President and COO Keiji Oshima said ''the dual brand is paying rich dividends. Sanyo and BPL products are targetted at different consumer segments. We plan to increase our distribution network to 16,000 from the present 5700 and sell six lakh CTVs by the end of the fiscal.'' He said the company had brought back its senior executives who had left the company during the last few years in advisory roles in a bid to speed up its expansion plans and keep the momentum going.

Senior executives from Japan were drafted to improve the processes.

Vice President (Marketing) V G Rajagopalan said the company had targetted to take its share in the national CTV market to seven per cent in the coming festival season which witnessed the highest sales of televisions. ''By March, we want to up our share to six per cent from the present four per cent. Under Sanyo brand Innovative products in both washing machines and refrigerators have been introduced for the first time in India,'' he added.

The company had also started aggressive advertising and promotional campaign and it would offer attractive offers during the festival season starting from Onam in Kerala, he added.

Advisor (Sales) L H Bhatia, who had earlier served BPL for three decades in various senior positions, said since BPL was a leader having sold 10 million TVs in India, this would translate into the company achieving greater strength. In the coming months, the joint venture would release LCD TVs in the range of 20 to 37 inches and 42 inch Plasma TVs. It would also launch DVDs, small and direct cool refrigerators and washing machies.

UNI