Condom machines set to become the order of the day

HYDERABAD: Prudes may scorn at it but the shy, and those pressed for time, will be happy. The brouhaha in Tamil Nadu on condom dispensing machines notwithstanding, the hard fact is that rubber vends are set to become the order of the day.

Public sector Hindustan Latex Ltd is set to install more than 11,000 machines across 10 states in the country in addition to the 2000 odd that  are already in operation.

The demonstrations on Monday against the installation of 200 condom vending machines in Chennai did not deter the company or the authorities.

Though a huge government grant under the anti-HIV/AIDS drive is one of the reasons for the current exercise, automatic condom vending machines also make good business sense.

The company is hoping to sell 25-30 million condoms through vending machines over the next one year. It sold a total of 249 million condoms during 2004-05.  Going by the company’s experience condom vending machines make sense across segments.

Where the mass market is concerned, Hind Latex is looking to a 100 per cent increase in the sales of Ustad, from the current 16 million to 32 million in the current year. Vending machines will contribute 50 per cent of these sales, says all India sales head Rajasekharan.