CUPOWER is a specialist in high-end LED drivers, offering some of the smallest and most advanced solutions on the market. Technology is at the core of our strategy, and our portfolio includes cutting-edge drivers featuring mesh technology—one of our key development areas.

Our innovative R&D team and process-oriented production ensure that we deliver reliable, efficient, and industry-leading LED drivers. With in-house capabilities ranging from sheet-metal forming and plastic moulding to assembly and testing, we maintain full control over quality while enabling flexible and sustainable production.

We combine German engineering expertise driven by our team in Germany with the efficiency of our production facilities in China. This powerful synergy allows us to provide LED drivers with exceptional performance and unmatched reliability. As highlighted in our quality brochure, we offer one of the lowest failure rates known in the lighting electronics industry.

What is the USP of CUPOWER and how do you set yourself apart from the competitors?

While most companies in the industry work with a standard failure rate of around 0.2%, CUPOWER delivers LED drivers with only a quarter of that rate. This exceptionally low failure rate sets a new benchmark for quality and reliability in the lighting electronics market.

We are also unique in offering a unified mesh platform that supports all major systems. With one platform for every application, our customers benefit from simplified integration, reduced complexity, and greater flexibility.

Additionally, CUPOWER provides the smallest LED drivers on the market. Their ultra-compact size allows luminaire manufacturers to create innovative, design-driven fixtures where the driver becomes virtually invisible. This opens new possibilities in aesthetics, form factor, and product differentiation. These are just some of the key USPs that make CUPOWER the preferred partner for high-end, technology-driven LED solutions.

Could you tell us in brief about the products that you showcased at the LED Expo, Delhi?

Apart from our mesh platform, another truly unique feature that we showcased was the option for external antennas. When a driver is housed inside a metal luminaire, wireless signals cannot pass through the metal effectively—signal and metal simply don’t work well together. External antennas solve this problem by providing reliable signal access outside the luminaire. This is a key area of focus for us, ensuring stable communication in even the most challenging installation environments.

We also concentrate on smaller dimensions, wider operating windows, and enhanced functionality. A major highlight is our advanced support for tunable white technology, which continues to grow in popularity. With tunable white, users can adjust not only the brightness but also the color temperature of the light, enabling more flexible, human-centric lighting solutions. These innovations were among the main trends and technologies we showcased at the fair in Delhi.

How do you see the global LED market evolving in 2026?

A major trend we observe today is the growing importance of the LED driver as the central element in mesh-based lighting systems. The industry is steadily moving away from wired light-management solutions, with customers increasingly seeking wireless, flexible, and future-proof alternatives. This shift places the driver at the core of intelligent lighting.

We also see rising demand for smaller, more discreet luminaire designs, which requires drivers with minimal dimensions and maximum efficiency. At the same time, customers are looking for broader operating windows, enabling them to reduce the number of driver variants needed to run their systems—driving both simplicity and cost efficiency.

Another key development is the increasing relevance of software. While the driver’s housing has become a commodity, the real value now lies in the intelligence embedded within it. Advanced software capabilities are what differentiate a standard driver from a truly smart, high-performance solution.

These are some of the defining trends we foresee for 2026, shaping the next stage of innovation in the lighting industry.

How was your experience at the LED expo in Delhi?

This was the second time we focused on the Delhi Fair for the lighting industry, and for us it is essential to showcase our products to the Indian audience. The event is an important part of our exhibition strategy for the coming year. In addition to the Delhi Fair, we will participate in several other international trade fairs around the world to present our lighting solutions.

With its large and growing population, India is one of our most important and strategic markets for the future. That is why we are placing significant attention and priority on this event here in Delhi.

How important are events like these for showcasing your products and networking with the right customers?

I feel, there must always be a good balance. Today, with the strength of social media, trade fairs have become just one part of our marketing strategy. We still strongly believe in the value of direct and face-to-face contact. Speaking with clients in person remains the easiest and most effective way to explain new products.

At the same time, platforms like LinkedIn and YouTube are becoming increasingly important. Social media is now an essential component of our overall marketing approach, complementing our presence at fairs.

What is CUPOWER’s vision for the future?

For next year, we already have several new product ideas in development. Wireless technology will continue to be a major pillar of our strategy, as our vision is to always deliver the latest innovations to the lighting industry. Trends such as mesh and Bluetooth solutions will play a central role, but our flexibility allows us to recognize and respond quickly to even the smallest emerging trends. Our goal is to consistently be faster and more innovative than the rest of the market.

At the same time, sustainability is becoming increasingly important. CUPOWER is proud to be the first and only company whose entire product portfolio is registered with Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) in Europe. This combination of cutting-edge wireless technology and strong sustainability standards defines our future direction and represents our long-term vision.

We are a company specializing in commercial lighting solutions. We provide all the fixtures for office lighting as well as retail and shop lighting.  Our primary architect was responsible for improving the lighting in retail spaces, such as supermarkets and stores.  In essence, the products we sell are for our downlight and track spotlights, as well as some linear lights for our office spaces. Additionally, we are one of the leading Chinese OEM providers in the lighting industry. We have been engaged in OEM manufacturing for years, and are now placing greater emphasis on integrating retail AIOT solutions.

What is your USP? Could you also elaborate on your product Caimeta?

The majority of lighting products on the market simply compete with the structure designs or aluminium walls. However, in our opinion, lighting is more than just lighting. For this reason, we incorporate AI technology into these products. We stand out from the competition thanks to our AI lighting products.  Additionally, we have the AI lighting system’s four main features.

The Caimeta system is the name of our AI lighting system. It has four main characteristics.  AI colors come first.  AI colors allow the color to be automatically changed according to the object. Not by utilizing any of the apps on phone. The training is such that the system is automatic. For instance, in a grocery store, it is not necessary to alter any settings in the apps or any of the fixtures installed in the supermarket if you sell meat on the first day but switch to apples or oranges on the second.

It can change automatically to based on the objects that you are showing on. People can see what is the best status of the per object in shelves. This is the first AI color function. Additionally, the cruise shops’ set makes extensive use of this one. For instance, we could offer the summer lights if you sell to cruise shops during the summer. We offer the warm white, which is quite different from what people feel, if you are sitting in the closest during the winter when it is extremely warm. As a result, people are more inclined to purchase.

The second is for the field of artificial intelligence. This implies that we also integrate motion sensors into the fixtures, for example. Thus, we can also use any saving modes.  Therefore, we can turn down the lighting for the products to about 30% if no one is in the stores. That accounts for roughly half of the energy-saving settings. In light of the fact that everyone is discussing energy-saving modes, that is extremely environmentally friendly. As a result, we included these features in our products as well. We therefore dubbed it the AI space function.

