BPL Ltd - Stock Valuation and Financial Performance

Incorporated in 1963 as a private limited concern under the name British Physical Laboratories India, the company is popularly known as BPL. The company was established as a single product company manufacturing high precision hermetically sealed panel meters for defence applications.

Within a span of five years, BPL has exemplified the quest for excellence in the world of medical products becoming the country’s foremost in manufacturing electro-cardiographs. With the increasing nationwide infrastructure development in power and telecommunication, BPL ventured into this field with its Power Line Communications Carrier (PLCC) and continues to be a leader in this field. With the advent of televisions in India, BPL used its manufacturing strengths and strong technical tie up with Sanyo of Japan to launch the BPL brand televisions in the Indian market. With relentless commitment to quality, consistent dedication to customer satisfaction and unparalleled standards of service, BPL is recognized as a benchmark for new age technology, superior quality, digital concepts and personalized service that has ensured loyal customers and nationwide acclaim in the industry.

The company operates subsidiaries namely BPL Display Devices, Bharat Energy Ventures, and BPL Securities.

BPL established its image as a reliable and strong brand in the consumer durables market, a reputation that it still enjoys. In India, BPL has its footprint across the country through a distribution network comprising of over 7000 channel partners.

Products

• Mobile Products
• Landline Phones
• Home Theatre
• Television
• Household products that includes products for home lighting, home UPS, gas tables and cooking hubs.
• Medical systems, which includes healthcare products caters various segments such as cardiology, patient monitoring systems, imaging, gynaecology, oxyenators, nebulisers and welch allyn range.
• Enterprise communication products include communication solutions, digital switches, mini EPABX systems, DKX series of telephone systems and convex voice processing system.
• Energy communications equipments
• Other products include engineering design and tool room, moulding shop, PCB and GSM modules.

Milestones

• 1963: British Physical Laboratories India -- a private limited established for the manufacture of hermetically sealed panel meters in collaboration with BPL (Instruments), UK.
• 1967: Commencement of manufacture of electrocardiographs in technical collaboration with Fukuda Electric Co, Japan.
• 1971: Commencement the manufacture of Power Line Carrier Communication Equipment.
• 1972: The company formed technical collaboration with Nihon Kohden Kogyo Company, Japan for patient monitoring systems.
• 1975: The company established an independent marketing and sales department.
• 1979: BPL collaborated with Gestetner of the UK to manufacture of plain paper copiers.
• 1982: BPL forayed into consumer electronics.
• 1984: It started manufacturing of EPABX and telephone instruments.
• 1985: BPL received industrial license for manufacture of VCRs in collaboration with Sanyo.
• 1989: The company diversified into home appliance business in collaboration with Sanyo.
• 1994: It started manufacturing of kitchen appliances.
• 1995: The company commenced of mobile telephony services in Mumbai, Maharashtra, Tamilnadu and Kerala.
• 1996: BPL took over Uptron's CPT unit from BIFR.
• 1997: It diversified into the manufacture and distribution of batteries (dry cells and alkaline).
• 2000: The company formed strategic alliance with Slovenian Manufacturing Company for off-shore manufacturing in Europe.
• 2001: BPL set up state-of-the-art design and development centre for systems and embedded software solutions at BPL Telecom.
• 2005: The company entered into a JV with Sanyo for CTV manufacture and distribution.

Future Plans

BPL’s R&D facility is continuously working on developing new products in order to cater domestic and international consumers.