AMD India, a leading purveyor of graphics and computing technologies, sees the State of Kerala as the most fertile market for its products.

According to Chandrahas Panigrahi, Country Head, Consumer Business, AMD India, the State is ‘signature market’ for the company.

HIGH LITERACY

“The focus on Kerala is because of the high literacy levels which help people understand information technology better,” Panigrahi told Business Line.

“They think ahead and have readily accepted our products all this long. They are able to differentiate between pedestrian and pedigreed technology products.” The raw power embedded in AMD products enhances visual capabilities even as computers/PCs cede space to advanced devices, better mobility and battery life.

These are attributes that help keep AMD ahead of competition, Panigrahi said.

HIGH GROWTH

Giving out statistics, he said the growth of the notebook market in Kerala is as high as 17 to 18 per cent. This compared well with the national average of 14 per cent.

AMD has a well-entrenched presence in the State already. It proposes to double manpower and expand to 10 Tier-II cities including Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode and Thrissur and 27 to 28 Tier-III cities.

“So our footprint will grow progressively to cover 40 cities and towns. We are also going to raise the number of people on the field.”

The company also proposes to further ramp up retail presence. The first AMD Store in Kerala was set up in Kochi.

EXISTING PARTNERS

It will set up four more retail outlets in the form of AMD Stores at Kottayam, Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode and Thrissur.

Existing retail partners include Focus Solutions (Comptree); Cyberpark; Aldous Glare Trade and Exports; IT Net: and Sheeja’s IT Mall (all in Kochi); Matrix Paradigm, Kozhikode; and Ozone Systems/Oxygen IT in Kottayam.

AMD India is also teaming up with some of the OEM partners such as Toshiba to offer attractive schemes during Onam season in Kerala.

>vinson.kurian@thehindu.co.in