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Stories Wednesday October 31, 2018, 3 min Read Jacob Kalloor Jacob (34) comes

Stories

Wednesday October 31, 2018,

3 min Read

Jacob Kalloor Jacob (34) comes from a traditional business family of Kerala. After his BSc. in Electronics and MBA, he realised that his passion has always been in the electronics field. After seeing a lot of potential in the manufacturing of LED lighting industry, in 2012, he established Kalloor Electronics and Lighting Ltd (KELL) in Kottayam, Kerala.

It is the leading manufacturer and distributors of eco-friendly, energy efficient, cost effective and long lasting LED light products for industrial, commercial and household lighting since 2008. The company supplies LED bulbs, LED tube lights, LED downlights and LED panel lights for households, and LED floodlights, high mast lights, LED street lights and LED high bay lights for industrial and commercial purposes.

‍The origin story

‍Starting with an initial capital investment of Rs 10 lakhs borrowed from the bank, the company now has an annual turnover of more than Rs 5 crores. At first, the business started as a partnership firm in 2008 and worked with the PSU's of the Government of Kerala. In 2012, the company upgraded to a Private Limited by establishing its own brand name and products for both the public and private sector.

Currently, the company employs around 70 people and they cater to the commercial sector all over India, but are concentrating in the markets in and around Kerala for the domestic household segment. The company provided high mast lighting solutions to the government, and it was one of its key milestones.

‍Quality based offerings

‍The company boasts of experienced professionals who are friendly and always ready to serve customers. The company aims to make a deep, long lasting relationship with its customers with their excellent after-sales services. It is also involved in continuous research and development to upgrade its LED products.

‍The products are eco-friendly, without IR and UV radiations and help in saving power. They also have a longer lifespan with lower heat production. Additional features include high luminance efficiency, flicker-free lighting, and anti-glare technology with different colour temperatures.

‍Philanthropy

‍In the recent Kerala floods, the company provided material and monetary benefits that were availed by the people in the flood-affected areas of Ranni and Chengannur. It also donated to the state's Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund.

‍Major roadblocks

Jacob faced a lot of challenges during the initial days of setting up his business. Due to a lack of awareness among general customers, the introduction of new electronic products in the market became difficult. He had a limited amount of funds as well, which hampered the activities of marketing and advertisement.

At present, the business faces huge competition and price fluctuations in the market. He says, "The price determination of our products is highly affected by the lower price fluctuations in the market but we are trying to overcome it with our superior product quality and after-sales service."

‍Jacob wants the government to remove advanced taxing and reduce the tax rates in order to help MSMEs.

"The recent move of demonetisation made the raw material purchase difficult as it was all done in cash, and our sales turnover were reduced tremendously," he adds.

‍Future plans

‍Jacob says, "We aim to become the biggest supplier of LED bulbs in India." He dreams of making Kalloor Electronics an international brand and wants to capture the overseas market as well.

(This story is published in partnership with the MSMEs Ministry to showcase success stories of SMEs)

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