Tata-owned Voltas Ltd has said it is scaling up its research and development centre for air-conditioners and refrigeration products at Pantnagar in Uttaranchal, to meet demand from both institutional and domestic consumers.

The company said it will invest between Rs 15-20 crore on expanding its R&D centre.

“Today, we are the second largest selling air-conditioner brand in India with 19 per cent market share. We are looking at scaling up the business and market share to 25 per cent by 2015,” Mr Pradeep Bakshi, Chief Operating Officer, Voltas Ltd, told reporters after launching 70 air-conditioner models for the summer season.

The company said it sold eight lakh units in 2010-11, and is looking at 1.2 million in 2011-12.

AC market

The total air conditioner market in India is estimated at 3.8 million units including both split and window, and is estimated to be growing at 30 per cent over last year. The market itself has been witnessing hectic activity, as more players compete on energy rating and aesthetic designs.

Mr Bakshi said the company has its manufacturing facility in Pantanagar which manufactures both split and window ACs.

The company is also gearing up to expand its production capacity to 8 lakh units from 6 lakh units in its two facilities at Pantnagar in Uttarakhand.

Operations

Voltas' operations are organised into three independent business specific clusters. These include: electro-mechanical projects and services, engineering products and unitary cooling products.

Air-conditioners, commercial refrigeration and water cooler dispensers fall under the unitary cooling vertical.

The company said it is also widening its focus on geographies such as West Asia and South East Asia.

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