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Electrical Mirror Interview

MR. NIRMAL SARAF ( MD ), NIRMAL WIRES PVT. LTD. - MD

( NIRMAL WIRES PVT. LTD. )

Q.Please enlighten our readers about the marvelous journey so far of your brand!

The journey of Group Nirmal began in T 1971 with a small wire drawing unit established by visionary founder, Ramautar Saraf. He established a small wire drawing unit under the corporate entity Central Store Supplies (P) Ltd in 1942 to create the best quality steel products in West Bengal. After years of perseverance and multifarious challenges, in 1985 he put up a steel wire galvanizing plant under the corporate entity of Nirmal Wires Pvt Ltd incorporated in 1981.

Group Nirmal came into being under the leadership of Nirmal Saraf, Raman Saraf and Piyush Saraf. Under them, the group diverged into welding electrode manufacturing under Shieldarc Equipment in 1995. This was followed by a rolling mill making hot rolled products in 1996. Group Nirmal became a flourishing business in the steel industry with a focus on steel wires and aluminium conductors.

The third generation Varun Saraf, Prateek Saraf, Vidyut Saraf, Parag Saraf and Shrishti Saraf joined in the 2000s. The year 2003 also marked as the launch of Tricon, a revolutionary product which disrupted the steel bar market.

A major project commission in 2013 was our state of the art manufacturing facility in Deulti which consequently pushed production capacity to 1,20,000 TPA by 2021. Today, with a global footprint spanning 40+ countries, Group Nirmal offers a diverse range of products including galvanized and black steel wires, aluminium wires and conductors, zinc wires, welding electrodes, hot rolled steel products, NIZNAL®, PVC Coated wires and fences, and Nirmal cables.

 

Q.How is Nirmal Wires making a world of difference?

Group Nirmal is a leading manufacturer of worldclass wires with an annual capacity of 216,000 metric tons and a turnover of 2,000 crore. We stand on a strong foundation built over 50 years of experience, quality and customer satisfaction. Our diverse product range, with over 2000 SKUs, caters to various industries including transmission and power security, fencing, and general engineering. Q.Please take us through the Interesting Facts of your brand related to R&D! Group Nirmal are committed towards innovation and the latest achievement being the Invention of NIZNAL®, a cutting-edge zinc aluminium alloy coated wire offering superior durability and corrosion resistance. We are the first in India to manufacture this special coating which required years of R&D. This year is exponential for the growth of your company in which we have undertaken two major acquisitions Cee Dee Metalloys Pvt Ltd, a Bangalore-based company manufacturing top-quality zinc wires and products, and a new manufacturing unit in Khordha, Odisha which adds capacity to our aluminium products division and has added immense capacity to our total production capacity.

 

Q.What gives an edge to Nirmal Wires over others in this competitive landscape of Wires?

Group Nirmal stands out as a holistic solutions provider. We do not just guarantee product quality; we also guarantee extensive after-sales service and a robust customer feedback collection system to further our customer-first commitment. Quality, innovation, and strong relationships are what define Nirmal Wires. We continuously seek ways to not only streamline production but also elevate quality standards. Combining our expertise with client aspirations, we co-create solutions that not only meet current demands but also anticipate future trends. We believe in going beyond product value to build lasting partnerships based on trust, mutual growth, and shared values.

Our dedicated quality assurance specialists work round-the-clock to ensure immaculate quality of our finished products. Thereby being true to the group’s vision of maximizing value for all stakeholders. All these factors have enabled us to build customer loyalty and trust, reinforcing our motto Quality-first.

 

Q.What is the core philosophy and vision of your brand?

The tagline ‘Re imagineering Tomorrow’ encompasses the vision and philosophy of Nirmal. At our core, we are an engineering company built on the foundation of hard work and sweat of the founding family members. As we grew and diversified, we constantly found ourselves to be innovatingreimagining the possibilities of what was and what could be. We like to push the boundaries of our imagination to achieve what is technically possible by bringing out this mix of imagination and engineering. The symphony between these two skills defines us and the focus on bringing about a better future is what helped us develop Re imagineering Tomorrow. We are always looking forward to it. We are innovative. We are engineers. We are Nirmal.

 

Q.How is your brand expanding its product range and please give us an overview of Nirmal Wires portfolio’s trivia?

The new launches are Niznal, Nirmal Cables, Zinc Rods & Wires, Aluminium Rods and Conductors. Since acquiring Cee Dee Metalloys, we have a new line of products: zinc rods, zinc wires, zinc aluminum wires and a zinc spray machine. We are working on increasing awareness and knowledge of these products in the industry and among other ancillary industries. Future products will include more specialized aluminium conductors, patented steel wires and low relaxation pre-stress concrete wires. We plan to expand and produce complementing products in the wire and cable Industry, while keeping in mind our values. Our steadfast vision for the future would be obtaining raw material security by establishing long- term relationships with our raw material manufacturers and by backward integration. We envision a future where Nirmal is redefining industries, leading global markets and inspiring innovation.

 

Q.How is Nirmal Wires contributing to India’s Growth Story?

India is on a mission to be Aatmanirbhar. To contribute to this goal, the Wire and Cable industry needs to strive towards developing and manufacturing products to substitute imports. To gain global leadership, we need to make our products and services competitive in cost and unparalleled in quality. This is the road ahead for ‘Make in India’ and ‘Make for the World - the real nation-building.’ India has the pre - requisites to be a dominant force in the global supply chain of steel & steel products. The international economic conditions are conducive, and customers are receptive to Indian products. The harvest is ready, all we need to do is strive to reap it and bring it back home

MR. VIKAS GARG - CHAIRMAN & MANAGING DIRECTOR

( V-MARC INDIA LTD )

Q.Could you please take us through the business journey, milestones, and achievements of V-Marc India Ltd?

V-Marc India Ltd was established with a vision to become a leader in electrical solutions. Our journey began with wires and cables, which remain central to our offerings. A key milestone was our adoption of E-beam technology, significantly enhancing the durability and safety of our products. We further distinguished ourselves by becoming the only organized player offering both Medium Voltage Covered Conductors (MVCC) and associated accessories, addressing on-site challenges effectively. Our product portfolio has since expanded to include MCBs, wiring devices, and water heaters, making us one of the fastest-growing companies in the industry today.

Q.What are the core values and mission of V-Marc, and how is your organization powering progress sustainably?

At V-Marc, our core values revolve around innovation, quality, and sustainability. Our mission is to drive progress while ensuring a sustainable future. We achieve this through investments in green technologies, like E-beam processing, which reduces energy consumption and waste. Additionally, we’ve expanded our manufacturing capacity to produce 33KV cables and above, anticipating the rising needs of utility companies and supporting the development of more efficient infrastructure.

Q.What is the potential you see for the growth of wires & cables and the adoption of technology in the era of economic growth?

The demand for wires and cables is set to surge, driven by urbanization, industrialization, and the global shift towards electrification and renewable energy. Technologies like E-beam processing and smart manufacturing will be crucial in meeting this demand. Our recent capacity expansion into high-voltage cables, such as 33KV and above, positions us well to serve the growing needs of utility companies and the broader market.

Q.Please give us an overview of the product spectrum of V-Marc India.

V-Marc offers a comprehensive range of electrical solutions. While wires and cables remain our core products, we also provide MCBs, wiring devices, and water heaters. Our unique MVCC and accessories offerings provide a complete solution, addressing practical site challenges and reflecting our commitment to innovation and quality.

Q.What are the top 3 things to watch out for in the second half of 2024 from V-Marc?

In the latter half of 2024, expect the launch of our new smart electrical devices designed for modern homes and industrial setups, an expansion of our E-beam processed product line with more durable and eco-friendly solutions, and significant advancements in our global expansion efforts. Additionally, our increased capacity for high voltage cables will play a key role in meeting the industry’s growing demands.

Q.What gives V-Marc an edge in the competitive landscape of the electrical and power industry?

Our competitive edge comes from our commitment to innovation and quality. The adoption of E-beam technology allows us to produce superior products, while our diversified portfolio, including MVCC and high-voltage cables, enables us to meet a wide range of customer needs. Our focus on sustainability further strengthens our position in the market.

Q. Can you please shed some light on V-Marc’s unique approach to fulfilling the needs of customers in diverse economies?

The local regulatory standards and cultural preferences, ensuring we address the specific needs of different markets. Our high-voltage cables and MVCC solutions exemplify how we anticipate and fulfill these requirements, building strong relationships and loyalty across diverse economies.

Q.How is V-Marc contributing to the global shift towards sustainable energy and responsible production?

Sustainability is integral to our operations at V-Marc. We prioritize responsible production through E-beam technology and are exploring the use of renewable energy in our manufacturing processes. Our capacity expansion for high-voltage cables and comprehensive MVCC solutions align with global efforts to transition to a low-carbon economy, reinforcing our leadership in the shift towards sustainability.

MR. AJAY GOYAL - MANAGING DIRECTOR

( MEGGER INDIA PVT. LTD. )

Q.Please tell us some of the major milestones of Megger India in the past few years

One of the most significant milestones of Megger has been to set up the first factory outside the US and Europe in India under the Make in India initiative which reflects our commitment to global expansion and contribution to the growth of the Indian manufacturing sector. Additionally, Megger has made several acquisitions since 2018 with online DGA product range from Wiedmann, Diagsol Balto, Baker Instruments, PDIX, Diagnostic Solutions Limited, and strategic alliances with world-renowned solution providers like IPS and Synaptec which brings multi-fold growth. One of the main objectives of Megger is to help reduce downtime by providing solutions that increase productivity. Mobile Testing Van and Cable Testing Van for EHV class cables are some of the latest products to support the objective which marks a few of the many milestones

 

Q. Since your company has been around for a pretty long time, what obstacles did it encounter when expanding?

Megger is heavily invested in R&D which has led to a strong base to facilitate the introduction of cutting-edge technology by adhering to CVC guidelines as per the market trends, hence the demand from users with superior quality requirements is taken care of. However, some obstacles are bound to come up from low-quality brands with limited features. 

 

Q. Could you please shed some light on the offerings of Megger India and how it benefits the customers?

Megger offers a comprehensive range of technically advanced products across various segments such as transformers, cables, protection, low-voltage insulation, general electrical testing, partial discharge, motor and generator testing, etc., which help the customers carry out systematic predictive maintenance activity to save their assets

 

Q.What obstacles did the company face during the Make in India initiative?

During the process of setting up the manufacturing facility, the supply chain was identified as one of the possible obstacles that were addressed using the Kaizen process, apparently, that led to ironing out several other possible obstacles along the way. 

 

Q. As your company supports a diverse range of products, were there any roadblocks for your company to set up a distribution network along the way?

Identifying industry-relevant and experienced distributors nationwide is the key to reaching the right customer and Megger could do that effortlessly because of its strong brand presence, wide visibility, active network connections with industry leaders, and of course the right product in each segment.

 

Q. How is Megger India going to match up with the demand and expectations of its customers in the coming years?

Megger is well equipped to fulfill current and future market demand with more high-quality & reliable products driven by data and digital technology, functionality, and user experience including IoTenabled devices, monitoring and control features, data analytics services, and health indexing for electrical assets to match the latest trends

 

MR. ANIL GUPTA - CMD

( KEI INDUSTRIES LTD. )

Q.Could you brief us more about your company, which has been around for many Decades?

KEI Industries Ltd. is a global conglomerate with a rich legacy of over 65+ years, specializing in providing tailored solutions for various industries and sectors in India. Renowned as one of the leading wire and cable brands worldwide, KEI has also established a robust B2C retail presence in India. Our diverse product portfolio includes wires and cables ranging from 1 KV to 400 KV, catering to a wide range of applications and industries. With five state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities, KEI has cemented its position as an industry frontrunner. Over the decades, KEI has undergone a remarkable transformation, evolving into a global powerhouse offering comprehensive wire and cable solutions. Today, KEI holds the preferred supplier status for numerous clients in both the public and private sectors globally, thanks to its extensive portfolio. Our product range includes Extra High Voltage (EHV), Medium Voltage (MV), and Low Voltage (LV) power cables, as well as an extensive array of electrical wires and power cables. This includes solar cables, winding wires, marine and offshore cables, single and multicore flexible cables, house wires, control cables, stainless steel wires, fire survival/fire resistant cables, instrumentation cables, and thermocouple extension/compensating cables. Our house wires include the Homecab-FR, Banfire-ZHFR, and Conflame-FRLS wires. This diverse product portfolio enables KEI Industries to meet the varied needs of its global clientele, showcasing our commitment to quality and innovation.

 

Q.How big has been the footprint of your company globally in the power sector thus far?

KEI Industries Ltd. has firmly established itself as an industry frontrunner, with a presence in over 65+ countries. Our focus is on improving exports and expanding our footprint in developed markets such as the US, Europe, and Australia also reflects our commitment to growth and excellence. For decades, KEI Wires and Cables has provided quality products to the electrical industry. We are dedicated to offering solutions that meet customer needs while promoting environmental sustainability. As we look to the future, KEI will continue to lead the industry by delivering exceptional products and services globally.

 

Q.Would you shed light on the products and services that have been offered to the clients?

KEI Industries Ltd. offers a diverse product portfolio that includes wires and cables ranging from 1 KV to 400 KV, serving a wide array of applications and industries. Our product range features Extra High Voltage (EHV), Medium Voltage (MV), and Low Voltage (LV) power cables, as well as solar cables, winding wires, marine and offshore cables, single and multicore flexible cables, house wires, control cables, stainless steel wires, fire survival/ fire resistant cables, instrumentation cables, and thermocouple extension/compensating cables. Our house wires include Homecab-FR, BanfireZHFR, and Conflame-FRLS. KEI Wires and Cables, a leading name in the electrical industry, also proudly announces the launch of next gen living eco friendly solution KEI Conflame Green+, a revolutionary house wire that enhances safety, reduces costs, and marks a significant stride towards eco-friendly electrical solutions. Our commitment to quality and innovation ensures that we provide solutions that meet the needs of our customers while promoting sustainability.

 

Q.What are the key strategies your company has adopted to facilitate growth?

KEI, as a prominent brand in the world of wires and cables, is built on a solid foundation of core values that have guided its journey to excellence. www.electricalmirror.net 43 ELECTRICAL MIR OR R || July 2024 || www.electricalmirror.net Interview Integrity stands as a cornerstone of KEI’s values, fostering trust and transparency in all its operations. Quality is another key pillar, as KEI is committed to delivering products that meet the highest standards, ensuring safety and reliability for its customers. Innovation is deeply ingrained in KEI’s DNA, driving the brand to continually push boundaries and develop cutting-edge solutions in the electrical industry. Sustainability is also a fundamental value for KEI, emphasizing responsible practices and eco-friendly products to contribute to a greener future. Customer-centricity is at the heart of KEI’s ethos, where the brand is dedicated to providing exceptional service and solutions that cater to the unique needs of its clients. Lastly, KEI places great importance on its people, fostering a culture of respect, diversity, and growth for its employees, recognizing that they are integral to the brand’s success. To all its stakeholders, KEI makes a promise to always love and care for them.

 

Q.Would you explain to us your objectives and vision of your company in the upcoming years?

KEI Industries is strategically positioned for continued growth. For the current fiscal year, our key milestones include expanding our product portfolio by increasing brownfield capex to meet rising demand in specialty segments like Oil & Gas, Infrastructure, and Agriculture. We are also enhancing our export focus to strengthen our presence in developed markets such as the US, Europe, and Australia. Additionally, we are investing approximately INR 1000 Crore in a greenfield expansion project to establish a new manufacturing plant in Sanand, Gujarat, aimed at introducing new products for specialty sectors. These initiatives, supported by our commitment to innovation and quality, position KEI Industries to capitalize on market opportunities and sustain our growth momentum.

