With growing concerns about pollution in the country, air-conditioner maker Blue Star believes that demand for air-conditioning solutions integrated with air purification benefits in residential and commercial segments is expected to see an uptick.

The company on Wednesday launched its new 5-star inverter room air-conditioner with an in-built air-purifier.

B Thiagarajan, Managing Director, Blue Star Ltd said: "We believe nearly 10 per cent of the air-conditioner market will move towards integrated products that serve the dual purpose of cooling and purifying at the same time, considering air pollution is serious concerns in most metros.”

The company is already testing similar solutions for commercial segment like hospitals and office buildings that will offer both air-conditioning and air-purification benefits. It is likely to launch by April next year.

"The market for standalone air-purifiers is still small. But products that offer dual benefits of cooling and purification will gain significant traction in the residential and light commercial segments in the coming months,” he said adding that in winters the in-built air purifier can work as a standalone unit.

Despite the ongoing economic slowdown, air conditioner segment did well during the summer season. “We expect to close FY20 with a growth of 15 per cent in the residential air-conditioner segment. The AC category grew reasonably well in the first two quarters compared to other consumer durable categories. We are also expecting shorter winter season and the early onset of summer which will boost air-conditioner sales in the upcoming summer season,” said Thiagarajan.

With the penetration of air-conditioners still at about 5-6 per cent, the company is working on strengthening its distribution network further

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