Firm puts out high-grade photo tool

Amritsar-based Hari Singh & Sons' Rs 15,000 tool to compete with expensive imported brands.

To cater to the changing trends in photography, Amritsar-based Hari Singh & Sons, a photo equipment manufacturer, has developed a remote-controlled motorised background system enabled with four options.

The machine has been priced at Rs 15,000 to compete with the imported brands that cost as much as Rs 45,000. The company has also developed a fibre optic light source and is, at present, testing the two products before introducing them in the market.

Engaged in the manufacture of photo equipment such as electronic flash lights, florescent lights, and light and floor stands, the company is believed to be the second biggest producer of such goods in northern region after Delhi.

Besides catering to the domestic market, the company also exports these equipment to the US and the Philippines. The company, an OEM supplier for one of the leading brands of the US, is also into trading of Tripod, imported from China.

Talking to Business Standard, company partner Rishiraj S Ahuja said, "We plan to market the products aggressively and continue as OEM supplier for some of the leading brands. However, in this field, one has to keep abreast with the latest technology and come up with advanced products in order to sustain. The development of these two equipment, remote controlled motorised background system having four options and fibre optic light source, is a step in this direction. These new apparatuses will be a boon for professional as well as amateur photographers."

In its effort to go global, the company had recently developed a device to unlock disposable cameras for the US market. It is developing flash lights that can operate on 110 V. The company plans to participate in "Photokina," an exhibition to be held in Germany on 6 September.

While in the last financial year the turnover of the company was Rs 1.15 crore, in this fiscal it aims to achieve 15-20 per cent growth through the sale of its new products.

"However, there are many problems that need to be solved for the company to progress further. 90 per cent of the raw material is not available locally and hence has to be bought from other states, especially Delhi. For buying and transporting the raw material we have to pay a high sales tax and Octroi, and again while selling the product, apart from VAT, we also have to shell out money for paying Central Sales Tax and Octroi. All this makes it difficult for us to sustain in the highly competitive domestic market," he said.

The company, which began operations by trading in photography equipment, started its manufacturing activities in 1969. Its first product range comprised a few camera-stands and a black and white enlarger.

Hari Singh & Sons then became an OEM supplier for Agfa Gavaert India Ltd and started selling enlargers, tungsten studio lights and glazing machines.