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Follow UsKolkata: After some local companies tried their hands at PC production in West Bengal, its now time for the more recognized and nationally acclaimed companies to do the same. In a bid to promote hardware manufacturing in the state, Videocon is all set to launch their PCs.
"There has been a growth in the software segment in West Bengal and adjoining areas. We feel a growth in the hardware segment is also very essential in order to have a well proportional development in information technology," said Biswajit Mohinta, Head-IT and Personal Computer Division, Kitchen Appliances India Ltd, a subsidary of Videocon Industries. "We are one of the leaders in electronics business, which is in synergy with the IT business. Naturally this diversion is very much justified and we have big plans for our upcoming IT venture," he added further.
Videocon is known for its efforts in overtaking plants that were not doing well and starting their own production in a rejuvenated way.
"Our first such effort started with the takeover of the Philips plant in Salt Lake in 1998. The plant, which was at that time on the verger of closure, has been performing very well from its first year of operation. It was a great leap for us in West Bengal as the Philips plant used be one of the best and modern plants in Asia. We have since then been manufacturing our display devices here," said Mohinta.
In 2005, the company once again took over the second unit of Philips lamp manufacturing plant in Taratala (Kolkata) and revamped it to start the production of Videocon appliances. "These activities gradually attracted the confidence of the state government and they approached us to do something for the development of the IT industry in the state," he said.
Videocon is coming out with five special economic zones (SEZs) in West Bengal, two at Siliguri and three in and around Kolkata. "Our first IT park, coming up at Sector Five, will start its construction work within the next two months," informed Mohinta.
The company has selected the forthcoming Compass 2006 exhibition to announce a soft launch of their PCs and generate mass awareness in the Kolkata market, which will be subsequently followed by another event at Siliguri.
"We will start selling our PCs in West Bengal followed by northeast which is an extremely potential, yet highly neglected market. Then we will spread our business across the eastern region within this fiscal before we launch our PCs in the other national market," said Mohinta, adding that by February Videocon PCs would start its full-fledged marketing activity in the region.
The primary PC production plant of the company has been set up at Siliguri. The production operation is due to start within December. "After our PC production line has been setup we will consider foraying into the components as well as networking solutions equipments segment," he informed.
Source: DQ Week