The third item is referred to as AIBBS (AI Business Boost System), which means that we also gathered some information for the stores. For instance, we can provide you with two different kinds of data. One is for the People Counting. You can see how many customers enter the stores, how many remain, and how long they stay. We are able to gather this data from our device and photos. We can also provide you the own in time, real time, heat mapping. So, it means that people can see that which area is most popular. So this is what we call AIBBS. It’s the collecting the data by boosting your business.

The fourth component is that we can also give you some of the AISCENE applications. For instance, depending on your status, the office may alter certain aspects of the workspace. For instance, the lights will dim to a specific percentage while you are reading them or watching television. However, it can dim down to 100% dimming if you are leaving and speaking to each party. Then, for any saving measures, simply dim down to 10% if you’re leaving.  Thus, we refer to that function as the AISCENE.

In addition to setting the AISCENE function, we also set up certain areas, such as meeting rooms, CEO rooms, and supermarket rooms, for instance.  Thus, that is an application for a different scene area.

Furthermore, it is automatic. You do not even need any apps; the only one you need is the one that syncs before you use it. So, we combine four key features in one system to enhance ability of the lining.

What challenges did you encounter while integrating AI into lighting?

The CCT’s physical buttons are what you need to automatically identify objects and provide them with the necessary lighting.  (One of the initial challenges was moving beyond traditional CCT control via physical buttons to achieve automatic object recognition and corresponding lighting adjustments.)Therefore, our biggest challenge is figuring out which lights are necessary to have the actual objects.(Our core challenge was determining the optimal lighting conditions for a wide range of real-world objects.)

This indicates that we created more than 500 different formulas to simulate the ideal lighting for these objects using AI lighting. Now frequently, let’s use it as an example.
We actually give two different formulas, such as your green shirts and the green apples. Additionally, we’re giving you different materials and formulas inside for the green feathers or other green materials.  Therefore, it took us more than two years to create 500 different types of the formula inside, and we continued to create more and more formula inside to suit various applications.

The hardest part, then, is having to strike a balance between the real lights and the special lights. We therefore give you a simulation of the lights in the sun in addition to fake lights. hence, the most difficult task is figuring out how to respond in real life to an object that takes a long time to develop. For this reason, we created global patterns for our entire system in Europe, America, and Australia. As time goes on, the next technology will also be developed in Asia. Thus, global patterns are now protected.

How sustainable are your products, and how do you plan to contribute to green energy target?

One of the things we try to do when we talk about green energy is to change people’s behavior in order to save energy. For instance, we incorporate you with the energy-saving modes in the stores. Now that everyone is talking about it, you should save energy. Making the lumens as high as possible is one method. The second method, however, is to turn on the lights when necessary.

The idea is that we provide light whenever people need it is a very important one. That’s what the energy-saving modes are all about.  For instance, in the stores, you have to use full power when someone is present. But they simply dimmed onto a certain percentage if half of the population is pure or if no one is pure.

The second method is that, for example, in office spaces, if someone is holding a meeting, they grant you complete authority. However, you simply give yourself 20% of the lights if someone is simply leaving. This one is entirely controlled by automatic means. Thus, that is what we do to help the environment. Waste it by turning down the lights. Give you lights only when you need them.

How do you plan to expand more in Asia, or in India Specifically?

Our primary market, which accounts for around 80% of our market, was North America and Europe. In fact, we perform fairly well in the Austrian markets for the Adidas Stores. However, we are beginning to speak with some of our agents or distributors in the Asian markets, particularly those in India.

They have already attempted to integrate some of our AI into actual stores. To be honest, though, it had only just begun. However, more and more people are realizing the potential of AI lighting in retail settings, such as supermarkets and shuttered stores. And I think that in the not-too-distant future, you will see some stores in India that have artificial intelligence lighting. Numerous large Indian companies have already begun testing all our AI samples.

How has been your experience so far in the HKTDC fair 2025? What are your key takeaways of this year’s edition?

For a considerable amount of time, Kinglumi has been taking part in the lighting fairs. Kinglumi is where I joined about fourteen years ago.

In 2005, when the company was just getting started, we began to take part in this failure. Actually, this was the first time we went to the spring editions. However, in order to expand our impressions, we went to a lot of fairs this year.  Our goal is to make our AI lighting available everywhere.  Therefore, one of the most significant fairs we attended was the spring edition of the Hong Kong Lighting Fair.

Customers from all over the world will travel to Hong Kong to visit. As a result, we already gain from the alternate editions, but we also hope to introduce our technology globally in the spring. Therefore, even the first day of the field, we drew a lot of people to our booth, and we were sincere in our efforts to advance our AI technology. Therefore, we believe that it was a great time to participate in the Hong Kong lighting fair, both in the spring and autumn editions.

The flexible track light system was invented by us. In 2023, we won both the European Product Design Award and the IF Award. Our product, a flexible system ecosystem, is the world’s first of its kind. The flexible track line system and the half line system are two of our more than four systems that may be combined to generate a plethora of ideas and applications for both functional and ornamental fixture products. Every fixture product, for instance, may be modular.  Furthermore, our products are the first in the world to have an innovative pattern for a flexible track light system.

The largest corporation or company in the world is European. They exhibit a pattern of innovation. We have a pattern of innovation from 2009 to 2015. In China and the United States, there are over 100 different innovation patterns.

Additionally, our innovative patterns—the fixture into the hard track system and the soft flexible track light system—are the simplest way in the world to fix the product. When comparing our products to those of other countries, this is by far our most significant selling feature.

Have you integrated AI into your lighting products?

Indeed. Since our product is a new trend in the globe, we already employ AI in numerous applications to help clients understand it. Additionally, individuals are not aware of how to use it. We have both indoor and outdoor products, for instance. Additionally, we can demonstrate to the customer how to use our product. We develop applications that demonstrate how to use AI. We will also use AI to make some R&D design. We use AI to design our products.

How do you plan to expand in Asia? What are your expansion plans to capture the market in India specifically?

We intend to grow in India under our own brand name. In order to market our products under our own brand name in the Indian market, we are trying to find the suitable persons or someone who shares our ideas, who will eventually help us grow locally. This is my strategy. We want to present our brand and merchandise to the market. That, in my opinion, will motivate more Indians to utilize our products.

Furthermore, our products will enhance people’s life due to their ease of installation, versatility, and ability to be colored after usage. This suggests that the environment is also quite welcoming. Since we operate an ecosystem of a flexible track-like activity that is both indoors and outdoors, we were unable to identify any competitors doing anything comparable to what we achieved.

