Publication : The HINDU Date : 30th July 2006. Godrej Appliances division plans major expansion in Kerala Launches new range of unique DVD MPEG 4 players KOCHI : Godrej & Boyce Manufacturing Company Limited -- Appliances Division -- a leading manufacturer of consumer appliances, plans to enhance its presence in Kerala through various strategic initiatives aimed at creating more value for the consumer. These plans were shared by Kamal Nandi, vice-president, Sales & Marketing, at the launch of Godrej's range of DVD players in Kerala, at a press conference in Kochi on Thursday. The company, Mr Nandi said, was aiming to capture at least 10 percent market share for DVDs in Kerala estimated at Rs. 75 crores. This is the fastest growing segment in the consumer electronics sector and the growth expected in the DVD sector is about 60 percent this year. In the first six months of the calender year, Godrej Appliances has had two major innovative product entries for the "cooling industry" with the luanch of i-Trec air- conditioners and Zinc Oxide Protection (ZOP) technology refrigerators that offer 10 years warrenty against rusting. In Kerala, the company was having 24 percent market share in refrigerators as against 20 percent avarage at the national level. The Shirval plant in Maharashtra would be coming out with frost free refrigerators during the current financial year. Mr. Nandi said that with microwaves, air-conditioners and now DVD players in its product basket, the company has become a full line appliance player. The turnover of the appliances business for 2005-06 stood at Rs. 650 crores. He also launched three models of DVD players of the company. The model 504 comes with an amplifier, and has several features like sound file quality. 'surround sound experience', progressive scan and 'resume function'. The model has an advanced lens and disk turn mechanism. This mechanism allows the DVD player to play disks, which have scratches on this where most players are known to fall with even few scratches on the disks. The MRP for the DVD player with in-built amplifier is Rs. 4,390.     Publication : Business Line - Brand Line Date : 27th July 2006.