 

Q. What challenges has your company encountered as a pioneer in the wire and cable industry?

As a pioneer in the wire and cable industry, KEI Industries faces several challenges. The competition in the cable industry is intense, with both local and international players vying for market share. We need to stay ahead of the curve by continuously improving our products, processes, and customer service. Additionally, fluctuations in copper prices pose a key challenge for us, requiring us to be agile and adaptable to navigate these challenges and seize opportunities as they arise.

 

Q.What will be the anticipated plans and roadmap of the company in the near future?

The future of KEI Industries looks exceptionally bright, especially in comparison to its competition. With a steadfast commitment to innovation and a focus on delivering high-quality products at competitive prices, KEI is well positioned for continued growth and market expansion. Our strong reputation for reliability and exceptional customer service further enhances our competitive advantage. Despite the challenges posed by new technologies and emerging competitors, KEI is poised to maintain its leadership position in the wires and cables industry for years to come. We have been providing quality products to the electrical industry for decades, and our commitment to expanding our reach remains unwavering. Our roadmap includes a continued focus on meeting the needs of our customers while prioritizing environmental sustainability. We are implementing sustainable practices within our manufacturing facilities, including water recycling, pollution control, and solar energy utilization. Additionally, the introduction of our new product, KEI Conflame Green+, underscores our dedication to innovation and safety. This product boasts a range of internal and external safety features, making it a standout in the market. KEI Industries will continue to be a leader in the industry by providing excellent products and services, and we remain committed to sustainable growth and environmental stewardship. Our future plans are designed to ensure we remain at the forefront of the industry, delivering value to our customers and stakeholders.

 

 

 

MR. ATHER SALIM - DIRECTOR

( NEXT GEN EQUIPMENTS PVT. LTD. )

Q.What have been the fundamental principles of your company thus far that have aided in its advancement?

Fundamental principal of our company are commitment to quality and Reliable Products which are unique in the market. We do a very careful selection of products being marketed by us so as to have the customer highest level of satisfaction in terms of reliability and committed to provide best after sales support in house. 

 

Q. Over the years, what have been your major accomplishments of your company?

With so many companies supplying Testing & measuring Equipment in Indian market, we feel great to have a special place in customer mind when it comes of testing. More than 60% Transformers produced in India are being Testing with products supplied by us, more than 90% of the Batteries manufactured in India is being testing with Equipments supplied by us. Most of the Testing/ Calibration Labs are using our products in their lab. 

 

Q. With a wealth of experience in the power sector and robust customer relationships and support from various overseas entities, what are the primary stumbles that your company has overcome during these years?

First of all I would like to thanks all our customer’s trust and faith in our products. Major challenge for these foreign equipment were after sales service over the years, however Nextgen is always committed 24*7*365 since it initial days to gain the trust of its customer . Major % of our business is world of mouth publicity for quality of equipment and highest level of service support. 

 

Q. Would you tell us about the products your company is offering to your clients?

NEXT GEN is operating in India since more than decade and established as major player in T & M Solution, offering complete range of product in T& M business. As we are mainly representing European companies in India and selection of new companies and products in our portfolio is done with utmost care. Our focus is always on Quality, reliability, accuracy of result and repeatability. We are providing the feedback to our manufactured on real time basis to develop the products best suited to requirement of market and customer, Our principal’s companies providing very quick response to support our valued customers. We have added innovative products in our portfolio, Raytech new Transformer Analyzer will surely going to be new buzz in the market due to its Portability, accuracy of result and reliability, Also RAYTECH C & tan Delta for Transformers testing is already established in Indian market for unique design, portability and reliability and accuracy of test result. We have also added a new INSULATION TEST TAN DELTA for SOLID INSULANTS from EPRO Gallspach GmbH, Austria. Measurement of Tan Delta of Solid insulants under controlled temperature and pressure is unique feature of our products. EPRO’s high accurate CT & PT is also getting its space in Indian power sector due to its unmatched accuracy. There is growing requirement of PD Testing in the industry and requirement of high quality HV & LV Filters for accurate measurement and with ISOFARAD Innovative T - Filters & PI- Filters, we have got a great success in Indian market. ETL from Germany has also got a very good acceptance in the Indian market and with growing focus on EV’s where a lot of battery is going to be used, ETL HV Tester has got a very good acceptance in the companies like EXIDE, AMARA Raja etc. We have been adding different products complementing our product portfolio to provide one stop solution to our customers. We are ISO 9001-2015 certified company and our focus is not only sales but also after sales service to the product for better customer experience. We have separate after sales service for vertical better after sales service and timely solution to the customer for better client experience.

 

Q. What are the goals and challenges that your company is anticipated to encounter in the forthcoming years?

NEXT GEN is having wide presence not only Indian Territory in T&M business but also in neighboring counties i.e. Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh and all major counties of Gulf region for sales and services. Post COVID -19 we are facing major challenge in high delivery TAT due to constraint in supply chain also as we are expanding our territory posting challenges in the service delivery. However, to overcome these challenges, Promoter of Next Gen has acquire company in UAE and opened office in UAE to reduce delivery TAT and maintain the service standard. This will not help to accelerate our business growth by expanding in new territory but also service support our customers in the MENA region locally. 

 

Q. What will be the strengths and weaknesses of the company that will enhance its strength?

The biggest strength of the NEXT GEN is its customers, who have immense trust in our products due to its accuracy, reliability and support provided by us. As everyone knows that we only deal in European product and support from our principal’s are unmatchable making it easier for us to provide quickest and best support to our principal’s. The only weakness we find is the cost as being European products and falling rupee value, we find it sometime difficult to provide a cost-effective solution to our customers but now even our customers know it well that high quality has its own cost so they support us as well. Also, on product quality and its support, we feel much better placed w.r.t. our competitor as we believe that fastest service and high-quality products must be supplied to our industry as its under tremendous pressure to product products in large nos. 

 

Q. What prospective objectives and vision would your company have for the near future?

NEXT GEN is having wide presence not only Indian Territory in T&M business but also in neighbouring counties i.e. Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh and UAE for sales and services. Our new company in UAE is now providing fastest support to our customers in middle east which is helping us to accelerate our business growth and to support our customers in the MENA region locally, our service engineers are available 24*7*365 for any service need of our customer. We are continuously expanding the territory and product portfolio keeping in mind the requirement of the customers and providing best support services of our products; however, our focus core is always on core business i.e. Testing & Measuring Solutions. We are also investing heavily in putting up a NABL accredited Lab for High Voltage& Low Voltage product ranging from Calibration of Impulse Generator, AC & DC High Voltage Test Set, CT’s, PT’s, Power Analyser, Ratio, Resistance, C& TAN Delta etc and expect to provide a very close knit solution to our customers with all latest and state of art Testing as well as Calibration Equipments and facilities.

MR. T P SINGH - SR. DIRECTOR SALES – APAC INSTRUMENTATION

( TELEDYNE FLIR )

Q.How is FLIR building more than innovative technologies in today’s era?

The main building block for the innovation is of course the R&D. We’ve got teams in different parts of the world like Europe & USA who are dedicatedly involved in research and development. We are almost spending our 5 to 7% of global revenues on developing the new products and this gives us an edge over so many other things and that helps us to innovate new things on a continuous basis as well.

Q. Please give us an overview of ‘The FLIR T’ series camera which is for utilities ?

The FLIR T860 thermal imaging camera is a non-contact inspection tool with a 180° rotating optical block that allows users to safely and comfortably assess the condition of critical electrical and mechanical equipment in utility and manufacturing applications. With advanced features including unmatched temperature measurements down to -20°C, accuracy as good as 2%, 1-Touch Level/Span contrast enhancement, and laser–assisted autofocus, you’ll get highly accurate temperature measurements every time. Pair the T860 with a 6 FOV IR lens to perform inspections on small targets from long distances. The on-board Inspection Route system helps you record temperature data and imagery in a logical sequence for faster troubleshooting and repair. The T860 also features FLIR Ignite for automatic uploading of images directly from the camera to the cloud for easy, secure storage and sharing. Adding a FLIR T860 camera to a condition monitoring/ predictive maintenance program can help reduce maintenance costs, improve system efficiency and reliability, and prevent downtime due to outages.

 

Q. Can you please shed some light on some of the major milestones of FLIR in the last 2 years in terms of solutions for power utilities ?

Recently we have launched FLIR Si2-PD which is for Industrial Acoustic Imaging Camera for Partial Discharge Detection, it has the ability to pick the partial discharges from a distance of 200 meters away. Another recent launch is FLIR Routing. Earlier there was a problem in scanning whereas with the help of the FLIR Routing system you can load the sequence and monitor. Last but not the least, another innovation which is called Meter Link wherein you can connect different test and measurement equipment on one app upto 7 and then you can monitor. These are just anecdotes from our latest innovations but the list is quite long so you can check out the website of FLIR for more such innovations-www. teledyneflir.in

 

Q. Please tell us more about the latest software solution for utilities called Routing ‘and how it is different from other competitors in the market!

It prepares you for Inspection. This is an extremely special routing software, it hasn’t been launched by anyone in the market. It is the new innovation of the FlIR which is available for all the T series cameras we are launching now. Let’s delve deeper into the specifications of the FLIR’s Routing software - It simplifies surveys by pre-planning the route using FLIR Route Creator for FLIR Thermal Studio Pro. This software allows you to create lists of the assets you need to inspect at each location, organized in the most efficient order. Additionally, previous inspection images can be associated with each inspection point, and will be available for viewing, on camera, while the inspection is performed. Then, export the route in digital format and upload it to a FLIR thermal camera running Inspection Route mode*. You can also export the file in a readable file format and print it as an inspection checklist. 

 

Q. What gives FLIR an edge in the competitive landscape of the Energy efficient products market?’

FLIR is considered to be one of the top brands in the thermal imaging industry and FLIR delivers the best quality products which are known worldwide. The most critical and essential part of the FLIR brand is accuracy, whatever you are measuring within the specified range, we confirm the accuracy and efficiency of the product with our innovations. On top of that, , we started ten years warranty on detectors that shows how confident we are on the quality of our products. Also, our network of technical qualified engineers are available everywherewhether it’s needed in India or globally. Wherever our customers need support before buying the equipment or they need to understand the technical parts of the technology , we are always available in helping out. R&D is the continuous process for FLIR, we will keep evolving and our customers will keep hearing new innovations from our brand.

IMTEYAZ SIDDIQUI - MANAGING DIRECTOR (INDIA); REGIONAL SALES DIRECTOR- GCC

( DOBLE ENGINEERING )

Q.What has been the underlying strategy behind your company’s extensive energy-related diagnostic and engineering expertise?

We are demonstrating significant growth and increasing our market share in the Test & Measurement (T&M) industry. This success is primarily because of a well-executed strategy tailored to the Indian market. We are effectively leveraging our energy-related diagnostic and engineering expertise to meet the local demands. It includes adapting products and services to suit Indian needs, fostering strong relationships with local utilities and industries, and potentially investing in local talents. This growth also indicates a rising demand for advanced T&M solutions in India’s evolving power sector. Our success is also due to our flexibility to navigate India’s regulatory environment and outperform competitors through superior offerings or strategic partnerships.

 

Q.Can you highlight some of the key products that Doble Engineering offers to its clients?

In general, we have three verticals, namely Products, Systems and Services. Being a leader in the electrical testing and measurement industry, we offer a large range of products essential for power system reliability and maintenance. Say, for example, transformer test equipment, circuit breaker analyzers, protective relay test sets, and partial discharge detection systems. For systems, we are providing a complete range of online continuous Monitoring Solutions for all electrical assets like GIS, Cables, Transformers & Circuit Breakers, etc. We are also providing niche services like Consultancy, Root Cause Analysis (RCA), Partial Discharge Measurement as well as temporary monitoring solutions. For more details, you can also visit our website www.doble.com.

Q.What have been the most effective approaches for the area your company is focusing on?
 
In our focus area, we’ve found several approaches to be highly effective. Proactive customer support has been key, allowing us to anticipate and address customer needs before issues arise, significantly boosting satisfaction and loyalty. We’ve also prioritized building long-term partnerships with customers, moving beyond transactional relationships to become strategic allies in their success. This approach involves deeply understanding their goals and consistently providing value. Additionally, supporting our channel partners has been crucial. By empowering our distribution network with comprehensive training, marketing resources, and technical support, we’ve expanded our reach and enhanced service quality. These strategies have strengthened customer relationships and improved our market position.
 
Q.How has your company experienced rapid expansion over the past few years?
 
Our company has experienced rapid expansion over the past few years due to several key factors:
 
A great team: Our dedicated and talented team have been the backbone of our growth. Whatever growth and success we have achieved so far is primarily due to the dedication of the team towards innovation, hard work, and commitment to excellence.
 
Motivated channel partners: Our strong network of channel partners has played a crucial role in expanding our marketreach. Their enthusiasm and deep understanding of local markets have helped us penetrate new territories and customers effectively.
 
Supportive customers: The loyalty and trust of our customers have been instrumental. Their willingness to embrace our new offerings and provide valuable feedback has fueled our product development and service improvements.
 
 
Strategic acquisitions: Carefully chosen mergers and acquisitions have allowed us to expand our capabilities and market presence quickly.
 
Adaptability: Our ability to quickly adapt to changing market conditions and customer needs has kept us ahead of the curve. This combination of internal strength, external support, and strategic decisions has propelled our rapid growth in recent years.
 
 
Q.Can you briefly explain the services you provide to clients, including those from the consulting & testing department, the laboratory department, and others?
 
We provide comprehensive services to ensure the reliability and efficiency of electrical systems. The Consulting & Testing Department offers on-site diagnostics, expert consultations, and customized training for electrical equipment. Our Laboratory Department conducts advanced analysis of insulating materials and fluids, providing crucial data for maintenance decisions. We also offer innovative software solutions for asset management and monitoring, as well as protection and control services. Our portfolio includes equipment rental options, allowing clients access to cutting-edge diagnostic tools. Across all services, we focus on delivering actionable insights that help clients optimize their electrical infrastructure, improve system reliability, and extend equipment lifespan.
 
Q.What were the most challenging circumstances that your company encountered during its growth?
 
During our growth phase, we faced several significant challenges. Volatility in currency fluctuations impacts us a lot due to international transactions, affecting both costs and revenues. Late payment is another big issue which strains our cash flow, potentially hindering operational efficiency and growth plans. Low margin due to stiff competition due to the L1 policy (Reverse Auctions makes it even worse), where the quality of the Product takes a backseat. Sometimes we also have to deal with negative marketing by our competitors, which is not healthy. Supply chain disruptions leading to delays in component delivery have also caused project delays. However, we are effectively managing these challenges by strategic planning, resilience, and support from our management to overcome and continue on our growth trajectory.
 
Q.What are the plans and challenges Doble Engineering anticipates in the coming years?
 
We anticipate significant growth opportunities in India and the Indian subcontinent, which have been identified as key focus markets in the company’s future investment plans. This strategic emphasis is likely driven by the region’s rapidly expanding power sector and increasing demand for reliable electrical infrastructure.
 
Some of the plans may include:
 
• Expanding our presence and operations in major Indian cities
• Tailoring services and products to meet the specific needs of the Indian power sector • Developing partnerships with local utilities and industrial players
• Investing in local talent and building a strong regional team However, we need to deal with the several challenges in this market:
• Competing with the established local players and other low-quality/low-price entrants
• Managing pricing strategies in a pricesensitive market
• Navigating cultural differences in business practices
We, as a continuously growing company, are fully geared up to leverage our global expertise, with a deep understanding of local market dynamics, to execute our plans in this region successfully.

MR. MOHAMMED SHAKEEB - FOUNDER DIRECTOR

( TRIUNE EXHIBITORS PVT LTD )

"Organizing Elasia 2024 has presented several challenges of which one most relevant and intricate is identifying a wholesome B2B markets to ensure success in terms providing a business filled environment for both Exhibitors and Visitors. "

 

Q. As your company organizes exhibitions and conferences in various industries, can you tell us briefly about how it runs?

