BSH Household Appliances is setting up a research and development centre in Pune, which will focus on developing cutting edge technology for refrigerators.

The Centre will be functional by the end of 2015. It will be connected with the global R&D facilities of BSH (erstwhile joint venture of Robert Bosch and Siemens) in Germany and China. Globally, it engages 3,100 researchers and spends 3 per cent of its turnover on R&D.

It will be a full-fledged R&D with testing facilities, labs and already three technologists have been recruited, said Gunjan Srivastava, Managing Director and Chief Executive of BSH Household Appliances India.

'The company has invested ₹350 crore in its manufacturing unit for washing machines in Chennai.

Under the ‘Make in India’ initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BSH is evaluating the possibility of manufacturing refrigerators in the country.

The project will need separate production lines in Chennai. However, it was too early to give a time frame or investments, Srivastava told BusinessLine here.

Based on an understanding of the domestic needs and consumer requirements, the company is lining up a range of products, especially in the high volume categories of home (specially kitchen) alliances, to be launched in the next five years, he said.

The company launched its Bosch and Siemens stores in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, last week.

It is part of the strategy to target tier 2 cities with aspirational lifestyle products.

Similar brand stores for Siemens in Bhopal and Gurgaon for both the brands — Bosch & Siemens — were launched earlier.

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