`21% share in 21-inch TVs in 21st century'

Boby Kurian

BANGALORE, Nov. 6

BPL Ltd expects its share in the crucial 21-inch screen size segment colour television (CTV) market to touch 21 per cent by the next financial year, 2002-03.

The consumer electronics major has unveiled a `21-21-21 strategy' to build an unassailable market share in the 21-inch segment, which accounts for nearly 38 per cent of the annual domestic CTV market pegged at roughly 5.2 million sets.

``It means a 21 per cent market share in the 21-inch segment in the 21st century,'' Mr Ajay Baijal, Chief Operating Officer, Entertainment Electronics Business Group, BPL Ltd, told Business Line.

To this end, the company recently launched its StudioLine sub-brand and positioned it as the flagship in the 21-inch segment. Mr Baijal claimed that StudioLine has generated good response in the market.

``The fact is that we are running short of stocks even without offering any special schemes,'' he said. This sub-brand is likely to lead BPL's thrust in the mass CTV market in the near future.

Currently, BPL's market share in the 21-inch segment hovers around 17 per cent. Onida occupies the second position in this segment with a 12 per cent share. Last year, as BPL's market share in the 21-inch segment dipped below 16 per cent, the company's think tank was forced to sit up and chart a new strategy to retrieve the lost ground.

``The rivals were closing in and we felt that it was necessary to extend the lead,'' company officials said elaborating on the renewed push in the 21-inch segment.

Meanwhile, BPL, the leader across all screen size segments, is likely to end the ongoing financial year with sales in the vicinity of 1.2 million cases. It may be recalled that the company had earlier projected 1.25 million sales during the current year.

BPL is the only CTV brand to sell over a million units in the domestic market during the last two years. It ended last financial year with an 18.9 per cent market share.