Dr Arun Kumar Galli L MS, DNB, FRCS(Glasg), MNAMS

Executive Director-Africa OperationsAppasamy Associates & Appasamy Eye Hospitals

Chennai, INDIALusaka, ZAMBIA

Addis Ababa, ETHIOPIA

About APPASAMY ASSOCIATESAppasamy Associates - a trusted name in the

World of Ophthalmic Instruments and Equipments - was established in the year 1978

Our name is synonymous with Ophthalmic Products at AFFORDABLE prices

We provide Reasonable and Life Long After Sales Service

We support our products in such a way that our post sales services remain a bench mark in India; even MNCs try to emulate it

Make It AffordableWhen we entered business, we offered India’s first

low cost cryo at Rs 1800 (US$ 200), doctors were distrustful

Why? Equivalent Indian product was priced at Rs 8000 (US$ 1000) and imported was at Rs 25000 (US$ 3000)!

Hence we offered them the next best choice. Use and Pay. It worked

A NEW Indian company was born, which sustained hard times and proved itself since last 30+ years

Make It Simple and WorkingWhen we introduced the world’s first non-

electric Vitrectomy unit in 1979, it was designed to do just two functions! It will Cut and it will Aspirate. It was a runaway success, as it was priced at Rs 8000 (US$ 1000!)

It was virtually Trouble FREE

In its 1st year we sold more than 1000!

Most of the surgeons use it, eventoday, as a trusted Standby Unit

Keep introducing NEW productsIn 1980, we offered Keratometer. It helped not

only contact lens fitting, but also found its way into the upcoming ECCE revolution in India

Its OPTICS were designed at IIT, MadrasMarket share in India rose to an incredible 90% +We began its OEM supplies in 1990. We supply to many and now, unofficially, we can proudly claim that we are the largest suppliers of Keratometers in the world.

Keep Low Profit-Aim High SalesIn 1987, We started offering Surgical

MicroscopesIts input costs were so high, due to imported optical heads from Nikon and Fiber Optics CablesIt was made available at 1/3 price ofof an imported equivalentWe did not miss the target; the salessoared to healthy and profitable levels

Foresee the MegatrendsIntraocular Lens were getting implanted in many

parts of the world. New designs and new materials were the order of the day during the 1980s in the West

Even Indian made IOLs were not affordableIn 1988, we embarked on the project to

manufacture ofIOLs, with Indian made contact lens lathes! After rigorous tests and trials, our first PMMA 3-piece IOL was implanted into the eyes of the grand father of one our own partners!We made them available at Rs 200 and thus started our IOL venture and affordable IOLs for everyone under the sun

Invest in NEW TechnologiesWe realized the importance of investing in new

technologies, when we realized that (1) we cannot manufacture enough for the rising demand and (2) we could not manufacture Single Piece IOLs, which were becoming the order of the day

We bought it from the USA. Single piece IOLs came into our stable in 1995

We started to manufacture our own IOL machinery, when the supplier closed his supply machines

We continued to invest to acquire Foldable IOLs, both Hydrophilic and Hydrophobic

Go to End Users and Ask His/Her Requirements

In 1989, we wanted to extend our product portfolio.

Hence we asked the choice of our doctorsEveryone’s first choice happened tobe the Slit Lamp and Binocular IndirectOphthalmoscopeIn 1989, we went for OEM suppliersfrom others, despite our capability in manufacturing our own optics. It lead usinto another learning experience

OEM ManufacturingSlit LampsMicrosurgical Instruments (Disposable)Manual KeratometersIOLsViscoelastics

To Ophthalmology Companies in UK, Spain, Germany,France, Switzerland and North America

When You can do it, Do it YourselfThe increased cost of production due to OEM

supply and added cost of logistics lead to unnecessary hassles

Identifying the problems of maintenance and retraining our personnel to address the problems arising out of unknown and unpredictable issues became intolerable

Most important being the increased cost of production; we could not compete effectively with other local suppliers

We resolved and decided to make it ourselves, as long as it is possible for us to do so

Make it ReligiousSupport Your Product

We know our products are working; yet it require support when it fails

We promised ourselves right from day 1, to support the product at minimum or no cost to the user

We promised ourselves, to support the product at minimum possible time interval, so that the user’s professional work does not suffer extensively

Surprisingly, we found a huge demand to our products just because of this simple and committed resolve to support our own products

Support Everyone; Leave NoneOur products are sold directly to vision care

professionals, surgeons and hospitals We decided to support everyone, particularly

the Ophthalmic Surgeon all over IndiaWe appointed service representatives in each

and every region, particularly all major cities, from where every surgeon can be reached within 6 hours and attended within 6 hours to 7 days, depending upon the need and urgency

Most of the time the service and parts were free of charge. Hence delays were looked by the users

If you have a quality product Just try to prove it

We went after certifications on quality systems and obtained CE markings, when vested interests raised questions on the integrity of our products

We encountered frequent service problems and found them mounting with increased supply of goods

We decided to introduce systems and went after ISO certifications

We introduced ISO based quality system in 1999 with TUV certified our facilities . We went for CE markings in 2001 for IOLs and other products

USA-FDA CertificationSlit LampsIndirect Ophthalmoscopes (Wired and

Wireless)Microsurgical Instruments (Stainless Steel &

Titanium)Manual KeratometerManual Lensometer

Train others to support the product

When we started exporting, we started having nightmares. What was good in India, can go wrong in a foreign country without proper technical and service support

We encouraged the distributors to train their personnel to support the products. If anyone having any second thoughts, we refused to supply the equipment for sale in that market

Increase the Product Portfolioand services whenever possiblePeople always expect and aspire more, when you

fulfill their needs and expectations Try to live up to their expectations in every aspectMaintain the tempo – both in products and servicesALWAYS try to fulfill the needs of the users -

exceeding their own expectations and your own capabilities

We do not have share holders answerable; yet we bound ourselves to our customers

We found ourselves easy to grow, when we listened to their needs

Supporting and Maintaining in IndiaAvailability of quality eye care equipments

and consumables at an affordable costWide network throughout India of Sales and

Service PersonnalPrompt after sales service lifelong at no costContinuous Research and Development of

new equipments and consumablesTrust the words of consumers

In AfricaICEECBMSwiss Red Cross in GhanaEthiopiaKenyaRwandaTanzaniaUgandaZambiaSudanSomaliaDemocratic Republic of Congo

In AfricaNigeriaGhanaIvory CoastCameroonBeninBurkina FasoTogoMaliSenegalMauritaniaGabonEquatorial Guinea

In AfricaSouth AfricaZimbabweBotswanaMozambiqueMadagascarNamibiaReunion Island

Supporting and Maintaining in Africa

Quality Eye Care Products at an Affordable Cost

We can train technical people to service our Equipments from Organisations who join with us

In the future, we will station Service Personnel in African Countries with increased penetration of our products

www.appasamy.com