TIL Desk Lucknow/ Blue Star Limited launches new range of ‘Best-in-Class Affordable’ Room ACs for 2023 Blue Star Limited, today unveiled its new comprehensive range of ACs including a ‘best-in-class affordable’ range and a ‘flagship premium’ range, for this summer season. Overall, the Company has launched nearly 75 models across the spectrum of inverter, fixed speed, and Window ACs, and across price points to cater to every consumer segment. The Company, having strategically repositioned itself as a mass premium brand in 2020, is since then augmenting and leveraging its manufacturing, R&D and innovation capabilities to roll out new, differentiated and best-in-class ranges of affordable split ACs to cater to price sensitive consumers and first-time buyers, especially in the Tier 2, 3, 4, and 5 markets. Blue Star has also deployed a Total Cost Management (TCM) programme to maximise efficiency across the entire cost-value chain in order to achieve cost leadership. Blue Star Climatech’s new automated and smart factory at Sri City Blue Star being a strong proponent of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan, the Company, through its wholly owned subsidiary Blue Star Climatech Limited, has set up a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility at Sri City.
Blue Star Climatech commenced commercial production of room ACs at this facility in January 2023. Blue Star will source some of its new products from here. This new automated and smart factory is equipped with the latest automation techniques and tools for its assembly line and material handling, amongst others, as well as has extensively deployed a slew of initiatives towards IoT and digitization. The Company lays strong emphasis on sustainability and hence has also rolled-out numerous initiatives on this front such as installing advanced affluent treatment plant, engaging in rain water harvesting, and installing solar power. Besides, the Company being closely associated with the Green movement, has applied for the IGBC Gold Rating for this facility. Located closer to the Southern ports, the Sri City Plant will enable efficient logistics management for the Company by ensuring speedy movement and containing cost. The setting up of this Plant will also benefit the local communities in and around its vicinity. The Company has so far invested approximately Rs 350 crores on this Plant (of the total Rs 550 crores planned in a phased manner over a few years, for this project).
The Plant commenced production on January 1, 2023, and will make about 3 lakh units in its first year and will gradually scale up production to 1.2 million units, thereafter. New range of ‘Best-in-Class Affordable’ ACs This new range comprises 3-star, 4-star, and 5-star inverter split air conditioners which are available in various cooling capacities ranging from 0.8 TR to 2 TR at attractive prices starting from Rs 29,990. As the 1.5 TR 3-star inverter segment is the largest in the category, Blue Star has rolled out several compact and entry-level affordable models in this segment as well. The new range is embedded with various customer-friendly features and specifications such as ‘Turbo Cool’ for fast cooling; Convertible 5-in-1 cooling where the customer can vary the cooling capacity upwards or downwards; NanoBlu Protect Technology and Hydrophilic ‘Blue Fin’ coating, for both IDUs and ODUs, to prevent coil corrosion and leakage, and for longer life, respectively; ‘Eco-Mode’ for energy-saving; ‘Comfort Sleep’ function that auto-adjusts the AC temperature during night time for better comfort of occupants as well as for power saving; 4-way swing for uniformity; and ‘Self-Diagnosis’ for easy troubleshooting. Besides, these ACs have a metal enclosure for their PCBs to ensure additional safety. The entire inverter range uses R-32 eco-friendly refrigerant.
All Blue Star inverter ACs are Smart Ready and can be upgraded to Smart ACs by the addition of a separate smart module. Another important aspect of Blue Star’s inverter ACs is that they have a wide operating voltage range, thus eliminating the need for an external voltage stabiliser. While this results in savings on the cost of the stabiliser, it also does away with the need for space to mount one beside the AC. Flagship models with upgraded variants The Company has launched a formidable range of flagship models comprising ‘Super Energy-Efficient ACs,’ ‘Heavy-Duty ACs,’ ‘Smart ACs,’ ‘ACs with Hot & Cold Technology,’ and ‘ACs with Anti-Microbial Filter,’ to offer a comprehensive solution to any type of consumer need. Blue Star’s ‘Super Energy-Efficient ACs’ include a unique Dynamic Drive Technology to achieve enhanced energy-efficiency with optimised cooling by delivering high air flow volumes. As a result, the 1.5 TR Inverter Split ACs achieve a 5.41 ISEER, which is over 40% higher than any 3-Star Inverter AC. Every year, India witnesses a steady rise in the temperatures across the country during peak summers. The Company’s range of top-of-the-line ‘Heavy-Duty ACs’ designed with superior specifications are extremely powerful, and can deliver faster cooling and comfort even at 56°C. These ACs also come with a powerful air throw of up to 50 feet and 4-way swing.
The Company has also rolled-out a one-of-its-kind ‘Smart Inverter Split ACs,’ that have unique and smart features such as Customised Sleep where one can preset the temperature, fan speed and on/off of the AC every hour for a 12-hour period. In addition, it offers a Scheduler, multi grouping of up to 15 ACs, and remote service support through an app. With Voice Command Technology, customers can operate their ACs through their smart devices such as Amazon Alexa or Google Home through English or Hindi voice commands. The Company’s ACs with ‘Hot & Cold Inverter Technology,’ can operate even in extremely low temperatures. Blue Star has developed one model which can operate at ambient temperatures of down to -10°C specifically designed for markets such as Srinagar, and another range that can operate at ambient temperatures of down to -2°C for locations in the rest of the country that face harsh winters. Finally, the Company’s new range that integrates comfort and health, ‘ACs with Anti-Microbial Filter,’ can effectively filter out harmful microbes and particulate matter. Customers can also operate these ACs as Air-Purifiers, especially in the winters. Blue Star’s air conditioners, besides providing consumers with exceptional cooling even at affordable prices, are well known for their quality, reliability and durability, making Blue Star one of the most significant players in the industry.
Since the Company’s foray into the residential ACs segment in 2011, Blue Star has grown from strength to strength in this segment, outperforming the industry year after year. The Company targets to achieve a market share of 15% by FY25 in Room Air Conditioners segment. The Company provides extended warranties and easy financing options for its products. Expanding outreach The Company continues to make aggressive investments in e-commerce channels where it has been a prominent player and plans to sustain its investments in in-store demonstrators in retail stores, as this has been immensely helping in enhancing offtake. Besides, it continues to adopt appropriate promotional methods both, online, and offline, to enhance offtake across all tiers. Robust distribution and service network Blue Star has supplemented its product and pricing strategies with robust distribution and service mechanisms whereby the product range including its after-sales service is available in all Tier 2, 3, 4 and 5 cities and towns as well as Tier 1 cities, so as to reach the mass premium markets effectively. Brand Ambassador Virat Kohli Virat Kohli continues to be Blue Star’s brand ambassador for Room ACs.
Blue Star, like Virat stands out for continuing to excel in all formats over a long period of time with its best-in-class products. Management outlook Speaking to the Press at a conference held in Lucknow, B Thiagarajan, Managing Director, Blue Star Limited, said, “With a strong focus on self-reliance, by aligning ourselves to the ‘Make in India’ initiative and leveraging on the PLI scheme by the Indian Government, we take immense pride in the fact that Blue Star Climatech Limited’s new automated and smart plant at Sri City is now operational. With this Plant in place, Blue Star intends to leverage the synergies between the Company and this Plant, to enable Blue Star to further accelerate growth in the room ACs segment, especially in Tier 2, 3, 4, and 5 markets, apart from Tier 1. Blue Star will continue to invest in expanding distribution footprint, enhancing R&D capabilities and brand building. All of this, in turn will enable us to roll out affordable best-in-class room ACs. Our new range of room ACs for 2023 strongly recapitulates our focus in this direction.”
