AOC, a new kid on the block

Taiwan-based TPV Technology, a US $5 billion monitor company and promoters of AOC brand worldwide, is all set to enter into India. Launching products next month, TPV Technology will initially focus on north and south markets, before moving into east and west by January 2006. The company is planning to offer all its products in India-which include CRT monitors, TFT displays, LCD and plasma televisions. 

"We are a leading OEM supplier worldwide, having produced 25 million monitors in the last year. Any top brand in the world is buying monitors from us," claimed Saurabh Grover, Manager, Sales & Marketing, TPV Technology. In India, the company claims to have shipped over 1.1 million monitors through OEM route in 2004. As for
AOC, the company has operations in South America, Europe, China, Singapore and Malaysia.

"Today, AOC is a popular brand and hope to continue the winning streak in India too. The company however would go slow, as part of its worldwide policy, with the AOC brand, as it should not affect the OEM business and its relationship with partners. We want to build the AOC brand slowly and steadily," he explained. 

Though the company has not fixed any targets for itself, it hopes to sell 25,000 monitors in the first four months (ending December 2005) in north and south India. Going national by January 2006, it expects to market over one lakh units in a year.

The company has appointed Delhi-based Vision Enterprises as its national distributor to take its product into the market. Vision Enterprises would in-turn appoint regional distributors across the country and is already in talks with few channel partners in south and north India. "We are in the process of finalizing the names and will have four regional distributors, to start with," quipped Grover.

The company bets on Vision Enterprises for its growth and according to Grover, "There is a lot of synergy between the two companies and Vision Enterprises is doing well in the market with Samsung, Olympus and Plantronics range of products. It also has financial strength and carries good credibility in the market," he pointed out.

TPV Technology is very optimistic about the Indian market and its growth rate. The company sees a huge opportunity lying here, as India is still buying a large quantity of CRT monitors, which is estimated at 90% of the total monitor market share. "We have all reasons to be here and AOC has wide range of products, be it CRT & TFT monitors and LCD & plasma televisions," he said. The company expects to clock a turnover of Rs 50 crore in the first fiscal (January-December 2006).

BOX ITEM

S Gopikrishna

Chennai