Electrical and electronic equipment manufacturer V-Guard is foraying into the overseas market in September by exporting voltage stabilisers to African countries. Apart from stabilisers, the company is also looking at shipping cables and solar wa-

ter heaters to that region this year.

“We have conducted initial market surveys in Nigeria and Kenya and are confident that we have a market for our voltage stabilisers there. Discussions with dealers and distributors are in final stages and by September, we are hopeful of starting exports,” said Antony Sebastian, general manager, V-Guard Industries. “Almost 60 per cent of the stabiliser market in these countries is occupied by cheaper Chinese products. We are confident of providing better quality products.”

Since Chinese stabilisers are around 30 per cent cheaper than V-Guard’s stabilisers, the company will bring out cost-effective variants for the African market.

“These countries do not require the level of voltage-boosting that is required in India. By avoiding one or two steps of voltage clamping, cost of the products can be brought down by 10 to 15 per cent,” he added.

The new variants will be manufactured at V-Guard’s Coimbatore facility, which is beefing up its produ-

ction capacity.

V-Guard, which has a 15 per cent share in the Rs 750 crore branded voltage stabiliser market in India, hopes to increase its production volume to 12 lakh units per annum from the present 10 lakh units by 2011.

After starting stabiliser export, the company will also explore the same distribution channels in Nigeria and Kenya. V-Guard, is conducting market surveys for voltage stabilisers in Bahrain and Muscat as well.