Sahara unveils new range PCs, laptops

DQW News Bureau New Delhi, Sep 13

Sahara Computers and Electronics Ltd (SCEL) launched a new range of Sahara
laptop and desktop computers to cater to the business class. The new range
includes core duo and core 2 duo laptop and desktopcomputers and Intel's new
business platform Santa Rosa-based laptop. All the above products are high end
products.

With these products the company aims to sell 15 to 20 million units per year
and is eyeing a 10 percent marketshare as far as the Indian market is concerned.
The company now aims to focus on growth in government, business sector, large
format-retail chains, and has already tied-up with Big Bazaar, Chroma, RPG Group
and small-format retails like Vishal Mega Mart and IT Junction. Sahara lays
special focus on after-sales support and has support centers in 63 locations
across India.

As part of their vision 2009, and to expand their manufacturing base in
India, Sahara is all set to set-up a new plant in Roorkee which will be
operational by December this year. The company will be manufacturing board level
components in the Uttaranchal-based plant.

Elaborating on the marketing strategy George Van Der Merwe, COO, SCEL said
that their national distributor SES Technologies would be working on the
geographies to help further the reach of the products in the market. Sahara at
present has 63 distribution centers and 2,600 channel partners in India. Sahara's
regional distributors in Delhi include Peripherals Solutions, Digitronics and
Karishma Computers.

“We are only two years old in India and, according to an IDC report, hold
6.8 percent of the consumer marketshare in the country. Our focus is not to take
away marketshare from other vendors but to increase PC penetration,” said
Merwe.

The products being offered by Sahara include a 15.4-inch wide screen laptop,
which is powered by Intel core duo processor. The laptop is available with
Windows XP, Vista and Linux as operating systems. This laptop comes with a
warranty of one to three years. The other features include built-in high
definition audio, inbuilt wireless card and super multi DVD-RW.

The company will also be offering stylish high-end laptops targeted at the
fashion and lifestyle-based computer segment, and is based on Intel's new
business Platform Santa Rosa.