Panasonic of Japan partners with a Goan startup for energy-saving technology

By siliconindia  |  Friday, 09 June 2023, 16:30 IST

Panasonic of Japan partners with a Goan startup for energy-saving technology
Japanese conglomerate Panasonic sent a three-member team to Kundaim industrial estate last week to study the brushless direct current (BLDC) motors and controllers that Kundaim-based startup LitAir has been manufacturing for home appliances. Impressed with the energy conservation of the BLDC motors and controllers, Panasonic has not only placed an order for 1 lakh components but has also suggested a tie up for more products.
The Panasonic team met with the Goan engineering start-up to understand how the BLDC motors and controllers can reduce power consumption for fans, air conditioners, coolers and lights. “They came to check the feasibility to tie up with them. They gave an opportunity to exclusively manufacture components for them. They had been to China to scout for components but they found it better to procure from Goa,” said co-founder of LitAir Rohan Nadkarni.
LitAir has been manufacturing components for major electronic firms such as Panasonic, Usha Group, CG Power and Solutions (Crompton Greaves), RR Kabel, Sujata Group of Industries and Hindware Appliances. Last year, the three-year-old startup shipped 6 lakh BLDC controllers and motors and reported a turnover of Rs 16 crore.
“Panasonic now wants us to develop more products for them. They want us to manufacture for them in Goa, which is logistically closer to their plant at Valsad in Gujarat. They are aware of the Electronic System Design and Manufacturing park at Tuem, they visited Tuem and we showed them the site,” Nadkarni said.
LitAir has a research and development facility at Kundaim while the manufacturing takes place at a plant in Himachal Pradesh, because their customers are all based in North India. However, the Panasonic team feels that Goa is a better location for manufacturing for the domestic market and for exports.
Nadkarni said that the entire technical team consists of Goan engineers who have come up with a total of seven designs that enable 50% saving in power consumption. In October last year, the Electronic Industries Association of India lauded LitAir Solution LLP’s efforts towards import substitution by manufacturing the BLDC controllers and motors in India.

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