Adidas intelligent shoe @ Rs 12,499!

Sports footwear and apparel company Adidas on its ninth year of operations in India, on Wednesday said the country would take over from Malaysia as the number one market for the company in South East Asia.

"Last year, Malaysia was our biggest market in the region. At the end of the current year, India will overtake Malaysia," Andreas Gellner, managing director, Adidas India, said on the sidelines of the launch of 'Adidas-1', the world's first 'intelligent' shoe with microchip and motor.

'Adidas-1' will be priced at Rs 12,499 and will be available in limited editions in four stores across Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi and Gurgaon.

The shoe senses the cushioning level on every step, determines whether it is too soft or too firm, and adapts itself to provide the right level of comfort.

Globally, the company launched 'Adidas-1' in March 2005. In India, the premium sports footwear and apparel market is pegged around Rs 650 crore (Rs 6.5 billion) and slated to grow by about 20 per cent this year.

Reebok, the other player in this market, claims to have a turnover of Rs 250 crore (Rs 2.5 billion) in 2004 and is aiming to capture 50 per cent of the marketshare this year.

"We don't share sales figures in India due to our corporate policy, but Adidas is the leading player in premium segment with over 30 per cent market share," Gellner said.

He said Adidas is looking at making India the hub of activity for South-East Asia, overseeing operations in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Maldives in the next 2-3 years.