Triune Exhibitors Pvt. Ltd., is a two-decade old company formed in the year 2000, head quartered at Bangalore and with 25 years of experience & expertise in organizing over 58 highly successful Industrial Trade Fairs in India. Our company prides itself on meticulous planning, innovative strategies, and a deep understanding of the industries we serve. We meticulously research market trends, engage with industry experts, and collaborate closely with exhibitors and stakeholders to ensure our events meet the evolving needs of the sector. Masterminded by core team of experts, the group has emerged as a leading name for development of International Trade Fairs in India and combining professionalism with dynamism and creativity to deliver real business benefits for all participants.

 

Q. What were the primary challenges in organizing the Elasia 2024, since your company is one of the few leading exhibition organizers?

Organizing Elasia 2024 has presented several challenges of which one most relevant and intricate is identifying a wholesome B2B markets to ensure success in terms providing a business filled environment for both Exhibitors and Visitors. Furthermore, adapting to dynamic market demands and ensuring the safety and satisfaction of participants amidst evolving global circumstances is challenging however, our experience, robust network, and proactive approach enabled us to overcome these challenges effectively, resulting in a successful and impactful event.

 

Q. What have been the outcomes of the past events that were organised by your company?

Our past events have consistently yielded positive outcomes, including fostering meaningful connections, facilitating knowledge exchange, driving business collaborations and showcasing cutting-edge innovations. As mentioned earlier we have successfully organised over 58 international exhibitions which include nine editions of Elasia, seven editions of Plastasia, two editions of Plastfocus, seven editions of Print & Packtech to name a few of our renowned exhibitions. We take pride in the success stories of our exhibitors and participants, who have leveraged our platforms to expand their networks, access new markets, and stay at the forefront of industry trends.

 

Q. Will Elasia 2024 become an ideal platform to showcase not only stateof-the-art products and services but also high-powered products to the maximum?

Absolutely. Elasia 2024 is poised to be an unparalleled platform for showcasing the latest advancements in the electrical lighting and power industries. From state-of-the-art technologies to high-powered products, the event will feature a diverse range of innovations that reflect the industry’s dynamism and potential. Attendees can expect to explore cutting-edge solutions, engage with industry leaders, and gain valuable insights into emerging trends shaping the future of the sector.

 

Q. Which new companies are going to participate this year, as this is going to be the biggest event in the electrical sector?

We’re thrilled to welcome a diverse array of new companies to Elasia 2024, further enriching the event’s offerings and opportunities for collaboration. While we can’t disclose specific names at this time, rest assured that our line-up includes industry pioneers, innovative start-ups, and established leaders who are poised to showcase their latest offerings and contribute to the event’s success.

 

Q. How excited is your team for this, as this event is going to be held again after two years?

Every edition of ELASIA has been witnessing a positive growth in terms of the number of exhibitors and visitors and our team has always strived to achieve the set targets successfully. The team is now looking forward to deliver yet another successful edition of ELASIA and leave no stone unturned to ensure higher success in all the future editions to follow. 

MR. K.P. BABURAJ - GENERAL MANAGER

( ACCURATE OPTOELECTRONICS PVT. LTD. )

"To excel among them, we effectively focus on some marketing research and customer satisfaction strategies. Ensuring consistent quality among all the products can help in building trust with customers."

 

Q. What are the primary applications of thermal imaging technology, and how have they evolved over the years?

The major areas of application for thermal imaging cameras are: Process and manufacturing Industries, Medical Imaging, Firefighting, Military and Defence, Predictive maintenance, Building inspections etc. Alongside improvements in hardware, there have been significant advancement in image processing algorithms as well as software for thermal imaging. It has evolved from its early military origins to become a versatile tool with many applications around industries and integration with other technologies.

 

Q. Can you explain the basic principles behind how thermal cameras work, and what distinguishes them from conventional cameras?

Basically, thermal cameras provide a non-contact method for visualizing temperature differences in a scene. Thermal cameras work on the basics of Thermography. Infrared waves, which are not visible by human eye but can detected as a heat. All objects emit infrared radiations, known as heat signature. An infrared camera (also known as a thermal imager) detects and measures the infrared energy of objects. The camera converts that infrared data into an electronic image that shows the apparent surface temperature of the object being measured. Thermal cameras and conventional cameras have different working principles, have different types of sensors used and application areas are also very different. Thermal cameras detect infrared radiation and provide information about temperature changes, while conventional cameras capture visible lights to form visual images.

 

Q.In what industries or sectors are thermal cameras proving to be particularly beneficial, and why?

Overall thermal cameras proved to be a versatile solution across various industries, Research and development processes, medical field, defence sectors etc. This has enabled enhanced safety, efficiency and reliability where conventional cameras and other temperature measurement solutions may fall short. Their ability to detect temperature and to operate in harsh environment makes them a valuable tool in modern day environment.

Q.Why are thermal cameras important for Electric substation monitoring?

A Typical substation consists of several electrical equipment such as CT (Current Transformer), PT (Power Transformer), CB (Circuit Breakers), Surge or Lightning etc. These equipment generates hotspot due to high voltage or current. This can cause the breakdown of the entire substation. By using thermal camera, we can get early alerts of hot-spot areas and can prevent blackout or power cutoff conditions.

 

Q.What are the primary benefits of using online thermal imaging technology in substation monitoring compared to traditional methods?

• Saves time and manpower.

• Improves safety of plant personals.

• 24/7 Real-time and automatic Substation Monitoring System.

• Reduce breakdown with preventive maintenance.

• Ease of operation.

• Reduce O&M costs for unnecessary maintenance & inspection.

• Reduce unexpected failures and associated collateral damage.

• Extend life of old but healthy assets Q.What are the key features of Software coming along with the Thermal Cameras?

• Multiple types of ROI including point, line, and area with min./max./avg. temperature display.

• Temperature display on mouse over • Includes 9 different colour palates according to user application.

• User can connect up to 8 thermal cameras in one software.

• Critical and threshold alarm generation for entire or ROI based on minimum, maximum or average temperature.

• The AccuOpt InfraView software allows users to create charts and histograms that display the relationship between temperature and time in the stream.

• The software allows users to capture snapshots in normal JPG as well as RAW file format.

• Saves the data from the ROI (Region of Interest) Summary, Chart, and Histogram in a database. Users have the option to export this data into Excel file formats.

• Video Recording

• The software provides a playback option, allowing users to access previously saved videos.

• SMS/Email Alerts

• I/O module and OPC/UA Integration 

 

Q. What are some common challenges or limitations faced when implementing thermal cameras for substation monitoring, and how can they be addressed?

Environmental conditions: Substations are often situated in a harsh condition such as extreme temperatures, humidity, exposure to heat and dust etc. These can affect the overall performance of the camera. To overcome this, thermal camera specially designed for substation with IP-66 protection should be used. Distance and coverage: Substations can be of large area and ensuring the complete monitoring may require installing multiple cameras at strategic locations. One should use thermal cameras with appropriate focal length to cover maximum area coverage and less blind spots. Data management: Managing and storing large amount of thermal data from multiple cameras can be a complex task. User should implement centralized management and real time monitoring software for better management of data for future purposes also.

 

Q. Looking ahead, what do you envision for the future of thermal imaging technology and its applications?

The future of thermal imaging is promising with potential applications spanned across various industries and domains. As technology prevails, thermal imaging solutions will play an important role in increasing safety, efficiency and understanding various aspects in our lives. Some examples of envisioning of what the future holds of thermal imaging are:

• Smaller size and integration

• Better resolution and sensitivity

• Machine learning and Artificial intelligence

• Medical diagnosis

• Traffic monitoring and public safety

• Monitoring wildlife populations

• For studying climate changes   

 

Q. Are there any other suppliers providing similar products in the market, and if there are, how do you excel among them?

As of now, Accurate Optoelectronics is the only manufacturing company of Radiometric Thermal Imaging cameras in India. We not only manufacture surveillance thermal cameras but also accurate temperature measuring cameras for precise process monitoring. We have a competitive market where multiple companies are selling similar products globally. To excel among them, we effectively focus on some marketing research and customer satisfaction strategies. Ensuring consistent quality among all the products can help in building trust with customers. Optimizing the supply chain, timely deliveries and costeffectiveness to meet demand fluctuations in different application areas can be a major point to success in a competitive market. Also, flexibility and adaptability to changing market conditions along with strategic partnerships and collaboration can enhance the brand reputation and attract the customers worldwide. 

MR. JAYANTH JAIN - CEO & MD

( GM MODULAR PVT. LTD. )

"Our key principles include, Customer Focus, Continuous Innovation, and Emphasis on Quality. At GM, customers are our topmost priority. We thrive(strive) to create products that cater to consumers’ evolving lifestyles."

 

Q. Firstly, would you briefly explain about your company, GM Modular, and the areas it operates in?

GM was founded in 2002 and only within 2 decades the brand became the leader in switches and home electrical accessories in India. It is also the most trusted brand amongst consumers and industry experts like architects, interior designers, lighting consultants, builders, and electricians. As a leading switch manufacturing company, GM has been at the forefront of developing innovative products in various other categories like Home Automation, LED Lighting, Fans & Appliances, Wires and Cables, Pipes & Fittings, Switchgear, Bluetooth Music Systems, and much more. As a testimony to our commitment to continuous innovation, we have been honoured with the prestigious Red Dot Award for a path-breaking product that is an epitome of technological innovation and meticulous craftsmanship. ]

 

Q. Over the years, what have been your company’s key goals?

As a market leader, we not only push the boundaries of innovation but also educate our customers to adopt these new technologies, thereby delivering products and experiences that simplify lives. Having set benchmarks in categories like Switches and Accessories, Fans, LED Lighting, we further aim to expand the horizon of the Home Automation category that involves creating comprehensive smart solutions that align with the company’s idea of simplifying lives.

 

Q. Can you elaborate on the products your company offers, such as switches & accessories, LED lighting, fans, home automation solutions, wires & cables, and others?

Innovation is the core mantra at GM. The team is continuously learning & adapting new technologies to design user-friendly products that make lives simpler and better. Our extensive range of products include:

SWITCHES AND ACCESSORIES

We have a wide range of Switches & Accessories that helps enhance your home decor. Our modular switches come in various colours, textures, and designs that offer both functional and aesthetic benefits. From sleek, minimalist designs to bold and contemporary styles, these switches cater to diverse tastes and interior themes.

HOME AUTOMATION

Home Automation Systems are offered in both wired and retrofit options, providing flexibility for various installation scenarios. Wired systems typically involve the integration of smart devices directly into the electrical infrastructure of a building during construction or renovation. Retrofit options, on the other hand, are designed for existing homes and involve wireless technologies allowing homeowners to upgrade their homes with smart capabilities without the need for extensive rewiring or civil work. Both wired and retrofit options offer features such as remote access, scheduling, and integration with voice assistants, enabling users to control lighting, HVAC, security systems, and more from their smartphones or smart speakers. Our innovative range of hospitality products add to our automation portfolio that comes with state-ofthe-art Guest Room Management Solutions with customisation options in the hospitality range.

LED LIGHTS

We offer complete lighting solutions for both indoors and outdoors in the form of pendant lights, wall lights, downlights, facade lights, etc. The latest LED lights with remote-controlled technology come with dimming and colour changing options that uplift your mood and spaces. Facade lighting accentuates architectural features with customisable colours and effects. FANS AND APPLIANCES GM offers a varied range of fans including ceiling fans, wall fans, industrial fans, bladeless fans, personal & table fans, and ventilation fans. GM Fans offer exquisite design options with integrated lights, antidust blades, BLDC motor, RF remote technology, and more that helps enhance your interiors and save energy. Expanding the appliances portfolio, GM has introduced a fresh and versatile range of irons (dry & steam) and water heaters (storage & instant).

SWITCHGEAR

Being a leader in holistic protection systems, the GM Switchgear range is made with premium quality metal sheets and raw materials. GM’s range of MCBs and DBs is known for their durability and easy operation, prioritising your safety like no other.

WIRES & CABLES AND PIPES & FITTINGS GM

has redefined the contemporary electrical market with its ISI and CE Certified assortment of Wires and Cables. The wires and cables provide an all-round and safe electrical network with high resistance and fireretardant properties. The GM PVC electrical conduits made of the finest raw materials take the concept of safety to the next level. Using a combination of appropriate methodology and ingredients, the GM PVC Pipes and Fittings provide immense protection to wires against evolving times and situations.

 

Q. What have been the key principles of your company in recent years?

Our key principles include, Customer Focus, Continuous Innovation, and Emphasis on Quality. At GM, customers are our topmost priority. We thrive(strive) to create products that cater to consumers’ evolving lifestyles. Through constant innovation, GM has already entered homes and hearts of millions across the world. We aim to provide the best of design and comfort to every home. With a robust research & development team and exceptional product design specialists, GM has been creating revolutionary products for various household and commercial needs. We manufacture to redefine paradigms. If the product is technology and design driven, it surpasses expectations. Our extensive range of products is designed keeping in mind the users and their needs. GM is always on a quest to discover something new, innovate products, revolutionise lifestyles, and cater to a better world.

 

Q. As your company is a platinum sponsor at EL Asia 2024, what are the core objectives that will be adopted for this significant event?

The core objective will be to showcase our widest range of products to the end-consumers, architects, and other industry experts attending the event from PAN India and to gain insights into emerging trends in architectural technology to align our product development strategies.

 

Q. What are the company’s expectations from this event, EL Asia 2024, for its customers?

Triune Exhibitors Pvt. Ltd. (TEPL) acts as an interface between the government, industry, media, and academics as well as is a leading organiser of industrial exhibitions, managed by a core team of experts. Therefore, it gives us a great platform to share our innovations with the world leaders and experts from different walks of life. El Asia 2024 is one of the biggest exhibitions on Power, Electrical, and Lighting; we as a leading manufacturers in the home electricals arena are expecting to engage with a wide customer base through this esteemed platform. Through El Asia 2024 we are expecting to bring luxury, convenience, and modular designs to all of our customers’ homes and simplify lives. Thereby enhancing our growth and adding value to both our B2B and B2C segments.

 

Q. What will be your company’s goals and plans for the upcoming years?

A great entrepreneur had once said, “Ideas are no one’s monopoly. Think big, think fast, think ahead.” We at GM adhere to this philosophy. One not only needs to think first, but also faster. Likewise, one has to be creative, and innovative and has to have a bigger vision. Through GM’s innovative products, we aim to improve everyday living. To achieve this, constant learning and self-development are the two important parameters that GM focuses on. The company organises regular training programmes to ensure continuous learning and development. On the product quality front, GM follows stringent quality control standards that ensure that the quality is maintained for every single product that reaches the consumer. GM strongly believes in studying human behaviour and its need to make life simpler and better by targeting the right needs and thus designing the right products. Certainly it takes a while to examine these crucial factors such as the market, the target audience, their mindset, etc. But, when you do that and practise for a few years, the system becomes automated, and doesn’t require much attention. Then comes a need to explore a newer market that has newer demands and unexplored challenges. This motivates us to expand further, which also leads to our growth. 

MR. GOPURAJ N - SALES DIRECTOR

( ABB INDIA )

"ABB plays a crucial role in energy transition. Our goal is to help customers around the world optimize, electrify, and decarbonize their operations. Our Sustainability Agenda is fully aligned with this mission, guided by recognized bestpractice standards and is embedded throughout our business."

 

Q. Can you elaborate on your company’s profile, ABB Limited, as it is a pioneer in automation and electrification, paving the way for a future that is more resource efficient and sustainable?

