China on Kirloskar's expansion cards

AHMEDABAD: Cooling solutions company Kirloskar Pneumatic Co. Ltd. is all set to vault into China with its industrial refrigeration products next year -- a move that it expects would boost revenue and help consolidate its business.

"We will be expanding into China by 2007 and we will begin by setting up a distribution network across the country," said, KPCL director Rahul Kirloskar.

To start with, the company would focus on Eastern China, where it would concentrate on exporting refrigeration compressors to industries, he said.

"The Chinese market for refrigeration compressors is as big as the Indian market", said Rahul, who was here to launch Kirloskar-Ebara's vapour absorption chillers.

These refrigeration compressors are normally used in cold storages, ice-plants, sea-food plant and similar industries.

"We have a competitive product that can match global standards," he said, adding that the KPCL was planning to sell about 1,200 compressors in the range of 100 to 300 TR (tonnes of refrigeration).

The company's entry into the Chinese market is seen as an attempt to tap the overseas market and thereby boost exports. It is also an attempt by the company to consolidate its presence in the air compressors and refrigeration sectors.