"We have plans to expand our product range as much as possible and we hope to double our sales turnover by 2001," managing director of Sony India, Hiromi Matsumoto told reporters here after inaugurating the first exclusive Sony Digital World showroom in the country.

The outlet is aimed at displaying the entire range of Sony's digital products including Mavica, Mavica printer, Wega, digital handycams etc. The concept was meant to enhance Sony's brand equity as a technology initiator and leader in introducing novel concepts, he said.

This year, Sony India expects to report a 30 per cent increase in sales turnover from last year to Rs. 500 crore. Last year, Sony India recorded a profit of Rs. 12 crore and during this year, the company hopes to achieve the same level.

In the 21-inch colour television (CTV) segment alone, Sony has sofar introduced five models and commands 10 per cent of the total CTV market, Matsumoto said. In the audio system segment, Sony has a market share of 30 per cent. In terms of value, Sony has a market share of 50 per cent of the total audio market in the country, he said. Recently, the company had launched a 29-inch Wega model, the flattest TV ever produced from the Sony stable priced at Rs. One lakh.

He said with a short span, Sony has introduced a number of high-end technology products including handycam, still camera, GSM cellulars, audio CD and video CD.

Explaining about Sony's indegenisation plans, Matsumoto said the company was working on a target to localise at least 30 per cent of its products as soon as possible.

He said ever since its inception in India, Sony India had made progress in indigenising the components transferred by the parent company. Currently, Sony has a indigenisation level of 25 per cent. The key to sell the products more economically depends on the level of indigenisation asthe duty on imports of components was too high at the moment. He hoped the government would reduce the high import duty on the components in the forthcoming budget. Talking about digital technology, he said Sony India would open more digital outlets throughout the country in the next two years.