As a leader in technology of electrification and automation, ABB plays a crucial role in energy transition. Our goal is to help customers around the world optimize, electrify, and decarbonize their operations. Our Sustainability Agenda is fully aligned with this mission, guided by recognized best-practice standards and is embedded throughout our business. Our aim is to enable a low-carbon society, preserve resources, and promote social progress for a net-zero future. As a global technology company, we strive to create a better world through safe, smart, and sustainable electrification. Our portfolio of automation solutions brings increased quality, accuracy, and precision to industrial processes, ranging from the simplest to the most complex. Our product portfolio is equipped with advanced technology and datadriven insights to optimize the management, efficiency & reliability of electrical assets.

 

Q. Can you please shed light on your company’s product portfolio under Smart Power & Smart Buildings?

At ABB, we specialize in offering a diverse range of cutting-edge products and services under our Smart Power & Smart Building offerings. These products deliver tangible advantages to our valued clientele. Smart Power division is the technology leader, with solutions that make power supplies smart, connected and protected. Our product portfolio provides the latest and most advanced technologies in power conditioning, low-voltage circuit breakers, switches, motor protection and control, and safety products. With data driven insights the energy efficiency, reliability and management of electrical assets can be optimized. Similarly Smart Buildings product range is equally exhaustive providing highly energy efficient, reliable & automation products covering Energy Distribution, Wiring Accessories and Building & Home Automation and Metering.

 

Q. What are the future trends in smart buildings sector? What opportunities do you foresee?

In a dynamic and ever evolving landscape businesses are increasingly using devices to monitor and manage real-time energy consumption. Automation is widely used to regulate HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) systems and lights to maximise comfort and energy efficiency. Utilising big data analytics, building data can yield insightful information that improves resource allocation and lowers carbon footprints. Cutting-edge technologies like augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and robots are anticipated to completely transform the Building Segment. Energy efficiency and sustainability will be the main drivers behind the creation of smart Buildings. Further, it is projected that the use of voice-activated automation, facial recognition technology, biometric security systems, and environmentally responsive smart materials will rise. Building towards a decarbonisation journey is the first step for us. ABB AbilityTM Building Analyzer tracks building data (temperature, equipment runtime hours, occupancy, and costs) and utilities (energy, gas, water, and steam) in real-time and offers practical insights to help you save money while enhancing sustainability, occupant awareness, and energy efficiency. ABB AbilityTM Building Analyzer is a cloud-based software as a service (SaaS) solution that can extract data from an infinite number of data points of nearly any type and source and present it in an intuitive interface. Insights are transformed into areas that can be improved, measured, and ranked according to ROI, energy use, and carbon emissions. The solution enables users to connect to the service from any commercial building, regardless of size or type of tenant.

 

Q. As your company is a platinum sponsor of EL Asia 2024, how are you gearing up for this mega event?

ABB is showcasing the latest global technologies and introducing them to India at this year’s ELASIA. This provides the customers the opportunity to physically view the products at the stalls, get answers to their questions, and gain a good understanding of the company and its product offerings. It helps give the customers a walk-through of the product and its operation, with a proper touch and feel helping them visualise their usage within their own projects. They can experience the benefits and unique features in real time through exciting product demonstrations. This mega event also helps enhance the visibility, reaching a wide number of existing and prospective Customers.

 

Q. As your technology and innovations are evolving every time, what have been the strategies, priorities & key challenges your company has come across?

ABB has a proud history of technological innovation and just to mention we are celebrating 100 years of our invention of Miniature Circuit Breaker (MCB). We have not only pioneered but also innovated several automated technologies and maintained our market leadership. Sustainability is one of our top priorities, as it will play a pivotal role in the overall development of the industry & help align them to the future of circularity. Smart Applications are becoming more and more of an economic necessity, as they optimize resource utilization, and there will be a significant shift in the way buildings industry operates in the future. At ABB, we are heavily focused on technological advancements. We offer a wide variety of energy management solutions that are scalable for automation and energy control, no matter the size of the application. The Customer is at the core of all our innovation strategies and as technology evolves, we will continue to remain a strong partner on this journey towards Safe, Smart & Sustainable use of energy. 

MR. DEENATHAYALAN KG - CMO

( FUJI ELECTRIC INDIA )

"Our strategic roadmap focuses on developing local capabilities and resources “In India - For India,” driving our operations in the upcoming years. This includes expansion of manufacturing facilities in Chennai and Pune by adding over 150,000 sq.ft. of space to enhance production of UPS, AC Drives, and Instrumentation products, meeting the rising demand in India."

 

Q. Will you explain to us about your company, Fuji Electric, and the areas in which it operates?

Fuji Electric India, a subsidiary of Fuji Electric Co., has a significant presence in the Indian market, offering a range of products and solutions in the energy and automation sectors. Our core areas of expertise include power backup and conditioning solutions, power electronics, industrial automation, and instrumentation solutions. We provide uninterruptible power supply (UPS), voltage stabilizers, active harmonic filters, power distribution units (PDUs), and energy storage systems to ensure uninterrupted power supply and enhance power quality across various industries. Additionally, our products like variable frequency drives (VFDs), programmable logic controllers (PLCs), human-machine interfaces (HMIs), and servo drive systems enable efficient factory and process automation for increased productivity. We also offer instrumentation solutions such as flow meters, pressure transmitters, and gas analyzers, enhancing operational efficiency in diverse applications. Through these offerings, Fuji Electric India is dedicated to addressing the evolving energy needs of the Indian market with reliability, innovation, and sustainability. 

 

Q. As Fuji Electric is going to establish themselves as a leader in the lift and escalator industry in the coming years, what is going to be the objective of the company in this regard?

Yes, we are very much dedicated and poised to lead the Lift & Escalator segment across India in the coming decade. Our objective is clear: to redefine industry standards through a focus on energy and automation efficiency, safety, and topnotch service. Our products, including the FRENICLift Series of exclusive AC Drives used in elevators and escalators, represent our commitment to sustainability and innovation, designed to reduce energy consumption while delivering optimal performance. Safety is at the core of our design philosophy, with advanced features integrated into every product to ensure the utmost protection for passengers and operators. Moreover, our service excellence extends beyond the sale, with a dedicated team of experienced engineers providing exceptional after-sales support. The FRENICLift Series exemplifies this commitment, offering lower torque ripple, superior performance, and easy installation while meeting rigorous safety standards such as EN81-20 certification. With this strategic vision and innovative approach, Fuji Electric is set to lead the way in shaping the future of the Lift & Escalator industry

 

Q. Can you briefly describe the company’s products and services of the energy business unit?

Our energy BU boasts a comprehensive range of power backup products designed to meet the diverse needs of the Indian market. Our lineup includes Line Interactive UPS, Single-Phase UPS, and Three-Phase UPS systems, offering reliable and efficient power protection from 600VA to 6400kVA designed for various industrial applications. In addition to online UPS solutions, we also have Solar Inverters and PCS systems that harness renewable energy sources for sustainable power generation. Our Power Conditioning Solutions ensure clean and stable power delivery, enhancing equipment longevity and performance. We also have static transfer switches and power distribution units for seamless power transfer and distribution, including advanced models with user-selectable parameters and DSP control. These solutions are designed to meet specific operational requirements and ensure exceptional performance and reliability. We recognize the demand for efficient infrastructure and provide intelligent power distribution units (PDU) tailored to modern buildings and data centers. These offerings demonstrate Fuji Electric’s commitment to delivering innovative products that optimize power management and support sustainable energy practices.

 

Q. Would you shed light on the services and products offered by the company in the automation vertical?

With over 100 years of innovation in the automation sector, we are leading the way, leveraging our core strengths in power semiconductor and electronics technologies. Our offerings in this domain encompass a diverse range of products and services tailored to meet the evolving needs of industries. These include Drive and Control systems, Motion Control solutions, Instrumentation, Process Automation, Electrical Distribution & Control systems, and cuttingedge Power Semiconductors. Our commitment to excellence is reflected in our comprehensive suite of offerings, underpinned by robust engineering services, advanced control technologies, and integration with IoT, ensuring seamless operations and enhanced efficiency for our clients. Our solutions are designed to optimize performance and contribute to sustainable practices, aligning with global initiatives for a greener and more efficient future.

 

Q. What will be the driving forces in the next few years, since your company strengthens its R&D capability in India to develop products “in India for India?”

Our strategic roadmap focuses on developing local capabilities and resources “In India - For India,” driving our operations in the upcoming years. This includes expansion of manufacturing facilities in Chennai and Pune by adding over 150,000 sq.ft. of space to enhance production of UPS, AC Drives, and Instrumentation products, meeting the rising demand in India. We are also strengthening our R&D capabilities in Pune for UPS, Solar, and Energy Storage Systems and in Chennai for AC Drives, aligning with its goal to develop products tailored for the Indian market. Fuji Electric India is also implementing advanced testing technologies like HILS (Hardware-in-theloop simulators) to validate product performance under real-life conditions, ensuring high quality and reliability. Collaborative efforts with experts and investments in training further reinforce the company’s commitment to meeting global quality standards while addressing India’s specific market needs. These driving forces will propel our growth trajectory by delivering innovative solutions that cater to the evolving demands of its customers.

 

Q. What expectations do the company’s clients have as it prepares to attend the upcoming mega event, EL Asia 2024?

We recognize the significance of participating in the exhibitions ELAsia 2024. This exhibition provides a valuable platform for showcasing our products and services in the electrical, electronics, lighting, and power sectors. We aim to utilize this opportunity to meet experts, institutions, and professionals in one place, allowing us to present our solutions to a wider audience. We also looking forward to forming new partnerships and expanding our clientele. Additionally, we look forward to enhancing our brand awareness, interacting face-to-face with our target audience, and strengthening our presence in the market.

 

Q. What are the objectives and prospects of the company for the future?

Our aggressive growth plan focuses on becoming India’s leading Energy and Automation solutions provider. By launching innovative products and solutions, expanding our sales reach, and enhancing our manpower resources, R&D, and manufacturing capabilities in India, we aim to achieve our Vision: To become the premier, preferred, and leading Energy & Automation solutions provider. Our roadmap, Fuji Electric mid term plan for India, is to support this vision by developing local capabilities and manpower resources, ensuring that our offerings are tailored to meet the specific needs of the Indian market. We are committed to achieving sustainable growth, delivering value to our shareholders, ensuring the well-being of our employees, and contributing to the realization of a sustainable society. We appreciate the continued support of all our stakeholders as we work towards these objectives. 

MR. CYRIL PEREIRA - MANAGING DIRECTOR

( TRIUNE EXHIBITORS PVT. LTD )

"Triune Exhibitors Pvt. Ltd., established two decades ago in 2000 and headquartered in Bangalore, boasts an impressive 25-year track record of organizing over 58 highly successful Industrial Trade Fairs across India. With a core team of seasoned experts at the helm, Triune has risen as a prominent figure in the development of International Trade Fairs within India."

 

Q. Could you briefly introduce your company, Triune Exhibitors, and what have been the statuses of events that have been organised?

Triune Exhibitors Pvt. Ltd., is a two-decade old company formed in the year 2000, head quartered at Bangalore and with 25 years of experience & expertise in organizing over 58 highly successful Industrial Trade Fairs in India. Masterminded by core team of experts, the group has emerged as a leading name for development of International Trade Fairs in India. Triune’s events are at the forefront of their fields, combining market expertise and professionalism with dynamism and creativity to deliver real business benefits for all participants. A strong network and excellent relationship with Government Bodies and Trade Associations like PMMAI (Plastics Machinery Manufacturers Association of India), ELCA (Electrical Consultants Association of India), COSMA (Control Panel & Switchgear Manufacturers Association), LUB (Laghu Udyog Bharati – Karnataka Chapter), MESBAI (Military Engineering services Builders Association of India) to name a few add to the growing success of Triune by organizing World Class Trade Fairs.

 

Q. As the 10th edition of ELASIA is going to happen soon, how much preparations have you and your team done for this mega event?

For us, the real success of an exhibition is when the right kind of exhibitors and visitors come and there is a harmonious marriage of buyers and sellers. Merely having a house full of exhibitors or a large number of visitors is not success for us. So, we always ensure that we bring in quality visitors for the exhibition. To ensure that happens, we have various promotional activities so that we can create the right awareness amongst the visitors. Additionally, we also participate in several national and international exhibitions to connect with the right people. We also ensure that we partake in industry-related conferences and create awareness about ELASIA. We also make use of digital marketing as that’s the way to go. That apart, we also do a lot of industryspecific marketing at various industry-related events so that we can create more awareness about ELASIA in a more targeted manner.

 

Q. Which companies are supporting the event in this year’s edition?

With over 450+ Companies as on date joining in this edition of ELASIA and still more in the pipeline to participate, the 10th Edition of Elasia will bring in all the leading names of the electrical sector under one roof. Joining hand with ELASIA as Platinum partners are ABB, GM Switches, Havells, LS Electric, Orbit, RR Kabel. As Gold and silver partners we have Chnt, Eleczo, Mohan Exim, OBO, Polycab, Apar, Banavathy, Powermat, Socomec and T-Power.

 

Q. What is going to be new at this event that will attract visitors and exhibitors?

The highlights of 10th Edition of ELASIA will include a number of new product launch by various exhibitors apart from showcasing advancement in automation in the electrical sector. The show will also present an array of new technologies in the ever growing EV sector and host a series of conference in-line with the industry.

 

Q. Will this exhibition become an ideal platform for a maximum showcase of not only cutting-edge products and services but also high-powered products?

One of the primary reasons for organising an exhibition is to ensure that a lot of deals happen between buyers and sellers. And to facilitate that, we ensure a conducive environment. One of the biggest demands from both buyers and sellers is to exhibit and view live products so that they know exactly how they function, and as mentioned, there are going to be several of them this time. Hence ELASIA will be an ideal platform to show case the latest and innovative technologies for focussed business opportunities.

 

Q. What are your expectations for exhibitors, customers, and visitors to make the event more successful this year?

As the Organiser of ELASIA 2024 we have a huge responsibility to ensure the exhibition delivers the need of both the participants and the attendees. This is a huge demand we need to fulfill to ensure that more and more deals happen. We are diligently undertaking every conceivable measure to ensure that we fulfil this demand in the most optimal way.

 

Q. How excited is your team for it, as this event is going to be held again after two years?

Every edition of ELASIA has been witnessing a positive growth in terms of the number of exhibitors and visitors and our team has always strived to achieve the set targets successfully. The team is now looking forward to deliver yet another successful edition of ELASIA and leave no stone unturned to ensure higher success in all the future editions to follow.

 

Q. Which new companies are going to participate this time since it is going to be the biggest event in the electrical industry?

We at Triune Exhibitors have always ensured that new participants in each edition add more fervour to the show and the 10th edition this year will also showcase over 100 new exhibitors and to name a few we have OBO Betterman, Delta Electronics, BCH Electric, Powercam Electricals, HPL Electric & Power, Easun MR, LAP India and more. 

MR. PANKAJ JAISWAL - CEO

( FLUENTGRID LIMITED )

"Fluentgrid’s vision to impact a billion lives by 2030 through an integrated approach focused on smart and sustainable solutions across energy, utilities, and smart infrastructure sectors. Our approach involves leveraging cutting-edge technologies like smart grids, IoT, and AI to optimize energy distribution globally, minimize waste, and bolster service reliability."

 

Q. Can you provide an overview of Fluentgrid Limited’s mission and how the company is contributing to the global movement towards smart grids and smarter cities?

