In an exclusive interview with Smart World, Vivek Yadav, EVP Business Head, Havells India, brings forth his expertise and pivotal contributions to the brand’s trajectory growth and success. With a wealth of experience, Yadav delves into the latest advancements in Home Automation, Smart Technology and their wide Automation range for various segments. He also discusses, the highly anticipated lineup of the new automation range set to debut at Smart Home Expo 2024.

A Havells brand Crabtree, a trusted leader in Smart Home Technology and Automation in India, has established itself as a go-to brand. Could you share insights into the latest additions to your product line?

Havells India Ltd. has been consistently developing new products to cater to the growing smart home market. As the market is showing good growth trends in the wireless range, Havells has launched its new range of Signia Smart modular Wi-Fi switches in a very attractive new Grey Colour. These Smart Switches are mated to the Havells Signia platform and offer a full suite of features ranging from switching, dimming, curtain control, Fan/AC, smart bell and scene controls.

Another recent launch is the new Monoblock solution I Sense, this is a very cost-efficient solution that offers premium looks with all automation features. This solution offers all automation features and is based on the ZigBee platform to offer superior connectivity and is well-suited for large apartments and villas. Both these solutions are highly adaptable and scalable and can be used both in new constructions and retrofit jobs.

 Your product line spans Switches, Automation, and Video Door Phones. Have there been recent technological advancements integrated into these categories, and if so, could you provide details on these innovations?

Technology improvement in smart products and solutions is an ongoing process and is constantly changing. Some of the recent advancements have been the integration of Wi Fi features in our video door phones, these features enable a user to be able to remotely communicate with visitors at their home. The homeowner can remotely monitor the outside area of his home and also give remote access (if integrated with an electric lock). Our Wi-Fi video door phone is fully integrated with our I sense automation solution.

The Signia Smart Bell push is another new upgrade that converts a normal doorbell into a smart doorbell by offering features such as Bell ringing notifications and DND, the unique 4 Scene controller in the Signia Smart range is a multi-use product that offers easy scene control features, features such as All On /Off & Two way switching.

Smart Home Technology is perceived as complex by users. How does Crabtree prioritize user-friendliness in product design, and are there specific features aimed at enhancing ease of use across your product line?

Our wireless automation solutions are designed to offer a DIY-level simplicity, these solutions offer multiple ways of controls that suit the needs of every generation of family as the solutions can be controlled via touch like a simple switch, via mobile app, via voice assistants and also via Remote controls (available in some solutions)

Does Crabtree’s product line seamlessly integrate with other smart home devices, ensuring compatibility with various setups? Please elaborate on the integration capabilities.

Havells India Ltd is a multiproduct organisation with many consumer-facing product categories, we are building one of the largest ecosystem of smart products on the state-of-the-art Havells Sync platform which offers deep integration of a range of smart appliances ranging from water heaters, air conditioners, smart TVs, smart appliances, smart fans etc. Havells sync platform has further been certified to work with Samsung Things.

With a diverse range of offerings, could you guide professionals on which Crabtree products are suitable for Residential, Commercial, Hospitality, and other segments?

Havells Buspro and KNX solutions are top-of-the-line wired automation solutions which are highly suitable for new structures. These solutions work on Cat 5/KNX wiring and can be adapted for use in both residential and commercial buildings. These are full automation suites that offer extensive integration and automation possibilities. These solutions offer a range of luxurious wall panels ranging from touch button panels to touch screen panels that offer high luxury aesthetics.

These solutions offer an extensive suite of hospitality. Ranging from guest room solutions, to solutions for banquets, restaurants, façade and common areas, our hospitality solutions are compatible with most used Hotel Property management systems.

The Havells Crabtree Wireless range is well suited for adoption in both new and retrofit structures. The wireless solutions can be adapted at any stage of construction without the need for any rewiring or structural changes. These premium solutions offer a wide variety of features with high scalability and premium aesthetics and different product solutions available in different price brackets.

