2 new brand of PCs to hit the local IT market

The local IT market is to witness the launch of two new brands of PCs shortly. While `Xenium' is being launched by Chennai-based Shree Om Comtech as its regional distributor in Tamil Nadu, Comptech Electronics, a leading monitor manufacturing company in Chennai, is bringing out its own brand of computers in the market.

Xenium is a new national brand being promoted by Intellectual Career Comp-Soft, a division of the Rs 500 crore Mumbai-based Garodia Group. The company is in the process of launching five models of PCs, based on Cyrix and Intel Pentium processors. "The product has already been launched in Mumbai and now we are going to bring it here," said Sumith Bhatera, Director, Shree Om
Comtech.

Comptech Electronics has already made a soft launch of its product in the market. The company has entry-level PCs coming with Intel 810E/Intel 815E motherboard and available with various Pentium III specifications (up to PIII 1 GHz). The high-end systems are based on P4 processors and come with Intel 845 chipset motherboard.

"We are mainly looking for OEM contracts, besides targeting resellers and end-users," said Vikash Chandra, Managing Director, Comptech Electronics Pvt Ltd.

The Xenium lower version PC is priced Rs 23,500 (end-user) and is based on Cyrix 550 processor. Xenium has four models based on Pentium processors such as PIII 866 MHz for Rs 30,500, PIII 933 MHz for Rs 31,500, PIII 1 GHz for Rs 32,500 and P4 1.5 GHz for 39,000. "We are going to appoint a new set of channel partners to exclusively promote Xenium brand in the market," said Sumith Bhatera. The company is appointing 15-20 channel partners in Tamil Nadu spanning over Coimbatore, Madurai, Trichy, Tirunelveli, Salem and Erode. In the next stage, the company plans to get into deeper pockets like Dindugal, Sivakasi, Nagercoil and
Karur.

"We are expecting to sell 75 to 100 machines per month for the first three months and increase the number up to 150 per month once it is established well in the market," said Bhatera. The company is involved in devising attractive schemes to promote the product in the market and is looking at tie-ups to bundle UPS, printers and software products as value-added measures. "We give price protection for channels as we are also pitching in for business. But, we will enter only when there is a bulk order," he said. The company aims to eat into the assembled PC market share by giving quality branded products at very competitive price.

While describing Comptech PCs specifications, Vikash Chandra said, "Our systems come with Comptech monitor, FIC motherboards, Seagate/Maxtor hard disk drive, Intel processors and other components sourced from the local market. However, we are also ready to build systems based on customers' specifications." Comptech is also bundling its UPS with the PCs offered at a very competitive price.