Fluentgrid Limited, established in 1998, specializes in software products and solutions for Power, Water, Gas Utilities, and Smart Cities. Our mission is to alleviate utilities’ challenges, particularly on the revenue and customer fronts, by leveraging technology. Collaborating with domestic and international power utilities, we’ve delivered impactful results, reducing losses, enhancing consumer engagement, and refining operational efficiency through seamless integration. A pivotal achievement was deploying our billing and customer care product, Fluentgrid CIS, on cloud for North India DISCOMs, serving approximately 23 million consumers—the world’s largest such deployment. This initiative introduced an innovative OPEX business model for utility CIS projects in India and set numerous benchmarks. Progressing along the utility solutions value chain, we pioneered smart metering and smart grid solutions. Our Fluentgrid AMI suite contributed significantly to India’s universal smart prepaid metering initiative, deploying 250 million smart meters nationwide. With our advanced UHES and MDMS products, we stand poised to support utilities in maximizing the benefits of this initiative. Leveraging IoT and Analytics capabilities, we developed Actilligence, an Integrated Operations Center platform deployed in smart cities like Visakhapatnam, Kochi, Lucknow, and Bengaluru. Expanding its reach into power utilities and beyond is our ongoing focus. Internationally recognized, our software products feature in research reports and market guides by esteemed firms like Gartner, Frost & Sullivan, Berg Insight and Guidehouse reports. With a global presence across 10 countries, serving over 50+ Utilities & Cities and impacting over 100 million consumers, we’ve established a significant footprint. As a CMMi Level5 company with offices in India, Singapore, and the USA, we’re committed to the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), dedicated to fostering a sustainable future. Our vision is continuous innovation and collaboration to propel the global evolution towards smarter, more efficient utilities and cities.

 

Q. Can you elaborate on Fluentgrid’s utility billing and customer service solution? How does it address revenue losses and improve efficiency for utilities?

Fluentgrid’s CIS (Customer Information System) and CRM (Customer Relationship Management) solutions are purpose-built for utility companies, streamlining billing and customer service operations. CIS efficiently manages customer data, billing cycles, and revenue tracking, while CRM focuses on complaint resolution, service orders, and customer communication. These solutions combat revenue losses by ensuring precise billing and payment management. CIS minimizes errors in billing and meter readings, effectively reducing revenue leakage. It also facilitates timely payment tracking, curtailing overdue accounts and potential losses.

Moreover, robust fraud detection capabilities offer protection against revenue loss arising from fraudulent activities. Enhanced efficiency stems from streamlined operations and elevated customer service standards. Automation in billing processes, meter readings, and service requests minimizes manual errors, heightening overall operational efficiency. Fluentgrid’s CRM functionalities expedite complaint resolution, enhancing customer satisfaction and decreasing service-related issues. Comprehensive data analytics empower utilities to make informed decisions, optimizing service offerings and resource allocation, further amplifying efficiency. Fluentgrid’s integrated solutions empower utilities to effectively manage customer-related operations, heighten revenue collection accuracy, and boost overall operational efficiency, ultimately contributing to superior service delivery and heightened customer satisfaction. Our CIS/CRM suite has aided numerous utilities in India and overseas, serving millions of consumers, in streamlining commercial processes and reducing revenue losses. Notably, our nationwide CIS deployments across Asia, Africa, and Europe showcase our commitment. One remarkable achievement was the swift implementation of Fluentgrid CIS® for four power utilities in North India, serving around 23 million consumers in a groundbreaking zero capex cloud SaaS project, completed in nine months. This pioneering initiative has become a global case study, inspiring emulation by other utilities worldwide.

 

Q. How does Fluentgrid Actilligence™, the technology platform, enhance the capabilities of the Integrated Operations Center?

Fluentgrid Actilligence™, as a technology platform, significantly enhances the capabilities of Integrated Operations Centers (IOCs) by amalgamating diverse smart city elements and utilizing the power of AI/ML. Its prowess lies in enabling seamless digital transformation within these command centers, fostering sustainable and efficient city management. The platform’s AI/ML capabilities empower IOCs by analyzing vast datasets from various city systems, extracting valuable insights, and converting them into actionable intelligence. This functionality aids in making informed decisions that improve city livability while ensuring sustainability. What sets Actilligence apart is its adaptability. While initially tailored for smart cities, its versatility allows implementation in other sectors like Power, Water, Gas Utilities, Sea Ports, Airports, Healthcare, Manufacturing, and more. The platform streamlines centralized operations, simplifying the setup of command and control centers across diverse domains. Notably, Actilligence has already demonstrated its efficacy in smart cities like Visakhapatnam, Lucknow, and Kochi, with implementation at Bengaluru about to go live. Moreover, collaborations with entities such as NTPC, Kahramaa in Qatar, and exploration of new domains signify its potential for broader application and impact across industries worldwide. We are leveraging our Actilligence® platform to establish centralized command and control centers that provide real-time situational awareness by integrating all the city devices and systems. We help them stay connected with citizens through omnichannel engagement. These are the foundational digital transformation projects for a smart city, setting the stage for IoT and AI-led transition to an intelligent, autonomous city of future.

 

Q.What role does Fluentgrid Utility Operations Center (UOC) play in providing real-time situational intelligence to utilities?

Fluentgrid Utility Operations Center (UOC) serves as a pivotal hub for utilities, leveraging the Actilligence platform to deliver real-time situational intelligence. Its primary role lies in consolidating and analyzing diverse data sources from utility infrastructure, enabling informed decision-making through centralized command and control mechanisms. One key function involves centralized surveillance utilizing advanced video analytics, ensuring enhanced monitoring and security for utility assets. Additionally, the incorporation of computer-aided dispatch facilitates efficient response coordination. The integration of MWM (Mobile Workforce Management) further enhances monitoring capabilities, optimizing resource allocation and operational efficiency. Crucially, Fluentgrid UOC excels in fostering consumer engagement through omnichannel interfaces. This feature enables utilities to stay connected with consumers, enhancing service delivery, and fostering a customer-centric approach. Overall, Fluentgrid UOC stands out as a pioneering system for utilities by offering a comprehensive suite of functionalities, from real-time surveillance to consumer engagement. Its ability to aggregate, analyze, and present data empowers utilities with actionable insights, fostering agility, and informed decision-making in managing their operations effectively.

 

Q. How does Fluentgrid envision touching a billion lives by 2030 with smarter and sustainable solutions?

Fluentgrid’s vision to impact a billion lives by 2030 through an integrated approach focused on smart and sustainable solutions across energy, utilities, and smart infrastructure sectors. Our approach involves leveraging cutting-edge technologies like smart grids, IoT, and AI to optimize energy distribution globally, minimize waste, and bolster service reliability. Collaborating with governments, utility providers, and communities worldwide, Fluentgrid plans to deploy customized solutions and forge partnerships for knowledge exchange and pilot initiatives. Our aim is to initiate extensive community outreach and educational programs, empowering consumers to make informed choices about energy consumption and conservation. Fluentgrid is committed to expediting the adoption of renewable energy sources by seamlessly integrating them into existing infrastructures. Critical to their mission is ensuring that their solutions remain affordable and accessible, particularly in developing regions. Driven by data-driven insights, continuous innovation, and a steadfast commitment to sustainability, Fluentgrid envisions a future where their smarter, sustainable solutions positively transform and uplift the lives of a billion individuals across the globe by 2030.

 

Q. How has your company prepared for participating in DistribuElec, considering the range of products and technologies showcased at the event?

Fluentgrid Limited has meticulously prepared for Distribuelec Buildelec Intelect 2024 by showcasing a comprehensive range of cutting-edge products and technologies like AMI, UHES, MDMS, SMOC, RF, Substation Monitoring, OMS and more at Stall #H3D14 in the DistribuElec and Buildelec Hall, Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai, from January 16th to 18th, 2024. We invite all to experience our innovative solutions firsthand. Our team is excited to engage with visitors, offering insights into our advanced offerings tailored to revolutionize the energy sector. Meet us to explore how our solutions contribute to shaping the future of the Energy and Utilities industry. For more inf

MR. R. PRAKASH - VICE PRESIDENT

( EASUN - MR TAP CHANGERS (P) LTD. )

"Easun MR primarily focuses on providing high-quality transformer ancillaries to meet the diverse needs of the power transformer industry and utilities. Their main objective is to deliver efficient and reliable voltage regulation solutions through their core product, On-Load Tap Changers (OLTCs)."

 

Q. Can you tell us briefly about your company, EASUR MR?

Imagine Easun MR as the rockstars of On-Load Tap Changers (OLTCs) for power transformers! We’ve been in the game for over 50 years, teaming up with the German tech giants at Maschinenfabrik Reinhausen to craft the most reliable and innovative OLTCs. We’re not just India’s leading manufacturer, we’re a trusted partner for major utilities and manufacturers worldwide, all thanks to our dedication to quality, sustainability, and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with this tech. Think cutting-edge solutions, rock-solid reliability, and a global reach. So, if you’re looking for the best in the business, Easun MR is the brand you want on stage for your power transformer needs!

 

Q. What is the main objective of your company?

Easun MR primarily focuses on providing highquality transformer ancillaries to meet the diverse needs of the power transformer industry and utilities. Our main objective is to deliver efficient and reliable voltage regulation solutions through our core product, On-Load Tap Changers (OLTCs).

 

Q. As a leading player of electromechanical control systems for power transformers, where do you see your company heading in the next few years?

Focus on smart grid functionalities: Integrating intelligence into OLTCs for real-time data monitoring, predictive maintenance, and grid optimization. Global expansion: Strengthen presence in existing markets and enter new territories, leveraging partnerships and strategic acquisitions. Develop eco-friendly OLTCs: Reduce carbon footprint through material choices, manufacturing processes, and optimized energy consumption.

 

Q. In the decades of experience in manufacturing, designing, and supplying OLTC, what kind of reputation has the company earned as the most reliable player in this field?

Easun MR’s reputation as a reliable OLTC manufacturer is not merely a claim, but a testament to our unwavering commitment to quality, innovation, and customer satisfaction. We have consistently delivered on our promises for over five decades, solidifying our position as a trusted partner in the power transformer industry.

 

Q. Would you elaborate on the company’s NIFPS, Smart Breather, FRP Products, Oil Filter Unit, and other products?

Certainly! Let’s delve deeper into Easun MR’s other offerings beyond On-Load Tap Changers (OLTCs):

NIFPS: Nitrogen Injection Fire prevention and extinguishing system is a sophisticated system designed to protect transformers from the risk of fire and explosion, both internally and externally.

Smart Breather: Think of the Smart Breather as a guardian of your transformer’s health. It’s a sophisticated breather system that eliminates moisture and harmful gases from the transformer oil, preventing internal corrosion and ensuring optimal oil quality. This translates to enhanced transformer performance, reliability, and extended life.

FRP (Fiber-Reinforced Plastic) Products: Lightweight yet robust, FRP products replace traditional metal components in transformers. They offer numerous advantages like enhanced corrosion resistance, reduced weight, and better insulation properties. Easun MR’s FRP expertise extends to bushings, tap changer covers, and other crucial transformer components.

Oil Filter Unit: This is like a spa for your transformer oil. The Oil Filter Unit effectively removes impurities and contaminants from the oil, maintaining its purity and extending its lifespan. This ensures smooth transformer operation, minimizes wear and tear, and contributes to optimal efficiency. DCRM (Dynamic Contact Resistance Measurement): Provides comprehensive monitoring and control of the transformer’s vital parameters.

Oil Surge Relay: Protects the OLTC from sudden oil pressure surges. Motor Drive Unit: Optimizes tap changer operation and ensures smooth voltage regulation.

 

Q. Can you shed light on the training, retrofit, transformer service & diagnostics, and many other services of your company?

Absolutely! Easun MR doesn’t just manufacture top-notch transformer components; we take our commitment to serving the industry a step further with a wide range of comprehensive services:

Training: Investing in knowledge is key, and Easun MR recognizes that. We offer a variety of training programs tailored to different skill levels and needs. From basic maintenance training for technicians to advanced courses on OLTC design and operation for engineers, we equip professionals with the knowledge and skills to confidently and effectively manage their transformers.

Retrofit: Not all transformers need replacing. Sometimes, a strategic upgrade can breathe new life into your existing equipment. Easun MR specializes in transformer retrofits, replacing crucial components like OLTCs with their cutting-edge solutions. This not only saves you money compared to buying a new transformer but also extends the lifespan of your existing equipment, adding years of reliable operation.

Transformer Service & Diagnostics: Easun MR offers a range of diagnostic and maintenance services to keep your equipment healthy and running smoothly. From oil analysis and vibration monitoring to comprehensive inspections and repairs, we identify potential issues and address them before they turn into costly problems. Easun MR’s service portfolio extends beyond these core areas to encompass even more ways to support your transformer needs:

Spare Parts: Ensure you have the necessary parts readily available with their extensive inventory of genuine spares for Easun MR and other transformer brands. On-site Solutions: Don’t let logistics slow you down. Easun MR can dispatch a team of experienced technicians to your site for convenient and efficient service.

24/7 Support: Emergencies don’t keep office hours. Easun MR’s dedicated support team is available around the clock to assist you with any urgent queries or technical issues. By offering these diverse services, Easun MR goes beyond being just a supplier; we become a trusted partner in your transformer lifecycle management. We help you optimize performance, extend equipment life, and ensure reliable power through every step of the way.

 

Q. In the upcoming few years, what will be the goals and vision of your company?

Easun MR’s goals and vision for the next few years are likely to be multifaceted, encompassing aspects of technological advancement, industry leadership, and social impact. Our future goals and vision will be shaped by a combination of these factors. Our commitment to innovation, industry leadership, and social impact is likely to remain at the core of our strategy, guiding us toward a successful and sustainable future.

 

Q. What are the future plans and challenges of your company?

Easun MR: Future Plans Tech Dominance: Next-gen OLTCs, smart grids. Expand Horizons: New products, new markets, research partnerships. Social Impact: Sustainability, energy access, grid resilience. Challenges: Competition, cybersecurity, renewables, skilled workforce. Easun MR aims for tech leadership, global reach, and positive impact while navigating a competitive and evolving landscape. EM

MR. MANISH TAPASE - BUSINESS UNIT HEAD- INSTRUMENTATION

( FUJI ELECTRIC INDIA PVT. LTD. )

Q. Please talk about Fuji’s Instrumentation Division and its primary areas of expertise within the instrumentation industry.

Fuji Electrical has a global reputation for its expertise in instrumentation and cutting-edge technologies. Our primary focus is serving various sectors, including oil and gas, fertiliser, power generation, and petrochemical industries. Additionally, we are expanding our presence into the broader utility sector. These represent the primary industries that Fuji is actively exploring.

 

Q. What key technologies and products distinguish the Fuji Instrumentation Division in the market?

We offer a diverse range of products across three to four distinct segments. These include Pressure Transmitters, Gas analyzers, and Ultrasonic flow Transmitters, PID controllers. Our line of analyzer products is particularly robust, enabling us to effectively measure various critical parameters such as Sox, NOx, CO2, and O2 that are essential in the same industries. Our ultimate goal is to contribute to a healthier environment by precisely measuring these parameters and transmitting the data to pollution control authorities. This, in turn, ensures accurate data collection, thereby supporting our aim of promoting a sustainable environment.

 

Q. What are the major sectors to which Fuji instrumentation caters?

Our primary focus lies within the oil and gas, petrochemical, refinery, and fertiliser power sectors. We have established a strong presence in these industries by acquiring a comprehensive product line, obtaining necessary certifications, and offering valuable solutions tailored to these segments.

 

Q. How does Fuji ensure the reliability and precision of its instrumentation products?

Fuji is renowned for the dependability and excellence of its products, with a nearly century-long legacy in the field of instrumentation. Fortunately, 2023 marks Fuji’s centenary in the instrumentation and Fuji Electric product industry. Throughout these years, we have played a significant role in developing cutting-edge products and advanced technologies. We have consistently expanded our product range to cater to the market’s evolving needs. For instance, we have pioneered research and development in hydrogen application security, including developing gold-plated diaphragms for hydrogen-related applications. Our innovations have often set the benchmark in the industry, with competitors and suppliers following our lead. Consequently, with nearly a century of experience, we have a rich history of delivering well-researched and wellorganised instrumentation products.

