Dubai-based electronics brand MASER is making plans to launch into the Kenyan market with affordable consumer electronics.
Founded in 2014 by Indian-born entrepreneur Prateek Suri, MASER Electronics manufactures affordable LED TVs, including 4k Smart TVs, audio systems and air conditioners with top-notch specifications.
Born and brought up in Delhi, India, Mr. Prateek Suri moved to Dubai in 2006 immediately after finishing school in Modern school Barakhamba Road, New Delhi. He received a BE (Hons) in mechanical engineering from BITS Pilani (Dubai campus) in 2010.
He started his career in the trading sector, supplying goods across the MENA region, an invaluable experience as he had the opportunity to research and understand his customers. After discovering a gap in the market for consumer electronics aimed at budget- and quality-conscious consumers in the Middle East and Africa markets, he started Maser in 2014.
The electronics industry in Kenya has been steadily growing over the years with companies from all over the world coming in with products for the Kenyan consumer. The industry is undergoing a rapid digital revolution with smart technologies causing a worldwide shift from analogue to digital TV sets, empowering consumers to watch what they want when they want.
However, in developing economies, the biggest hurdle to accessing TV content has not been the availability of the TV sets, but the affordability of those devices and their durability. With a vision to provide high-quality electronic products at cheaper prices, MASER began the journey of boosting access to information in Africa through television programming in 2014.
“The first products we rolled out were LED TVs, distributing them into Tier 2 and 3 cities across the Middle East and Africa. Our vision has been to make them so affordable that each home could have a big-screen LED TV and enjoy their favourite channels at home. For example, you can buy a Maser TV of 40 inches for the price of Sony Tv of 32 inches,” Founder and chief executive of Maser Prateek Suri explains.
Encouraged by overwhelming positive response and feedback, he expanded his start up’s portfolio to include audio systems and air conditioners. He adds that he founded the firm as a dynamic start-up driven by technological innovation and a passion to make high-quality products that can adapt to future technological changes.
With the ambition to become a global leader in the affordable consumer electronics segment, MASER has a product portfolio that spans across LED televisions, display televisions for outdoor use, home theatre systems and sound bars. They were recently been ranked 3rd globally in the manufacturing of air conditioning machines.
In 2019, it expanded to the UAE to better serve private and public sector entities in the Middle East and Africa from its warehousing hub in Dubai’s Jebel Ali Free Zone. The firm crossed a significant sales milestone of 200,000 units sold within just a year of starting sales and distribution from the UAE.
In 2020, MASER received approval for funding from a UK-based private finance company to invest in a state-of-the-art, 100 per cent export facility to boost its manufacturing capacity and meet growing customer demand.
“With strong sales and sustained growth, Maser is now poised to enter an ambitious phase of expansion into the East African market, Kenya being the most potential marketplace,” he adds.
“The response which we got after redistributing from Jebel Ali Area encouraged us to expand to African markets like Kenya, Tanzania and Malawi. Kenya was one of the places where customers approached us through email and direct contact and for that reason, we understood the high market potential of Kenya,” Mr Suri explains.
He also reveals about the business potential of E-commerce platform Jumia and now intends to open up various outlets in Kenya. “This project will in turn create jobs for local people in Kenya in our outlets and as distributors.”
MASER is planning to invest US$300 million in LED TVs, air conditioners and washing machines for sale in the Middle East and Africa over the next 3 years.
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