The company is planning to approach the Foreign Investment Promotion Board(FIPB) within the next six months for the required approval. However, theplans for a dot-matrix printer unit in the country are in embryonic stage,Epson Singapore Pte Ltd (India branch) country manager Paresh Vora told TheFinancial Express.

At present, Epson India offers its services and products through a branchoffice located here. However, the American group is yet to decide on whetherthe proposed wholly-owned outfit should be a subsidiary of the parentcompany or Epson Singapore.

Although the company has firmed up its India expansion plans for the nexttwo years, a decision on total investments in the country is still beingworked out. ``Following the setting up of the subsidiary, we will continueour product distribution through local parties,'' Vora said.

Currently, the products are imported from its Singapore office andmanufactured at its facilities in Japan, Indonesia, China and a host ofother countries. ``The decision of the Union Government related to themanufacturing activities of multinationals in India will determine ourfuture plans,'' Epson India senior country manager Paramjit Singh Puri saidhere on Friday. The company has set a business target for achieving a marketshare of 25 per cent by March 2,000.

``In a span of one year, we havegrown from 6 per cent to 22 per cent in the inkjet printer segment in thecountry. The company is planning to introduce laser printers in January,''he added.

The company has launched a range of products including inkjetcategory Epson stylus colour model numbers 460, 660, 760, 1,160 and forhigh-end users Epson stylus photo 710, scanners perfection 610, perfection1,200 (in three variants) and digital camera photo PC 800.

Epson has three distributors - Wipro, Redington and Godrej Tech Pacific, and30 authorised service centres in the country. The company, which is adding12 more services centres by February, has also launched Epson helpline inmajor cities.