 

Q. How does efficiency in instrumentation assess the automation of the system?

Efficiency has consistently remained a critical criterion for instrumentation. Instrumentation’s essence lies in achieving 100 percent availability of process parameters, and we specialise in delivering highly precise solutions. These precision solutions ultimately guarantee optimal efficiency, ensuring product parameters are available 100 percent for various industry verticals.

 

Q. How does efficiency help the automation of the system?

When I mention automation, it involves optimizing all aspects of your processes, from measuring to controlling parameters, and this parameterization is happening only with efficiency. Efficiency is a crucial factor, and over the years, customers have chosen Fuji products and trusted them because of our high level of efficiency and reliability.

 

Q. In the context of globalisation, how does Fuji’s instrumentation division adapt to meet the unique requirements and standards of various regions and industries?

In today’s era of globalisation, the focus has shifted towards initiatives like achieving zero carbon footprints and Net Zero objectives. Two key areas stand out within these initiatives: Smart Water and Smart Energy. Fuji is well-equipped with a comprehensive range of products and solutions for smart energy, contributing to reducing carbon emissions worldwide. The world emphasises the Smart Water Initiative, which aims to provide sustainable and clean water access. It also ensures the long-term utilisation of water resources, and Fuji plays a pivotal role in assisting water industries. We do so by ensuring accurate and efficient measurements, with our reliable product line comprising Pressure & Flow measurement and solutions supporting the responsible and sustainable management of these vital resources.

 

Q. What is Fuji Instrumentation’s presence in the automotive sector?

We have a significant presence in the automotive sector, offering a comprehensive product line that includes UPS systems, drives, and field instrumentation. One notable addition to our product portfolio is the S-Flow Ultrasonic Flow meter, which has proven highly valuable in the automotive industry. This meter finds applications in pre-delivery inspections (PDIs), where precise fuel measurement, such as for petrol and diesel, is critical. We’ve received positive feedback and interest from companies like Honda and FIAT, indicating a promising future in the automotive sector. Looking ahead, India’s automotive industry is flourishing, with a dual focus on traditional vehicles and the emerging electric vehicle market. We’re actively engaged in both segments. In the EV sector, we’ve introduced a range of semiconductor products that facilitate and support the industry’s growth, helping businesses go a long way in this dynamic market.

MR. VINAY RATHI - DIRECTOR

( GLOSTER CABLES LIMITED )

Q. Can you explain GCL’s current strategies for maintaining its status as a well-known and trusted brand in the power cable segment?

To maintain a well-known and trusted brand in the power cable segment we are practising the followings:

1. Ensuring top-notch product quality and compliance.

2. Innovate with technology and sustainability.

3. Educate customers and offer excellent support.

4. Actively seek and act on customer feedback.

5. Maintain a strong distribution network.

6. Uphold brand values and engage in CSR.

7. Be responsive in crisis situations.

8. Train and engage employees in brand commitment.

 

Q. What makes GCL’s Fire Survival Cables unique in terms of fire resistance and safety features?

Gloster manufactures a wide range of fire-safe or cables with limited integrity based on various international construction standards and as well as testing standards We offer these type of cables with both Copper & Aluminium conductor, although as per the available standards, copper conductor is only specified for use. We have achieved a certain degree of expertise in using Aluminium conductors and we are therefore able to offer flame temperatures more than the aluminium melting point

 

Q. What is the significance of the Triple Extrusion Technology used in GCL’s Domestic Wire Segment products?

Triple extrusion technology typically involves the application of three layers of different materials to the wire or cable. This can enhance the insulation properties of the wire, making it more resistant to electrical breakdown and providing better protection against environmental factors. Enhanced insulation and protection can contribute to increased safety in electrical and electronic applications. Wires and cables with superior insulation properties are less likely to short-circuit or malfunction, reducing the risk of fires and electrical hazards.

 

Q. What are the mechanical characteristics of GCL’s Solar Cables?

The mechanical characteristics of solar cables, including those used in photovoltaic (PV) installations, are important for ensuring their durability and performance in various environmental conditions. Some general mechanical characteristics that are typically important for solar cables:

Tensile Strength: Solar cables need to have a high tensile strength to withstand the mechanical stresses they may be subjected to during installation and operation, such as pulling through conduit or exposure to wind and weather.

Flexibility: Solar cables should be flexible enough to facilitate easy installation, especially in situations where they need to be routed around corners or obstacles. UV Resistance: Exposure to sunlight is common for solar cables, so they should be UV resistant to prevent degradation and maintain their electrical insulation properties over time. Abrasion

Resistance: Cables may come into contact with abrasive materials during installation or if they are exposed to moving parts (e.g., when installed on tracking systems). Good abrasion resistance helps prolong cable life.

Flame Resistance: Solar cables should meet fire safety standards and be flame-resistant to reduce the risk of fire in the event of a fault or damage.

Temperature Rating: Solar cables must have a temperature rating suitable for the expected operating conditions. They should be able to withstand both high temperatures near solar panels and low temperatures in cold climates.

Chemical Resistance: Solar cables may be exposed to various chemicals in the environment, so they should be resistant to chemicals that could cause degradation or corrosion.

Water Resistance: Moisture and water ingress can be detrimental to cable performance, so solar cables should have appropriate water-resistant properties.

Impact Resistance: Cables should be able to withstand mechanical impacts without damage.

Bending Radius: There is typically a minimum bending radius specified for solar cables to ensure they are not bent too tightly, which could damage the cable and affect its performance.

It’s important to note that specific cable manufacturers may have their own product lines with varying characteristics, so it’s essential to refer to the product datasheet or technical specifications provided by the manufacturer for detailed information on the mechanical characteristics of a particular solar cable product, such as “GCL’s Solar Cables.” Additionally, standards and regulations may vary by region, so compliance with local electrical codes and safety standards is crucial when selecting and installing solar cables.

 

Q. Can you elaborate on the characteristics of the insulation materials used in GCL’s Domestic Wire Segment products?

Domestic Wires are designed with triple extrusion technology with HR-FRLSH+FRLSH+FRLSH layers.

 

Q. Can you provide details on GCL’s strategies for continuous improvement in human resources efficiency and customer satisfaction?

Continuous Improvement in Human Resources Efficiency: Talent Acquisition and Retention: GCL is focussing on attracting and retaining top talent by offering competitive compensation packages, career development opportunities, and a positive work culture. Training and Development: Investing in employee training and development programs to enhance skills and knowledge, helping employees perform better in their roles and advance within the company. Performance Management: Implemented effective performance management systems to set clear expectations, provide feedback, and conduct regular performance reviews. This can help identify areas for improvement and development. Streamlined Processes: Identified and streamlined HR processes to reduce administrative burdens, such as automating routine tasks like payroll and benefits administration. Employee Engagement: Creating initiatives to boost employee engagement and satisfaction, such as employee wellness programs, feedback mechanisms, and recognition programs. Diversity and Inclusion: Promoting diversity and inclusion within the organization to harness a wide range of perspectives and talents, which can lead to innovation and improved employee satisfaction. Workforce Planning: Ensuring that the workforce is aligned with the company’s strategic goals and future needs. This may involve succession planning and talent forecasting. Continuous Improvement in Customer Satisfaction: Customer Feedback: Regularly soliciting and analysing customer feedback to understand their needs and preferences. This can be done through surveys, focus groups, and direct interactions. Quality Assurance: Ensuring that products or services meet or exceed customer expectations in terms of quality, reliability, and performance. Personalization: Tailoring products and services to individual customer needs and preferences whenever possible. Personalized experiences often lead to higher customer satisfaction. Efficient Customer Service: Providing responsive and efficient customer support, addressing issues and inquiries promptly and professionally. Continuous Product/Service Improvement : Continually refine and enhance products or services based on customer feedback and changing market conditions. Effective Communication: Maintaining clear and transparent communication with customers, keeping them informed about product updates, changes, and other relevant information. Employee Training: Ensuring that employees are well-trained in customer service and understand the importance of customer satisfaction in the company’s success.

 

Q. What is GCL’s target revenue or growth projection for the near future, and how does it plan to achieve this?

Gloster has consistently achieved a remarkable growth rate of 25% CAGR since its inception and harbors ambitious plans to achieve a top-line revenue of Rs 1000 crore in the next two years. Key factors contributing to this growth include major capacity expansion initiatives, improvements in product diversity, an expanded dealer network, strengthened sales force, and successful market penetration into new geographies

MR. AMIT AGARWAL - CHIEF MANAGING DIRECTOR

( ORBIT WIRES AND CABLES CO. LTD. )

Q. What is the core objective of Orbit and which are the specialist segments that your company is successfully focused on?
Orbit Group of Companies is a renowned wiring and cabling solution partner, established in 1996. We have dominated the trade and engineering of wires and cables for over two decades with dynamic and pioneering technology. One of the core purposes of Orbit Wires India Pvt. Ltd. Is to build a long term relationship with people and organizations across the globe. Orbit wires and cables are designed and manufactured by the industry’s best and are continually evolving to stay ahead of market demands. Our trusted products are designed and fabricated with efficiency and focus on the minutiae to ensure a satisfactory experience for every customer. Orbit wires and cables credited to be a one-stop enterprise that manufactures and sells a variety of wiring and cabling solutions of diverse applications.
 
Q. What products and solutions are offered by the company to its customers uniquely than other brands?
Orbit Wires offers a product line which ranges from which include House wiring, Power Cables, Control Cables, Instrumentation Cables, Solar Cables, Welding Cables, Submersible Flat, Round Cables and communication Cables. We focus more on FRLS grade PVC & 99.9% copper purity. These are our best seller equipment - Multi-stranded wires HRFR & Multi-core cables. Orbit Wires India Pvt Ltd is manufacturing at its state-of-the-art Manufacturing facility located in Gujarat, The system of the manufacturing facility are certified under ISO 9001: 2008 IN 2010, and ISO 14001, and the products manufactured meet the relevant national and international specification. Orbit has been tested and certified by leading electrical laboratories all over the country, CPRI, NTH, CETL, and other NABL Accredited labs in India.
 
Q. How are your products changing the scope of work for its customers?
Due to Good quality PVC customers experience more flexibility and easy pulling of cables for laying / Drawing. As an established enterprise we promise to deliver reliable and standard wiring and cabling solutions for your specific needs at a competitive price. Orbit wires company has proactively worked towards creating brand credibility and recognition by maintaining the industry standards of our products.
 
Q. Going forward, what role do you see your organization playing in the future development of the electric and power industry as your company is one leading company in the nation?
Developing cables that meet stringent safety standards and are resistant to various environmental factors (such as extreme temperatures and moisture) would be crucial. Reliable cables would reduce the risk of failures and disruptions in critical infrastructure. We strive to be an innocuous company with safety as our precedence and aim to ultimately have zero accidents. We aspire to be the best cable manufacturer in the country and establish our brand identity through quality product delivery and commitment to customer value. Saving Energy as well as having minimal carbon footprints. Optimize your energy consumption with our high-quality wires and cables.
 
Q. What are the roadblocks in the pathway of India’s Wires and Cables growth trajectory?
Regulatory Challenges: Complex and time-consuming regulatory processes for obtaining permits, clearances, and licenses can hinder the pace of construction projects. Delays in approvals can increase project costs and discourage investment.
 
Q. What are the current market dynamics of the Indian Wires and cables Industry in the global arena?
Production and Consumption: India is one of the world’s largest producers and consumers of steel. The country’s steel production has been steadily increasing due to factors like urbanization, infrastructure development, and industrial growth. The consumption of steel in India is driven by the construction, automotive, and manufacturing sectors.

MR. RAJESH JAYACHANDRAN - NATIONAL SALES MANAGER

( LS ELECTRIC CO. LTD. )

Q. What is the core objective of LS Electric and which are the specialist segments that your company is successfully focused on?
LS Electric’s core objective is to provide innovative and reliable electrical solutions to customers globally. With its branch office in Karnataka, India, the company is specifically focused on serving the needs of the rapidly growing Indian market. LS Electric has successfully specialized in medium and low-voltage switchgear, motor control centers, and automation solutions, catering to industries that require efficient and advanced electrical systems.
 
Q. What products and solutions are offered by the company in this space uniquely than other brands?
In the competitive Indian market, LS Electric stands out by offering unique products like the DC Switch Disconnector. This innovative solution addresses the specific needs of applications such as photovoltaic systems, electric vehicles, and data centres, where disconnecting DC circuits safely and effectively is crucial. This demonstrates LS Electric’s commitment to providing tailored solutions that cater to India’s evolving energy demands.
 
Q. How are Automation charging the infrastructure of India?
Automation is playing a significant role in charging the infrastructure of India by revolutionizing various sectors and enhancing their efficiency, reliability, and sustainability. LS Electric’s advanced automation solutions play a pivotal role in charging India’s infrastructure development. By incorporating intelligent control and monitoring systems, LS Electric helps enhance the efficiency and reliability of energy distribution, and manufacturing processes. This aligns with India’s drive towards a technologically advanced and efficient infrastructure.
Going forward, what role do you see your organization playing in the future development of the electric and power industry as your company is one leading company! As LS Electric continues to expand its presence in India and other markets, the company’s role in the electric and power industry will be pivotal. By providing innovative solutions, such as its DC Switch Disconnector, and focusing on renewable energy support, LS Electric aims to contribute significantly to India’s sustainable energy transition and reinforce its position as a key player in shaping the electrical industry’s future.
 
Q. What are the roadblocks in the pathway of Smart Power Solutions market in India?
The smart power solutions market in India faces challenges, including infrastructure development and high competition. LS Electric is well-prepared to address these roadblocks through its commitment to innovation and customer service. By offering unique solutions and continuously improving its products, LS Electric can provide value that sets it apart in a crowded market.
 
Q. How LS Power is matching up to the growing demand for energy? 
LS Electric’s dedication to supporting the growth of renewable energy aligns with the increasing demand for sustainable solutions. By focusing on Energy-efficient products and renewable integration technologies, the company can effectively contribute to India’s efforts to meet its energy demands while minimizing environmental impact.
 
Q. What are the emerging trends in smart power solutions and smart automation solutions?
Emerging trends in smart power solutions and automation, such as IoT, AI, and data analytics, are areas where LS Electric can innovate further. By embracing these trends, the company can develop solutions that enable predictive maintenance, real-time monitoring, and better decision-making for customers, solidifying its position as an industry leader.
 
Q. How LS Power is going to innovate in the upcoming years to match the demand of the Market?
LS Electric’s commitment to innovation and customer service will drive its future success. By continuously improving products and providing exceptional support, the company can differentiate itself in a competitive market. Staying ahead of technological advancements and addressing customer needs will be key to maintaining its leadership role.
 
Q. What are the company’s hopes for the second quarter of the 2023?
For the second quarter of 2023, LS Electric’s hopes likely revolve around successfully launching and establishing its warehouse for the Indian market. The company aims to see positive market reception and uptake of this innovative product, along with continued growth in its Indian operations, reinforced customer relationships, and advancements in its broader range of electrical solutions.

MR. NITHEEN C NATARAJA - DIRECTOR - SALES & MARKETING

( CHINT INDIA ENERGY SOLUTION PVT. LTD. )

Q. CHINT built an intelligent manufacturing system with the help of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), Could you brief our readers about this technology?
CHINT Response: Intelligent manufacturing is widely used in digital economy like online healthcare and education. It also plays a key part in CHINT’s production capacity and order delivery efficiency. As a smart energy solution provider, CHINT leverages intelligent manufacturing and digital technology through ‘One Cloud & Two Nets’ as business strategy. As the platform of intelligent technology and data application, CHINT Cloud fulfills digital applications and services both internal and external. Based on the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), CHINT built an intelligent manufacturing system and realizes intelligent applications in electrical industry. Relying on the Energy Internet of Things (EIoT), CHINT built its smart energy system and develops the regional EIoT mode.
 
