Blaupunkt Plans Expansion To Boost Share

BROADVIEW, ILL. — Blaupunkt said it is embarking on an expansion program to raise its market share in the United States, which currently stands at two percent in car audio.

As part of the effort, Blaupunkt will more aggressively pursue the mobile video arena, shipping its first DVD player, which also plays MP3, in April and debuting new video screens in the near future, according to marketing manager T.O. Wiese.

"We're in the middle of a revitalization and expansion plan and we are getting more dealers on board — independents and national chains. As we are not in Best Buy, Circuit City or Sears, the dealers really see that we have a commitment to the independent," said Wiese, adding that Blaupunkt has signed up 20 percent more dealers in the past year.

"Blaupunkt has been successful in Europe, where our average market share is 19 percent. Obviously if we want to grow the company, we have to target the U.S. and Asia. The potential coming from 2 percent in the U.S. is quite high," Weise said.

To that end, the company is also banking heavily on the success of its new amplifier line, which ships this month, and is also looking to boost its OEM business by targeting U.S. car companies.

The company claims it went out on a limb with the design of its new Class T amplifiers, which use Tripath digital technology, are super small and sport plastic housings in iMac-like colors. Said Weise, "We went radical … if we can build them into a smaller box, why not? We're not the only one using the Tripath technology but we're the only one going this far in downsizing the boxes."

The five new Class T models include the 2 x 75 watt model PA275, the 2 x 100 watt PA 2100, the 2 x 150 watt model PA2150, the 2 x 200 watt model PA2200 and the 4 x 100 watt model PA4100. Suggested retail prices range from $289 to $629 (with MAP prices $100 less).