By Adam Coleman in Seoul

SEOUL: At a roadshow to unveil its latest appliances to retailers and the media from the South Pacific region, Samsung set the ambitious sales target of $US1 billion from its Digital Home Appliances business by 2010 and market leadership in the region by 2008.

The company said it plans to grow 30 per cent year on year to meet the target, after recording more than 30 per cent growth in the region in 2005, with a renewed focus on the company’s Silver Nano Health System technology.

“It is an ambitious target but we are a company that sets very ambitious targets,” said Samsung regional director – strategic product marketing, Augustine Lim.

“The sales growth will be in-line with previous growth for the business and is very much attainable,” he said.

The roadshow’s theme was ‘Imagine Purer Living’ and featured the company’s new ‘Best in Class Technology’ suite of appliances, designed with consumer’s health and style in mind, including the company’s very first robotic vaccum cleaner, new Airwash washers, Quattro Cooling refrigerators and Vital Ion technology air conditioners.

“Consumer’s can be assured of pure food, comfort and air when using our home appliances,” said Samsung SouthEast Asia, president and CEO, Mr SJ Park.

“Based on the warm consumer response to Silver Nano’s technology, we are confident that our products will once again receive good responses from consumers,” he said.

According to Mr Park, Samsung is currently the second fastest growing whitegoods brand in South East Asia and Oceania, whilst being third in sales based on revenue.

The whitegoods market in South East Asia is showing continued growth with a 20 per cent year-on-year growth in the refrigerator and washing machine categories.