Sharp India Ltd will phase out its ‘value-for-money’ range of products and focus only on high-end models across product categories.

“We will focus only on products such as inverter air-conditioners, LED TVs above 32 inches, and frost-free refrigerators, in order to rationalise our product portfolio,” said Sunil K. Sinha, Chief Executive Officer and Regional Head of Sharp India.

For Sharp India, TV and air-conditioner verticals contribute over 70 per cent of the top line. Sinha said the company wants to consolidate its presence in these two segments in the next couple of years.

The company recently launched its air-conditioner manufacturing facility in Pune, put up at an investment of around Rs 250 crore, to manufacture inverter air-conditioners. This facility has an installed capacity of 5 lakh units a year.

With less than 4 per cent share of the 3.4-million-unit room air-conditioner market, Sharp currently lags behind many other brands. However, “if you consider only the inverter air-conditioners market, which is around 6 per cent (a little over two lakh units) of the overall market, we command over 45 per cent share,” said Sinha. In the current year, it expects to garner at least 7-8 per cent share of the overall room air-conditioner market, which is expected to cross 4 million units.

In the 4.5-million-unit LED TV market, Sharp commands 3 per cent share. It hopes to cross 5 per cent in 2014.

Besides the listed entity of Sharp India, the parent company Sharp Corporation of Japan has two wholly-owned companies — Sharp Business System (sales and marketing company) and its captive research and development unit Sharp Software Development.

To prove the company’s commitment to after-sales service, Sinha has given his direct telephone number in the product guarantee cards and advertisements for customers. “It’s a good initiative for consumer connect,” he said.

> ravikumar.r@thehindu.co.in

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