HYDERABAD: From the humble beginnings at Cyber Towers in 1999 to the dizzying heights of international success, the journey of today’s pTron is an inspiration for aspiring entrepreneurs everywhere. Ameen Khwaja, the CEO of pTron, shares how the company evolved, its products consistently meeting
international standards and earning certifications, clearly paving the way into the real Make in India
Imagine this: the price of a wireless earbud in China is worth around Rs 250, which brands label as their own and sell at Rs 2,500. But pTron, an extension of Palred Electronics Private Limited, originally born as Four Soft firm at Cyber Towers in 1999, takes a different approach. It’s not solely focused on instant profit gratification and has big goals to make it all: Make In India. The brand has successfully delivered over 5 million Bluetooth earphones, smartwatches, and Bluetooth speakers, at affordable prices and, is the second most sought-after brand in the country, yet it’s not merely chasing numbers.
Every year, India imports $26.39 billion worth of electrical and electronic equipment. But not for long, as Hyderabad-based pTron has a different plan, and it’s working for good. Ameen Khwaja, the CEO of pTron, believes it’s all in the approach. He says, “Quality is the hallmark, values and adherence to the native land are precursors to excellence.” Ameen adds, “Of course, there are challenges. We already have a wide online presence and over 40 offline distributors covering almost all Tier I and II cities with over 250 service centres. We entered the market in 2014 and have made our presence felt since then; now, our focus is on making it all Indian.”
With a growing network of distributors, pTron expanded its reach to international markets, including the United States, Hong Kong, Israel, and Indonesia, shares the CEO. As pTron ventured into offline distribution and retail channels, forging partnerships with e-commerce giants like Amazon to sell their Xmate line of smart products. The company’s innovative approach and commitment to customer satisfaction propelled it to the forefront of the IT supply chain management market, rivalling even the most established multinational brands. “Our products are always valued for money; they are not cheap per sae because we are transitioning from China to India and are striving to be better,” Ameen said.
Established in 2014, pTron, a mobile accessories brand, quickly gained a reputation for offering high-quality products at competitive prices, catering to the mid-market segment. Initially, pTron’s accessories were manufactured in China, but as the brand grew, it developed a strong and loyal customer base.
“There are many things we cannot make in India, and for a few more years, we will have to rely on China and Taiwan. When we first started, we were labelling and selling products manufactured based on our standards. Later, we began ordering different components from different manufacturers and assembling them. Soon, we will make it. Yes! Make in India,” says Ameen.
“Our journey has been difficult; it started with Stanford Graduate Srikanth Reddy (who passed away two years ago). He had already made Hyderabad’s mark in the tech world with Four Soft in 1999. However, after selling the business to a UK-based firm in 2013, he was hungry for a new challenge. That’s when I joined him, and Palred Technologies entered the burgeoning e-commerce market with LatestOne, a platform that sold computer peripherals and digital device accessories. Now, it’s pTron that is set to make its mark.”