Q. Could you let us know about your business development to a wide range of areas? What hurdles have you faced during business expansion?
CHINT Response: India is the world’s third-largest electricity producer and fourth largest electricity consumer. CHINT has recently carried out a brand awareness program for Indian market, “Power for Empower”, for highly secured & technical products. This activity is focusing on electrical market to conduct research, display cutting-edge products and develop cooperative distributors. CHINT also unveiled its new Indian market strategy through warehouse establishment that enabled firm support for its customers and strengthen local retail network.
 
Q. How do you envision growth for your company for the next decade?
CHINT Response: India will be the manufacturing and supply center, product and marketing center, and after-sales and customer service center for global market in CHINT’s future blueprint. CHINT always has its long-term vision towards India market with development plans in stages. Started with Localto- Local supply & then eventually India will turn out to be supply center for neighboring APAC countries. CHINT has its major focus on localisation and creating values to our customers by setting up local supply chain centers in India.
 
Q. Which new product are you working on?
CHINT Response: CHINT being a global player really looking at the futuristic solution in a significant step towards addressing climate change and promoting sustainable finance, Ms. Lily Zhang, President of CHINT Global, participated in the UN Global Compact CEO Roundtable on “Corporate Action on Climate and Sustainable Finance.” The roundtable was a part of the official agenda during the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations’ visit to China. CHINT Global specializes in providing professional solutions and services in the electric power and new energy sectors. As a participant in the UN Global Compact, CHINT’s commitment to sustainable development aligns perfectly with the theme of the conference. CHINT’s sustainable development practices have reached more than 140 countries and regions worldwide. The company has been recognized for its commitment and achievements, receiving prestigious awards such as “SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) Pioneer Enterprise,” “Global Partnerships,” and “Best Practices in Countries Along the Belt and Road Initiative.” The company’s continuous efforts to promote green energy, intelligent electrical solutions, and low-carbon innovation have contributed significantly to mitigating climate change.
 
Q. What CHINT is advancing to the future of Industrial automation?
CHINT Response: CHINT automation solution is packed with analog and digital I/O in a compact package. Its powerful processor provides fast I/O handling and logic control. It is a market-proved advanced product and widely used in various industrial process automation and machinery in water treatment, petrochemical, power station, heating, metallurgy, etc. This can increase reliability, system stability and performance, minimizing the need for human operators and the chances of human error.
 
Q. According to you, how Automation is rising in India and how it will impact the future in a positive way?
CHINT Response: Automation is the need of the hour in today’s fastest-growing business in India. As more companies adopt automation technology, they can streamline their processes and reduce the time required for manual labour. This will result in faster production times, higher quality products, and ultimately greater profitability.
Automation is seen as a major factor in India’s economic development. The country is currently at the forefront of technology and innovation, with several industries & infrastructure projects are being increasingly automated. On a long term basis, automation helps human race in reducing the repetitive type work and concentrate more on the creative jobs to add more value in the developing industrial revolutions.
 
Q. Which new model have you launched in circuit breaker? What are the key features of the new model?
CHINT Response: CHINT has always been committed to providing customers with superior products and solutions. To meet the customers, demand for higher performance in photovoltaic power generation and energy storage application, NM8N HV series moulded case circuit breaker have been developed which can operate up to rated voltage of 1150V AC with a maximum insulation voltage up to 1250V AC. With double make & break mechanism, NM8N HV can reliably protect electrical circuit systems by eliminating the occurrence of short-circuit currents within the system. The ultimate short-circuit breaking capacity of this Product is 50kA at AC800V. NM8N HV series has been made the design of the arc extinguishing system more effectively. The complete specification of the Product can realize the breaking of circuit system with zero arcing with compact installation space of cabinet.
 
Q. What are the key features of Chint NXC AC Contactor? How is it different from Chint NC1 AC Contactor?
CHINT Response: The new NXC AC contactors feature a novel appearance and a compact structure. They are mainly used for frequent starts and control of AC motors as well as remote circuit making /breaking. They can also be combined with appropriate thermal overload relays to form electromagnetic starters. NXC contactors are more adaptable to wide ambient temperature ranges, also reliable with voltage fluctuations and carry wide band coils. The electrical & mechanical endurance are comparatively higher than NC1 series. These technical enhancements makes it more suitable for various critical applications such as irrigation / agriculture, construction sites & industries.
 
Q. What are the key features of Chint JD-5 Integrated Protector Relay? What inspire you to make this product?
CHINT Response: CHINT has wide range of motor protection relays. JD-5 motor protector is mainly used for overload and phase-loss protection of continuous duty or non-continuous duty AC motor with AC frequency of 50Hz, rated insulation voltage below AC690V and rated operating current of 0.5A~400A. Protection is the basic requirement of any industrial motors to prevent damage to electrical motors, such as internal & external faults in the motor. CHINT JD-5 series serves the complete purpose of overload & single-phase protection ensuring the long life of the motor.
 
Q. What are company hopes in 2023 and 2024?
CHINT Response: CHINT is a very well-known brand in the Asia-Pacific region and is also globally recognized. We have a wide range of products and services that are adding value propositions for the customers. Globally, we started our operations in 1984 and we have more than 140+ countries where CHINT has marked its presence. India being the world’s third largest electricity producer and fourth largest electricity consumer, CHINT has been in this market for more than 15 years now. CHINT is growing eventually in the Indian market enhancing its brand presence and acceptance from wide range of customers. CHINT will keep its focus on growing its business and capturing the market share in coming years.

MR. CHANDMAL GOLIYA - DIRECTOR

( KUSUM-MECO )

Q. Could you explain us about business development to a wide range of areas ? What hurdles have you faced during business expansions ?

KUSAM MECO was established in the years 1983 for marketing Test and Measuring Instruments in India. The Company started with five Products and now has more than 400 products in their range. The Company have always emphasized on introducing high quality products and has a reputation  as one of the best quality product available in India. Today the company have over 400 products in their range covering almost every possible instruments requirements for the industry. The journey to the top has had many hurdles. The customers had to be educated to accept the high quality products as compared to cheap products sold by the competitors.

 

Q. How KUSAM MECO live upto the expectation of customer expectation ? How you became successful when it comes to the market demand ?

At KUSAM MECO we study the customers’ requirements in details and offer to them products which meets their requirements so that we can satisfy their needs.

 

Q. How do you envision growth for your company for the next 10-years ?

Considering the overall industrial development in the country as per the Government of India plans we expect a growth of at least 10% year on year. This will also require Test instruments accordingly. Moreover the instrument which have been installed at various plants will also need to be replaced which will also create demand for our instrument.

 

Q. Which new product are you working on ?

At presently we are working on 2-new products Partial Discharge equipment and Acoustic Imaging Camera which is used in Utility companies.

 

Q. Which new model have you launched in Digital Multimeters ? What are the key features of the new model ?

We have recently launched 2-new models of Digital Multi Meters KM-2257 &  KM-2807 CSE. These Multi Meters have Transient protection 6 KV & 8 KV respectively. They have VFD AC voltage functions for checking VFD Drives. Both  Models confirm to UL specification ensure highest quality instruments available in India.

 

Q. What are the key features of Non-Contact Laser Beam Tachometer KM-2234BLr ?

KUSAM MECO has a wide range of Laser Beam Tachometer and also Contact type Tachometers. These Tachometers can measure rotational speed upto 99999 RPM . The Test range is Auto ranging. The detecting distance from 50-500 MM . It has memory function to store last value, maximum value, minimum value. All related accessories are supplied complete with the instruments. A new version with OLED Screen will be launched shortly. 

MR. VIMAL CHAVDA - VP INSTRUMENTATION

( TESTO INDIA PVT. LTD. )

Q1. How Testo is pioneer in development of high performance, low-cost digital temperature measuring instruments?

Testo since inception has focused on development of precise measuring instruments. It began as a small business making electronic temperature measuring tools. And now, Testo has become a big name in the industry, providing measurement solutions for different fields like HVAC, facility, power, pharmaceuticals, food safety etc.

We're known for our innovative and high-quality temperature measuring instruments. that are super accurate, reliable, and easy to use. The most important aspect of our instruments is that they have advanced sensors, user-friendly interfaces, and sturdy designs to meet the needs of professionals in various industries.

Our range of temperature measuring instruments (both contact & no contact) covers portable handheld thermometers, IR guns, thermometers for food safety, instruments for high end industrial application. These instruments allow people to measure temperatures precisely while on the move. They have digital displays, multiple measurement options, and the ability to store lots of data, making it easy for professionals to analyse temperature information. Some of the temperature instruments are in the form of individual probes that along with the measuring device can get connected to testo smart app.

Testo understands the importance of cost-effectiveness. We strive to give customers the best value by offering top-notch instruments at affordable prices. Through smart production processes and taking advantage of economies of scale, Testo manages to deliver high-quality products without breaking the bank.

 

Q2. Could you brief us about your business expansion to a wide range of areas?

Testo being a market leader in testing & measurement sector, is well known for its advance measuring tools applicable in several industries and segments.

Testo has got HVAC segment covered with a wide range of instruments and solutions for system efficiency monitoring and facility maintenance. We’ve got airflow meters, temperature and humidity sensors, combustion analyzers, refrigeration gauges, manifolds, and smart thermal imagers. All geared towards optimizing energy efficiency, improving indoor air quality, and meeting regulations. Our IEQ monitoring multi-function tools measure temperature, humidity, air velocity, CO2 levels, Lux etc. Helping you identify air quality issues, optimize ventilation, and create healthier & comfortable spaces.

When it comes to food safety and quality, Testo has you covered too. We provide temperature monitoring for food storage, transport, and preparation, as well as pH meters, cooking oil testers or TPM meters, and data loggers for testing and analysis in every stage of food preparation & logistics. Making sure your food meets safety standards and stays fresh.

Similarly for Pharma and other critical applications we have solutions for automated data monitoring, air monitoring, validation etc.

For industrial applications, testo thermal imagers and infrared cameras spot heat loss, electrical faults, troubleshooting and mechanical problems due to overheating. These instruments are perfect for predictive maintenance, building diagnostics, inspections, and energy audits. The scope is not limited there, from power transmission to distribution sector, our instruments are necessary to ensure safety, energy optimization and reduced losses.

 

Q3. What kind of market opportunities do you see in Indian and International Market?

Testo as a brand, has exciting opportunities not only in India but globally. India being an emerging market provides a lot of application areas that requires testing and measurement to carry out troubleshooting & maintenance, especially in the electrical industry. Undoubtedly test and measurement division is one of the rapidly growing industries all over the world and is a crucial part of electrical segment with numerous opportunities. Since the application areas are increasing, performance validation of components also increases. Then we have evolving technology which provides more complex and delicate systems that demands precise testing & measurement throughout the product life cycle. Adding to that are the development of electrical infrastructure which also opens opportunities for the T&M industry.

Testo India has grown exponentially so far, and the prime reason has been our innovative products and German technology. We intend to offer solutions that are relevant, precise, user friendly, ensure environment health, power optimisation and human comfort.


 

Q4. How do you envision growth for your company for the next five years and what are the future plans of your company?

Testo's growth can be driven by product innovation, expanding into emerging markets like India, providing industry-specific solutions, offering value-added services, and focusing on sustainability and energy efficiency. These strategies involve enhancing the product portfolio, tailoring solutions to industry needs, and providing comprehensive services to customers. By staying ahead with emerging technologies and market trends, Testo can capture new customer segments and foster long-term relationships.

 

 

Q5. What are the latest trends in the market and what are the challenges faced by the electrical industry?

At the current scenario we are witnessing a great development prospect in the Indian electrical market and a lot of new technologies are getting established. Electrical industry is very vast that includes electronic goods, power & utility products, HVAC systems, telecom, industry components, tools, machines, gadgets and many more. Even electric vehicles have captured a massive part of the industry. In terms of technology also, we are on a progressive path with constant development. The latest advancements are coming in the forms of smart operation which is also the current trend accompanied by the digitization of the working system. Advanced methods are being adopted in the sector right from the product development, assembly to manufacturing of electrical goods and services. As far as the testing and measurement industry is concerned which also belongs to the same segment, a wide variety of smart and intuitive products are being developed for the troubleshooting of electrical components and systems. Right from maintenance of HVAC systems to the inspection of Solar PV panels, every aspect is now under check & long life of the equipment can be ensured very easily. Given that, some challenges are also encountered in the process. There are always some foreign brands that don’t focus on the quality but provide cheaper instruments, giving a difficult price competition. Also, in the recent times we foresee many hindrances like lower budgets, irregularities, longer down time due to unavailability of basic components, limited operation etc, which might also impact the industry.

 


Q6. Which new product are you working on?

Currently we are focused on development of smarter and intuitive tools for predictive maintenance, system efficiency measurement and even advanced emission analysers that can support sustainable growth. In the time to come, many more such tools and equipment are to be launched by testo.

MR. SHYAM RAVINDRA - MANAGING DIRECTOR

( SONEL )

Q.Could you brief us about the experience at “ETES”?

 

We have interesting developments for the power utility customer with the launch of continuous monitoring in Power Quality. We are also continuously innovating testing equipment to meet with the customer demands on safety measurements. Our solutions currently work well for all customers including Solar & EV. It is important to note with the safety standards released by CEA recently & we have launched fully functional equipment to fulfil the standards.

 

Q.Could you explain us about business development to a wide range of areas? What hurdles have you faced during business expansion?

We are expanding in a few segments for business development like Renewables, EV & Automation. We are also keenly working on the recent safety standards implemented by CEA & us have launched a wide solution for the recent safety regulations. One of the hurdles we face would be in educating the safety policies across the country & the need for such solutions. While expanding in such wide areas we continuously strive on innovative research & development as the key differentiator in our proposals to our customers & we love being challenged here.

 

Q.How do you envision growth for your company for the next 10 Years?

We are a 30-year-old group company with 10 years in India completed recently. We had humble beginnings & worked always in delivering to our customers expectations. We envision to be a leading T&M supplier in India in the next 10 years. Our current position suits our envision as we are already a trusted brand in the market. Sonel, shall be a brand of trust & we will strive our actions towards this goal.

 

Q.Which new product are you working on?

We are currently working on various portfolios, like testing solutions for Electromobility & Renewables. We have expanded our portfolio in Automation & Calibration in 2023. Since its in R&D, I can’t reveal details now. Would be happy to inform Electrical Mirror once its is launched to the market.

 

Q.Which new model have you launched in Electrical safety Measurement? What are the key features of the new model?

We have launched multi-function tester – MPI 540 PV. Generally, our MPI had a great sales numbers last quarter.

As per the safety guidelines from CEA, it is mandatory to evaluate the electrical installation as per existing guidelines in NEC 2023. We fulfilled this regulation using a single equipment. Yes, one equipment & it fulfils your “Verification” as per IS 732 & fulfils CEA guidelines. What is interesting here is, our solution was not only widely accepted, but we have also set the benchmark in the market already.

MPI 540PV fulfils 10 testing in one equipment & also includes complete Power quality solution. There is nothing like this in the market now & we are very exited with this launch.

 

Q.What are company hopes in 2023’s second half and 2024?

We certainly hope to reach our target numbers in sales & ensure the results to our investors. We have interesting developments with the utilities with the demand on various requirements. We have planned to introduce few solution w.r.t power quality and for sure this will help us to move ahead in our business development.

MR K P SINGH - CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER

( NU-CORK PRODUCTS PVT. LTD. )

Q-As you are expertise in allied products of Power & Distribution transformers.? Where you lie in market when it comes to other allied products component manufacturers?

