Videocon PCs set for launch in East

Piyali Guha Kolkata, Nov 10

After some local companies tried their hands at PC production in
West Bengal, its now time for the more recognized and nationally acclaimed
companies to do the same. In a bid to promote hardware manufacturing in the
state, Videocon is all set to launch their PCs. "There has been a growth in
the software segment in West Bengal and adjoining areas. We feel a growth in the
hardware segment is also very essential in order to have a well proportional
development in information technology," said Biswajit Mohinta, Head-IT
and Personal Computer Division, Kitchen Appliances India Ltd, a subsidary of
Videocn Industries. "We are one of the leaders in electronics business,
which is in synergy with the IT business. Naturally this diversion is very much
justified and we have big plans for our upcoming IT venture," he added
further.

Videocon is known for its efforts in overtaking plants that were
not doing well and starting their own production in a rejuvenated way. "Our
first such effort started with the takeover of the Philips plant in Salt Lake in
1998. The plant, which was at that time on the verger of closure, has been
performing very well from its first year of operation. It was a great leap for
us in West Bengal as the Philips plant used be one of the best and modern plants
in Asia. We have since then been manufacturing our display devices here,"
said Mohinta. In 2005, the company once again took over the second unit of
Philips lamp manufacturing plant in Taratala (Kolkata) and revamped it to start
the production of Videocon appliances. "These activities gradually
attracted the confidence of the state government and they approached us to do
something for the development of the IT industry in the state," he said.

Videocon is coming out with five special economic zones (SEZs)
in West Bengal, two at Siliguri and three in and around Kolkata. "Our first
IT park, coming up at Sector Five, will start its construction work within the
next two months," informed Mohinta.

The company has selected the forthcoming Compass 2006 exhibition
to announce a soft launch of their PCs and generate mass awareness in the
Kolkata market, which will be subsequently followed by another event at Siliguri.
"We will start selling our PCs in West Bengal followed by northeast which
is an extremely potential, yet highly neglected market. Then we will spread our
business across the eastern region within this fiscal before we launch our PCs
in the other national market," said Mohinta, adding that by February
Videocon PCs would start its full-fledged marketing activity in the region.

The primary PC production plant of the company has been set up
at Siliguri. The production operation is due to start within December.
"After our PC production line has been setup we will consider foraying into
the components as well as networking solutions equipments segment," he
informed.