The local market of LCD and plasma TVs boomed in the first quarter of this year, when Romanians bought as many new generation TV sets as they did in the entire 2006, according to importers and distributors of the main flat screen brands (LCD and plasma TVs). Sales started to pick up towards the end of 2006, once prices had dropped and after January 1, 2007- when Romania significantly cut customs duties on these products, in its position as a EU member- sales began to surge.
The representatives of Genco, importer and distributor of the Samsung electronics in Romania say they sold more than double the number of flat panel TVs in the first few months of this year than they did for the entire of 2006, without revealing the exact number of units.
"At the moment, it's hard to make an estimate for the local LCD and plasma TV market, because there is no real history to hold in comparison, especially after the elimination of the customs duties. We estimate the market will amount to about 150,000 units in 2007, maybe even more," Ovidiu Bejan, commercial manager of Genco Trade told ZIARUL FINANCIAR.
According to officials at New Link, importer of Sony TVs and the owner of the Sony Center stores, demand for LCD TVs will increase by 400-500% this year compared with 2006.
Sony Center sold more than 1,000 LCD TVs in the first months of this year, after selling around 900 units for the entire of 2006.
"We've noticed growing demand for LCD televisions with over 40" screens and with above average technical specifications," stated Brandusa Nicolaescu, Sony Center marketing manager.
Bejan expects Samsung to maintain the same success as it did in 2006 on the segment of LCD TVs, where the South-Korean manufacturer is a market leader, with a 32% market share of the total number of units sold and a 35% share of the total value.
The LCD and PDP (plasma) TVs contributed approximately 15% to the total turnover of Genco, with the company officials expecting their contribution to the turnover to increase significantly to 30-40%.
As far as the plasma TVs are concerned, the Genco official says that Samsung is the market leader here with 23% of the total number of units sold, while its share of the total value of the market amounts to 25%. LG Electronics Romania claim to hold the same position, with the officials of this company telling ZF that their share of the local market of the plasma TVs stands at 29.7%. LG ended 2006 ranked second on the LCD TV segment, with a 13% market share.
"LG intends to double its share on the market of the LCD TV segment this year compared with 2006; therefore reaching a 30% share on the market. LG intends to become the leader of the LCD TV market by 2008, " stated Han Khyu, LG Electronics Romania chairman.
Khyu adds that LCD TVs generated 20% of the volume of LG TV sales, while plasma TVs generated 35%. Panasonic Romania is also aiming for a leading position on the segment of plasma TVs, with a share of 30% on the domestic market.
"We aim to get an over 30% share of the local plasma TV market and implicitly the leading position in 2007," Bogdan Gheorghiu, Panasonic Romania marketing manager told ZF.
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