Digitisation has already started transforming the lighting domain. CGCEL, one of India’s leading suppliers of consumer electrical goods, lighting and lighting automation, is embracing digitisation to improve product performance. Here’s an interview with Rajesh Naik, Vice President – Lighting, Crompton Greaves Consumer Electricals Ltd:
How digitisation is evolving the future of lighting?
Digitisation is encompassing almost all aspects of the lighting domain. With the conversion to LEDs as the light source and LED being a solid-state device, various elements and functionalities which were hitherto impossible can now be digitised. The scope covers digital control of light output, light source wattage, colour temperature, health monitoring functions, mood lighting controls and improved energy efficiency. It covers not only product but also provision of options to the customer on application and solutions.
What are your recent initiatives in the ‘digital age’?
Crompton has launched series of products and solutions with many more in the pipeline; leveraging the digital aspect. The series of dimmable and colour changing products like the Power Ray and Magic Ray have been launched with the best-in-class technology.
The dynamic LED façade lighting solutions was recently executed to light up the iconic BMC headquarters in Mumbai, using Crompton RGBW luminaires with programmable controller that can be remotely controlled. This is a testimony to onset of digitisation. Completely automated smart streetlight solutions with individual control and monitoring compatible with various communication protocols are most apt and one of the most robust and reliable solutions for smart city platforms.
How are you adapting the PoE (Power over Ethernet) technology?
We are adapting PoE technology depending on the customer needs.
Why do you feel that the future of lighting is in LED?
The energy efficiency story of the shift from conventional to LED lights is evident. The improvements in the LED technology bring in the potential of energy savings ranging from 50-70 per cent. Thus, leading to reduction in carbon footprints in this energy starved economy and proving to be a boon. Apart from this, the various other benefits of LED lights like – much longer life, reduced maintenance costs and mercury free add to the story. But going forward, this would be just the hygiene factor and with intelligence and controls built into the solutions, the benefits and uses would be possibly limitless.
What are some of your latest product innovations in the field of LED?
Crompton is the pioneer in launching the first 5-Star LED Bulb ‘LYOR’ in Indian market. Effective May 2018, it has become mandatory to have a star-rated bulb as per BEE guidelines (minimum 2-Star). However, we at Crompton have taken the voluntary step to introduce the country’s first 5-Star lamp in the market. We have also launched highly energy efficient products with more than 120 lumens per watt in professional luminaires for both indoor and outdoor fixtures, without compromising on the robustness or reliability of the products.
Various connected lighting solutions in consumer, indoor and outdoor professional lighting like the streetlight automation systems, the dynamic facade lighting, the colour changing battens, dimming battens, lamps and professional luminaires are also some of the latest solutions in the offerings.
How the market has evolved post flourishing of e-commerce?
E-commerce has become a very key channel for lighting industry. It has opened-up and enhanced the avenues to reach the end-consumer and is playing a critical role in the growth of the industry. It has its own challenges, but we are completely geared up and optimistic on ecommerce channel.
How do you look at the Indian market being flooded with spurious and non-branded LED products?
This is an area of grave concern for the lighting industry. This menace is very detrimental to the local industry and the “Make in India “plan of the GOI. We as a part of the ELCOMA are taking it up very strongly. These spurious products do not comply to the quality and safety standards and nor do they comply to the mandatory packaging commodity and other applicable laws. Availability and use of such products with questionable quality and reliability is not only detrimental to the industry but could cast a slur on the LED technology itself.
What are its direct impact on the industry performance and in turn your business?
As explained earlier, a large portion of the unorganised market consisting of such spurious LED products has a direct impact on the industry and its growth. The compliance to mandatory norms and safety and performance standards of such products is questionable and this in turn impacts the business of all the organised players. What are the steps to be taken by the government to curb spurious LED lights? Government has taken certain steps such as making the compulsory registration scheme (CRS) mandatory for all the LED products under various IS standards covering safety of the products. The packaging commodity law is also very stringent. However, industry believes that actions to curb the non-compliance needs to be enhanced to discourage such spurious LED lights.
