The Hindu Business Line : Siemens distributor to expand retail network

RBS Home Appliances Pvt Ltd, the company that distributes Siemens white goods in India, proposes to widen its retail network and its geographical spread over the next one year.

The marketing arm of the Bosch Siemens Home Appliances in India will set up 20 Siemens showrooms across the country this year and increase its dealer points from the present 300 to 1,000 by next year, according to Mr Vipul B. Raval, Managing Director of RBS Home Appliances Pvt Ltd.

The company has chosen Salem, a commercial hub in western Tamil Nadu, as the first centre in the country to locate Siemens' showroom which was inaugurated on Wednesday.

The inaugural function was attended among others by Mr Engelke Friedrich, Director of Bosch Siemens Home Appliances group's Africa, Middle East and India operations.

Among the major centres identified for locating Siemens showroom are Bangalore, Hyderabad and Gurgaon. With its market base for the Siemens range of white goods hitherto remaining with the western and southern parts of the country, RBS has sought to enlarge its geographical spread towards North and Eastern parts as well and to achieve this objective, it will open branches in Chandigarh, Punjab, Ludhiana, Jaipur, Goa besides Kolkata.

Talking to Business Line over phone from Salem, Mr Raval said RBS which clocked Rs 40 crore turnover in 2003-04 hoped that its growth for the current year would be in the 20 per cent plus band that may essentially come from the sale of cooling and small home appliances. At present, the Bosch Siemens products range centres on washing machines (five models), refrigeration (four models), cooking hubs, chimneys and 50 different small appliances including mobile phones. In addition, the company is also planning to launch at least three more models of refrigerators. Mr Raval said at least 20 per cent of the sales growth for the company this year may come from these retail fora.