The Hindu Business Line : Durables industry sales soar this festive season

New Delhi, Nov 26 Despite data from the Central Statistical Organisation pointing fingers at the durables industry for dragging down the manufacturing sector growth, sales figures from the industry during the festive season has a different story to tell.

The overall durables and electronics industry growth, during the two-month festive season beginning October to the second week of November this year, is over 30 per cent as against the same period in the previous year. High-end categories such as LCD televisions and frost-free refrigerators have registered over 200 per cent and 40 per cent growth respectively.

Festive sales

Mr Ravinder Zutshi, Deputy Managing Director, Samsung India Electronic Pvt Ltd, said, “Our overall sales during the festive period was Rs 1,200 crore, with a growth of 41 per cent over last year. The growth during the festival period was mainly led by high-end categories such as LCD TVs, Flat TVs and frost-free refrigerators.”

In fact, the frost-free refrigerator segment in Samsung, which grew at around 60 per cent during the period, has done particularly well.

“I think the reason is the acceptance of the star rating system, which cuts down on electricity consumption, has gone down very well with consumers,” he added.

TV sales

While Samsung sold 55,000 LCD televisions units, at a growth rate of 246 per cent, the flat TV sales were at five lakh units during the festive period, achieving a growth of around 33 per cent over the same period last year. Other growth driving categories such as washing machines, air conditioners and microwave ovens registered a growth of 37 per cent, 64 per cent and 30 per cent respectively.

Similarly, LG Electronics India Pvt Ltd recorded an overall sales of around Rs 1,132 crore, an increase of 51 per cent compared to Rs 749 crore from its festive sales in the previous year.

Amongst categories that did well were refrigerators and washing machines, both of which grew at 85 per cent.

Washing machines grew at 96 per cent and microwaves at 41 per cent. The electronics category, including flat-panel televisions, grew at 70 per cent.

Mr V. Ramachandran, Director, Marketing and Sales, LG India, said, “The festive season has seen LG Electronics continue to generate significant growth with a portfolio of products spread across the widest variety of price points in the company’s history. The sales make us more confident of being able to build on the success and further augment our growth with more consumer oriented products to achieve our target by this year-end.”

New launches

Whirlpool of India also registered an overall growth of 30 per cent in terms of units and 40 per cent in value terms. Mr Sukhpreet Singh, General Manager, Brand Marketing, Whirlpool India, said, “The growth has been tremendous and mainly led by high end categories such as frost-free refrigerators, microwaves and air conditioners for us. In fact new launches such as the ‘Professional’ range of frost-free refrigerators did very well.”

For the company, frost-free refrigerators were its star performers during the festive period, growing at over 40 per cent.

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