“We are coming up with smart and intelligent LED luminaires this year”

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Wednesday, September 17, 2014: Integrated Batteries, which had been trading in LED lighting products since 2012, has started manufacturing these products this year. In conversation with Kartiki Negi of Electronics Bazaar, Aviral Mahajan, production manager, Integrated Batteries India Pvt Ltd, talked about the new products that the company plans to launch this year

EB: How has your company grown in the LED sector since 2012?

The LED sector in India is witnessing fast growth and there are immense opportunities for traders as well as manufacturers. Considering this, we started manufacturing LED lighting products since January this year. In the last two years, we have grown by 100 per cent if we take our revenue from this segment into consideration.

EB: Has the demand for LED products increased in the last two years?

Yes, demand has increased significantly. Initially, we were apprehensive about venturing into the LED business because of the market risks involved in entering a technology-oriented product segment. However, when we started trading in LED products, we observed the increase in demand and that is how we ventured into manufacturing these products. Moreover, Budget 2014 has reduced import duties on LEDs; this will come as a respite to manufacturers of LED products.

EB: Will you launch any new products this year?

We have a wide range of LED products catering to various segments. It includes LED streetlights, LED bulbs, LED downlights and floodlights. These products are microcontroller based and their rate of failure is very low.

This year, we plan to come up with some smart and intelligent LED lighting products. A user will be able to operate and monitor these lights remotely. We will launch such products by the end of this year.

We will also launch a new range of LED streetlights that has a mosquito repellant feature. Lights generally attract insects, which are a big reason for the failure of a product. So we are manufacturing a streetlight that will also repel mosquitoes. We are almost ready with the product and it is in the testing stage. We will launch this within a month or so. In fact, we are raising the bar with respect to standards as well as customer expectations.

EB: From which region or cities do you get more demand for your LED products?

Demand for our products mainly comes from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand and Gujarat. But since we are a 22-year old company and have a strong foothold down south as well, marketing our LED products in south India and creating demand there would not be difficult. However, we are not in a rush to cater to all the regions at one go. We will reach out to one region at a time. At the moment, we do not have the expertise to install LED lighting projects. We are working on that area.

EB: What challenges do you face while manufacturing LED products in India?

There are no major obstacles as such in manufacturing LED products in India. However, the availability of much cheaper Chinese products in the Indian market is the major challenge that any manufacturer has to deal with considering the price points. Fortunately, customers, too, are slowly realising the importance of quality products. Another challenge that we face is lack of awareness about LED technology among customers, who continue to use CFL-based lights. People in rural areas are still unaware of this technology and its benefits. However, we are taking the bull by the horns and our game plan seems to be on the right track.

EB: What marketing strategies do you follow?

Our LED marketing strategy is divided into two separate verticals—solar and industrial. As we are also engaged in manufacturing of solar PV modules, we are penetrating the market with our solar-based LED lighting solutions through our growing solar distribution channel across north India. For commercial lighting, we are closely working with architects, builders and MNCs, offering them customised solutions to suit their needs.

EB: What are your growth plans this year?

We are targeting a better market share in north India this year. Simultaneously, we are making an effort to expand our reach in other parts of the country. We are also targeting the export market as we feel that there is tremendous potential in regions like Africa, Australia, etc.