Kodak To Introduce New Series Of Ultra HD And 4K TV Series In 2017

With the launch of Kodak HD LED TV last year, Super Plastronics Pvt. Ltd. (SPPL), a Kodak brand licensee, made its offline debut with over 400 selling points (retail stores) to capture 10 per cent market share in Gujarat by 2020. Spearheading Kodak’s expansion into the consumer electronics vertical, Avneet Singh Marwah, Director and CEO of Super Plastronics, speaks on the company’s growth and achievements. Edited excerpts

Please tell us about the inception of the company?
Super Plastronics is a manufacturing company established in 1990 in Noida. We started with plastic injection molding which slowly graduated to manufacturing of CRT TVs and now LED TVs. We were one of the largest manufacturers of CRT TV cabinets in the 90s and today one of India’s foremost OEMs in CRT and LED TV with three manufacturing plants in India located in Noida, Una and Jammu.

What are the growth prospects of the company?
In 2017, we plan to introduce more smart televisions and a new series of Ultra HD and 4K televisions. We are also setting up another manufacturing unit in South India and expanding into 5 more cities in addition to the 28 existing ones.

Tell us about your role in bringing Kodak TV to India?
We as a company have always looked for avenues to grow. Becoming a brand licensee of Eastman Kodak Company was an excellent opportunity to introduce Kodak HD led TV in India. Under Kodak’s guidance and it’s want for maintaining global standard for its products, we introduced Kodak HD LED TV in India.

So when did Kodak TV forayed into the Indian market?
SPPL introduced Kodak LED in August 2016, before which Kodak was present in India through other brand licensees, for products other than televisions. SPPL launched Kodak through online e-commerce platforms (Shopclues, Amazon, Paytm & Flipkart). The brand was launched on online e-commerce channels to ensure immediate brand visibility and as a next step we have made our offline retail debut in Gujarat with over 400 retail selling points. The initial product line up comprises five HD LED TVs varying over a range of 32, 40 and 50 inches, starting at Rs 13,500. The Smart TVs offer internet connectivity and WiFi capability.

What is the current market scenario of the consumer electronics industry?
If data is to be believed, India is expected to become the fifth largest consumer durables market on a global level by 2025. The consumer durables industry is projected to double at 14.8 per cent CAGR to reach approximately USD 12.5 billion in FY15 from USD 6.3 billion in FY10. The improving living standards have made the need for electronics consumer durables a must in the Indian household. The changing environmental dynamics, urbanization and rising income levels are driving the growth of this segment that was once inhibited by the high price point. The number of TV sets sold have also reached over 14.5 million, with more than 83 per cent of them being LED & LCD. Additionally by 2018, the TV industry in India is expected to expand to $ 14.7 billion, from the current $4.8 billion, a growth of over 45 per cent.

Tell us about your views on ‘Make in India’? Does Kodak play any part in this?
The ‘Make in India’ initiative gives a huge boost to all the manufacturers. Indirect taxes for those who do not make in India are on the rise as government is taking correct measures and has introduced National Investment and Manufacturing Zones as giant industrial greenfield townships to promote world-class manufacturing activities. If any TV brand is to survive in India in the long run, they would need to ‘Make in India’. Laterally, it also promotes cost reduction and provides employment opportunities. 
Through the ‘Make in India’ project more companies are looking to set up factories, but there is scope for further improvement as we lack on basic necessities like infrastructure due to which logistics cost goes up which effects the supply chain as well. Indian infrastructure is rated 54th among 59 countries in comparison to other developing countries. Although these rapid changes should encourage investment from across the globe in various sectors which would consequently help infrastructural development.