The ninth edition of the NEEK Electro-Tech kicked off at Bhrikutimandap Exhibition Hall on Friday. Organised by the Federation of Electrical Entrepreneurs of Nepal, the exhibition of national and international electrical and electronic products will run for five days. 

One of the major displays at the fair is liquid emitting diode (LED) hoarding boards by Newtech Traders. Damodar Chalise, marketing officer of Newtech Traders, said that demand for LED displays had increased threefold after the government made it mandatory for local-level government offices to install digital display boards.

LED hoarding board sales amount to more than Rs1 million monthly, Chalise said. The company offers full-colour LED hoarding boards which are waterproof. Display boards are mostly used in restaurants, banks, shops and even homes, he said.

Tirupati Marketing, authorised distributor of Opple Lighting, is exhibiting European-standard LED bulbs at the expo. Opple LED bulbs last for five years with daily usage of 8-9 hours, said Arbin Bhujel, account officer at Tirupati Marketing. He added that LED bulbs had replaced CFL bulbs and now have a market share of 70 percent. The wattage of Opple LED bulbs ranges from 3-35 watts. They cost from Rs100 to Rs120 and come with a two-year warranty, he said.

ABC Transformer, an Indian transformer manufacturer, is displaying transformers at the expo. According to Rahul Singh, senior sales manager of ABC Transformer in Nepal, the company has been operating in Nepal for eight years. Its copper winding transformers have a five-year warranty.

Electric water heaters are another major exhibit. Electric water heaters now sell more than gas geysers because there is regular electric supply, said Rajesh KC, sales manager at Crompton Appliances Nepal. Sales of electric heaters have risen 15 percent this winter. Crompton electric water heaters are eco-friendly and save energy up to 60 percent, he said. According to KC, they come in 10-, 15- and 25-litre capacities, and cost from Rs15,697 to Rs25,797. The company provides free installation. We expect to sell more than 6,000 water heaters this winter, he said.

IMTC International, a power backup manufacturer, has displayed stabilisers and online UPS equipment. Rabindra Shrestha, technical officer at IMTC International, said that sales of stabilisers and high power 100 KV online UPS were rising. High capacity stabilisers are fast sellers in industrial areas, he said.