Targeting a growth of about 30 per cent in the room air conditioner segment, Blue Star expects to sell four lakh units in FY16. The company also aims to increase its market share to 10.5-11 per cent this year from the current share of 8.5 per cent. Blue Star limited Senior General Manager, C Haridas told The Pioneer that last year the company had sold 3 lakh room ACs and in this financial year it wants to sell close to 4 lakh units, that will be around 30 per cent growth.
“We are hoping market will grow around 20 per cent and we always want to outperform the market,” he added. Moreover, the company, which has seven manufacturing plants in India, - two in North and five in Western parts of the country - plans to set up a new manufacturing plant in South India. It will invest about 150 crore for the new plant, which is likely to be set either in Andhra Pradesh, or Telangana, or Tamil Nadu.
“We get 40 per cent of the business from South India. We can save some transportation cost if we set up a plant here,” he said. The company makes 81 models of the AC. It has been launching 24 high energy efficient models for the ongoing summer season in a phased manner. It will majorly target North Indian market to sell the newly launched ACs. “North is a very important target market for us…Our market share in North India is only 7 per cent, so we have to work harder here,” he added.