The Birth of the Chic Inverter: How Su-Kam Redefined Safety and Style
In the early 2000s, India’s inverter industry was largely uniform—functional but uninspired. That changed in 2003 when Su-Kam Power Systems, led by its visionary founder Kunwer Sachdev, launched the world’s first plastic-body inverter, a product that transformed both safety standards and consumer expectations.
The inspiration behind this innovation was rooted in an unsettling real-life incident: a child receiving an electric shock during monsoon rains. For Sachdev, this was unacceptable. He saw not just a flaw in traditional metal inverters but an opportunity to reimagine the entire product category.
His idea—to design an inverter encased in high-grade thermoplastic instead of metal—initially met with skepticism. Could plastic withstand the heat levels of more than 110°C generated inside an inverter? Sachdev’s answer was bold: collaborate with GE Plastics, a global leader in advanced materials, and prove the industry wrong.
What followed was months of rigorous R&D and testing. Engineers worked on ensuring the unit’s safety, durability, and thermal resistance, while Sachdev insisted on another element rarely considered in the industry: style. He wanted an inverter people would be proud to showcase in their living rooms, not hide in storage corners.
In a lively brainstorming session, the name “Chic” was chosen—perfectly embodying the inverter’s dual promise of safety and elegance. After six months of trials, the Chic inverter was launched in 2003.
The market response was electric. Consumers were captivated by its modern design and reliability, while competitors were left scrambling to catch up. Within months, Su-Kam’s market share surged, establishing the brand as the industry’s innovation leader.
The Chic inverter was more than just a product—it became a symbol of transformation in India’s backup power market. And for Sachdev, it was only the beginning. Almost immediately, he began envisioning the next leap: a plastic inverter inspired by locomotive design.
Two decades later, the Chic inverter remains a milestone in the Indian energy sector’s journey—proof of how a single visionary idea, born from concern for safety and driven by design thinking, could reshape an entire industry.