There is an outdoor track, an indoor track, and a hard track. Our track is short. Our tension vehicle can be used to solve a customer’s issue with an uneven ceiling and an outdoor area without a ceiling. They only need to find a little spot to secure the tightened section. You may then add useful outdoor lighting inside. It is absolutely a global no-have.

Even France and Italy have all the outside amenities, including umbrellas and antique outdoor furniture.  They truly don’t have anything like what we do, and with our hard track and soft track, we can combine the two to produce an outside product that is both useful and aesthetically pleasing. In my opinion, it’s a major trend, and nobody really has a complete ocean in the market. Therefore, I believe that’s a fascinating and sizable global market, including in India.

How has been your experience in the HKTDC fairs?

We’ve been in Hong Kong fairs for more than twenty-five years. I established my own company fairly early on. I launched my business with Hong Kong TDC within the first year. We therefore have a great deal of familiarity with the Hong Kong Fair.

We merely go to the Hong Kong Fair to advertise our goods. Therefore, it’s a crucial method for us to market our product internationally. Because we can catch the entire world’s professional lighting buyer from here. I suppose that’s enough for us.

What are your future plans?

Prioritizing our products is crucial when discussing future plans. We must continue to be innovative. Additionally, continue to let the world market ponder. In order to solve the problem and integrate our ecosystem, we will be developing innovative products. As a result, we will be expanding our ecosystem and adding new items to it rather than just one. It is a system.

It is a mechanism that tracks innovation in our ecosystem.  Thus, this is how we envision the future. Our research and development has already produced two generations of new products, so we will once again be awe-inspiring the world.  That, I believe, is our approach. It never stops innovating and researching and developing new things that are a planet away. Our ability to innovate is something we are confident in. This is the first target that we are aiming for. The second aim is Leaves Lighting, which is the name we wish to use for our business.

Is there a message that you would like to give to your potential customers?

Indeed. If my prospective client decides to go with Leaves Lighting, I believe that we will consistently lead the lighting industry’s trends and provide them with new products. This is what we have the authority to say. Additionally, if you decide to go with Leaves, you will have a blue ocean of new products in the market that no one else has. This is crucial, in my opinion.

You don’t have to argue about the cost all the time.  Because, you will have a unique product with patents, and we can safeguard you so that you have a sufficient margin and may remain safe in your market. That is a lot of customers, in my opinion, and our potential customers in the lighting industry have a problem because they constantly have someone next door. It is possible for a rival to steal their new product and sell it next door. This is always a pricing war, in my opinion.

So, we will be in accordance with the needs of your market. For example, you are my client; your market requires what kinds of products; and we may collaborate to build a solution to the problem in your market. And I believe this is one of our strong points; it can help you enter the market, build a genuine audience, and create a desire for the items.  What we can do is this. Thus, we were granted patent protection.

The reason is that we manufacture in Guzhen, Zhongshan City, China, so the price will undoubtedly be very competitive.  The city’s illumination has been there for more than twenty-two years. Our supply network is really well-established.

In addition to having our own manufacturing, we have the greatest price for our supply chain. The essential car that no one else has and the plant that leads the world is our own invention factory.

We also offer a very good mass market price. I believe the customers can receive more from us than that. We are undoubtedly distinctive in the market because of that. And I suppose we ready for the future.

What are the basic elements of better and smarter lighting?

The basic elements depend on one’s understanding of better and smarter. It means different things to different people in different circumstances.

‘Better’ to us relates to continuous learning from past projects and improve on our deliveries. This means after every project we do a debrief with team not only with those who actually were parts of the project team but also with everyone in our KLD team. These are super meaningful learning sessions where our project designers share their experiences and challenges that they faced in realizing the project they worked on.

‘Smarter’ to us relates to all those things that are actually not lighting, in other words the controls, the smart integration of sensors and data networks with lighting. Key here is to be smart from the start, our key driver. To meaningfully integrate smart elements into the lighting infra-structure one first need to determine the requirements or what we call the smart data brief. This can include smart lighting controls but also smart controls for other functions like air-conditioning or service functions for instance with the aim to integrate the smart elements into the buildings’ facilities management system. Understanding the compatibility of the smart vendor systems with the designed lighting infra-structure is crucial for
its success.

How do you connect sustainability with lighting design?

By definition a lighting design should be sustainable. It is the lighting designer’s professional responsibility to make sure that energy conservation and environmental protection is core to the lighting design at all times. Energy conservation is a combination of optimal lighting system efficiency and lighting controls related to space usage. Lighting – only when and where you need it. By further mastering the lighting performance in terms of its distribution in space, maximising useful light and minimising light spill, we contribute to our earth’s environmental protection. There is no planet B, so sustainable lighting design, including efforts towards the opportunity to recycle or reconfigure older or failing lighting systems, are essential components to sustainable lighting design. This is also where smart lighting design comes allowing cause and effect to be monitored and managed.

What are the psychological and biological effects of good indoor lighting?

Good lighting design takes care of both the psychological as well as the biological effects. The psychology of lighting is very much anchored in the sensory experience, how lighting is perceived and how it impacts one’s mood and feelings. Think of the effect of bright versus somber lighting or warm versus cool coloured light. Motivation, performance and our sense of well-being are all influenced by how lighting impacts on our visual environment and subsequently how we perceive the space and the psychological message it sends us.

The biology of lighting is very much invisible to us as it impacts our biological clock and bio-rhythms. Often referred to as circadian lighting, this lighting impacts on our sleep-wake cycles and has a strong well-being impact of our overall human body health. Proper circadian lighting design is more than just tunable white light, it requires assessment of exposure time, intensities and colour frequencies balanced with the health needs of the space occupants.

How do you conceive (or conceptualise) the lighting scheme (or plan) after you receive a project-details request?

Lighting design is a team effort that requires harmonized integration with architecture, interior design and many other disciplines such as electrical infra-structure design, signage and wayfinding, artworks and displays, landscaping and urban design regulations. So, a good lighting design starts by identifying the key stakeholders and parties that are involved in the design process. Lighting design does not exist by itself, it merges harmoniously with the space it is being designed for, providing the desired lighting effects for the people that use the space. Any lighting design concept therefore is built on this principle as the driver. This is mostly the visible part of the lighting design planning. The invisible part is related to providing sustainability mentioned earlier and most of all working within feasible and acceptable budgets to achieve the best value for money. After all we design for our client’s requirements and budgets.

Could you cite some examples where you have used specialised items (like bamboo chips, paper cutting, scrap metal pieces etc.) to enhance the effect of lighting?