Crabtree’s Buspro is a KNX-based solution. Could you explain its advantages and how it stands out in the market?

Crabtree Buspro solutions are offered on two distinct platforms, Buspro is a proprietary wired technology offering a full suite of wired automation products, Buspro KNX is an open standard platform that allows wide integration possibilities and offers an extensive range of products.

Between the two platforms Crabtree wired automation offers a very wide range of dimmers available in different flavours for every type of dimming technology be it phase cut, trailing/leading edge, DALI or Analogue, the range offers extensive integration with a large number of infrastructure devices like actuators, controllers, wall panels and easy integration with most leading brands of third-party automation controllers

IoT is transforming industries. How does Crabtree contribute to this transformation, especially in smart homes and connected devices?

Crabtree IoT devices offer a range of features that allow for running the connected lights/appliances on schedules, timers and integration into various scenes and with concepts like Day light harvesting and Sensors, Havells Crabtree automation promotes high sustainability with energy savings for residences and commercial building.

Share details about Crabtree’s retrofit solutions, and how it is addressing the evolving needs of users.

Havells Crabtree offers one of the widest retrofit solutions in the industry. There is a solution for every need available at different price points. The retrofit solutions are offered in three distinct types:

∙        Havells Crabtree Wirefree NXT – behind-the-switch solution

∙        Havells Crabtree Signia Smart Solutions – Based on the extensive Signia modular architecture these are modular switches that offer full features of automation, multiple ways of controls and a range of premium faceplates

∙        Havells Crabtree I Sense: This is a uniblock wall panel solution with preset configurations, this is based on the Mesh technology to offer latency-free operations across larger areas.

All these solutions are highly scalable and require no changes in the structure or wiring for installation.

How has been the response for the I-Sense range, launched at Smart Home Expo 2023? 

The range has been very well received by both our partners and consumers and has been making great strides. The influencer community has appreciated the product line for its premium looks and we are receiving good recommendations from them.

Crabtree’s Touch Screen Panels for hotel rooms are intriguing. Can you provide insights into their features and applications?

Crabtree Touch screens offer uber premium aesthetics and are available in different sizes. There are different ranges for the touch screen panels:

∙        DLP Touch – This range is available in both US & UK form factors and Black & White colours with hybrid options for touch and push buttons mated to an LCD screen. These screens have a built-in thermostat for hotel applications

∙        Enviro Series – This is a 4.3 Screen with multiple page options and controls for multiple air condtioners with one screen. These panels are available in both white and black colours.

∙        Granite Series – This is available in both US & UK form factors & is equipped with a high-resolution AMOLED screen offering superior clarity. This too offers multi-page operations with built-in thermostat for AC controls

∙        Tile Series – Tile is a modular solution that offers various configurations from 1 to 4 gangs. Using the Tile display different combinations with push button / USB can be created. This range is available in White / Champagne Gold & Charcoal Grey colours

In a competitive landscape, how does Crabtree navigate, and what strategies ensure a competitive edge?

The Havells Crabtree brand is amongst the strongest consumer brands in the country and needs no introduction, our reach in the system integrator and trade channels with a dedicated team of automation experts & a strong trade, projects & enterprise business team gives us a strong reach across the different segments of the market. Be it residential, commercial or real estate projects or government buildings, we have a strong presence across the verticals.

What are Crabtree’s plans for the Indian market, considering the evolving Smart Home Technology trends?

Crabtree is committed to bringing cutting-edge, high-quality smart solutions to the Indian market. With dedicated IoT R&D and high continuous investments, Havells is at the forefront of developing indigenous made-in-India products adapted for Indian conditions.

Lastly, can you provide a sneak peek into the new product ranges your brand plans to showcase at Smart Home Expo 2024 in Mumbai? 

Our showstopper will be the introduction of the latest Havells Signia smart – Grey and a unique touch screen for wired automation that works across several platforms like Buspro, KNX and Zigbee–Source 7

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