Saturday, May 24, 2014: Optics & Allied Engineering develops a variety of LED lenses and backlights, and caters to most of the renowned brands. “In order to boost demand for LED products, it is very essential to have a manufacturing ecosystem. Moreover, the government urgently needs to amend its policies to facilitate domestic manufacturing of LED products,” says D Rajendra Kotaria, managing director, Optics & Allied Engineering Pvt Ltd, in a conversation with Kartiki Negi of Electronics Bazaar.
EB: When did you start manufacturing LED products and components in India?
Headquartered in Bengaluru, we started operations in 1985. We have been engaged in manufacturing polymer and LED lenses in India since 2001. We strive to consolidate our presence as a trusted source for precision optics, polymer optics, LED lenses, LED backlights, and optical instruments, and to support the LED lighting, medical, aerospace, defence and manufacturing industries.
EB: At what pace has your company grown in the last two years?
Our company has witnessed 30 per cent growth in the last couple of years.
EB: What LED products do you manufacture?
We manufacture several types of LED lenses for streetlights, interior and exterior lighting, and light guide plates for LED panels and LED backlights. We make LED lenses for various renowned brands including Cree, Osram, Nichia, Philips Lumiled, Seoul and Edision. We also make COB LEDs.
EB: Has the demand for these products increased in the last two years?
We have experienced a significant increase in demand for these products in the last two years. The demand has increased by 50 per cent for LED lenses.
EB: How are your LED products technologically advanced?
LED lenses and other polymer lenses get designed in OSLO and TracePro software. We have capabilities to make proto tools for initial trial production. We can make lenses from Ø3 mm to 150 mm in polymer. We have a world class injection moulding facility and a testing facility for LED lenses with a goniophotometer, integrating spheres, LM-3 (luminance meter), spectrophotocolorimeter, etc.
EB: What are the challenges you face while manufacturing LED products in India?
The biggest challenge we face is that we have to import all materials and components, as we lack a manufacturing ecosystem in India. Besides, the demand for these products has still not increased. Another major challenge is that clients want to use their own designs; hence, we need to make a lot of investments in tooling and inventory.
EB: Do any of the government policies help in boosting LED product manufacturing in India?
No, government policies are not helping in boosting the LED manufacturing ecosystem. Instead, its policies that allow zero duty when importing finished LED products, but levy 10 per cent duty on importing components, are hampering the local manufacturing ecosystem to a large extent. Why will you want to manufacture in India, when you can import a finished product with zero duty?
EB: Are you coming up with any new products this year?
Yes, we are coming up with LGP (light guide plates), which is a 100 per cent import substitute for LED light panels and backlights. It can be used for advertisement light panels as well, and can be expanded up to 900 mm×1500 mm.
EB: What are your growth plans for this year?
We are expecting 60 per cent growth this year, and we are quite hopeful that our LED lenses and newly launched LGPs will do well in India as well as globally.
EB: Are you looking for partners, such as distributors, systems integrators, etc?
Yes, we are definitely looking for distributors or local representatives so as to expand our reach and increase our footprint.
Electronics Bazaar, South Asia’s No.1 Electronics B2B magazine
