Chennai: Consumer durables company Videocon Industries Limited is targeting higher market share for its Electrolux brand sold under the licence from AB Electrolux, Sweden.

The Electrolux brand has four product lines viz refrigerators (frost-free and direct-cool) air conditioners (split, window, cassette and tower), washing machines (top load) and microwave ovens (grill and convection).

The company is beefing up the product lines with new models in each category.

Launching three new direct-cool refrigerator variants Eric Braganza, chief operating officer says new models in the microwave oven, washing machine and air conditioner segments are on the anvil.

''Five new microwave oven models, seven washing machines and two new air conditioners will be launched shortly,'' Braganza said.

In recent times the Electrolux division has launched six new models - three each in the frost-free and direct-cool segments. 

Braganza hopes the new launches would increase the brand's market share in all the four product categories.

According to him the Electrolux brand enjoys 8 per cent share in the Indian refrigerator market, 14 per cent in microwave oven and 5 per cent in the air conditioner segments.

He expects to sell around 8 lakh refrigerators this year and increase its market share to 11 per cent.

The division imports its premium frost-free refrigerators from Thailand while the direct-cool models are made at its two Indian plants.

''The company is putting up a new plant in Uttarkhand and there will be a dedicated line of Electrolux brand refrigerators,'' said Madhav Nene, general manager-Marketing.

Speaking about the microwave oven market Anil Hiranandani, general manager-Product Management Group said, during the current year the industry sales is expected to cross 7 lakh units and in the coming year it is expected to cross 1 million units.

The division hopes to command a market share 18 per cent during 2008-09 with the aid of new models.

For the current year the division has budgeted a brand spend of Rs25 crore and this will be increased by 22 per cent for the next fiscal.

The division will also start marketing campaign through short messaging service (SMS) and reach around 35 lakh mobile phones.

That apart for the ensuing festive season – Christmas, New Year and Pongal- the division has introduced gift offers on every purchase of an Electrolux product.

The gift items are Rs1,100 worth steam iron box and 51 piece dinner set worth Rs6,990.

''We will breakeven this fiscal with a turnover of Rs650 crore up from Rs490 crore earned last fiscal,'' Braganza said.