Godrej's new plant to double frost-free fridge capacity

Hyderabad, Sep 8 (UNI) Godrej Group will locate near Pune in Maharashtra a Rs 100-crore plant as it eyes to double its capacity of the fast growth frost-free refrigerators (FFR) to seven lakh pieces by next year, a top official today disclosed.

Having acquired land at Sewri near Pune, trial production at the new facility is to start by mid 2007 before the plant goes commercial by the third quarter of the year to double the production of FFRs to seven lakh units from the current 3.5 lakh units, Godrej Appliance Division COO George Menezes told the media here after launching its latest EON Range of FFRs.

At its other manufacturing location at Mohali, Godrej produces one million compressors and 6.5 lakh direct cool referigators, which account for 80 per cent of its refrigerator business.

Last year it launched 17 AC and five microwave oven models as the company posted Rs 750 crore business in home appliance segment in 2005-2006.

It was geared to add 13 AC and seven microwave oven models to its bouquet of products to take the business to Rs 1,000 crore in the current year, he said.

''We propose to launch a new model every quarter and are also strategising an aggressive thrust in the referigator market in the South,'' Mr Menezes said.

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