Lighting is an industry having a penetration in virtually all the sectors. On the Indian firmament, Lighting industry has grown by leaps and bounds, coming out with infinite varieties to suit everyone's style and wallet. Since its inception five decades ago, the house of Kapoor has come a long way to rule the lighting industry. The proof is in the fact that today, most of the leading luxury hotels in India and abroad opt for Kapoor Lights.

Deepak Kapoor, Managing Director, Kapoor Lamps, who was in Mumbai, shared his thoughts with indiamarkets on various issues related to his field as well as the internet.

indiamarkets: Could you describe the role played by Kapoor Lamps in the lighting industry?

Kapoor: From a small shop in the New Delhi, Kapoor Lamps is today a leading manufacturer of decorative lighting fixtures. We at Kapoor Lamps have been offering comprehensive lighting consultancy on a turnkey basis for mega hotel projects in India and abroad. Our unique designs of international quality coupled with our customer-oriented approach have been the hallmark of our achievement. We are gradually emerging as the largest exporter of decorative lights from the sub-continent. Our clientele includes almost all leading five star hotels namely Meridien, Taj President, ITC, Welcomgroup etc.

indiamarkets: Does technologyplay a role in your business as far as new lighting methods are concerned or it is a matter of pure craftsmanship?

Kapoor: Technology does play a vital role in terms of innovations. But aesthetics play a major role in making lights look attractive; of late, people are getting more and more aware of the finer details in the lighting aspect.

indiamarkets: Do you target only the decorative segments such as hotels, posh homes etc or do you also cater to functional requirements such as energy efficient requirements for a home or office?

Kapoor: Although we target the decorative segments, we do cater to industrial as well as street lighting sectors. We are also into energy-saving lighting in various public areas as well as hotels. Hotel Regent in Mumbai is one such example of energy-saving lighting. We also cater to lighting for railways in trains like Rajdhani and Palace on Wheels.

indiamarkets: How important is quality in the lighting industry?

Kapoor: Very important, as it is our quality that sets us apart. We have set up a huge manufacturing plant in Haryana with a government-recognised export house in Okhla and an ISO-9002 certified export house in Noida. Our project office Kapoor Enterprises at Okhla Phase II was recently honoured with the prestigious American award for quality product. To give an emphasis on quality, we also participate in hosting lighting shows across the globe.

indiamarkets: Which are your export destinations? How do you plan to expand the export market?

Kapoor: Our main export destination is the United Kingdom, though we are tapping the United States, Australia and Scandinavian countries along with China.

indiamarkets: Globally which country does India have to compete with in the lighting sector?

Kapoor: India is not a big player in the lighting industry. China is coming up, but the quality there is not that good.

indiamarkets: What role does the Internet play in your business? Has any business been carried out through the net?

Kapoor: Through our website www.kapoorlamps.com, we receive loads and loads of enquires. We have 600 models displayed in our websites. Our catalogues posted on our website are of very superior quality and attractive to look at. But in India, the internet has a long way to go, as people believe in seeing the lamps with their own eyes before buying it. The internet has of course helped us in getting more customers physically. However, we have yet to do any business on the net.