Su-Kam Power Systems

Su-Kam Power Systems Ltd. was an Indian power solutions provider which sold its products in more than 90 countries. The company provided power back-up solutions for both domestic as well as industrial markets, and focuses on eco-friendly energy solutions like solar power. Some of the major products include solar charge controller, solar power conditioning units, solar grid-tie inverters, solar off-grid power systems, home inverters, home UPS, Online UPS, line interactive UPS, batteries, battery chargers and Battery Equalizers.

It sold through its network of 1,200 distributors and 25,000 dealers. Su-Kam Power Systems was an Indian solar power solutions company. In 2019 Sukam was referred to NCLT by SBI and presently company is going through liquidation proceedings.

History
Su-Kam was founded by Kunwer Sachdev in 1988 as a cable TV company with an investment of Rs. 10000. Kunwer Sachdev said in an interview to Business Today that he was frustrated with frequent break-down of his home inverter, so one day he decided to open it to look for the problem – that is how he got the idea to manufacture inverters himself.

Sachdev stated in an interview that the first inverter he made after testing and experimentation did not get a positive response, so he continued working on the product's technology and soon Su-Kam's inverters sales picked up. He also said in the same interview that Su-Kam was the first Indian company to advertise in newspapers and to persuade dhaba owners across India to put Su-Kam's boards – a marketing strategy which was followed by Vodafone and Airtel.

Corporate management and revenues
Kunwer Sachdev, the entrepreneur founder of Su-Kam Power Systems Limited is the Managing Director of the company. The Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group and Temasek Holdings (the investment arm of the Government of Singapore) together launched Reliance India Power Fund, a $200 million private equity fund, which has invested 20% of the paid-up capital of the company.

In a press statement, Kunwer Sachdev has that Su-Kam is expected to make 1200 crore revenues in fiscal year 2014-15 - Rs 500 crore would come from the battery business followed by Rs 400 crore from the inverter sales, rooftop solar power business is expected to generate around Rs 300 crore revenues.

Su-Kam is also planning to enter into consumer financing to target lower income groups. It is going to det up a Non-Banking Finance Company (NBFC). Sachdev said in an interview to The Hindu that the investment on the venture to finance low-income consumers would be Rs.20 crore. Su-Kam is expecting to bring Rs.10 crore and for the rest approach banks.

Innovations and patents
In public statements, Kunwer Sachdev has said that Su-Kam was the first Indian company to introduce DSP sinewave inverters and plastic-body inverters in India.

Su-Kam is also said to have filed largest number of patents in the power back-up industry - an average of 2 patents every month.

Su-Kam was the first company in the world to launch plastic body inverters. India Today included Su-Kam's plastic body inverters in the list of top 10 innovations of the decade in 2010. The design uses advanced plastics which can withstand high temperatures

Su-Kam launched India's first touchscreen Solar PCU which has MPPT solar charge controller. It can be monitored through smartphones through its in-built wifi.

Su-Kam has introduced solar street lights with in-built lithium ion battery which is more efficient than traditional lead acid based solar street lights.

Su-Kam's focus on solar products
According to Kunwer Sachdev's interview in Forbes India, Su-Kam is now shifting its focus from conventional UPS, inverters, and batteries to solar products. As per a report published by Bridge to India in 2014, Su-kam with 20.6% market share and pan India presence is the biggest player in the residential solar market. Su-kam is also the biggest domestic inverter supplier with 32% market share in the off-grid and hybrid inverters segments, according to the report.

Su-Kam provides customised solar power solutions for educational institutions, petrol pumps, hospitals, industries, defence barracks, and government buildings. It has undertaken solar projects for Tamil Nadu Energy Development Agency, Assam State Electricity board, Madhya Pradesh Forest Department, Loyola College of Chennai, Ashok Leyland, and Assam Rifles

"Solar power system contributes around 25 per cent to the total business of Su-Kam, and its target is to grow it to 50 per cent of the total turnover", said Su-Kam in an interview to Business Standard.

Solar installations done by Su-Kam
Su-Kam Power Systems has installed solar power systems across 10,000 houses in seven districts under the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister's Solar Powered Green House Scheme,.

The company has installed 1MW Solar Power Plant at Punjab Engineering College in Chandigarh.

In May 2014 Su-Kam won a tender from Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency to install and commission solar power systems in 40,000 rural households in Uttar Pradesh.

It also installed 250kwp mini off-grid solar system to electrify Fakirpura and Chanduahar villages in Kannauj. These villages have never been electrified before. The inauguration of solar plant was done by Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam and Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Akhilesh Yadav.

Su-Kam has installed 50 kW solar grid-tie system at Delhi Jal Board's office in Delhi

Su-Kam installed 40kwp solar power system at Allied Engineering Works which is said to generate 56,000 units of electricity

Foreign operations and exports
Kunwer Sachdev has said in an interview to India Infoline that Su-Kam's exports are growing. Su-Kam's total exports contribute around 12-15% of the revenue of its entire business, and most of it comes from Africa. Su-Kam has also been awarded with the title 'Africa's Most Reliable Inverter Brand'

Su-Kam has won a solar project to power 35 schools in Rwanda. It has also set up a product experience in Uganda. According to media statements, Su-Kam has solar projects in Nigeria, Gabon, Afghanistan and Malawi.

Su-Kam has installed 2000 solar street lights in Kango, Mouila and Bitam villages of Gabon. The company has also installed hybrid power systems that make use of wind and solar energy in five remote villages in Malawi - Chigundu, Mdayaka, Eluyumi, Kumbande and Kadzuwa.

Insolvency&Liquidation process
Su-Kam is facing insolvency proceedings due to its debt of ₹ 370 crore.

Now Company is going through liquidation process via NCLT Principal Bench, New Delhi order dated April 3, 2019

Awards
Su-Kam has won the following awards:


 * National Quality Excellence Award 2014 for being the ‘Most Innovative Company’ in the Power Back up industry in India
 * Innovative 100 Award 2013 by Inc. India magazine for bringing about technological innovations in its products
 * Asia's Most Promising Brandin 2012-13 by World Consulting and Research Corporation (WCRC)
 * Su-Kam's solar power conditioning unit won the India Semiconductor Association's excellence award in the energy category


 * Award for 'Brand Excellence in Business Innovation' by Asian Leadership Awards


 * Su-Kam has been awarded 'Best Rural Solar Electrification Company of the Year' during Indian Rooftop Solar Summit 2016
 * Su-Kam won ‘Best Innovation Brand’ award at National Brand Summit & Excellence Awards organized by ASSOCHAM
 * Su-Kam won two awards, Best Solar EPC Company and Best Innovative Solar Product (for making world's first touchscreen solar PCU, Brainy Touch), at a solar expo organized by Intersolar in Mumbai

CSR initiatives
Su-Kam has adopted village Baniyani in Rohtak district of Haryana which is the native village of Manohar Lal Khattar, the current Chief Minister of Haryana. The company is going to develop it under public-private partnership model. The MD of Su-Kam said in an interview to a newspaper that Su-Kam would provide facilities at the government school and streetlights in the village.

After the earthquake in Nepal in April 2015, Su-Kam distributed food and 800 solar home lighting systems to the victims.

Coverage in Books and TV Media
The making of Su-Kam and Kunwer Sachdev's entrepreneurship has been featured in books such as 'Connects the Dots by Rashmi Bansal and Porus Munshi's book 'Making Breakthrough Innovations Happen: How 11 Indians Pulled Off the Impossible

Discovery Channel India aired a documentary called 'Sun Fuel India' which shows how Su-Kam's solar installations are helping Indian villages and cities go solar.