BPL

BPL Limited is an Indian electronics company. It manufactures and sells high-quality, dependable goods in the categories of kitchen appliances, personal care and home care.

TPG Nambiar founded the BPL Group (British Physical Laboratories) in Palakkad, Kerala. It began producing and supplying precision panel meters for the armed forces in 1963. The first product manufactured by BPL was a hermetically sealed panel meter in 1961, which was supplied for use by the Indian defence forces.

Over time, the company gradually expanded into telecom and office equipment such as EPABXs, switch gears and photocopiers and medical products, including cardiac care.

The market capitalisation of BPL stood at over ₹470 crore as of February 28, 2024. BPL share price has surged 358% in the last three years.

Business Operations

BPL Limited operates in three business segments: consumer electronics, PCB manufacturing and medical electronics. It also plays a very crucial role in both the healthcare as well as the energy sector. A wide range of products is offered in the medical equipment that includes medical supplies, X-ray machines and other radiology-related equipment.

BPL has also been benefiting from the increased demand for environmentally friendly electricity. Through one of its subsidiaries called BPL Energy, the business has increased the number of wind and solar energy projects on its plate.

In 2021, Reliance obtained the authorisation to produce and distribute consumer durable goods under the Kelvinator and BPL brand names. Under this agreement, BPL handled product creation and quality control while Reliance determined how to grow the company. Also, Reliance produced and marketed BPL's line of products, which includes lightbulbs and fans in addition to air conditioners, refrigerators, washing machines and televisions.

In the fiscal year 2022-2023, more than 5.6 million BPL products were sold. Reliance significantly expanded its product offerings with over 500 Stock Keeping Units (SKUs) compared to 160 SKUs the preceding year. Reliance has diversified its SKU mix by incorporating a broader selection of air conditioners and refrigerators. Smart televisions dominated the TV segment, constituting nearly 95% of total sales.

BPL also teamed up with Flipkart in 2015 to offer goods including TVs, air conditioners and washing machines only via the online store. After the agreement with Flipkart was cancelled in 2017, the company partnered with Amazon.

In the Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) segment, the company is in discussions with global electronics manufacturers such as Delta Electronics and Samsung, both of which have set up their production facilities in India and are interested in local components. In FY23, the company introduced new segments of growth, including double-sided and multi-layer PCBs.

In FY23, Bharat Energy Ventures Private Limited (BEVPL) became a subsidiary of the company. This came after the acquisition of BEVPL's equity shares from Electronic Research Private Limited. As a result, BPL Limited now holds over 81% of BEVPL's equity capital. BPL Power Projects (AP) Private Limited (BPPL) is currently an indirect subsidiary of the company. The company does not have any associate companies. The company's former joint venture, Kleer Industries Inc. USA, is in the process of being closed.

Financial Highlights

–The ecompany’s revenue in FY23 stood at ₹52 crore, up 36.8% compared to ₹38 crore in FY22.

– BPL reported a net profit of ₹5.71 crore in FY23 as against ₹12.94 crore in FY22.

– The earnings per share (EPS) stood at ₹14.25 in FY23 as against ₹3.37 in FY22.