Chennai: Identifying air conditioners as its growth engine, the consumer goods major Samsung India Electronics Private Limited is setting the Indian air conditioner market on fire.

The company launched 19 new models across all the categories viz window, split, tower, ductibles and cassette and entered with a bang both the commercial and the residential markets. The company''s air conditioner product portfolio ranges from 0.8 tonne to 2.0 tonne.

According to Ravinder Zutshi, deputy managing director, this is the first time India that such an extensive range of products is being introduced. The company''s entry into this segment in a major way is facilitated by the newly set up heat exchanger unit at an outlay of $5.2 million. The 4-lakh unit per annum plant started production last November. "We also invested in making moulds for the air conditioners," said Zutshi. The products will be fitted with rotary compressors.

The company will be testing the Indian commercial air conditioner market by first importing the product and based the volumes production will be taken up here.

According to Pradeep Tognatta, sr.vice president, ales, "With the new models we are targeting a market share of 28 per cent." The Indian residential market for air conditioners is put at 12 lakh units per year. And this is growing at a faster clip while other home appliances market is logging slow growth rate.

Into its 11th year in India, Samsung India has invested around $135 million and generates 1.8 per cent of the Korean parent Samsung Electronics turnover of $55.2 billion. According to Zutshi, the parent company is targeting revenue of $5.2 billion from the South East Asian markets.

The Indian company also exports refrigerators, televisions, washing machines and colour monitors to Middle East and Saarc countries earning around Rs100 crore. The company has also announced an investment of $15 million to manufacture mobile phones in Gurgaon, near New Delhi.

Speaking about other product categories, Zutshi said that the home theatre segment is also growing. "We have around 12 models and are focused on wireless home theatre segment. Nobody has a wireless home theatre in the country and we have an edge in that segment."

According to him South India is now the largest market for the company contributing around 30 per cent of the company''s turnover.