Overwhelmed by the response to its 0.6 tn window AC, Voltas plans to offer 0.8 ton split ACs priced below Rs 15,000, and introduce frost-free refrigerators at affordable prices. The Tata Group's engineering division-Voltas Ltd plans to double its turnover to Rs 1,000 crore from the Cooling Appliance Business Division in the next two years and mark its global presence with aggressive exports. 

"Voltas Cooling Appliance Business Division contributed nearly 25 per cent last year to the total Voltas turnover of Rs 1,200 crore, and has a 32 per cent market share in the market. Eyeing major growth in the telecom cooling business, innovative product launches in air conditioners and refrigerators and expanding export base, Voltas plans to double its turnover in the next two years," K J Jawa, vice president, Cooling Appliances Business Division, Voltas Ltd told The Pioneer in an interview.

He said "While we had targeted at 25,000 unit sales of the sub-1 tonne window ACs in the first year, Voltas has already sold 13,500 units of these in the first 40 days of the launch. We plan to expand our range in this volume segment with a 0.8 tonne split AC priced below Rs 15,000." 

Voltas is offering the latest replica of international technology at most attractive prices. The split ACs would be imported as completely-knocked-down (CKD) or semi-knocked-down (SKD) kits from the South-East Asian countries like Malaysia and Taiwan and assembled at the Himachal plant, said Jawa.

"Himachal is an excise free zone and assembling these sub-1 tonne ACs is more cost-effective than manufacturing them in India," said Jawa. He added, prototypes of these 0.8 tonne splits have been installed in the markets and after evaluating customer response, the company would introduce the product in 6-8 weeks.

Jawa said, "Voltas' objective is not only to consolidate in the segments they are present in but also to expanding the market with innovative products. While we have established our presence in the refrigerator market with our Coldcel range of direct cool fridges, we are looking at frost free refrigerators."

While the direct cool range-the Teenie Weenie and Xcel are manufactured at the Hyderabad facility, Voltas plans to outsource the frost free refrigerators, he said.

Voltas is sourcing direct cool refrigerators to LG and Samsung for their Indian markets in the south, west and the east. Haeir also sources refrigerators and ACs from Voltas, Jawa said.

Jawa said, "Voltas has gone very aggressive on exports, having established a solid distribution network in the Middle East. We have signed last week, a distribution agreement with Al Ghandi in Dubai for exports of our complete range of cooling products."