French Electronic major Thomson
Bengaluru: The iconic French electronics brand, Thomson, is making a grand reentry into the Indian market, setting its sights on a niche segment. This festive season marks the beginning of Thomson's resurgence in India, and the exclusive franchise holder, Super Plastronics Pvt. Ltd. (SPPL), is gearing up to manufacture high-resolution television sets, cutting-edge washing machines, monitors, laptops, and an array of consumer electronics.
According to Avneet Singh Marwah, Chief Executive Officer of SPPL, "A new market is emerging for niche products that harness the latest technological advancements. SPPL has already introduced numerous products from this platform, each designed to provide long-lasting satisfaction and value for money in the white goods sector of the consumer electronics industry. Following the exit of brands like OnePlus and Realme from the Indian TV market, of which OnePlus held a significant market share, Thomson is poised to aggressively seize that market share."
Thomson's latest product lineup boasts state-of-the-art technology that aligns with the 'Atmanirbhar' (self-reliant) movement in India. Marwah added, "Our television sets have secured a direct Google license for manufacturing Android TVs and are actively collaborating with Google on future projects. We've also partnered with Flipkart for an intensive marketing campaign. During the festive season, spanning from October to December, we have set a target of achieving a staggering Rs. 500 crores in revenue, and by the end of this fiscal year, we anticipate generating a business of Rs. 1200 crores."
Earlier this year, Thomson invested INR 200 crores in its new Washing Machine facility located in Noida, launching an extensive range of semi-automatic, fully-automatic, and front-load machines in India.
One of the standout products is the "TV of the World Cup Special Edition," known as TV 43Alpha005BL, which features blue bezels and is priced at Rs. 14,999, creating a buzz in the industry. Thomson's Android smart TVs start as low as INR 8,888, offering unmatched affordability in this segment. Similarly, Thomson's washing machines begin at an attractive price point of INR 5057 for a 7 kg load, making it a standout "premium affordable" product. These discounted prices will be available throughout the eight-day festive season sale. Additionally, Thomson's televisions come bundled with a subscription to Disney Plus Hotstar for a rich OTT content experience.
The TV lineup features Realtek processors and runs on Android 11, boasting premium attributes like a bezel-less design, 30W speakers, Dolby Digital, built-in apps such as Netflix, and access to over 6,000 apps and games, including popular platforms like Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+Hotstar, Apple TV, Voot, Zee5, Sony LIV, and the Google Play Store, which boasts 500,000 TV shows. Thomson's new 43-inch FA Series TV is competitively priced at Rs. 17,499, making it a compelling option in its segment.
SPPL, founded in 1990 with its headquarters in Noida, has evolved from its initial plastic injection moulding business to manufacturing CRT TVs and modern LED TVs. As one of the largest manufacturers of CRT TV cabinets in the 1990s and early 2000s, SPPL has now established itself as a prominent OEM in CRT and LED television manufacturing. With three manufacturing plants across India, located in Noida, Una, and Jammu, and a workforce exceeding 1000 employees, SPPL remains at the forefront of India's electronics manufacturing landscape.