Optiemus Electronics, an Indian electronics manufacturer partnered with Wistron Corporation's Indian subsidiary, Wistron Infocomm Manufacturing (India), is poised to ramp up its production in response to escalating demand. In a recent conversation with Digtimes Asia, A Gururaj, Optiemus' MD, emphasized the firm's intensified commitment to areas like IT Hardware and telecom equipment while hinting at a potential venture into the emerging EV sector.
"We plan to increase our monthly capacity for true wireless stereo (TWS) audio products from 0.5 million units to 1 million units," said Gururaj. "Additionally, we aim to raise our smartwatch capacity from 1.2 million units to 1.5 million units per month. With two manufacturing facilities, we currently have a combined capacity of 3.2 million units per month and plan to increase it by two folds."
In partnership with Wistron, Optiemus is jointly developing products, engineering solutions, and software to foster job creation and strengthen the Indian electronics manufacturing services sector. Beyond this, Optiemus is dedicated to designing and producing tablets, laptops, glass-based products, telecom equipment, and IoT devices, all while actively contributing to the growth of India's design ecosystem.
From IT, telecom, and lifestyle to SMT
Over the past six years, Optiemus Electronics provided electronics manufacturing services for multiple categories, such as IT hardware, telecom equipment, and lifestyle. The company has partnered with leading telecom companies while growing its customer base.
"Recognizing the immense potential in the Indian electronics manufacturing market, we have recently expanded our infrastructure to meet client services," Gururaj said. "We introduced high-quality surface-mount technology (SMT) for component level and printed circuit board manufacturing while keeping the quality of all the products at the forefront."
The company is setting up multiple SMT and MI production lines for leading brands and catering to the growing demand in the IT hardware category. The strategic move extends beyond serving existing customers and seeks to collaborate with new customers who are currently seeking such services. This step further reinforces our commitment to enhancing the electronics manufacturing landscape in India and capitalizing on the abundant opportunities in the market.
Commenting on this further, Ashok Kumar Gupta, Chairman of Optiemus Infracom, the parent company of Optiemus Electronics, added that with nearly three decades of association with the Indian telecom and electronics sector, the firm has observed the significant growth of the industry over the past decade. The surge has been so pronounced that even international brands are looking towards India for their manufacturing requirements. With their progress in India's electronics manufacturing ecosystem, Optiemus is rapidly emerging as one of the key players with a global perspective.
Expansion to new segments, including EV
Gururaj explained that the company is constantly looking at ways to increase the localization of the components and processes in manufacturing electronics products in India. Tapping into the SMT services and manufacturing India-made printed circuit boards aligned with this. Optiemus has more plans in the pipeline.
"Besides manufacturing of telecom equipment, IT hardware, etc., we are constantly on the lookout for expansion into new growing markets like EV in the future," Gururaj added. "Looking at the expertise of the Taiwanese companies in electronics manufacturing, we are also open to joint ventures with them in suitable areas.
Currently, the hardware's bill of material has been localized to 20 percent. The company aims to elevate this to 45 percent within the next six months, a move poised to cut costs, streamline the supply chain, and bolster quality control.
Market outlook backed by government schemes
India's electronics sector has grown significantly in the last ten years and the government holds ambitious plans for the future. India is now the world's second-largest smartphone market and is projected to have 1 billion smartphones by 2026, up from today's 659 million, as per PwC. India's annual laptop and PC market is worth about US$8 billion. Additionally, local electronic goods production jumped to INR 8.25 lakh crore (8.25 trillion) (US$100 billion) in 2022-23 from INR 3.88 lakh crore (2.88 trillion) in 2017-18.
"With a clear goal in mind, the government aims to quadruple electronics manufacturing in India, and the ongoing remarkable progress can be largely attributed to the transformative Make-in-India vision by the government of India," Gururaj said. "This visionary initiative has proven to be a game-changer, propelling the electronics industry towards growth and establishing India as a significant player in the global market."
The Indian government's PLI scheme promotes increased sales of locally-made products, aiming to boost manufacturing and cut imports. Combined with the Phased Manufacturing Programme, it bolsters domestic electronics production. These initiatives support the 'Make in India' target of US$300 billion in electronics manufacturing and have fostered a collaborative ecosystem among industry stakeholders, the government, and global brands.
