One of the latest entrants in the residential air-conditioner segment, Trane expects to ride high on demand this summer to gain a foothold in the cluttered domestic AC market. The heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems maker launched its range of residential air-conditioners last year in the country.

Sameer Nagpal, Vice-President and Business Head – Residential Solutions, Ingersoll Rand India, makers of Trane, said, “We hope to garner five per cent market share in the next three years. The company this year expects to have a presence across 50 cities with about 300 channel partners and dealers. The market size of air-conditioners is estimated at about 3.5-4 million AC units annually.

“Our key markets are going to be in the Southern and the Western regions due to the long summer season and affluent population and in a bit of the Northern market,” he said, adding that the company was not going aggressively in Central India.

Nagpal says the products are targeted in the “mass premium” segment, with the pricing nearly 10 per cent higher than its competitors. “Indian consumers are increasingly becoming more value conscious and our interactive air-conditioners are designed the meet the needs of the evolving Indian homes,” he added.

The interactive features include an option to use a single interactive controller for multiple ACs. Trane, which also offers a range of electronic locks, has given consumers the option to be able to operate ACs and locks together, without the need to be pointing at the device.

Trane, which has a portfolio of energy-efficient heating, ventilating and air-conditioning systems for both commercial and residential buildings, is owned by Ingersoll Rand.

meenakshi.v@thehindu.co.in

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