HAIER PLANS TO LAUNCH PCS IN INDIA BY 2009

Pramugdha Mamgain, New Delhi
The Economic Times (Delhi edition)

Chinese consumer durables giant Haier is eyeing the IT products market in India. The $16.2-billion Haier, known more for its home appliances, plans to get a whole range of laptops and desktops into India by next year. These products would be retailed through a separate channel, which will be a part of its Indian subsidiary Haier Appliances India.

Haier’s Indian arm is also considering the prospect of establishing air-conditioners’ manufacturing facility either in Pune or Uttarakhand next year. It aims to clock a turnover of about Rs 1,000 crore by 2010 from Indian operations as against Rs 350 crore last year. The firm, which entered India much after the Korean giants established their presence in India, has not been able to scale up its business over the years.

“We would be conducting a product management strategy study, and hopefully would enter the domestic IT products market within a year,” said Haier India COO Pranay Dhabhai.