British Physical Laboratories Group

BPL Group

Type Public (NSE, BSE)

Founded 1963

Headquarters Mumbai, India

Industry Electronics

Products televisions, refrigerators, washing

machines, microwaves & audio equipment

Revenue Rs 24.126 billion

Employees 14,000

Website www.bplworld.com

British Physical Laboratories Group (BPL) is an Indian electronics company [1] that
deals with consumer appliances (such as refrigerators and washing machines), home
entertainment products and health care devices.

Contents
 1 History
 2 Performance
  3 Joint Venture with Sanyo
 4 References
 5 External links

History
In 1963, BPL founder and Group Chairman TPG Nambiar began
manufacturing hermetically sealed precision panel meters in Palakkad, Kerala, under
the name of British Physical Laboratories. Having worked in the UK and USA, when
he came back to India armed with a vision of pioneering the manufacture of superior
quality electronic products, he dreamed of making BPL a household name.
Over the years, BPL's growth has been subject to constant challenges. The company
was started at a time when the government had reserved many areas of business for
the public sector. It had also virtually barred most entrepreneurs from entering other
fields through reservations on licensing.
80s
From 1980 onwards, when the industrial licensing was relaxed, BPL began
manufacturing televisions and telecommunications equipment, demonstrating its
potential and future business area. In the early 1990s,
afterglobalisation and liberalization of the Indian economy, competition entered the
market. BPL retained its strong presence and growth rate. Strategic alliances with
international companies provided the technology for them and set the standards of
quality.
Using its experience of the market and the consumer, BPL concentrated on importing
technology, improving product quality, innovations and manufacture of electronic
products that enhanced the quality of life. In late 1980's, BPL had metamorphosed
from an entrepreneurial venture, into India's biggest consumer electronics &
telecommunication company; the slide from the top was equally quick after
liberalisation. Now as of 2009, people hardly even know the BPL brand and their
range of Products in market.
Performance
BPL Ltd has reported a net loss of Rs 34.76 crore in the second quarter of fiscal 2005-
06, on gross sales of Rs 34.71 crore. Operating losses were at Rs 13.91 crore.
Gross sales were Rs 64.45 crore in the corresponding period during 2004-05 while net
loss was at Rs 41.59 crore.
According to the company, the promoters have brought in Rs 50.08 crore as
contemplated in the corporate debt restructure approved scheme. The amount was to
pay statutory liabilities, unsecured, pressing creditors, dealers, credit balances,
employee dues and working capital requirements, in part.
In respect to the auditors' qualification of the company's accounts for the period ended
March 31, 2005, about undisputed amounts payable in respect of income-tax (Rs 4.44
crore), dividend tax (Rs 2.51 crore), wealth tax (Rs 0.11crore), TDS (Rs 6.77 crore)
and customs duty (Rs 1.68 crore), the Chairman and Managing director, Mr Ajit G.
Nambiar said the company had earlier not been able to remit the dues because of cash
flow constraint but in July 2005, remitted the entire dues except Rs 1.26 crore in
customs duty.
The balance in customs duty would be paid once the financial restructuring is
completed and normalcy of operations is achieved, according to the company.
Joint Venture with Sanyo
Kicking off the action of the year, however, were old partners the BPL Group and
Japanese electronics major Sanyo Electric Company Ltd, who formally started their
50:50 Joint Venture.
The partners, who had shared a long-standing relationship since 1982, had been off
the market for about two years, going through some tough times. This year, they
decided to get back in action together to regain lost market share.
While unveiling the Joint Venture's plans, Sanyo-BPL Pvt Ltd Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer, Ajit G Nambiar, said the company expected to post revenues of
around Rs 2,000 crore by 2009 and lead the market in consumer electronics and white
goods in five years.
They, however, decided to market their brands separately with BPL focusing on the
volume segment while Sanyo brand positioned itself as the value driver.
Besides, Sanyo also planned to use India as its sourcing base and has already started
sourcing slim TVs from India. It also expected India to contribute five per cent of its
global revenues from its operations in India.
In May 2007 after the failure of Sanyo BPL venture. The attrition in rate in Sanyo
BPL was 70%. BPL concentrated 100% on Healthcare Business group Started Sales
and Service Support for PIX and re branded the Service operations under "SURE
CARE" brand .Sure Care provides support for BPL Healthcare and PIX X-Ray
products.
References
1. ^ "BPL Company History". Retrieved 2007-08-28.

External links
 Official website
 Official Service Provider / Distributors
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Physical_Laboratories_Group"
Categories: Companies of India | Electronics companies | Small appliance
manufacturers | Portable audio player manufacturers
 This page was last modified on 2 December 2009 at 06:46.
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