We don’t see light, we see reflections. Light is only visible when it reflects of something, whether actual materials or dust/smoke particles. As such good lighting designers always make use of material properties and finishes to enhance the lighting effects in a space. Understanding how light reacts on materials and finishes is a critical part of a lighting designers toolkit. Every project has opportunities to use the materials to create that extra effect. In many of our projects we work closely with the interior designer/ architect when it comes to material and finishes choices. For instance the design and material selection of pendants or decorative elements on which a dedicated spot light. Generally the materials we recommend have great properties when it comes to reflecting light.

Do you feel that the certification norms often restrain creativity?

No, not really. While this may appear to be restrictive, we think it adds to the creative skills of the designer to work within the norms and standards. It is all about the interpretation of the norms and how to apply them. Understanding the aim of the norms and codes of practice and its relevance to a specific application are crucial as the norms are generally set up broadly and generically. It is therefore the lighting designers’ task to interpret these towards the project application by being as creative as possible.

How do you help your clients to maintain the beauty for long after you complete a project?

It is the lighting designer’s implicit task to design for longevity. While budgets may at times be restrictive in designing long lasting installations, we generally have the skillset to assure that basic quality standards are implemented to assure that. Besides the quality of the lighting installation longevity is achieved in many other ways. First of all the lighting system has to be selected for its suitability, specifically in regards to the environmental conditions.  The location and protection of the light fixtures further plays an important role towards easy maintenance and minimal damaging impacts. Proven reliability and service ability of the supplying company is also crucial in assuring a long-term performance.

What’s your take on ergonomic lighting and safety aspects related to luminaires?

Ergonomics in lighting is all about lighting comfort. In terms of lighting design, it is about making sure the lighting levels are comfortable, the balance of brightness and contrasts are comfortable and avoiding uncomfortable glare and reflections. Making it easier on the eyes to avoid strain and fatigue. In terms of light fixtures, it is about the placing and the lighting performance to meet the above targets.

The safety aspects of lighting also relate to both lighting design and fixture design. Good lighting design facilitates easy way finding and safe execution of visual tasks. At the same time lighting fixtures should be safe electrically and physically. They should be touch-safe and operationally safe, but also installed in such way that they do not form any physical obstruction or danger to the general public. This may also have a direct bearing on legal aspects such as liabilities in case of accidents.

The inclusion of smart components within the lighting infra-structure today is a must to monitor and manage the ergonomics and safety or security of spaces.

What is your advice (in brief) to the new lighting project owners?

Key to the success of a project is to engage the lighting designer at the earliest possible stage of a project. It is never too early to engage a lighting designer. The reality is that lighting designers are generally engaged way too late in the process leaving little room for architectural or interior changes when suggested to improve the end result. What most project owners also do not realise is that – skilled lighting designers generally earn their fees back through the value for money and savings they achieve in the design and the ease of operation.

But most of all we need to realise that the world of lighting design is changing. Data gathering through the lighting infra-structure is becoming the number one concern of every project client, facilities manager and developer. As such understanding how to integrate smart IoT components into the lighting design is key. Before any lighting design is undertaken, project owners should be clear about the IoT data brief required – so it can be smoothly integrated in the overall architectural design. The Lighting Designer of Things (LDoT) is ideally placed to define, develop and implement this.

Indian customers understand the need of Effective Lighting and have started identifying that Lighting in any building consumes up to 40% of the total energy used and effective lighting not only strengthens security but also improves productivity. A well designed lighting system increases productivity, provides safe environment, reduces energy & maintenance costs. Both Individual & Society interests are served by more effective lighting and reduced operating costs. Lighting industry in India has generated a lot of opportunities and has to go a long way.

Which are the essential differences between commercial and home lighting solutions?

A residential lighting solution is all together different from a commercial lighting solution. From design and product selection to installation, there are several factors that distinguish the two types of lighting solutions. The primary difference between the two lighting solutions is their purpose and functionality. Commercial lights require bright lights with more Lumen output. Commercial grade light products are made of more robust protection drivers, heat sinks and lenses to last longer while residential grade products are the products that are specifically designed to be used at homes, and are not for heavy usage and long working hours.

How helpful have been the modern apps to change the ambiance without changing the hardware?

Till date we have seen dimming of lights with dimmers, 0-10V and DALI. Then came  DMX LED colour changing solution for lighting in indoor and outdoor architectural lighting applications.

Now with the use of app based solution in different applications, the control system has become wireless remote/app control based. Today Smart Lighting Technology uses platforms like Bluetooth, BLE, BLE Mesh, Zigbee, and Wi-Fi. These technologies are user friendly with flexibility and are quite affordable.

In the recent developments, Lights are controlled remotely or via voice. One has complete control on the function and application of lights. These features make the lights an integral part of the smart homes, smart city and so on meeting the requirement that light should adjust with the background in such a way that the built environment feels just as visually comfortable as the lighting in our natural environments.

Do you feel that the Indian Lighting products’ market have been affected too much by the spread of COVID – 19?

Due to COVID-19 all the industries across the world have faced upside down situation. Every industry is figuring new ways to do business to survive and sustain. Similar is the situation within the lighting Industry and against these setbacks, there has been positive impact to make innovations & strategy. The Indian Lighting Industry was also highly affected given that 45% of the components required in the Indian electronics industry are imported from China and to meet this great demand we are very much aligned with the national vision of ‘MAKE IN INDIA FOR THE WORLD’.

Being passionate to manufacture and manufacturing being in the DNA of Jaquar Group, we have a backward integration in lighting fixtures at our State-of-the-Art Manufacturing Facility and NABL accredited R&D laboratory at Manesar, which gave us an edge to establish ourselves among the key lighting players in the country. The most important part  is the LED drivers & these are manufactured in house through fully automated SMT machines. Also, we have similar automated lines for LED MCPCB assemblies as well. In addition to this, we are also manufacturing other components such as surge protection devices and sensors as well to further strengthen our supply chain. Further, we are coming up with a new manufacturing facility in Bhiwadi, Rajasthan by the end of this year where we will be setting up our own die casting units, which will reduce our dependency on outsourced raw materials, and will also minimize the lead times for the deliveries. At the end, all I can say is that though it’s a challenging time for all, being self-driven – we will come over it with ‘Make in India’.

What are the opportunities in disguise in this period?

