Walton starts exporting AC, smartphones to India, USA

Local technology conglomerate Walton today started exporting two advanced technical products -- air conditioners and smartphones -- to India and USA, to be distributed in those markets under different branding.

Walton manufactured the products as an original equipment manufacturer (OEM), meaning they will not carry Walton branding.

In a ceremony at the Walton Digi-Tech Industries Limited in Chandra, Gazipur, Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal initiated the product shipments to India and USA.

Posts and Telecom Minister Mustafa Jabbar and ICT State Minister Zunaid Ahmed Palak were also present at the time.

The guests also inaugurated various projects and products undertaken and manufactured by Walton Hi-Tech Industries.

During the visit, Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority also declared Walton High-Tech Industries Limited a private Hi-Tech Park, so that they get additional tax benefits from the government.

Walton said the finance minister inaugurated the exporting of the first 'Made in Bangladesh' smartphone in the USA, delivered as original equipment to a renowned American brand.

Through this process Walton smartphones will be recognised as a global brand, according to Walton spokespersons.

The local tech venture inaugurated the country's first ever mobile phone production plant in October 2017. Since then, the Bangladeshi tech company has manufactured 60 lakh handsets, of which 17 lakh were smartphones.

Walton meets its entire demand from local production and since 2018, stopped importing handsets manufactured elsewhere.

Currently their production capacity is around 8 lakh smartphones and 20 lakh feature phones per month.

Besides handsets, Walton also manufactures mobile phone accessories and meets its entire demand of these from local production. The locally made accessories and mobile parts include chargers, batteries, earphones, casings, printed circuit boards, USB cables and more.

The local brand also started exporting about 26,000 air conditioners to India today.

The finance minister also inaugurated the country's first elevator factory and Walton TV's own operating system 'ROS', as well as an all-in-one Walton PC.

The annual production capacity of the newly built elevator factory is about 1,000 a year, which will be upgraded to double capacity soon.

Every year at present, the country consumes about 5,000 elevators as Bangladesh is registering huge economic growth, Walton officials said.

Walton Hi-Tech Industries Limited chairman SM Nurul Alam Rezvi, vice-chairman SM Shamsul Alam and Walton Digi-Tech Industries Limited chairman SM Rezaul Alam were present at the inauguration ceremony, among others.