In the 1980s, TV-maker Panorama was one of West Bengal’s major success stories. Around 23 manufacturing units across India, a monthly sale of 35,000-40,000 TV sets and a national market share of 10 per cent made it one of the top players. But all that changed in over a decade.

Opening up of the economy in the 1990s, failure to gauge changes and operational losses (that included dealers not paying the company) saw the Kolkata-based TV-maker tone down its operations.

From a national presence, it ceded the market place to MNCs and was reduced to a Bengal-only player.

Now, the company is hoping to make a comeback, banking primarily on its popularity and brand recall in rural Bengal.

Today, it sells around 3,500-4,000 TV sets a month, with an annual turnover (FY-15) of ₹50 crore. But, it is now targeting a three-fold jump in sales, by next fiscal (FY-17).

According to Balaram Chowdhury, Chairman, Panorama, the company still commands a 10-per cent market share in rural and suburban Bengal. Cathode ray tube-based TVs (traditional colour TVs) had been its mainstay.

But, now its comeback trail will see a set of LED TVs being launched at nearly half the price of the competition. Focus in the initial days will predominantly be on rural Bengal and suburbs.

For example, the 32-inch TV comes below ₹15,000, nearly half as that of an MNC, claimed Chowdhury. A portfolio of three more of such “low-priced but value-for-money” models is being readied. The TVs will be priced between ₹12,000 and ₹26,000.

“We will phase-out the CRT TV from next month and concentrate on LEDs. Without compromising on quality, we’ll compete with MNCs on features and price,” he said.

After-sales services, a least focussed segment which led to local TV-makers’ decline post the advent of MNCs, will be another focus area.

“We (group arm Neosa) are the service partners of Sony. And hence, providing after-sales service isn’t an issue for us.”

Panorama has nearly 1,000 dealers (mostly in rural and suburbs) and 27 service touch points.

Revamping operations

Panorama’s manufacturing and assembling unit at Madhyamgram in North 24 Parganas (about 20 km north of Kolkata) has been revamped with the installation of a new line (for LED production) at a cost of ₹30 crore.

Money will mostly be from internal accruals. “Parts will be sourced mostly from China in a semi-knocked down condition,” Chowdhury said.

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