Components

Components manufacturing industry in India has not yet taken off in a big way. India still imports a significant amount of components, even though many multinational companies have set up manufacturing units for electronics products in the country. Today, the country imports about 95 per cent of its components for the electronics industry, pushing the cost of manufacturing to a higher level, and ultimately raising the cost of the end products. Also, since there is no duty on importing components, there are more traders than manufacturers in India.

The Indian printed circuit boards (PCBs) industry has witnessed rapid changes in the last few years with the entry of foreign players in the Indian market, who manufacture multi-layer PCBs in large quantities. At the same time, home grown companies have also technologically upgraded themselves to become more competitive in price. According to the Indian Printed Circuit Association (IPCA), demand for PCBs is expected to increase by 20 per cent not only in India, but even across the globe, in the next few years, further widening the demand and supply gap. Though India currently has about 60 large and medium sized PCB manufacturing plants, lack of relevant policies result in insufficient investments in PCB manufacturing. This is also one of the reasons for the short supply of PCBs in India. It is, therefore, necessary for Indian PCB makers to think strategically to not only meet domestic demand, but also compete in the world market. Hopefully, with the announcement of the new manufacturing policy, the growth of the Indian PCB industry is likely to accelerate as many companies are likely to expand their production capacities. Electronics Bazaar did a survey in the electronics industry, particularly among the EMS and SMT companies, SMEs and other manufacturers of electronics goods, to find out the leading and the most preferred PCB manufacturers in India. The survey was conducted based on certain parameters like reliability, customer satisfaction, and intention of the user to recommend the brand and its product quality. In the survey, AT&S emerged as the first choice, followed by other manufacturers such as Ascent Circuits, Shogini Technoarts, Garg Electronics, Epitome Components, Genus Electrotech, etc (see box below). While this survey is by no means comprehensive, it does provide a glimpse into many of India’s key PCB manufacturers. We have not ranked the companies but have only listed them in alphabetical order.

Capacitor (condenser), a passive component for storing electric charge, is used as a part of electronic circuits for blocking direct current while allowing alternating current to pass and for smoothing the output of power supplies. An important component in electronic devices, capacitors should be chosen with utmost care. The Indian capacitor industry has very few manufacturers despite its wide applications. As demand outstripped supply, industry’s requirements are met by imports. This article is an attempt to give our readers an overview of the latest capacitors available in the market and the players offering them.

New types of converters are digitally controlled, with improved performance. These products are more efficient, smaller in size, with peak power capabilities

The applications of light emitting diodes (LEDs), a semiconductor light source, have increased over the past few years as they are being used in diverse areas. As we all know, an LED has many advantages over incandescent light sources including lower energy consumption, longer life, smaller sizes, quicker switching, and greater durability and reliability. Hence many countries, including India, have started scaling up production of LED products. The wide perception that the LED industry is a lucrative business in India, the demand for LED components such as LED chips, LED diodes and LED modules is likely to double. However, the country imports nearly 99 per cent of its LEDs. Electronics Bazaar carried out a survey and contacted a large number of companies that are into manufacturing different kinds of LED products, to find out the popular LED component distributors and manufacturers in India. These manufacturers have shared with us their preferred component distributors and manufacturers—based on product quality, credibility, reliability and costs. The survey clearly indicates that Cree, Osram, Edison, Nichia, Philips and Seoul Semiconductor are the preferred LED manufacturers, and that Semitech Opto Devices and Rabyte Electronics are the preferred distributors in India.

India is yet to become a manufacturing hub for components, and this has been one of the major factors for the country lagging behind on the manufacturing front. Today, the country imports about 80 per cent of its components for the electronics industry, pushing the cost of manufacturing to a higher level and ultimately raising the cost of the end products. However, the nation has a strong base of distributors of electronics components—both domestic players and MNCs, making the market very competitive with a large number of domestic and international brands in the fray. In fact, this competition has given Indian manufacturers a number of distributors to choose from. Electronics Bazaar carried out a survey and contacted EMS companies and other manufacturers, to find out the popular component distributors in India. These manufacturers have shared with us their preferences of component distributors based on credibility, reliability, product quality and after sales services. The survey clearly indicates that while Arrow, Avnet, Element 14 (formerly Farnell), Digi-Key, Future and Mouser are the most preferred distributors amongst MNCs, Electronika, Amar Radio, Ramakrishna, Saini, Rabyte, Formax and RS Components have emerged as the most popular domestic distributors. However, 31 other companies were also preferred by the manufacturers for sourcing their components. Interestingly, while the manufacturers felt that some of the leading distributors in India are MNCs, they preferred sourcing their components from the local distributors, citing price factor as the main reason.

Choosing a capacitor that meets a customer’s electrical, manufacturing and environmental requirements is difficult. The size of a capacitor is primarily dependent on capacitance, working voltage and the particular dielectric material used in the capacitor. Buyers should be aware of the ideal specifications for their applications

The Indian PCB industry has a significant role to play in the country’s economy, especially considering its huge domestic market. The key elements on which Indian PCB companies should focus are capital, consolidation, technology improvements, quality and a global delivery model. Based on these parameters, Electronics Bazaar contacted the industry experts and electronics associations, who shared with us their preferences of leading and emerging PCB players. While this list is by no means comprehensive, it would provide you a glimpse into many of India’s better known PCB companies. We are not ranking them but only listing them in an alphabetical order.

The policy provides a fillip to the state by creating the right environment for investment, based on the existing value chain in the state

The demand for faster, better and cheaper electronic devices drive all component manufacturers to constantly upgrade their products in order to stay competitive in the market

PLCs not only help in making the processes productive but also provide manufacturers competitive edge in the market. Choosing right PLCs for various processes is, therefore, a critical issue

Component traders play a major role in the electronics industry as most manufacturing needs depend on them. They help in providing a varied range of components and offer assistance in choosing the right components. Also, most traders are a one stop-shop for both active and passive components, and are always ready to help the manufacturers with their sourcing needs. In order to appreciate and encourage their efforts in the industry, Electronics Bazaar contacted a large number of industry experts and electronic associations, who shared with us their preferences and ultimately it led to this list of leading component traders.