Samsung India Electronics has over the last few years become a strong player in not only mobile phones, but also in other electronic items such as air-conditioners, refrigerators, personal computers, tablets, and liquid crystal display/ light emitting diode televisions.

The subsidiary of South Korean company is also strengthening its presence in health and medical equipment business in India now. The company has two manufacturing facilities in India – one each in Noida (Uttar Pradesh) and Sriperumbudur (Tamil Nadu).

In an interview with Business Line, B. D. Park, Managing Director, Samsung India Electronics , shares about the company’s journey so far in India and what future holds for it in the country. Excerpts: -

How has been the India journey so far for Samsung?

I would say that the journey so far has been successful but we still have some distance to cover. In the period that we have been in India, we have combined the best of Samsung in terms of our products and processes with a sharp focus on Indian needs to offer consumer products and services that are tailored to meet their needs.

We have met the needs of customers with innovative products that make their lives richer, simpler and more enjoyable. And as the Indian consumers have shown a positive acceptance of new technology products, we have fuelled this technology adoption by launching our latest technology products in the Indian market, often creating new segments in the market.

We have successfully leveraged the talented manpower in the country by setting up research and development centres and manufacturing bases that have helped strengthen our operations in the country, making Samsung the largest electronics company in the country.

What are your expansion plans in India?

We plan to lead the convergence era with our smart technology products, be it in the converging mobile and IT areas or the consumer electronics domain.

As we look at further strengthening our presence in the country, we will continue to strengthen our R&D and manufacturing operations in the country. We will continue to grow our R&D manpower across our Bangalore and Noida centres, while manufacturing operations across Chennai and Noida facilities will help us respond faster to the needs of the Indian market.

In terms of products, we will continue to introduce innovative products across our businesses that will drive our business growth.

How much have you invested in India since inception? What are your further investment plans?

We have invested $400 million in India so far and are committed to bringing in the necessary investments to grow our business in the country.

Beyond the business and manufacturing related investments, we are investing in the community through our social responsibility programmes.

What innovative products have you planned for India?

Innovation is one of the key pillars of the Samsung brand and we have been launching innovative products that make the lives of our consumers simpler and richer. We are looking at leading the convergence era with our smart devices, be it smartphones, tablets or smart televisions to name a few.

Some of our recent launches have really redefined the way consumers experience.

For example, Galaxy S4, Note 2 or Galaxy Grand in the premium mobile space, our smart televisions or the Note 800 and Note 510 in the tablet space .

Apart from home appliances and smart devices, what new category of products can you bring for the Indian market?

In addition to our existing businesses where we will have exciting new launches, we have recently launched Digital Radiology and In-vitro diagnostics equipment and technologies under the GEO Brand in the country as part of our Health & Medical Equipment businesses.

Our enterprise business is another big thrust area where we are working on offering solutions for enterprise customers.

Apart from getting cheap labour, is India a labour-friendly for you?

We have set up manufacturing bases at Noida and Chennai and our committed and talented workforce is helping us meet our business needs.

>ronendrasingh.s@thehindu.co.in

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