Singer Sri Lanka Group innovates with intelligent refrigerator

At the launch (from left): Singer Sri Lanka Deputy Marketing Director Dhammika Wijesundara, Singer Sri Lanka Director Marketing Kumar Samarasinghe, Singer Sri Lanka Group CEO Asoka Peiris, Singer Sri Lanka Chairman Mohan Pandithage and Singer Sri Lanka Factory Director Kelum Kospalawatte with the models – Pix by Daminda Harsha Perera

There is a perception among some that Sri Lanka does not and cannot excel in manufacturing especially in light industries. However this was proven yet again recently when Singer (Sri Lanka) Group subsidiary Regnis Lanka Plc put out the first ever Sri Lankan designed and built intelligent refrigerator. For the Singer Sri Lanka family, whilst being a milestone achievement it only reinforced its strong belief for so many years – that Sri Lanka indeed can compete on manufacturing especially on consumer durables if the right motivation and support are in place. 

The recent launch of Singer GEO Smart has many first within the region according to the company. It means Singer Sri Lanka Group and Regnis in particular has come up with a world class product. Sri Lanka’s market for refrigerators selling around 500,000 units annually, is filled with global, Indian and other Asian brands. Singer Group which also has another longstanding brand Sisil, dominates the market with over 50% share according to Singer Sri Lanka Director Marketing Kumar Samarasinghe who noted that the Singer GEO Smart was “truly Sri Lankan” a feat that should make the country proud. 

Among refrigerator market’s firsts via Singer GEO Smart are the Ambient Temperature Sensor which enables the refrigerator to gauge the outside room temperature in order to adjust the temperature inside the refrigerator. The other is the Load Detector/Calculator and automatically adjusts the cooling. Singer GEO Smart also has the Power Fluctuation Detector which identifies any fluctuations in the power and allows the compressor to operate from 175V to 255V. If the power goes beyond 250V the power guard will ensure that the power is cut off and no damage is done to the compressor. The Load Detector feature adjusts the temperature based on the contents inside the refrigerator while the Door Sentry can identify how many times the door is opened and make necessary temperature adjustments accordingly. At all times, the top and bottom temperatures are monitored and adjusted through the Dual Temperature Control sensor system.

Singer Sri Lanka Deputy Marketing Director Dhammika Wijesundara says all of these features along with the use of R600A eco friendly gas and active cooling inverter system puts Singer GEO Smart as the most energy saving refrigerator in the market with 50% increase in power efficiency. Copper tubing guarantees lifetime durability and low maintenance while its LED lighting is ultra-bright, long-lasting and saves energy as well. 

“Our product saves energy and also water, two important facets,” Wijesundara added.

The launch of Singer GEO Smart is inspired by a successful history of many firsts by Singer/Regnis. In 2013, the Singer GEO range became the first to adopt R600a gas technology in Sri Lanka. R600a gas is a 100% environmentally-friendly substitute for the HFC refrigerants that contribute heavily to the depletion of the ozone layer and increase global warming. Singer said although the use of R600a gas becomes compulsory only in 2040 under the Montreal Protocol, Singer has met this requirement more than two decades ahead by taking firm steps to promote R600a gas refrigerators in Sri Lanka. While all marketing communications were targeted to promote the benefits and importance of R600a refrigerators, the company also halted the sale of R134a gas refrigerators and completely switched over to R600a refrigerators.

Singer/Regnis was the first to launch double door refrigerators in 1990 followed by Bottle Coolers in 1994. It was introduced the first powder coated painting replacing the liquid paint. Today it has graduated to the use of painted sheets. In 2008 the first ever freezer cum bottle cooler was also developed. 

In 2015, Singer Group achieved the milestone of selling 1 million refrigerators. Since the launch of GEO Series in 2012, Singer Group has sold over half a million units of green or eco-friendly refrigerators.

Samarasinghe stated: “Singer GEO has been a wonderful success story for Singer Sri Lanka having sold over 500,000 units since its launch in the year 2013. In keeping with modern times, where energy efficiency and smart technology are vital factors in developing products to meet the expectations of today’s consumers, we decided to take the Singer GEO refrigerators to the next level by introducing smart technology and launching the Singer GEO Smart. Through extensive R&D over a long period of time, we were able to bring in several intelligent features

Last year total refrigerators manufactured increased by 21% supported by increased production capacity, while sales volume increased by 16%. Revenue from refrigerators increased 15% to Rs. 3.7 billion accounting for 77% of Regnis turnover and contributed 62% of Rs. 471.5 m profit before tax. (NC)