Our aim is to achieve more than € 1 billion in connected product sales in 2022.

Sameer Saxena

- Member of Board and Director - Strategy Marketing Legrand India

At Legrand, we make innovation a constant priority and an integral part of our business culture. Connected devices and associated services enables Legrand to further improve the functionality and capabilities for both the end consumer and the installer,” states Sameer Saxena, Member of Board and Director - Strategy Marketing, Legrand India. Excerpts from the interview…

How do you assess the market potential for IoT-enabled lighting solutions and connected devices in India, especially from smart city projects?

IoT possibilities are endless. It has the capability to create new experience across different segments - residential, commercial and hospitality projects. Smart city project is no different. IoT can help to contribute to a healthier environment, better control of lifestyle and improve living environment to enhance public safety and optimizing  lighting. IoT can help central management of lights, safety, data connectivity and complete electrical intelligence in our domain.

What are the innovative smart solutions Legrand is offering in this space?

At Legrand, we make innovation a constant priority and an integral part of our business culture. Connected devices and associated services enables Legrand to further improve the functionality and capabilities for both the end consumer and the installer. Our products are easily retrofittable (can be used on existing electrical infrastructure without any change) & open to interoperability i.e. it can be integrated with various third party solutions and IoT platforms like IFTTT, voice control devises etc.

Some of our innovative products includes connected thermostat and integrated connected homes. Legrand's next-generation connected thermostat, will be available soon in India. It offers more intuitive control of heating and air conditioning, allowing residents to adapt the temperature to their needs in real time. This product is compatible with Legrand's Home + Control app, and like the Group's other connected ranges, it can be controlled locally, remotely by smartphone, and by voice command. It is also compatible with Apple HomeKit. With Legrand's connected home solution, operators can get connected experience for optimum comfort.

Combining design with technology, this range of IOT enabled wiring devices makes it easy to control lighting, roller shutters, electronics appliances through smart plugand much more. In short, our product offers integrated solutions for comfortandconvenience, safety, communication and energy saving.

Could you brief us on 'Eliot programme' and to what extent this has been accepted by different end-user segments? 

Eliot is the connected objects program launched in 2015 by Legrand to speed up deployment of its Internet of Things offering. Thanks to Eliot, millions of Legrand users, both professionals and end users, are now experiencing connected life every day. Switching the light on or off by voice control is becoming commonplace. Remotely controlling the emergency lighting in buildings is also
gradually becoming the standard. Conveyed by Eliot, new connected solutions are thus created on a daily basis. In parallel, interoperability enables new services and features to be imagined every day. Eliot is now deployed all over the world, and creates a lasting improvement in the Legrand user experience. Eliot lies at the core of our development strategy.  In 2019, this program contributed €819 million from the sale of connected devices (more than 12% of the Group's overall sales), a 29% increase compared to 2018, of which 10% was organic growth. This acceleration reflects the success of the Group's connected offerings and of many product launches, particularly in the areas of user interfaces, energy distribution, and digital infrastructures. Our aim is to achieve more than € 1 billion in connected product sales in 2022. Our connected products have been very well accepted across residential, commercial and hospitality segments.

What are the challenges in implementation of smart lighting solutions and what measures need to be taken to overcome them?

Data Security & Privacy- In this growing world of digitisation, consumers are worried about protecting their sensitive information against the breach. At Legrand, security of data and users is a prerequisite of our IoT strategy. Security and confidentiality of personal data are an essential feature of our Eliot program. In accordance with the Group's DNA, Legrand guarantees users an ever more reliable and secure experience while ensuring the confidentiality of personal data. The Group maintains an optimum level of security that prevents any fraudulent use of the data entrusted to it.

Usage - Legrand believes in 'inclusive design' and devises and creates intuitive objects intended for use by everyone. Our wireless switches offer flexibility of movement, our products can be controlled by voice assistance and app which allows operating the products locally or remotely. This ensures everyone will be able to use the solutions offered by us. Our products thus facilitate ease of usage and convenience for everyday life.

Change in Electrical Infrastructure- Consumers fear that upgrading to IoT switches might call for change in the existing electrical infrastructure. Legrand offers retrofittable solution which fits in seamlessly in your current infrastructure without any damage to your interiors.

Could you brief us on the recently launched IoT-enabled Myrius Next Gen' wiring devise? What are the value additions it brings?

The Myrius NextGen IoT range has been meticulously crafted by us for our customers comfort. Each product combines Legrand's design calibre and the intelligence of the Internet of Things, which brings convenience of different levels. Solutions and devices with the power to communicate with each other and complete tasks, supervise scenarios or monitor and give you crucial updates. From making, waking up or going to bed more comfortable to staying control of things at home, even when you are away from home - the power of IoT can make a world of difference.

The rise of digitalization and network solutions is making lives simpler and more convenient. Smartphones are always on and voice control and personalized automation of many everyday routines are already changing the way we live, work and travel. Legrand solutions for connected living uses these technologies,is easily adapted to residential buildings and also offices, hotels and other commercial buildings exactly to the users' needs. That is why Legrand, in developing the Myrius NextGen range, has sought to make networked digital technology as easy as possible, for designers, installers and users of living space. The result is Myrius Next Gen which improves both comfort and security in the modern day connected home. Fast and easy to install, it will flexibly adapt to changing needs over time.

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