"It has no doubt been a tough year for the electronics industry on the whole but the company has beaten the slump to post its first-ever profit. We expect this figure to reach Rs 16 crore in 1999 on a Rs 900-crore turnover," said newly-appointed managing director KS Kim.

The company's target of nearly doubling its turnover in 1999 involves increased white-goods focus in the overall product mix, further rural market foray and improved productivity at the production site, he said.

"We plan to further strengthen our white-goods business in 1999 to increase its contribution to 35 per cent towards our total targeted turnover this year," Kim said.

To achieve this aim, the company plans to launch new low and middle-end refigerators, semi-automatic washing machines and some new models of air-conditioners during the year.

In colour televisions, Samsung will launch its 40-inch LCD TV and 29-inch super-flat TV to complement its existing range.

In 1998, audio visual products (mainly colour televisions) accounted for about 80 per cent of the company's turnover.

Samsung sold 2.8 lakh sets last year, over a lakh in the last quarter of 1998 and cornered 10 per cent of the domestic CTV market in 1998.

In the white-goods arena, the company expanded its portfolio last year by launching 190 and 230-litre direct-cool refrigerators, washing machines and air conditioners.

Employing new and more effective management techniques, the company could double and triple its productivity for the mainline and auto-insertion machine at its colour-television facility at Noida.

"This year, we will begin the second phase of management innovation termed Challenge 2000 to cut on production and supply timings besides a similar programme for improving sales," Kim said.