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ajor electronics manufacturer Panasonic Gobel Indonesia expects its cost-saving air conditioner products to help boost sales growth in the future amid rising consumer demand.

Panasonic Gobel, a subsidiary of Japan’s largest home appliance maker, predicts that demand for AC products will remain on the rise despite the lingering effects of weak economic growth this year.

The company sees an opportunity to cater to market demand while also complying with government regulations, said Panasonic Gobel president director Hiroyoshi Suga.

“We want to help customers in choosing energy-efficient products. Through our products, we want people to have a sustainable and environmentally-friendly lifestyle,” Hiroyoshi said during the launch event on Monday.

In a regulation issued last year, the government requires old R-22 refrigerant, also known as Freon, to be replaced by non-HCFC type, which is more environmentally friendly, with a minimal effect on the ozone layer, in line with global efforts to fight climate change.

Rachmat Gobel, Panasonic Gobel Group’s president commissioner and a former trade minister, said the company was still optimistic about Indonesia’s business environment and determined to press on with continuous investment in the country, despite recently closing down its Cikarang plant, which produced compact fluorescent lamps (CFL).

The decision was made as part of the company’s strategy to move away from old technology to light emitting diode (LED)-based lamp production.

A leader in nationwide AC sales with a 30 percent market share, the company recorded 130 percent sales growth in the first half of this year, thanks to higher demand from both the public and private sectors, particularly in urban areas where apartments and office buildings are mushrooming.

The company’s market share in AC sales increased from 23 percent last year at 1.99 million units, according to a recent report by research consultant GfK, while another report showed that nationwide sales of AC units had surged by 107 percent as of June.

The company’s newly launched AC products, named the 4-Star Label, are labeled with four stars under the international standard of energy efficiency, indicating compliance with the highest level of energy-saving technology.

Suga said the company’s products had passed the energy-efficient ratio (EER) test, a measure between an AC’s cooling capacity and its power input.

Based on the company’s calculation, the new AC products are expected to cut energy use by around 36 to 58 percent, which will help reduce electricity costs by Rp 852,000 (US$64.96) to Rp 3 million per year.

The new AC products come in a number of models under new categories such as Elite Inverter, Deluxe Low Watt and Standard and cater to different segments of the population.

Heribertus Ronny, the company’s AC product manager, said the company had also launched a series of AC products with an advanced design called the SKY Series under its premium category, Elite Inverter, aimed at high-income people.

“We were worried because the retail pricing for SKY Series is two times higher than for Inverter-type ACs, starting from Rp 8.5 million. However, we believe that there are certain segments that seek products that can offer comfort,” he said.

As part of its efforts to beat the competition, the company has been campaigning through its solution website, achematlistrik.com, which offers features including complete calculations for each of its AC products and cost-saving simulations for customers based on details of their residences and electricity supplies.