The growing need for energy efficient lighting, falling prices and initiatives taken by the government are bringing momentum to the Indian LED-based lighting industry. India LED Lighting market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 26.6% during 2017-23. Mr. Mahesh Bellad, Director of Online (Orange Plus LED) shares his deep understanding of Indian LED Market with Electronics Media and throws light on technological advancements in LED market, challenges for Indian LED manufacturers and future of LED lighting in India.
Electronics Media: Kindly introduce Orange Plus to our readers and what is its key USP?
Mahesh Bellad: Orange Plus, headquartered in Bangalore, is the flagship company of the modern, futuristic and diversified 300 crore conglomerate Online Instruments. It is the leading player in the global LED lighting landscape. We believe in bringing the best price points to our customers with smart advanced solutions. The idea is simple – with a strong commitment to quality and futuristic approach we believe in providing clean, impeccable, energy-efficient LED lighting products & solutions that are in line with both national & global green energy goals. Our product portfolio consists of a wide range of high demand indoor, outdoor, commercial & industrial lighting solutions.
In a very short span of time, we have built a strong dominance in South Markets, and have been doing well in Bangalore, North Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. Very soon we shall be exploring the North region especially Delhi, Delhi NCR etc.
Our products are designed, exclusively for the Indian lighting conditions. The Indian market has erratic voltage fluctuations and seasonal climate variations which put different levels of strain on the product. Our product design is highly industrialized to achieve standardization, ensuring that every product endorses to stringent quality standards at the value-laden price. Next, all our products are Zero Maintenance, ensuring problem-free product lifecycle. Lastly, with Minimal designs and advanced technology, we bring high energy saving costs. Of course, our 1000 nights warranty adds to the same.
Electronics Media: LED has reached to new heights with Li-Fi technology. What is your intake on it with respect to Indian Market?
Mahesh Bellad: Li-Fi is a two-way, high-speed wireless technology similar to WiFi but uses light waves instead of radio waves to transmit data. It has enormous potential for today’s digital age & has the potential to be a real game-changer in office. It adds an extra layer of security as light cannot pass through solid walls and a line-of-sight to the light is needed to access the network. Li-Fi turns LED lights into internet connection which is 100 times faster than Wi-Fi. Right now, Li-Fi is meant as a complementary device to be used along with Wi-Fi, but in the future, it will be the dominant internet connection device around. Overall this technology holds the capacity of replacing our current form of data usage. The future of Li-Fi is indeed bright.
Electronics Media: Throw some light on recently opened manufacturing unit in Bengaluru?
Mahesh Bellad: Our Manufacturing facility in Bangalore, Karnataka spans across 50,000 sq. ft. and manufactures two categories of products; Indoor lighting and Outdoor, with a capacity of 4000 and 2000 units respectively each day. The facility helps us in building all the critical components of the products in-house which provides greater quality control, product manufacturing efficiency and cost.
All our components undergo rigorous service life testing right from the earliest stages of product development, to guarantee durability. When developing new products, our goal is energy efficiency-optimized without compromising amenity and sacrificing convenience technologies.
Each step in the manufacturing and testing is reviewed and controlled by the highly vigilant Quality Assurance Team. The team of highly trained and qualified staff provides the wealth of experience to ensure high-quality standards are maintained throughout the manufacturing process.
Electronics Media: Being a Manufacturer, what are the challenges faced by Orange Plus?
Mahesh Bellad: The Market is a price sensitive domain wherein the end customer is unable to distinguish between high-quality products from a lower one. Adding further, unbranded Chinese imports bring intense competition, as their products are available at cheaper price points. With so many LED brands emerging over the years, there is an unhealthy price competition which has unfortunately encouraged brands to compromise on quality which has also resulted in higher product failure. Lastly, the inability to make LED chips and microchips in India has resulted in imports and the high cost of production. Overall, the local manufacturers are facing a major setback in their process and thereby affecting the LED lighting industry.
Electronics Media: What are your insights into the future of LED lighting in India? Mahesh Bellad: The future of the LED market in India simply seems strong to me. Over the past decades the LED lighting industry has continued to grow at a rapid pace due to its numerous benefits and rising consumer awareness about cost-effectiveness and its eco-friendliness. Key factors that are expected to boost the market include declining LED prices coupled with favorable government initiatives to provide LED lights at the subsidized cost and LED installation projects for streetlights. These factors have continued to drive enormous sales from the residential as well as commercial sectors.
In the near future, we will see lots of innovative product category in the LED segment and the sector will grow in full swing. The next thing we foresee in LED’s would be controlled lighting which has already set in but still is not as mainstream which is connected and smart way of living. Technologies such as Li-Fi, which is basically like Wi-Fi but with light and indoor positioning which tracks people’s positions to use luminaries are on the basis of visible light communication. So, there’s more to come, and let’s hope the market is ready for it.
Electronics Media: Smart Cities are opening new doors for LED Lighting sector, do you agree with this statement.
Mahesh Bellad: It is obvious that cities that are listed to be smart are bound to have smart streets, equipment, smart amenities, uninterrupted power supply and light which are as essential as food. The concept of smart cities has created numerous opportunities for various sectors. Lighting is one major sector that is expected to gain momentum as well as good business opportunities in the coming years.
Lighting will play a significant role in the development of smart cities of the future and the LED lighting system would be the future of street lighting systems in the smart cities in the days ahead. Moreover, internet of things (IoT), digitization will bring value addition to the lighting sector. Cities under the mission will experiment with intelligent lighting systems that can be controlled remotely. The lower electricity costs, enable demand-driven lighting and reduce CO2 emissions.
Moving beyond its functional role of illumination, LED lighting has the potential to enhance the quality of life and ensure sustainability in our ever-expanding cities. LED lighting solutions will also help save thousands of watts of electricity.
Electronics Media: Talking about the LED vast portfolio, what is the most focused area for you and your strategies to TAP Indian and global Market?
Mahesh Bellad: Our products are designed, exclusively to the Indian lighting conditions. The Indian market has erratic voltage fluctuations and seasonal climate variations which put different levels of strain on the product. In that context, we have to manage strength requirements and build for scalability. Adding to which, our pricing is at par with other leading brands. Some of our best seller products include 2 by 2 Lights (Backlit and Edge-lit), Customized Suspended Linear Lights which brings uniform lighting and low glare.
In a very short span of time, we have built a strong dominance in the South, and have been doing good in Bangalore, North Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. Very soon we shall be exploring the Northern region especially Delhi NCR etc. Another step to increase our foothold, we have been leveling up our distribution channels. We continue to expand the width and depth of our network team to build an Omni-channel presence with the help of our channel partners. Our major focus is on technology and strengthening the channel in cities and towns and addressing the untapped market for growth. For Orange Plus LED to achieve its goals, we strongly believe taping into the Tier-II and Tier-III cities is the key.