Due to changing environment in the current situation, new technologies are emerging in the markets to help mankind to overcome the hardships–and to make better lifestyle with added safety features to safeguard others and self. Innovation and R&D are key catalysts in any business and we truly believe in the idea of innovation to provide the best in class solution to the world. Today our bathroom solutions is leading  with innovation in these difficult times and is building solutions that can help people stay safe and healthy. Recently, we have launched a marketing  campaign ‘Sense & Sensibility’ that  enables touch free solutions. On the similar lines, we have introduced lighting fixtures that can be operated without any physical contact and can be optimally utilized with energy savings.

How popular are Jaquar products in the Indian market today?

First of all, it is the legacy of Jaquar Bathroom Solutions, which gave the leverage to uplift the lighting business. Secondly, it’s the trust of  the  people in the  quality and the services provided by the Jaquar group to its customers. Also, the infrastructure that we have built for Lighting business that includes our state of the art manufacturing facility and NABL accredited R&D laboratory that gave us an edge  to   establish ourselves among the key lighting players in the country.

Today we have enough credentials in our kitty. We have already Illuminated prestigious spaces such as Parliament Hall, Kalinga Stadium Bhubaneswar  that hosted 2018  Men’s World Cup, Dynamic Facade Lighting of Rajkot Bus Port and Durgam Cheruvu Cable Bridge at Hyderabad. In addition to above, we have good presence in hospitality sector as well and we have worked with groups like Marriot, Mayfair, Radisson, Lemon Tree to name a few. Looking at the current  CAGR of lighting industry in India and also considering our  manufacturing capacity and capabilities we are targeting a revenue of 1000 Cr. by 2022.

What kind of effort are you putting to educate the Indian buyers on the need and potential of good lighting?

The users and lighting industry are so much fascinated with energy saving and pricing that almost all are neglecting the fact that currently, poor quality finished products are sold in the market to consumers’ at cheap prices making ill effects on the consumer well-being on long-term basis, which is indistinguishable. We are educating the buyers through training sessions of the product range and providing solutions with help of our in house lighting planning teams who provide design and product solutions and also help in executing the projects. All these services are provided  free of cost to all  our customers and are available  all across the country as per the Vision of our Director Mr. Ranbir Raj Mehra to bring Delight and connect to Customer in providing the best in class Solution maintaining the  quality and the services provided by the Jaquar Group to its customers. Further, under his dynamic leadership, Jaquar Lighting has ventured into Dynamic Facade Lighting segment and we have already cracked some big prestigious projects in the country. We are providing end to end SITC solutions in Facade Lighting.This provides us an edge over the  other players as we have the capabilities to provide customized solutions within defined time lines and as per the customers’ requirements.

How much impact has your product VIVID made on Indian society? What are the primary areas where these colour changing lights are being used?

We have received an overwhelming response for Vivid Jaquar Lighting Products as these are perfect solution for your home and celebrations and set up the mood lighting and the tone for the day or the evening. You can control the colour and intensity of your lights with these Vivid Smart Bulbs with just a click of a button on your smart phone through The Jaquar Lighting App, available on the iPhone App Store And Google Play Store. Go smart with these smart LED bulbs. Play with the settings and turn it warm, or cold, bright or light and tweak it according to your preference with these smart lights!

What are the benefits of smart lighting at a glance? How is its demand growth in India?

Technology comprising combination of smart features with energy efficiency is leading to smart solution facilitating the growth of smart cities across the nation. We have introduced Smart Street Lighting solutions for future cities. These lighting fixtures can  be addressed individually or in a group.  Scheduled on/off, dimming is  the basic feature. These intelligent fixtures can communicate to each other and to a central server through a wireless protocol and capture huge amount of data that can be used to conduct various levels of analysis  and create inferences for  some actionable insight. Predictive maintenance being one of the most important actionable insight.

Smart Lighting industry in India has tremendous opportunity as there are several Smart Cities projects proposed and approved by Government of India. This is the right time to invest in these technologies to be ready for the future.

With an estimated market of about Rs 20,000 crore, the lighting industry is witnessing tremendous growth. Further, in LED segment alone, there is a double digit growth observed since last few years.

What would you like to communicate to the Lighting Products Sellers from India?

We would like to convey that we are already at par with many other established lighting players in the country and are equally capable of delivering innovative solutions  in lighting. It would be our pleasure to associate  and offer our complete lighting solutions and services to them. We are looking for partners who are  passionate about LED lighting technology and can proactively promote the brand irrespective of the support from our sales and marketing teams. We are looking for entrepreneurs with passion to lead & strong networking skills apart from financially capable people, which may be one of the criteria.

CSIL was born, as a cooperative of young market researchers together with some skilled industry veterans, just 40 years ago. The first Reports on decorative lighting were made at that time for the “Euroluce” Lighting Fair, in Milan. Late Eighties, we started publishing a Yearly Report on the European market, for both professionals and consumers. Our early reports on overseas market date late Nineties; and around 2005, the first Specific Report on the LED lighting industry worldwide.

How do you foresee the future of the Indian Lighting Market?

The consumption of Lighting in India (yearly expenses to buy lighting devices) is still just 2-3 USD pro capite (per capita), while it is 10-15 USD in China, Russia or Mexico, and 30-50 USD per person in the most developed countries. So, the potential is incredible.

Can LED be used in all pockets of lighting?

It is at least five years that LED lighting can be used everywhere. Till 10 years ago, it was not suggested for indirect lighting, but it was long time ago. In the coming future, we can imagine OLED solutions for jewelries or ambient lighting, but not dramatic alternatives are on the way.

How is IoT yielding convenience to optimise Lighting?

There are three levels of applications: apps to control your lights, apps that deliver value back to who owns the lights and apps that deliver value to the entire community.

The first one helps in saving energy via motion-based dimming and manages maintenance. The second one class of apps provide video or audio information (sensors that cities or companies can use to help people find open parking spots, safety and surveillance are all in this category). The third category is planetary data: earthquake detection, global warming data, sunlight detection.

Possibilities are endless, but some deserve particular attention, such as Wi-Fi access points for reinforcing the public connection network; integration with free parking spaces identification systems to inform citizens via special apps; Tourism: providing information about historic or cultural places of interest and services like ticket purchases or event information directly on visitors’ electronic devices.

Today the yearly market of connected luminaires is just tenth million units (on somewhat as 2 billion luminaires sold per year). It will be a market of hundreds million units in 3-5 years.

We have added various types of Bollards and Column Lights with corrosion proof material and coating. Our new and updated Smart Pole has been well received internationally.

Up-Down Light series was updated with different wattages and beam angles alongwith dimming facilities.

The additional range of Path Finders for both indoor and outdoor has been well received by Consultants, Architects and Land Scapists.

How are the Indian residential users accepting new concepts like ‘indoor wall washing’?

