DHAKA: Walton High-tech Industries Limited, the leading electronics company of the country, will meet cent percent domestic need of refrigerator from April next.
The annual demand of refrigerator of the country is 10 lakh and Walton’s capacity to produce fridge is now eight lakh and it will reach to 14 lakh from April next, said Ashraful Alam, Managing Director of Walton.
He mentioned that Walton would export four lakh pieces of refrigerator abroad from April while it is now two lakh.
In this regard, the construction of a complete automated unit for producing 6 lakh pieces of fridge is underway he added.
Except compressor, Walton is making each and every raw material for assembling the fridge, Ashraf mentioned.
To ensure quality of Walton fridge, the compressor is being imported from Singapore and Malaysia, he informed.
He, however, said the company would start soon to manufacture compressor in the country.
In a recent interview with banglanews at the Walton factory at Chandra in the district, Managing Director of Walton said, “I want to see the Walton products in different markets all around the world.”
He added: “Currently, we are exporting two lakh pieces of fridge to 11 countries, including Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Ghana, South Africa, Myanmar and Nepal. Our target is to export electronic products to 50 countries by 2015.”
“We want to export Walton products to 100 countries by 2020 in order to introduce our local products in the world market,” he added.
Walton will produce some exclusive types of fridges in the new unit with a view to exporting the fridges in the countries of USA, European countries including UK, Australia, and Singapore.
Expressing his feelings for the country, Ashraful said, “I could not take part in our Liberation War as I was only six then. But, I want to do something big for the country.”
While disclosing his business plans, he said, “We have a plan to establish an automobile industry in the country. Hopefully, the official announcement in this regard will come by the end of the year. We will produce low price cars within two years of the announcement.”
He said, “Walton will produce low price laptops and computers for the local market. People could buy these products at Tk. 8,000 to 10,000.”
“We are planning to make heavy vehicles for goods transportation worth 5 to 7 lakh. People could buy them easily as it will take only two years to pay the money through installments,” he added.
Mentioning that Walton is able to make every raw material locally, he said, “An engine making project will be set up by 2013. Meanwhile, we will produce mobile phones worth Tk. 1000 by the next year.”
Stressing on their social corporate responsibility, Ashraful said, “Walton will work for protecting country’s culture and tradition.”
Earlier, Walton secured an export order worth $100 million from India.
Expressing hope to export products worth Tk 1200 crore per year initially, Senior Assistant Director and Head of International Marketing of Walton Lokman Hossain Akash said, “Our products have created demand in Assam, Tripura, Paschimbanga, Meghalaya, Manipur, Arunachal and Sikkim of India.”
A 43-member delegation of Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), a Japanese government-related organization for promoting mutually beneficial trade and investment visited the Walton factory at Chandra in the district on Tuesday.
They opined that it is possible to export Walton products to Japan by ensuring the quality and reasonable price.
The Japanese business delegation has also expressed a keen interest to run a joint business with the Bangladeshi company.
BDST: 2143 HRS, MAR 01, 2012
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