The Hindu Business Line : Weston brand to re-enter market

The company, which is an OEM supplier to several large durables and appliances company, said it is stepping up its presence in the set-top box market, besides setting up a plant for LCD TVs at Sriperumbudur, near Chennai.

“We want to expand from just being an OEM supplier to manufacturing and retailing our own brand. Our eighth manufacturing plant for LCD in Tamil Nadu is a step towards achieving this goal,” Mr Sunil Sethi, Vice-Chairman, Marketing, for Weston, told Business Line.

The LCD plant will commence operation by the second half 2010, he said, without divulging the investments that would go into setting up the facility.

Weston had significant market share during the mid-1980s. However, with the market being invaded by multinational players, it lost out.

Meanwhile, the company also diversified into electricals and supplying to OEMs such as LG and Videocon.

“We are the largest OEM supplier. As for our brand, it is currently being retailed through Croma, Vishal Retail and even Bharti Wal-Mart,” he said, adding that the company will soft launch the LCD television by November in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. On how the LCD televisions will be priced, Mr Sethi said the company has always been a value-for-money brand and will stick to it. This apart, it is also strengthening its product line to include washing machines, juicer mixers and even chimneys.

The company is also setting up a sheet metal and moulding unit at Dehradun.

Weston currently has seven manufacturing units in Noida, Dehradun, Mohali and Jammu which produce colour television, DVD, air-conditioners, washing machines and set-top boxes.

For the current year, Weston is eyeing a turnover of Rs 800 crore from Rs 500 crore during the last fiscal.