"There are a lot of buildings with traditional lighting that are looking to upgrade, and every new residential home needs energy efficient lighting. We have options for making the lights smart and energy efficient even if LED lights have already been installed or provide new solutions."
Taupō local Daniel Deere, chief executive of Pure LED, started the business by importing light bulbs and selling them out of his garage.
"It took me a while to break into the market and create a brand presence with the wholesalers. Customers were used to dealing with big companies. I focused on offering consistently great service and quality products.
"As a small team, we were also able to make decisions quickly and adapt to customer needs, which the wholesalers liked," says Daniel.
The company, which was listed in the Deloitte 'Fast 50' 2019, has recently developed LED Smart Mesh.
The product creates a secure wireless mesh within large buildings. Lighting can be connected to this network and sensors can be used to dim or switch off lights based on room occupancy and natural light. Pure LED is also testing adding an asset tracking option to the system.
"The mesh system allows lighting to become part of the communication network. It can track assets and people within the building, and doesn't rely on the regular GPS network used by other mapping tools. It has lots of potential, including use in warehouses, hospitals and aged care facilities," says Sukumar.
Both local and international customers are showing interest in the smart mesh product, including hospitals and mining companies.
Pure LED are looking to double the size of their Manuka St warehouse and employ more staff. They are now one of a small number of Taupō businesses who can receive shipments directly from the port to the factory, completing customs clearance in-house.
According to Sukumar, the business' success lies in their approach to planning.
"Daniel and I spend time working out where we want to be, and identifying where our gaps are. We talk to our customers, our team, and look at what's happening in the market.
"It's about investing in things now that you'll need for the future and making decisions at the right time. It can be pretty risky if you don't plan, as you're always on the back foot and reacting."
Daniel says Taupō has been an ideal location to build the nationwide business and that there are a lot of economic opportunities.
"Initially some of the wholesalers wanted us to have a distribution centre in Auckland. But now they realise we can easily get products to Auckland on an overnight courier. Living in a smaller town means we get to know the courier drivers personally, so we can build strong relationships. That sort of thing is much harder in the bigger cities."
