The Hindu Business Line : Blaupunkt bullish on India

IN-CAR entertainment major Blaupunkt recently embarked on a new retail strategy here opening its first brand shop designed to offer customers an exclusive space to experience the sound quality that the company is known for. India is the first country in the Asia-Pacific region to host this approach.

With a 21 per cent share of the domestic organised market, Blaupunkt is reckoned to be the second biggest player. Since 1999, the brand has grown here at 14 per cent and the domestic sales turnover has risen by five times, Mr Vedat Gurgeli, General Manager (Sales and Marketing), Blaupunkt Asia-Pacific, said.

Excluding the mature Japanese automobile market, Blaupunkt's sales turnover elsewhere in Asia has been increasing at the rate of 7 per cent. Its share in other markets in the region is in the 5-10 per cent range. The branded retail experience, which made its debut in India, is being rolled out fast across the Asia-Pacific region.

"India is ready for premium in-car entertainment systems. We will introduce the latest and most feature-rich car systems over the coming years,'' Mr Gurgeli said. The shop will stock the company's complete range of in-car entertainment systems and models besides providing installation by trained technicians.

All products at the shop will be sold at the maximum retail price.Blaupunkt sells car radios ranging from Rs 7,000 to Rs 40,000 and in-car video-DVD systems priced as high as Rs 1.25 lakh.

Part of the larger Mico-Bosch Group, Blaupunkt sources car radio software from India. Unlike its global sales mix featuring 80 per cent share for OE (original equipment) supplies and only 20 per cent for retail, in India, Blaupunkt enjoys quite the opposite ratio with retail at 80 per cent currently.

According to Mr Gurgeli, the Asia-Pacific market, including India, is characterised by a sizable demand for value-for-money in-car entertainment products at one end and an elite clientele that demands nothing but the best at the other. The company's own forecast is that by 2014, 50 per cent of its sales would come from Europe, 25 per cent from NAFTA and another 25 per cent from Asia-Pacific.

While it has the brand `Velocity' positioned at the very premium segment, Mr Gurgeli said that Blaupunkt will not be averse to considering a value-for-money brand for the lower end of the automobile market, should such an opportunity present itself.

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