Deki Electronics: A Leading Manufacturer of High Reliability Film Capacitors

Companies in every market continue to add more electronics to make their products smarter, safer, more efficient and more connected. Electronic components are the drive engine, and the future of IT industry. Deki Electronics Limited is an illustration of how providing components with enhanced designs, technology, and driving dynamics can outshine a company in the electronic manufacturing industry.

The below excerpt is an exclusive interview with team Deki Electronics showcasing their curated acumen in delivering distinct products and services.

IS: Please provide us the detailed information about your company, its mission and vision. 

Deki Electronics Limited is India’s largest manufacturer of film capacitors and also amongst the largest “Indian” component manufacturers. The company was established in 1984 in technical collaboration with a Japanese firm. Since then, the team at Deki has been growing at a steady annual average growth rate > 20%. This has been a challenging journey given the fact that the entire sector has faced global competition @ zero import duty since 2005 (ITA-1 agreement under WTO).

Deki has earned a well established brand value and an active and growing customer network of over 200 direct customers. Robust processes, state-of-the-art machinery operated and maintained by an efficient team of 550 skilled members ensures consistent “single digit PPM performance”.

The operations are certified as per ISO 9000 (since ‘94), ISO 14000, OHSAS 18000 & TS 16949.

Customer Satisfaction Surveys and Employee Satisfaction Surveys > 85% have been achieved during the last ten years. Deki has received several awards & recognitions from Elcina, DeiTY and its customers.

Deki is now poised to establish globally competitive manufacturing lines for other passive components. The company showcases “a passionate collective desire to compete globally in spite of unfavorable circumstances.” Deki today is an efficient high quality component manufacturer with the heart of a service organization.

Deki Vision: Be the global benchmark in electronic component manufacturing

Deki Mission:

• Whilst maintaining our leadership in the Lighting segment in India increase our share in Industrial and Automotive.
• Increase exports by >20% y-o-y
• Continue new product T/O >15% through 2019/20 and 2020/21

IS: Please elaborate the components and services the company provides and manufactures. 

Deki offers full range of film capacitors, technologies, constructions, encapsulations,

pitch size and dielectrics.

Range includes: Plain / Metallised Polyester,  Plain / Metallised Polypropylene, Plain and Metallised Polypropylene mixed, X2, DC Link, IGBT Snubber, Fan Motor Capacitor, CDI, Horn Capacitor etc

IS: How do you ensure a cost effective delivery of components with latest technology? 

We have scaled up our manufacturing capacity to a Global scale to be internationally competitive in prices. We are doing continual improvement in business processes, leading to benchmark yields. 

IS: How do you think technology has played a significant role in the development and integration of electronic components? 

Technological trends in electronic components is driven by the technological trends in equipment. In equipment we see a drive towards smaller sizes and energy efficiency as can be seen in Variable Frequency Drives and Inverter technology. This has led to the trend over the last few years in Electronic Components of

1. Miniaturization
2. Working at High Frequencies
3. Development of IC’s with integrated functions where in the need for passive components is reduced

IS: How does your company mitigate the environmental concerns?  

At Deki we generate 2 types of wastes

• E-waste
• Waste Due to production process

As far as e-waste is concerned it is very small. LED bulbs, tubelights, desktops, laptops etc. This is given to the registered recycler.

As far as waste in the process is concerned, Deki has done some unique work. The waste powder epoxy which was earlier being sent to the landfill is now 100% converted into bricks. This technology has been copied by a South African company too.

We have a vision to be the global benchmark in components. In one production line, the Inductive line, we have already reached that level with yields in excess of 98%. Whereas, in the other line, the Non Inductive line, we are working to achieve yields in excess of 99% that will also be a global benchmark

IS: What were the obstacles your company went through and how did you overcome it?

There were absolutely no obstacles to the process as all of us stakeholders, non-executives and the executives on the line knew that we were working to improve the environment.

IS: According to you, what is the future of the electronic components industry? 

The future of the electronic components industry would be growing at an even faster pace due to the advent of Industry 4.0-AI, IOT, Cloud Computing and Cognitive Computing

IS: What are your company’s future plans?   

Deki has been monitoring the turnover from new products. As against a target of >15%, Deki has many times achieved as high as 40% in some years. In 1998 we were a predominant consumer electronics company. At that time our big customers were players like Sony, LG, BPL, Onida, Videocon etc.

By 2015/16 we had developed into a lighting company with about 70% share of our sale being in lighting. That was when India used to produce about 400 mn CFL’s every year.

From 2019/20 we will be becoming a predominant industrial company with more than 50% share of sale in this segment. This can only happen if you keep on developing new products which we have been doing successfully. In addition we have formed some JV’s in the area of electric chargers for two and three wheeler. The chargers are already being used in some electric bikes operating in Bangalore and Chennai. We’ve pursued a strategy of diversification, forming JVs with competent, value based passionate partners in the field of Electric mobility- manufacturing smart electric chargers and drives for light electric vehicles.

About the Leader

Mr. Vinod Sharma, MD of Deki Electronics, is a successful entrepreneur who has spent 25 passionate years in shaping Deki Electronics Limited into a world class “Film Capacitor” manufacturer. The company has recently diversified in order to serve the electric vehicle industry, offering state-of-the-art chargers and an innovative parallel battery drive.

Enthusiastic, value based participative management and high levels of customer orientation have ensured an annual average growth in excess of 20% over the last two decades.

He plays a very active role in the electronics community in India–investing a substantial amount of time and effort in serving industry associations and representing the industry at several stake holder interventions. He has helped leadership positions at ELCINA (President, 2002-04), at the export promotion council, ESC (Chairman, 2012-14)and at CII National ICTE Committee (Chairman 2012 onwards). He was recently elected as the Chairman of CII UP State Council (2019-20).

He was awarded the ‘Electronics man of the year’ during 2013 by EFY and by ELCINA EFY during 2017.

Mr. Sharma is a keen trainer and consultant. He allocates a part of his time towards enhancing competitive management skills in managers and entrepreneurs around the world. He is a retained expert at CBI, Centre for developing imports from developing countries –  Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Netherlands.

He has co-authored “Value Magics – a new road map to global markets” with his colleague Mr. Hans Verhulst.