Fiem makes LED headlamp prototypes for motorcycles

May 2: New Delhi-based Fiem Industries is close to finalising a Rs 100 crore LED headlamp order from a leading two-wheeler manufacturer.

Fiem Industries is in the process of finalising a large order of over Rs 100 crore for the supply of LED headlamps for two-wheelers to an India-based OEM. Another order for LED foglamps for passenger cars is also under negotiation.

J K Jain, CMD, claims the company is the first among Indian automotive lighting suppliers in Asia to develop LED headlamp applications for two-wheelers, LED foglamps for four-wheelers and specialised LED worklamps and searchlights for OEMs. According to him, the LED prototypes are ready and await a final nod from prospective customers for production to go on stream.

These products have been developed at its R&D centre at Rai in Haryana which went on stream last year. With the centre, which employs both Indian and foreign designers, Fiem is developing its lighting solutions in-house for OEs.

With most vehicles expected to take to LED lighting in the near future, the first application will be tail-lamps in both four- and two-wheelers. At present, LED tail-lamps have been commercialised for larger premium cars. In the small car B-segment, LEDs are expected to become popular in tail-lamps, interior lamps, outside rearview mirror lighting strips, and later graduate to headlamps.

While LED lighting is most sought after, improvements on it are underway to make it more advantageous and efficient by introducing a nano technology believed to be a more advanced version of LEDs. Towards this end, Fiem is seeking support from a European design house. Further R&D towards developing organic LEDs (OLEDs) that entail lower power consumption are also underway at the supplier’s end.

Seven years ago, the company installed a modern surface mount technology plant for producing printed circuit boards and LEDs at its Rai facility and has since been developing different types of PCBs for customers in-house. Its lighting solutions range from rear combination lamps and blinkers with LED applications. Fiem also supplies interior lighting systems like interior dome lights, mood lights, reading lamps and other interior lamps as per customer specifications. It also produces high mount stop lamps and the automotive multifunctional safety torch and has developed around 6,000 types of lamps since inception.

Though a major chunk of its business comes from two-wheelers, Fiem has also developed headlamps and LED tail-lights for the upcoming Mahindra Reva NXR electric car slated to roll out later this year. The two-door, four-seater will have two variants equipped with lead acid or lithium-ion batteries. The NXR’s projector headlamps have been designed with a special styling with a wraparound side repeater, which makes the lamp compact and enables more features to be added in a single unit. Further, the LED tail-lights can be supplied along with the reflex reflector fitment in adherence to the US department of transportation standards for the American market. These are additional fitments and reflect light to vehicles behind even when the tail-light is not functioning.

Meanwhile, Fiem has received an order from Honda Japan to meet its overseas requirements; the supplier says it is developing lighting for Honda models – mainly motorcycles – manufactured in Japan, Thailand, Indonesia and Philippines.

Constituting all types of lamps, Fiem's Rai plant is supplying 75 percent of Honda’s needs for three new motorcycle models, with 50,000 sets supplied last year to Japan for the first – a 678cc bike. This year’s supplies will target the second new model with the second and third motorcycles being over 678cc.

FIEM also exports its products to tractor major Kubota of Japan, Piaggio Italy, PT TVS-Indonesia as an OE supplier as well as to other OEs in Austria, Germany, UK and Japan. At present, the export basket constitutes about five percent of the company’s topline.

Jain is optimistic this will record a steady growth rate of about 10-15 percent annually on the back of new orders. The lighting major is also open to setting up an assembly plant overseas if demand warrants albeit no specific plan has been chalked out for it as yet.

Locally, Fiem is targeting most of the new two-wheeler models from HMSI, TVS Motor, Suzuki, India Yamaha Motor and Harley-Davidson going forward. Other OEs on its radar are Tata Motors, Force Motors, Renault Nissan, Hyundai Motor India, Volkswagen India and Daimler India.

SHOBHA MATHUR