Indoor wall washers have come to stay. Thanks to the architects and lighting designers and the introduction of smart home with smart lighting. Consumers now like to have an ambiance in all their living places. With automated lighting controls and IOT, the indoor wall washers have a lot of openings in indoor lighting sector.

How safe is the use of wooden or paper materials as lighting fixtures?

As such, we do not see any lighting fixtures with wood or paper materials. As far as we are concerned, we have met the requirements of Architects to get wooden finish in Bollards and Column Lights by using wooden panels over the cast aluminium tubes. Indian concept is yet to shift fully towards a one-time use and  throw away concept.

Which types of luminaires form the strongest forte of K-lite?

LED Bollards and the Column Lights are the strongest forte in our range.We offer architecturally appealing street light post top lanterns with modern Architectural and ornamental lighting.

What measures are you taking to increase the life of lighting fixtures?

After converting most of the housings into aluminium and using the proven brands of LED chips/ COBs, which are guaranteed for more than 50,000 hrs of burning, the only weak link to ensure long life of the luminaire is the ‘driver’ with so many electronic components built into it. The ‘driver’ manufacturers are hesitant to guarantee its life beyond three years. However, we are using the best electronic components for longer life.

Are all your products indigenously designed and manufactured?

Almost all our luminaires are now using LED as the light source. Except for the LED chips and COBs all items are locally made. You can say that 95 % of the luminaires are in-house and developed with our own tools and dies.

What kind of projects are you taking up these days?

We are basically suppliers of indoor/ outdoor luminaires and all types of poles including High Mast. We do not undertake directly any projects. However, we have a group of lighting designers and a full-fledged optics laboratory with the state of art equipment. Hence, the lighting consultants and architects make use of our expertise and execute projects. From this angle, we have illuminated  many parks, highways such as National Highway in Mohali, Airport  approach highways in places like Hyderabad, entire city street lighting in Varanasi , Amritsar Golden Temple area etc.

What are the advantages of choosing an Indian lighting company for projects?

This has been well answered with the onslaught caused by COVID19. The only advantage in imports was the cost benefit. If compared with the performance, non availability of any replaceable items and failures of such imported luminaires, it is now well proven that the cost advantage is totally lost. We expect a major shift in the attitude and approach of the clients in the time to come and it will only be to the advantage of Indian manufacturer

What would you like to communicate to the lighting enthusiasts? 

During the last ten years and with the introduction of LED in all luminaires and the free market economy , the luminaire manufacturers in India have lost their significance in lighting market. The traders took over the market through their imports from China at the cheapest possible cost, branded as their own and exploited the whole market by dumping with a variety of luminaires. In fact, even the local reputed brands in the lighting market were forced to tie up with some Chinese companies and get their products branded as an OEM product, import and sell locally. This was detrimental to the national interest, and we lost the race. Even the ‘Make in India’ concept cannot be put through unless we can compete with their cost of production and convince our clients. However, the situation is changing now, and everybody accepts the importance of locally made items to meet any contingency and develop ourselves to be the future leaders. If the demand from local buyers turn towards locally made products, the scaled up demand will obviously bring down the prices.

The ongoing pandemic has created an unprecedented crisis that has impacted every strata of society, the community and the individual at large. We are a legacy brand of over 75 years who have always strived to ensure our employees are valued to not only create a flourishing workplace but also to become future leaders. Hence, during this pandemic, utmost importance was given to the safety and wellbeing of our employees by creating various strategies and safety procedures to establish a healthy and safe workplace. As remote working increased, digitalisation also gathered prominence along with virtual connections that have further helped us in maintaining the momentum throughout these months. Moreover, having identified strategic opportunities for cost optimisation as well as tactically managing inventory have also helped us increase our profitability.

What’s your approach towards energy-efficiency and LED lighting?

As more and more people are inclined towards becoming more eco-friendly, we too, are making a conscious effort in ensuring our products play a significant role in protecting the environment. That’s why our entire LED range of Crompton provides 85% Energy Savings compared to a regular incandescent lamp. Our entire LED range is also 3 star – rated, except for our product “Lyor”, which is a 5 star – rated LED bulb. Considering that our commitment has always been towards saving energy, in 2019, our 9W LED bulb had been adjudged as the most energy-efficient appliance at the National Energy Conservation Awards by the Ministry of Power – India.

Please tell us more about your latest innovation in Ceiling Lights.

We have taken innovation up a notch with the launch of our latest range of Ceiling Lights called ‘Star Lord’ – a range with high brightness and stylish ultra-slim rims that deliver on the promise of Maximum Brightness, Maximum Style. Lighting has become an essential part of our lives today – where it can augment the space we are living in and completely transform the mood and ambience of the home. With LED panels now delivering brightness along with a touch of design in false ceilings, it adds a more stylish and brighter finish to the room. Considering that consumers have become more involved in choosing the right lights for their home and are always on the look-out for a well-lit room with maximum brightness, we have taken into account these key needs – and have come out with a range of Ultra Slim LED Panels with 100 Lumens per Watt that is far brighter compared to other panels and gives a wider light emitting area to your space. The product also has a variety of other features like longer life, surge protection and an array of different colour temperature variations, among others. They can be used across various spaces like homes, offices, auditoriums as well as commercial interior places.

Apart from this, we also introduced the ‘Star Dura Eye Smile’ range recently. These panel lights have the added benefit of an Ultra-Low Flicker. This low flicker gives the user an unparalleled experience in terms of reduced eye strain as compared to the other products available in the market.

Please assess the lighting industry sector from a holistic viewpoint. Where do we stand in comparison with the lighting market abroad?

The Indian LED lighting industry is a highly competitive one with companies ranging from multinationals to Chinese companies as well as local organizations. This increasing competition has resulted in the declining cost per wattage, leading to shrinking margins for manufacturers.

Another challenge that the industry poses is low-cost imports from China and other South-east Asian countries.

Therefore, all these factors have resulted in product commoditization for the LED lighting industry, whereby every product or offering is considered identical to competing products or offerings, restricting a company from charging a premium on its products and from creating a loyal customer base.

How is the market demand for connected and IoT lighting?

The market is fast evolving – and thanks to the internet revolution in India, the acceptance of new concepts and products are getting better. Consumers are warming up to connected lighting and it is expected that in the years to come this would grow at an exponential pace. We expect that with increased demand, there will be a lot of players also getting into the segment.

Please elaborate on human-centric lighting and its scope of expansion in the near future.

