The trend today is moving more and more toward compact systems and rack solutions to save on space. Attention is given to size, site and cost consideration.

The UPS market has tremendous potential in India in the coming decade. Growing industries paralyzed by an erratic power supply have created a booming market for UPS as back up solutions are top priority for every sector. Moreover, increase in the PC penetration in the home and SOHO segment has also amplified the business potential for UPS.

On the growth drivers of the Indian UPS market

Back up solutions are becoming top priority for industries as they face growing problems of erratic power supply. With the increase in PC penetration in Tier II and Tier III cities, the market demand for UPS has increased. The burgeoning of the SMB segment, and the growing sophistication and increased reliance on machines and automation has led critical industries to depend on an assured supply of electricity to function unhindered.

On the market and technology trends in the UPS market

Currently the UPS industry is riding a high growth rate in the technology segment, growing at an annual rate of 30 percent. The trend today is moving toward more and more compact systems and rack solutions to save on space. Also, the overall cost of a UPS solution is also going up because of the increase in lead prices and the rising cost of the battery.

On the impact of the slowdown on the market

The global meltdown and corresponding shoestring budgets have forced companies to cut down on their expenditure. Economic slowdown has adversely affected IT and IT infrastructure segment. Demand for high power UPS has gone down as many data center projects in telecom segment are either postponed or put on temporary hold. The situation now is to wait and watch and do things which are most urgent in nature.

On key demand verticals

There is tremendous untapped potential in various verticals. Increased utilization of laptops and adoption of data center automation solutions fuels the demand for power solutions. Besides, the telecom segment in India is witnessing continuous growth. The rapid deployment of third-generation mobile phone systems like UMTS creates new opportunities for UPS and inverters in base stations. The increasing computerization of banking and financial services has also increased the business opportunity for back-up power supply.

On the key challenges faced by the players in India

As networks are becoming more complex, far-flung, and being managed from remote control sites, UPS needs to be equipped with heterogeneous network management protocols, be flexible enough to incorporate diagnostics, and should be equipped for predictive failure analysis.

On the future of UPS market in India

In the coming decade, the manufacturer would turn to be a power solution provider from just manufacturing UPS. The market would be more organized and competitive as the major UPS players are growing at a phenomenal rate, due to sheer strength of global manufacturing. The trend today is moving toward compact systems and rack solutions to save on space. UPS configurations are examined, and attention is given to sizing considerations, battery issues, energy management, and site and cost consideration.