It's just so odd

The air-conditioner market is witnessing an explosion of style and, with it, some new “odd” capacities are being unleashed. Samsung has launched a new range of ACs of 0.8 tonne and 1.6 tonne capacities meant for new-age homes that require ACs for rooms of different sizes.

These new ACs also consume less electricity. LG Electronics, too, has introduced ACs in higher capacities. Its floor-standing model, which can be moved around the house, costs Rs 49,000-1 lakh. However, the original innovator was Voltas, which came up with the 0.6-tonne AC for Rs 9,990 in 2004 to counter the challenge from the Korean companies. More recently, it has launched triangular ACs.

It’s only now that these new segments are gaining critical mass. Says Pradeep Bakshi, Vice President (Marketing & Sales), Voltas: “It was easier for traders to push a standard 1-1.5-tonne ACs, but now, with many middle-class families in Tier I and Tier II towns upgrading from coolers and room-sizes getting smaller, or rooms having not the usual shapes, the demand for new varieties and capacities is picking up.”

— Shamni Pande