Of all the fields of industrial design, lighting seems to evolve the quickest as designers harness innovations in materials, manufacturing, and technology. Often we only pay attention to light in extreme cases—it’s too dark or too bright. But the middle part of that continuum is where it gets interesting. The quality, color, and amount of light shape our understanding and the aesthetic purposes in visual media and in living spaces. In fact, in some ways it makes more sense to think of light as energy rather than as a flow of particles, though truthfully it is – a little confusingly – both.
K-LITE has stood for innovation and sustainable development in the Indian lighting industry, supported by its manufacturing hub in CHENNAI, INDIA. An ISO 9001 certified company K-Lite is a leading manufacturer of indoor and outdoor Lighting Fixtures in India. Incorporated in the year 1977, it has crossed the silver jubilee milestone.
The quality conscious K-Lite clientele which includes prestigious software companies, Delhi Airport and the metro rail will speak for themselves the standing of the company. Quality assurance with a fully equipped illumination laboratory and a committed group of employees are the mainstay for the success of the company.
The right light lifts the mood, inspires productivity and motivates us
Light has a communicative and social value in its ability to optimize urban spaces, giving the possibility of reclaiming the culture of a place, encourage aggregation, stimulating business and tourism, making events and architecture spectacular and increasing the feeling of safety. In 1977, K-Lite began a long journey of innovation in lighting products by its Founder Mr. Dilip Kumbhat the visionary. Though born in a family of established electrical traders, he opted to be a mechanical engineering graduate.
True to what he learnt, he established a manufacturing unit under the brand name K-Lite in 1977 with a single power press and committed helpers to assist him. Today the name K-Lite is known at the national level with dealer outlets in all big cities in India. Internationally, the company has outlets in USA and UK. Directly and indirectly he has been nurturing more than 1000 families through employment and this is in itself a great service to society.
Having crossed the silver jubilee stage, the company is on a very strong footing with ISO certification, CE marking of a variety of outdoor luminaires, UL marking of certain export luminaires and a fully equipped optometric and testing laboratory to international standards.
K-Lite has established its footprint as the trend setters in outdoor luminaires with quality and range as their hallmark. K-Lite’s range of Green Lights for a Greener World with a strong focus on LED goes to prove its respect for environment and energy saving. Exclusivity of the K-Lite luminaires for specialized applications can be seen in the saloon lights of the modern metro coaches and ICF coaches. Integration of decorative poles with application oriented outdoor luminaires is an added strength of K-Lite.
Awards and Accolades
Director and Partner Mrs Sharmila Kumbhat is conferred with the Best Woman Entrepreneur even when she was 18 years old by the then Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Madam Jayalalithaa.
K-LITE Industries, Chennai, has been conferred World’s Greatest Brands & Leaders 2017-18 Award. The 4th edition of the award event was part of the Indo-UAE Business & Social Forum 2018 organised by URS-AsiaOne Magazine and URS Media Consulting P.L and was presented in Dubai. This award is in recognition to K-Lite’s contribution towards lighting industry in India and across the globe.
India Design Mark Award in 2015 and 2016 for some of K-lite’s prestigious bollard / post top luminaires such as Juno, Ajna and Vera.
Factors Contributing to the Growth of Lighting Market
Free and cheap imports, particularly from China are really killing the development of domestic manufacturing of lighting components. Such imports have brought down the quality to very low levels. The market has become trader’s market. Even the locally available components for the luminaires are imported as a cheap item. Government should impose restrictions so that except the LED chips from reputed manufacturers, other imports are curtailed. Dilip says, “Unless we increase the domestic manufacturing contribution more, we cannot scale up the local production.”
Creating more public awareness programs to choose the energy efficient lighting and making the usage of LED lamps/ fixtures in all Government departments/ projects mandatory.
Providing Apt Facilities for Future
Establishing Government testing laboratories and provide the testing facilities at competitive rates as against the existing limited facilities with very high rates coupled with the typical delays to provide the services in time. A uniform standard for the LED chips in line with the emerging technologies.
Government should plan to provide special assistance for the manufacturers through concessional land/ building allocation, updating technology through regular workshops/ seminars through Deity or the relevant lighting associations like the Indian Society of Lighting Engineers who are conducting such programs all over India , easy loan facilities with low interest rates etc.,
K-Lite: Exploration of the Fascinating Use of Light
