Sony India, the consumer electronics giant, after clocking an impressive sales of its television sets during the recent FIFA World Cup season, is looking forward to the forthcoming festive season to keep up its “healthy growth” across audio-video product categories and towards this end, it has plans to expand its manufacturing base, said its first Indian managing director Sunil Nayyar on Thursday.
“Our brand is very strong in the country and our presence in the premium segment in various categories ranging from TVs, audio equipment, cameras, headphones and the likes is unmatched. We want to produce more in India and there can’t be a better time to be here,” he said, in an interaction with press persons. About 60% of its revenues (figures not given) come from TVs sale and the rest from audio.
Mr. Nayyar, a 23 year veteran with the firm having earlier worked as sales head here, said Sony has a headstart in the premium category in each of the audio-video product segments with substantial market share although it has not made much of an impact in the more ‘volatile’ market of mobile smart phones.
“We have seen many ups and downs over the years but we are now in the pink of our health. In fact, we have seen sales of premium TVs go up by 50% and 70% in West Bengal and Kerala, respectively, during the World Cup,” he claimed.
The firm began making optical disc in Noida in 2003 followed by pendrives in the same place and later followed it up with third party manufacturing of ‘Bravia’ TVs in Sriperumbudur and ‘Xperia’ smart phones at SriCity.