Interview with Mr. Kevan Li from Antec

What are the types of new products you are going to launch in Indian Market?

Antec is a Global leader in high end PC components including Computer Cases, SMPS and Notebook Accessories. The New Cases would include the award-winning Gaming “Dark Fleet” series and the best Design-award winning Fully Modular Series “Lanboy Air”.

The Dark Fleet series is available in three models: The full-tower chassis, the DF-85, and the mid-tower enclosures, the DF-35, DF-30. And all are designed to support the most current high-end graphics cards, extensive drive arrays and multi-CPU motherboards. The Dark Fleet series also introduces two new Antec-exclusive innovations giving convenient access to high-speed data interchange:

Fleet Release™ and Fleet-Swap™.Fleet-Release™ provides a front drive bay door system with variable-speed LED fans, fan controls and tool-free fan filters in a single modular package that "clicks" into place. This gives users rapid access to hard drives, easy maintenance and cleaning of washable fan filters. Fleet-Swap™ SATA drive bay system is a set of hot-swappable SATA drive bays that can be relocated within the drive cage, providing users with high flexibility to customize HDD configurations as desired as well as smoothly integrated hot-swap access through
Fleet-Release doors™.

Antec’s LanBoy Air is a state-of-the art open-frame enclosure providing limitless configurability and flexibility to high-performance Gamers, Testers,
and Workstation users. It features the world’s first patented vibration and noise- dampening HDD suspension system, AirMount™, in addition to cutting-edge cooling and airflow capabilities. The LanBoy Air is based around an entirely reconfigurable interior with modular drive bays, PSU and motherboard mounts that provide a highly versatile framework allowing for extensive air ventilation and customization – meeting the exacting demands of end users as well as system builders. Lanboy Air is available in Red, Blue and Yellow colors.

Other series includes Cases “Gaming Gear”, “New Solution Series”, “Performance One”, and the “ Sonata Series”. The Power Suppies would include the best choice for worldwide Overclockers, the “True Power Quattro” Series that are available in 1200W with two models TPQ-1200 and TPQ-1200OC. “True Power New” range available in 550W, 650W and 750W for the high Performance Users, Gaming, Servers, SI and DIY
market .“Earth Watts” available in 380W, 430W, 500W, 650 and 750W are the most environmentally friendly Power Supply for the Performance, Replacement and SI and the “VP Series” for the basic gamers, SI, DIY that comes in 450W. Apart, CPU Coolers, Notebook Coolers would also be available through the Distributors.

Elaborate the features of Antec Products that will be launched in India market?

Cases:
When it comes to designing a Product, Antec focused on five Factors: Quiet Computing™, Cooling, Ease-of-use, Build Quality and appearance. All these affect the performance of the system in a long run. The internal design of the case ensures the continuous inflow and outflow of the air in and out of the system. Most cases have Cable management and CPU Cut-out for cooling and ease of use. Some cases have dual chamber for the Power Supply to isolate the heat of PSU from the system ( not to affect the performance of CPU and GPU). A strong build is required for a system that may need to hold several HDD, more than one Graphic Card, few ODD, performance CPU Cooler and other components. Mostly of Antec cases are made of 0.8mm SECC (Cold Rolled Gavanized Steel) which is strong enough to hold a performance PC for an efficient output. Some Antec cases also has silicone gourmets for the HDD to reduce the vibration of the HDD to ensure longer life of the HDD, and also to protect the transfer of the vibration to the system that may cause resonance and noise. 

Power Supplies:
A Power supply is one of the most critical component for a PC. It supplies power to all of the circuitry inside a computer and must do so at the precise voltage. All Antec Power Supplies are “Continuous Power” feature which is also labeled on the product. A continuous power supplies steady amount of Wattage continuously to the system at all time when the machine is running.

Most of Antec Product supplies are 80 Plus which has at least 80% efficiency. The 20% that are not generated to DC output would be converted to heat that circulates in the system. Some series has PWM fan that has automated fan speed control to reduce noise and vibration and yet run at the maximum performance. A DC-DC conversion would stabilize the output voltage and enhance the system reliability from crash and re-start. Most Antec Power Supplies have multi-rail +12 Volts with OCP on each rail ensure safety of a system and affecting the other components from damage and failure.

2) What is your market entry strategy for India?
Devraj Computers based at Chennai and HDigital Lifestyle based at Mumbai are the currently appointed Distributors to cover the West and South India market for the complete range of products. They have good penetration to the focus channels for Antec in these regions and would be able to cover not only the A and B Cities but also into C and D cities which are also potential markets in years to come. Channel Partners would be appointed in each state to be able to focus and cover each segment of the market. We are still on the process of appointing more partners in other regions.

3) Explain marketing objectives for the new product?
With the Growing trend in the high end PC Components in India, and the availability of various award-winning series of Antec Products, we are targeting to grow the business by 50% in each Quarter, with new product launch, and expansion of channels in different Cities. All new products that are launched in US would also be launched in India that will be available with all Distributors.

4) Where do you see yourself in three to five years time?
India PC Market has been expecting to grow at rapid speed in the next 5 years including the high end segment. With the right Partners in various regions, we expect to have presence in each and every segment of the market. We also expect to have a strong operation present in India to have a closer interaction with all partners in regular manner.

5) Is the Indian Market similar product wise? Are you planning to sell in India the same type of products as people do in USA and other parts of the World? Is there a type of products particularly you are promoting in India? Do you have any precise figures about sales volumes? 

Established in 1986, in Fremont California, since the beginning Antec has been insisting in the high quality principle for each innovative products for the end customers. Most Antec Products have received various awards for it’s Performance, Quality, Efficiency and Design. All award winning products are being distributed worldwide by our respective distributors of each country. High end PC Components contribute to around 10%-15% of the overall assembled Desktop market in India and there is also an estimate of over 50% growth in these few years in the Gaming segment. We look into achieving the highest market share in this segment.

6) Is there any warranty period for these products? If yes what is the warranty period?
Antec offers 2,3 and 5 years warranty depending on the products through the distributors. Customers can either receive support from the location they purchased with their puchaase bill and the defective product or through the distributors. We plan to have the replacement completed within 3 working days.

Mr. Kevan Li is working as Global Sales Department in Antec.