The company has charted out aggressive growth targets involving 50 per cent growth in sales coupled with a similar growth of its direct retail outlets over the next four years. It has decided to roll out at least two new products a month within the existing product categories and brands and step up the advertising spend for the year to 17 per cent of its sales income to over Rs 70 crore. The company spent Rs 37 crore in advertising last year. Reckitt & Colman is also considering opportunities to forge new alliances and acquire more brands or businesses.

It is also understood to be working out a direct marketing strategy to be put in place in 2000.

The new growth targets will involve a shift in its market strategyand positioning. The company intends to abandon its niche market-player positioning to enter all package sizes and price points and, thus, enlarge its consumer base.

"We expect to double our turnover every second year during the next four years," top Reckitt & Colman sources said. Thus, the company expects to hit the Rs 1,000-crore mark at the turn of the millennium. Similarly, the company intends to double the number of direct outlets every second year. This year, it will strive to increase the number of outlets from 3 lakh shops to 4.5 lakh.

It proposes to target all towns and cities with population of 3,000-8,000 people during the year, instead of confining itself to towns and cities with population over 20,000 people. The company hopes to be present at more than 10 lakh outlets by 2002.

"We are giving ourselves very stiff targets," the sources admitted. "However, we have devised a strategy to ensure that we continue to grow at 50 per cent over the next 3-4 years."

The expansion of the retail chainwould be accompanied by a rollout of new products within the existing product categories and relaunch of certain existing products. For instance, the products under the umbrella brand Robin is being relaunched with new packaging.

The company expects to generate at least 30 per cent of turnover from new products. "At present, not more than 10-12 per cent turnover come from new products," the sources added.

The company proposes to introduce the half a dozen new products/packages under Mortien in the pest-control segment. Likewise, more products are being lined up for launch under the dish- and utensil-cleaner brand Teepol. Newly acquired brand Colin will be introduced in a hard surface cleaning variant. Room freshner brand Haze will be given a fresh leash of life and new products providing similar utility are being scheduled for rollout during the year.

Reckitt & Colman chairman PM Sinha had announced the company's intention to introduce "vigourously" new products, packages and new delivery systems underbrands like Lizol in surface cleaning and disinfection and Dettol in the antiseptic segment.

Meanwhile, in a move to provide consumers with better service and address their complaints, the company has launched a toll-free service for brands like Mortein, Lizol, and Dettol in Delhi, Mumbai, and Indore. The service will be extended to 55 cities across the country over the next two months.