Business Desk :
The local air-conditioner market is witnessing a sharp rise in sales during the pandemic-led as the people’s lifestyle changes and the changes in weather.
Local AC manufacturers and traders say AC sales have increased by 25-30 per cent more than at any other time in the first three months of this year.
In 2020, AC sales of all brands dropped due to misinformation about Covid-19 as well as a pandemic-led long factory and market closure. But the market rebounded quickly as more and more people installed air-conditioners at home as their home office hours were prolonged.
On top of this, rapid urbanisation, changes in weather, an increase in per capita income, growing size of the middle class, affordable AC prices and acceptance of the air conditioning system as a utility rather than a luxury item also augmented the market growth.
The country’s electronics market giant Walton leads the local air conditioner market.
Tanvir Rahman Sajib, chief executive officer at Walton Air-Conditioner, said the company registered more than 30 per cent growth in the first three months of the year compared to 2019.
Esquire Electronics Ltd, the largest vendor of foreign brands in the country, thinks that climate change and affordable prices are the crucial factors behind the market boom. Esquire distributes several international brands, such as General Air Conditioner of General Electronics and Japan’s Sharp and Dutch brand Philips.
Manzurul Karim, chief marketing officer of Esquire Electronics, said the virus outbreak last year instilled a kind of fear among people.
Besides, the country went through the pandemic-driven 66-day general holiday, when markets and factories were shuttered. These factors contributed to the fall in sales last year.
However, the market has turned around as AC sales have increased by at least 30-35 per cent this year compared to regular times.
In the meantime, Vision Electronics of the Pran-RFL Group is slightly worried about the growth as the supply system is yet to normalise.
Kamruzzaman Kamal, director (marketing) of Pran-RLF Group, said the group’s sales are yet to normalise since the 2020 virus outbreak-led market collapse. He, however, is optimistic about the future as Vision AC returns to the market with energy saving technology.
