Kartik Singhal, founder of O2 Cure and managing director at Zeco Aircon Limited, a pioneer in the manufacturing of central air conditioning and air purification systems, spoke with The Daily Guardian.
Q: Brief us about your journey so far and what was the idea behind it?
A: O2 Cure has the lineage of Zeco Aircon, which is the undoubted leader of air management solution providers in India. Since 1989 Zeco has been in the HVAC business and catering to corporate clients, including air purification solutions. Mr. Kartik Singhal, Managing Director of Zeco Aircon Limited, founded O2 Cure to bring the scientifically proven air purification solutions to the retail customers that Zeco Aircon was already doing for its B2B clients throughout India. Since its inception, O2 Cure has been providing customized solutions for the specific problem identified through customer consultation. The work O2 Cure was doing, got noticed by many, including Mr. Sunil Shetty, a famous actor and health enthusiast who got associated with the brand as a strategic partner. The brand has done extensive CSR during the pandemic and distributed free air purifiers to many patients, doctors, hospitals, and Mumbai police.
Q: What is the vision behind the O2 cure, what is your core USP?
A: The market is full of air purifiers sold like home appliances or lifestyle products with fancy yet irrelevant features. The biggest irony is air purifiers are sold as a single solution for all the problems of the different types of pollutants, microbes, and infections. While we at O2 Cure believe in educating customers and providing the bespoke solution, we identify the problem and suggest an appropriate solution that is based on the most advanced and efficient technology for the purpose. Our biggest USP is our credibility which is based on scientific evidence. Our every product is successfully tested by prestigious national and international labs. Additionally, our products are eco-friendly and safe to use unlike air purifiers from other companies that emit ozone at hazardous levels, our products are mostly ozone free.
Q: How is O2 Cure curbing pollution in today’s scenario?
A: Though we talk about air pollution, to resolve the issue, many policy-level decisions by different governments are required, and they are working on it, but the indoor air quality sometimes is at a more dangerous level than outdoor pollution. It is adversely impacting the health and life of people and is less talked about. Indoor air quality can be up to ten times more polluted and many people spend up to 90% of their time indoors, it could make the situation grave for them. Worldwide indoor pollution causes 4 million casualties every year. Many residents of Indian cities breathe ten times or more polluted air above the WHO safe limit. The solution to eliminating indoor pollutants is air purifier. The market of air purifiers is still at the very introduction stage of the category life cycle. The need for clean and safe air is still in the latent phase. Though Covid-19 has taught us the importance of safe and infection-free air, people are still ignorant about other evils of air. We are devoted to bringing awareness to the masses about it. Our product range uses proven technology to eliminate pollution from indoor places. The range covers all the possible conditions of indoor air quality for both residential and commercial spaces. We even have products which are ideal to be used during traveling. Be it home, office, car, or travel we have the solution to curb pollution at all the places. O2 Cure products are ready to fight each and every pollutant at any place.
Q: How do you intend to expand into additional areas and keep ahead of rising market competition?
A: North India and some metro cities which face acute pollution in winters are considered the market for air purifiers, yet we are present in all the major cities in India. We have customers even from non-metro cities too. We are not just expanding but even penetrating; we are reaching the untapped markets.
We pitch our products not just as lifestyle products but as essential for respiratory health and especially for those who are suffering from allergies and other respiratory diseases. Our products help in the brain growth of children and are good for the health of expecting ladies and elderly people.
Q: What was the O2 Cure roadmap during the pandemic and what growth has been witnessed? What are your future plans?
A: Education about Indoor Air Quality and awareness of Air Purifiers has always been our priority. We wish to be active in promoting knowledge about air pollution and how it could be improved. Plug & Play by O2 Cure, based on PHI Technology by renowned RGF Environmental, was very successful during the pandemic. It was the only product in the market certified and successfully tested by many national and internal labs for neutralizing coronavirus. The products based on other technology like REME were also successful in commercial spaces. Now in the changing situations when the products to counter coronavirus are not in demand like earlier, we are emphasizing the products and air purification technology that are more apt for other pollutants. We consider sick building syndrome in mega and metro cities as an emerging issue which could be addressed through air purifiers, and we are working towards it. We are investing appropriately to capture the air purification market through strategic steps at the appropriate time. We intend to expand and penetrate the market and are devoted to bringing customized products based on the most advanced, latest, and efficient technology for specific needs.