UL Opens Energy Efficiency Lab in Gurgaon

UL Opens Energy Efficiency Lab in Gurgaon

UL India Pvt Ltd has set up an energy-efficiency testing laboratory at Manesar, Gurgaon. “Our 18,000-sft lab is equipped with testing, verification, design and product development facilities. It will help manufacturers in the lighting and HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning) industries to develop and test energy-efficient, better performing and safer products,” says R A Venkitachalam (R.A.venkitachalam@in.ul.com), the company’s managing director and vice-president of emerging markets. “The company’s new lab is the first-of-its kind in the country. It has the capability to conduct mirror-optic type goniophotometer testing for lighting and luminaries. This kind of testing enhances energy-efficiency and performance in indoor and outdoor lighting, and ensures accurate photometric and colour uniformity distribution of lighting products.”

According to Venkitachalam, the facilities at the lab are in line with standards and labelling programs of Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), and will benefit domestic manufacturers by reducing their cost and time to market. “The lab is UL’s contribution to a more energy-efficient India.” He adds that the lab will also cater to the neighbouring markets of Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka.

Established in 1998, the Bengaluru-based company is a wholly owned subsidiary of US-based Underwriters Laboratories Inc, a century old company engaged in conformity assessment services. India has appeared as a promising market for the company, and therefore it is expanding its business here by strategically locating its labs. Earlier this year, the company had set up a photovoltaic (PV) testing and certification facility in Bengaluru with an investment of Rs.18.2 crore. “Since manufacturers of solar-based products are mainly located in south and west, we opened the PV lab in this city. Our Manesar lab has been set up with an investment of Rs.11.6 crore, and will cater to the electrical and lighting industry clusters spread across northern states.”

Sajeev Jesudas (Sajeev.Jesudas@us.ul.com), UL’s president for verification services & MD, Asia Pacific says that India will be a key market for the company in future, and therefore it is drawing up long term plans. “The opening of this lab strengthens our market leadership and offerings in the area of safety and performance testing capabilities for the lighting and HVAC industries. We believe that the Indian operation will significantly add to our global turnover of Rs.6,342 crore. At present, we are creating awareness on product safety certifications for the stakeholders by participating in tradeshows, expos and conferences. But very soon our company will devise education and training programmes for a large number of engineers and technicians across the country, by associating with BEE.”