China's TCL Corp plans manufacturing units in India, Brazil: report

China's TCL Corp, one of the world's biggest mobile handset and television manufacturers, plans to set up manufacturing units in India and Brazil next year as sales expand in the two fast growing markets.

Local production units would help TCL improve its market share. TCL, however, didn't say how much it would invest, nor where they would be built.

India and Brazil offer vast markets for both mobile handsets and TVs and TCL, which has taken a leadership role in the development of Quantum Dot TVs, avoid high import duties and better serve its growing consumers.

"We hope to complete factory construction next year and have a better foundation for growth in the future in these two emerging markets," Reuters quoted TCL Corp chief executive Li Dongsheng as saying in an interview last week.

The move comes after TCL Multimedia Technology Holdings, China's largest LCD TV maker, registered a 15.1 per cent drop in revenue to HK$33.53 billion ($4.32 billion) last year.

TCL Corp's revenue, however, increased 18.4 per cent to $16.44 billion last year, led by a 60.3-per cent sales growth at TCL Communication Technology Holdings Ltd, the group's handset manufacturer.

TCL Communication, which sells smart phones and wearable computing devices under the Alcatel OneTouch and TCL OneTouch brands, last year ranked as the world's seventh-largest handset provider, according to technology consultant Gartner Inc.

TCL Multimedia Technology Holdings, which saw its revenue drop 15.1 per cent to HK$33.53 billion ($4.32 billion) last year, also aims to improve profit margins this year.