An experienced name in vehicle CCTV surveillance systems, reverse parking alert system, charging gadgets, LED monitors and refrigeration, Tropicool Car Gadgets, displayed its new range of USB chargers, RPAS, media players and speakers at Prawaas 2.0. These products conforming to the Automotive Indian Standards and recognized by ARAI, were launched much ahead of their time back in 2002 by Mr. Kumar Shinagare, Tropicool Founder and an alumnus of IIT-Mumbai.
Speaking to MOTORINDIA, Ms. Khushboo Shinagare, Director, Tropicool, said: “We observed that commercial vehicles are predominantly fitted with car audio speakers and media players that run on 12V DC. Hence, we saw this is as an opportunity to come up with an entire range of 24V DC products including the basic product like speakers. Also, because a majority of car speaker manufacturers do not cater to the requirements of commercial vehicles, as a bus may have more than eight speakers & multiple screens running at a time, provided us with a great opportunity. Hence, we started focusing also on amplifier, DVD players, speakers and we were fortunate enough to have met the expectations of the large OEMs in India.”
The company has tasted success with OEMs who wanted a reliable supplier like Tropicool and have started making the entire system along with the wiring harnesses so that a customer would not have to go to different supplier for one system. One of the primary reasons for Tropicool’s year-on-year growth of 30 per cent, according to Ms. Shinagare, is its ability to understand the customer’s requirement and bring the requisite products to them in record time.
Ms. Shinagare added: “We work very closely with our clients during each phase of the product and purchase life cycle. Right from point of choosing the right products to post-sales follow-ups we partner very closely with each of our clients, who are now truly part of the Tropicool family. This has made Tropicool the preferred solutions provider for several large OEMs as our philosophy has been to provide solutions catering to client needs vs. pushing products.” Another important aspect of Tropicool’s client offering is the post-sales service which is harnessed though its network of 14 service centres spread across India.
Tropicool is also a market leader in safety and infotainment system and has so far deployed over 1,000 units to the State Transport Undertaking (STUs). “As the intercity, intracity buses operated by the STUs are already making it mandatory to have CCTV Solutions and Infotainment Monitor, we have found validation and stability as a credible supplier. In fact, we have had the distinction of fitting our products even on the 500 Ashok Leyland buses that were supplied to the Government of Bangladesh,” she shared.
In line with the ever-growing demand for its products, Tropicool is doubling its production capacity at its plant at Hinjewadi, Pune, and is also building a research lab. Research and innovation remain the bedrock of any product-based company and to further this cause Tropicool is investing furtively in R&D. Ms. Shinagare added: “We have doubled our production capacity to a 4,000 sq. ft. space and are investing in R&D for all our products under a formal lab set-up under DSIR initiative of the Government of India to innovate and improve products.”