Human Centric Lighting is a futuristic trend in the Lighting Industry with Health and Mental Wellness being the top benefits. Human Centric Lighting is also known as Circadian Rhythm Lighting, as it regulates high level of energy throughout the day followed by a good night’s sleep, which ultimately leads to enhanced productivity, health and wellbeing. This plays a very important role in an individual’s life – where all these factors contribute to overall healthy wellbeing, especially during these current days. Crompton offers the widest range of HCL solutions for all types of Office Light fixtures i.e., Linear 2*2, Downlights, Cove Lighting etc. We offer a complete end to end HCL solutions for all types of office lights too.

Has the current pandemic influenced Crompton to revamp its business structure and R&D activities?

With the COVID-19 pandemic, health and hygiene has taken precedence over everything else as consumers have become even more concerned about the presence of bacteria and viruses in their environment. Other than normal cleaning products such as phenyl and sanitizers, consumers want products that can meet their hygienic living requirements and are willing to pay a premium over the normal product pricing. Hence, keeping this in mind, Crompton is investing heavily and extensively in R&D activities for the lighting business.

Would you like to share any other information?

Our very recent launch – the Star Lord Ceiling Lights has been a game-changer in the Ceiling Lights category having a strong set of properties that cater to the consumer needs through not only the functional benefits but also enhancing the décor of the home.

With more and more people working from home and spending more time at home than before, good lighting plays a very important role in not only the ambience or the mood but also in increasing one’s productivity.

That is why our core proposition of maximum brightness that gives maximum surface area by providing higher lumens/watt hits the very target during this time. Moreover, from a B2B standpoint, our recent projects have also been in the category of Human Centric Lighting as this technology has created a new paradigm and taken lighting to a whole new level. It has enabled us to reap the benefits of comfort, productivity, mood and sleep as well as energy efficiency. As we slowly move into the post-pandemic world and with the transition back to the workplace, it, therefore, becomes essential to make the environment as safe as possible. Crompton, thus, offers complete end to end HCL solutions for all types of office light fixtures that help create a safe and healthy surrounding.

Demand-driven automation means using energy only when it is really necessary. It starts with a typical human behaviour. For example, once users of office buildings have switched on the lights or the air conditioning and ventilation system, they often stay on all day – in the worst case, even the following night, because often nobody thinks of switching off. As a result, too much unnecessary energy is consumed.

A simple presence detector brings a considerable improvement. Because it automatically ensures that lighting and other devices are only switched on when people are present. At the same time, it uses its light sensor system to check the current brightness. If the daylight entering through the windows is sufficient for work, the presence detector switches the lighting off. If it also has the facility for constant light control, it only dims it as much as the available daylight requires. In other words, it saves energy using daylight.

Of course, the whole thing also means maximum comfort. After all, a presence detector automatically ensures that it never gets too dark or too light. People no longer have to worry about anything and can concentrate fully on their work. Furthermore, demand-controlled automation is also helpful in terms of hygiene, for example, it’s a very topical issue..

Can you explain this in more detail?

It is all about the classic light switch on the wall. The light switch is one of the biggest transmission points for infections. Especially, where many people use the same place as in corridors, sanitary areas, not only at home but also at offices. However, anyone using presence and motion detectors can dispense with the light switch because they switch the light automatically. In this way, demand-controlled automation can make an important contribution to health. Especially as hygiene standards in buildings will continue to rise significantly in the future even after the current crisis has been overcome.

How do you simultaneously optimise the room temperature, air quality and lighting?

We achieve this with a multisensory device: the ATMO presence detector. At its highest level of expansion, it detects changes in the lighting situation, humidity, temperature and air quality. In KNX systems, it automatically ensures that the room is not only optimally bright when people are present, but also a healthy and comfortable climate is maintained. In doing so, it can run the air conditioning and ventilation system at different levels depending on the current air quality. The multi-sensor technology in just one device also saves the need for several individual solutions and complicated installations.

What are the different kinds of technologies that you are using to provide the integrated best comfort feeling indoor?

In addition to the presence detectors such as the PD-ATMO, SymbiLogic technology, which is used in our lighting systems with ESYLUX Light Control, is particularly noteworthy. SymbiLogic technology creates dynamic, daylight-like light sequences, so-called Human Centric Lighting. This is the top topic in the lighting sector and will remain so in the future. It has been scientifically proven that Human Centric Lighting improves people’s vitality, well-being and, for example, their ability to concentrate. It also makes people sleep better at night, which is good for their health.

The special feature of SymbiLogic is the very energy-efficient implementation of Human Centric Lighting. By using intelligent sensor technology, the light is also here switched according to presence and daylight, but above all the technology realises a presence and daylight-dependent adaptive HCL light control. This means that it transfers the principle of daylight utilisation known from constant light control to the HCL. This makes the use of Human Centric Lighting also sensible in terms of energy consumption.

What is your comment on CAPEX and OPEX when ‘Demand Driven Automation’ system is implemented in a building?

The potential savings in operating costs that result from demand-driven automation are quite considerable, especially when combined with LED-based lighting. Deutsche Energie-Agentur (dena), the German Energy Agency, estimates it at around 70%. This applies to lighting alone. If automation is used in an air-conditioning or ventilation system, this naturally takes on quite different dimensions. Everyone knows how high the energy requirements of such systems are. So, automatic, presence-dependent switching off is a correspondingly helpful feature.

As far as CAPEX is concerned: both our presence detectors and our lighting systems are future-proof, ready-to-use technology that is suitable for any type of building and can be easily retrofitted if required. This leads to an increase in the value of the property while at the same time keeping maintenance costs low. The investment is made even more worthwhile by the fact that presence detectors make optimum use of the long service life of LEDs by switching them off automatically.

Above all, however, I would like to take this opportunity to highlight the long-term effects for the employees in such a building. And this is through the increased comfort and health. Employee satisfaction is a great asset in today’s world. It not only helps to keep good employees in the company, but also contributes to higher productivity. In the long term, this results in a win-win situation for investors and employers as well as for the users.

How do you address the complex demands of customers with simplified technologies?

The Performance for Simplicity is our brand promise and can be seen in many different places. This starts with personal expert advice from our own experts, which takes many decisions away from the customer, and extends to simple parameterisation, remote control and documentation of our remote-controlled devices via app. Our plug-and-play solutions, which allow installation via a simple plug-in connection and often even configuration, are a prime example. This is pure simplicity and saves time and money.

What kind of R&D works do you conduct inside the company?

Our research and development is based in the Hamburg metropolitan region, i.e., in Germany. Germany continues to enjoy an excellent reputation throughout the world, but I am certainly not telling you anything new. Our engineers focus on all significant technical innovations, developments and improvements in the field of electronics. Both in the field of automation and lighting. Incidentally, our lighting laboratory is also located at the same site, where we use our own sensor technology for tests and light measurements. This is of course very practical.

