As on date, the company has already invested $30 million at its Noida facility.

The company has set itself a sales target of Rs 2,500 crore by 2001 when it hopes to operate fully its production facilities for colour televisions, microwave ovens, computer monitors, refrigerators, washing machines and air conditioners among others.

Managing director KS Kim told reporters that the company was targeting a market share of 10 per cent in the eastern region and a 12.5 per cent market share in colour TVs on an all-India basis by the end of 1999.

Kim revealed that Samsung expected to end 1999 with sales and net profit of Rs 900 crore and Rs 16 crore respectively.

In 1998, Samsung India achieved sales of Rs 540 crore, of which 80 per cent came from consumer electronics while the remainder came fromwhite goods.

In 1998, white goods was the focus area for the company and its share in turnover was expected to go up to 35 per cent, Kim added.

In the first three months of 1999, sales touched Rs 160 crore and was projected to rise to Rs 250 crore in the second quarter, Kim said.

The company was also strengthening its distribution network and intended to raise the number of dealers in 1999 to 2000 from 1600.

In terms of numbers, the company hopes to sell 315 crore units in 1999 against 81 crore in 1998.

The company on Tuesday announced the launch of its products in Orissa and Bihar besides the introduction of its new, hi-tech product line in the east. The new products include the `Tantus' and the `Hitron' series in TVs to supplement the existing `Vision Plus' and `Super Horn Series', frost-free `Cool-Tech Dynamic' refrigerator range, `Ice World' refrigerator models, `Boomerang Wash' washing machines and a digital video disc player.

Kim said the company would incur promotion costs of Rs 6.5 croreon the `Sureshot World Cup Bonanza' consumer offer that involved gifts worth Rs 4 crore.

Samsung India has also initiated a Challenge 2500 campaign at its CTV facility at Noida in April 1999 that entails production of 2500 sets per day per production line. It has also put in place a supply chain management system to hasten delivery of products to consumers.