Please tell us about ESYLUX’s patented solutions.

We have a whole range of German and international patents. These include products I have already talked about, such as the ATMO presence detector or the lighting systems with ESYLUX Light Control. Sometimes our patented solutions are particularly small: the presence and motion detectors of our COMPACT MINI series, for example. They are hardly noticeable on the ceiling and are now also installed by us in the diffusers of downlights. The intelligent vandalism and sabotage protection of our new DEFENSOR outdoor motion detectors is also exciting. More information on this can be found on our website.

Please tell us about some of ESYLUX’s highly critical Indian projects?

Since the brand has been launched together with our partner iTvis Innovation in India in the year 2019, we have completed a considerable number of projects across India. Our solutions found their place in buildings and facilities across various industries and locations of the country. We’ve equipped the office space in the plant of a sizable automotive manufacturer in Maharashtra with our demand-driven Human Centric Lighting solution SymbiLogic. We have helped a multinational eTailer to reduce the energy costs at its warehousing locations across India with the help of our motion detectors. Also, well-known cosmetic companies are using our DALI broadcast sensors for constant light control at their corporate offices in one of Mumbai’s prime locations.

What would you like to tell the Indian lighting enthusiasts?

We all know how immensely important lighting is for people. Especially in today’s world, where many more people work in buildings and offices than was the case in the past. The conversion from traditional lighting into LED lighting has already progressed very fast in India. But now it is time to take the next step and use intelligent, sensor-controlled automation and lighting solutions such as those already established in the European market. They improve people’s quality of life as well as energy efficiency, and not least the use of energy-efficient Human Centric Lighting will lead Indian offices, educational establishments and healthcare facilities into a new age.

Human-centric lighting is making a difference in settings where people seek to heal and enhance their mood. In hospitals, tunable lighting systems are already promoting better sleep, which is vital to a patients’ recovery. In the educational field, students are making most from the greater cognitive focus that the correct lighting regime promotes. These lightings are not only energy-efficient but also enhances the wellbeing of employees, making them more productive and motivated at the work front. Lighting can be customized by each employee to suit their individual requirements, creating a smooth and refreshed work environment.

As people are now more aware of the benefits of human-centric lighting in their homes and workplace, it has become more common and, we are witnessing a rise in the demand for such lighting.

Are there any new innovations that will be launched by Signify in the near future? What is the acceptance of your products internationally?

We have an in-house R&D unit which works closely with global teams on business forward plans and portfolio development. UV- C based innovations will remain a strong focus area for the organization. We have initiated production and are capable of catering to the significant demand of our customers. We plan to have a variety of UV-C based solutions with professional and consumer applications.

In this effort, we recently acquired Germicidal Lamps and Applications (GLA), a Netherlands-based company with extensive expertise in UV-C disinfection solutions that complements our portfolio. We acquired their assets which include upper-room UV-C air disinfection portfolio as well as in-depth application knowledge. The upper-room air disinfection luminaires can be used, with people in the room as they are installed, at a height which is in combination with shielding and optics to prevent exposure, to the UV-C light source. The air in the upper part of the room is continuously disinfected using UV-C irradiation and natural convection of airflow within the room, making these perfect for use in schools, offices, gyms, retail outlets and other high-contact areas. The assets and know-how acquired from GLA will help us to accelerate the development of our roadmap for UV-C based upper-room air disinfection systems. We plan to make these products available across the globe soon.

What is Signify’s point of view towards Make In India (Atmanirbhar Bharat) initiative?

India is a strong focus for Signify. We are committed to the idea of Make in India, creating livelihood and economic value here, and are continuously innovating to suit the needs of the market. We have been manufacturing in India, for India over 90 years, since 1930. About 98% of what we sell in India is made in India and was strategically done much before the crisis. To de-risk our production from external factors and become self-reliant. Our manufacturing unit in Vadodara currently exports conventional and LED lamps to 29 countries across the world. Our state-of-the-art R&D facility, Signify Innovation Labs with over 400 employees in Bengaluru, has churned out the blueprints for smart cities and smart building concepts designed for the Indian market, which has enabled various central and state government projects in the country. Our teams here are also driving the worldwide transition to smart cities out of this Bengaluru facility. India is also the global headquarters for Signify’s solar business & R&D facilities in Bengaluru & Pune are leading the product & software development for the world. We are proud to support the Government’s vision of self-reliance and will continue our endeavours in this direction.

Kindly summarize the lighting industry of the Indian market holistically. What are the progress and goals made by the Indian market in terms of IoT and sustainability?

The Indian lighting industry is on the path of rapid growth. With the government initiatives to boost LED adoption and growing awareness regarding lower power consumption of LED lighting products and replacement of basic and inefficient incandescent, halogen, fluorescent lamps with modern LED lights, we are getting towards the reduction in electricity consumption.

In India, smart lighting for homes is expected to grow by 45% over the next three years as many more houses adopt connected lighting in a major way. We are by far the market leader in this segment, as we virtually created this category when we launched our Philips Hue range in India five years back. While smart lighting for homes constitutes a very small share of our overall business right now, it has a lot of potential for growth in the future owing, to the increasing urbanization and internet penetration.

As the business scenario in India matures, expectations for a new generation of employees from their workplaces have increased and, we also see employers adopting new technologies to boost employee engagement and productivity. These developments have led to the emergence of smart and connected offices wherein the ‘Internet of Thing’ (IoT) drives new ways to collaborate, innovate and socialize. Hence, it is not surprising that in today’s fast-changing business environment, new ideas such as connected lighting are implemented, in workspaces that can facilitate a culture of innovation based on collaboration. With connected lighting, offices can offer employees the ability to personalize the lighting in their immediate work area, which, in turn, can have a profound effect on their wellbeing and effectiveness. Organizations are also focusing on building energy-efficient green offices, enabling optimal use of available resources. Connected LED lighting also allows building managers to monitor and analyze building usage data in real-time, enabling them to identify inefficiencies and control other facilities such as air conditioning, heating and meeting room availability. It can drive down energy consumption by up to 80% compared to conventional lighting allowing businesses to slash their carbon footprint and drastically reduce their running costs.

With the growth of smart cities in India, there is a lot of potential for growth, of smart street lighting. It can equip city administrators with a robust infrastructure to improve city services, improve citizen safety, beautify public spaces, engage with citizens, and encourage civic pride. It can also reduce energy costs and increase efficiency so that the city can reinvest its savings in new smart city projects.