Nu-Cork is manufacturer of transformer components and allied products and is perfect partner for organizations seeking sealing solutions using Cork, Rubber, Aircell and Core materials. Nu-Cork is a reputed manufacturer of various products for transformers/reactors & other applications. We aspire to supply quality and cost-effective transformer sealing & gasket products designed under the supervision of our specialists to provide the best selection at affordable prices.

NU-CORK is a recognised R&D in-house facility approved by Ministry of Science & Technology, Govt. of India and company have always endeavour to manufacture CTQ (Critical to Quality) & ISP (Import Substitute Products). NU-CORK is also recognised as ONE STAR EXPORT HOUSE from Directorate General of Foreign Trade, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India. Nu-Cork takes great pride in being an Atmanirbhar Bharat Company and we are well-positioned to fulfil the worldwide markets’ demands. We boast around 70% market share in the power sector when it comes to products of our niche.

 

Q- Could you brief us about the experience at “ETES”?

It was wonderful to be a part of ETES wherein Nu-Cork was able to showcase its range of products and had good networking with major players in electrical and transformer industry.

Nu-Cork was awarded in best stall category at ETES.

 

Q-Could you explain us about business development to a wide range of areas? What hurdles have you faced during business expansion?

We offer a full range of Transformer components for transformer manufacturer–Delivering safety, reliability and fast lead times for our esteemed customers.

Nu-Cork has succeeded in introducing its wide range of products to different segments like Power and Distribution transformers, CT/PTs, Oil & Gas industries, Refineries, Automotive Sector, Cement Industries, Railways etc.

Major Hurdles is from unorganised sector in cost to quality .Getting mandatory approvals from Government utilities is time consuming and lengthy process, which effects the business growth.

 

Q. How do you envision growth for your company for the next 5 years?

Nu-Cork expect to achieve CAGR of 40% and is all set to be 50 million USD revenue company in 5 years with wide range of new products. Our R&D team is innovative, research and analysing emerging technologies & trends in the industry, developing and testing of new products and services, conducting market research, improving technicalities in existing products and services to enable us to beone stop product, services and solution provider company to Transformer & CT/PTs manufacturers.

 

Q-Which new product are you working on?

Bellow Duct for Railways

Side Bearers

Air Caster Cushion

Inflatable products

OLTC and few more import substitute products to save valuable exchange for our country.

 

 

Q-Which new model have you launched in power & distribution transformer? What are the key features of the new model?

We are leading manufacturer of transformer components & allied products hence Not Applicable

 

 

Q-What are company hopes in 2023 and 2024?

Nu-Cork plan to a add wide range of new products to cater our customers in 2023 and 2024 and is on way to become 100+ Crore company in FY 2023-24.

 

 

Q-What are the key features of Stack Core (16 KVA to 100 MVA) transformers?

  1. Provides mechanical support to the windings.
  2. Provides a low reluctance closed ferromagnetic path to the magnetic flux.
  3. Reduces the losses due to flux leakage.

MR. SUBHASH MAINKAR - FOUNDER & CEO

( AMBIONICS )

1. What is the mission and vision of Ambionics , and how does the company strive to achieve them?

Ambionics operates in mainly four verticals  Manufacturing , Designand Developments , Distribution and Solar EPC

We Manufacture  Power Electronic equipments  Such as Battery Chargers , DC DC Converters Frequency Converters High Power Rectifiers and High Voltage High Current DC Power Sources Constant Current  / Frequency / Voltage Sources

Control Panels for Distribution Such as  MCC  PCC  Panels Our Specialisation is for Genset Panels and APFC systems 

Special Purpose Assembly Machines for any type of routine manufacturing such as Diesel Engine Manufacturing small component assembly Conveyors etc.

Automation related to any process equipment, processes etc

We supply zero Change Over time ATS systems for the Data Centre, Hospitals critical process Power Sources etc.

Design and Development   We undertake electrical Transformer and Rotating Machine Modeling and Design support activities.

We have  Ansys Maxwell which helps the electrical modeling and design support to the Power Electronic systems .

We can simulate the magnetic fields hot spots current distributions and suggest the improvements.

This helps transformer / machines manufacturers reduce their development time drastically

We are distributors for  varies electrical products .

We undertake EPC projects in Solar PV and small  Wind Solar Hybrid Systems.

Our vision is to grow each vertical to such a great height that each of the vertical needs to be converted as a separate company .

 

2. Can you elaborate on the range of products and services offered by your company, highlighting their unique features and benefits?

Surely , as I have explained earlier we have many products to offers which helps the customers solve their prime issues.

Our main aim or the very purpose of the business is the resolution of our customer’s issues . We do not sale any products but we give solutions to their needs and problems .

Over the years our  customers have realized that when they have something which is unresolved by others they look up at us to get the solution .

Our USP is whatever is the problem however it appears unresolved  when we are there the customers are assured that they have arrived at the right place .

We proudly say our tagline   CONCEPT TO REALITY AND REALITY TO RELIABILITY

 

3.How does Ambionics ensure the quality and reliability of its products and services, and what measures are in place to meet customer expectations?

Our tag line is itself talks about reliability  our focus at the quality never fades away .

Our sole purpose of the business is to have the prime quality at whatever it may cost to us we deliver under many odd cases but never loose the importance of quality and reliability .

This may cost us some money but never costs us the customer .

Our customer once attached to us it’s like FEVICOL bond which never brakes .

WE have all systems in place for quality such as ISO , QS ,CE certification

WE are ISO 14001 – 2015 , ISO 45001-2015 and we are ROHS & CE compliant

It’s not just quality but the environment and the health of all employees is at most important

 

4.What strategies does Ambionics India Private Limited employ to build and maintain strong customer relationships and how does the company gather and incorporate customer feedback into its operations?

Earlier we were not giving much importance , you may call it an arrogance , to the feedback from the customers and thought what ever we were doing will be always best .

Over a period of time we realized that we need to talk to our customers formally and let them give us their view point not necessarily regarding the product but over what they feel are experience when they are dealing with AMBIONICS

In the recent past we have started having formal get together with our set of customers and have started giving them a good ear .

We realized that this created stronger bond amongst us beside they gave many valuable suggestions for mutual improvements .

We have initiated  CRM and ERP activities.

We are involved in Kaizen as well as 5S activities as a regular feature in our company .

This not only improved our quality but overall atmosphere  and morale of the employees.

 

5.How has the market response been to Ambionics recent service launches, and also Can you elaborate on any strategic partnerships or collaborations that your company has formed to strengthen its service portfolio and expand its market reach?

 Earlier we were focusing only on mouth to mouth publicity for getting the enquiries and business .

We realized during lockdown that the era of waiting for the customer and serving to theonly  one who have landed at our door will not work if we want to grow .

Now we have our little presence in the digital world and working on the advertisements on social media platforms such as Linked in face book etc.

We have strted writing the blogs on a regular basis. Giving interviews to the reach the prospective customers is also a part of our media and digital presence .

 

6.What are some of the long-term benefits that customers can expect from engaging with Ambionics , such as improved efficiency, cost savings, or enhanced performance?

I think I have elaborated our efforts and the direction in which we want to grow both the customer satisfaction .

We have stopped a long back in transactional business where the customer is just a customer who is given a service or a product in turn he pays us our due payment and that’s all .

We are taking efforts in building the trust and long term relationships which goes beyond money and help each to grow mutually .

We do not just supply but built the trust and see to it that every time the customers visits us or we meet them we have something added to our relationship .

 

7.What measures does Ambionics have in place to provide post-service support and maintenance, ensuring the ongoing success and satisfaction of its customers?

We many success stories to tell regarding our post sale service .

We give support not only technically but every respect of the use of the supplied unit usage its operation support physically and over call .

One of our strongest point is our NO ASK WARRANTY for the products manufactured by us .

We go all the way to meet our tag line CONCEPT TO REALITY  AND REALITY TO RELIABILITY  .

MR. VINAY RATHI - DIRECTOR

( GLOSTER CABLE LIMITED )

1.What kind of market opportunities do you see in Indian Market?

The Indian market presents several market opportunities across various sectors due to its large population, growing economy, and increasing consumer demand. Here are some key areas of potential market opportunities in the Indian market:

1. E-commerce and Digital Services: With the rapid growth of internet penetration and smartphone adoption, the e-commerce sector in India has experienced significant growth. There are opportunities for both local and international companies to tap into the expanding online retail market, digital payments, and other digital services such as online education, entertainment streaming, and food delivery.

2. Renewable Energy: India is actively pursuing renewable energy targets and has been investing in solar, wind, and hydropower projects. There are opportunities for companies involved in renewable energy generation, equipment manufacturing, energy storage solutions, and smart grid technologies to meet the increasing demand for clean and sustainable energy.

3. Infrastructure Development: India has a vast infrastructure development agenda, including transportation, urbanization, and smart cities. This presents opportunities for companies involved in construction, transportation, logistics, urban planning, and development of smart city solutions.

4. Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals: India has a growing middle class with increased healthcare spending, leading to opportunities in pharmaceuticals, medical devices, telemedicine, and healthcare technology solutions. The government’s focus on affordable healthcare and initiatives such as Ayushman Bharat also open avenues for healthcare providers and insurers.

5. Electric Vehicles (EVs) and Clean Mobility: The Indian government has set ambitious targets for electric vehicle adoption, providing opportunities for companies in EV manufacturing, charging infrastructure, battery technology, and related services. Additionally, there is potential for companies specializing in clean mobility solutions such as shared mobility, last-mile connectivity, and public transportation.

6. Financial Technology (Fintech): India has witnessed significant growth in the fintech sector, driven by digital payments, mobile banking, and financial inclusion initiatives. Opportunities exist for fintech companies offering innovative solutions in areas like digital lending, insurance, wealth management, and financial inclusion for underserved populations.

7. Agriculture and Food Processing: India is an agrarian economy, and there is scope for companies involved in agricultural technology, farm mechanization, crop management systems, and food processing. Demand for organic and healthy food products is also on the rise, providing opportunities in the food and beverage sector.

It’s important to note that market dynamics and opportunities can change rapidly, and conducting thorough market research, understanding local regulations and cultural nuances, and developing a localized strategy are crucial for success in the Indian market.

 

2.How do you envision growth for your company for the next five years and what are the future plans of your company?

We aim to achieve a substantial growth in our turnover over the next five years through a strategic focus on expanding our capacity and enhancing our factory area. Our objective is to effectively double our current turnover by leveraging capacity enhancement measures and future plans for the expansion of our factory premises. By proactively investing in these key areas, we are confident in our ability to meet the evolving market demands, optimize operational efficiencies, and capitalize on emerging opportunities. This growth trajectory aligns with our long-term vision and commitment to delivering exceptional value to our stakeholders while solidifying our position as a leading player in the industry.

 

3.What are Gloster Cables Ltd Control highlights in 2022? What are the company’s hopes in 2023?

Some of the Highlights in 2022:

1. We supplied our cables at NHRSCL a part of Ahmedabad Mumbai Bullet Train Project

2. 1.4 Cr FS Cable order.

3. GLOSTER has supplied entire range of cable to electrify “The Statue of Equality”

We are hoping to reach a turn over of Rs 800 Cr in 2023.

 

4.What are the latest trends in the market and what are the challenges faced by the electrical industry?

Here are some of the latest trends in the electrical industry:

1. Renewable Energy: The increasing focus on sustainability and the transition towards renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and hydropower is a significant trend in the electrical industry. There is a growing demand for electrical components and systems that support the generation, distribution, and storage of renewable energy.

2. Energy Efficiency: Energy efficiency has become a key concern in the industry. There is a rising demand for energy-efficient products andsolutions that help reduce energy consumptionand lower operating costs. This includesenergy-efficient lighting systems, smart grids,and energy management systems.

3. Smart Homes and Buildings: The concept of smart homes and buildings is gaining momentum. Integration of technologies such as Internet of Things (IoT), automation, and advanced control systems into electrical systems allows for improved energy management, increased comfort, and enhanced security. This trend includes smart lighting, smart meters, home energy management systems, and building automation systems.

4. Electric Vehicles (EVs): The growth of the electric vehicle market is impacting the electrical industry. The increasing adoption of EVs creates demand for charging infrastructure, advanced battery technologies, and grid integration solutions. This trend includes the development of fast-charging systems, vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technologies, and energy storage solutions for EVs.

5. Digitalization and Connectivity: The digital transformation of the electrical industry is underway. There is a shift towards digitization, connectivity, and data-driven solutions. This includes the use of sensors, cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI), and data analytics to improve the efficiency, reliability, and maintenance of electrical systems. Regarding the challenges faced by the electrical industry, here are a few:

1. Aging Infrastructure: Many electrical systems and grids worldwide are aging and require upgrades and modernization. Replacing and upgrading infrastructure can be costly and time-consuming.

2. Cybersecurity: As electrical systems become more connected and digitized, the risk of cyber threats and attacks increases. Ensuring robust cybersecurity measures to protect critical electrical infrastructure is a significant challenge.

3. Skilled Workforce: The electrical industry requires a skilled workforce with expertise in emerging technologies and digitalization. Finding and retaining qualified professionals is a challenge, especially with the rapid pace of technological advancements.

4. Environmental Regulations: Compliance with environmental regulations and sustainability goals poses challenges for the industry. Adapting to stricter emission standards and incorporating environmentally friendly practices can require significant investments and changes in processes.

5. Supply Chain Disruptions: The electrical industry, like many others, faces challenges related to supply chain disruptions, as seen during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dependence on global supply chains and shortages of key components can impact production and project timelines.

It’s important to note that the electrical industry is continuously evolving,

 

5.Which new product are you working on?

We are going to start manufacturing 33kV(UE)Cables shortly.

 

6.What are the key features of Flat Submersible Cables? How it is different from RG-6 CO AXIAL Cables?

Flat submersible cables, also known as flat pump cables or flat underwater cables, are specifically designed for use in submerged environments such as underwater pumps, fountains, and other waterrelated applications. Here are some key features of flat submersible cables:

1. Construction: Flat submersible cables are typically constructed with multiple conductors, insulated with a durable and water-resistant material such as PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride). The conductors are often made of copper or aluminum for efficient electrical conductivity.

2. Water Resistance: The primary feature of flat submersible cables is their ability to resist water ingress. These cables are specifically designed to function reliably even when completely submerged in water. The water-resistant insulation and protective layers ensure that the cables remain unaffected by water, preventing electrical failures and damage.

3. Flexibility: Flat submersible cables are designed to be flexible and easy to handle. Their flat shape allows for easier installation in tight spaces and along surfaces such as walls or floors. The flexibility ensures convenientrouting and placement of the cables in various applications.

4. Mechanical Strength: These cables are engineered to withstand the mechanical stress caused by submersion and water flow. They are constructed with materials that offer good tensile strength and resistance to abrasion, ensuring durability and longevity in demanding environments.

5. UV Resistance: Flat submersible cables often have UV-resistant properties to protect against damage from prolonged exposure to sunlight. This feature is particularly important when the cables are used in outdoor applications.

Now, let’s compare flat submersible cables with RG-6 coaxial cables:

1. Usage: Flat submersible cables are specifically designed for use in submerged environments, while RG-6 coaxial cables are primarily used for transmitting video signals in home entertainment systems, cable TV, and satellite installations.

2. Construction: Flat submersible cables are usually multi-conductor cables with waterresistant insulation, designed for underwater use. On the other hand, RG-6 coaxial cables consist of a single conductor surrounded by insulating layers and shielding, optimized for high-frequency signal transmission.

3. Water Resistance: While both cables have some level of water resistance, flat submersible cables are explicitly designed to withstand complete submersion in water, making them suitable for underwater applications. RG-6 coaxial cables are not designed for underwater use and may not provide the same level of water resistance as flat submersible cables.

4. Application Environment: Flat submersible cables are commonly used in water-related applications such as underwater pumps, fountains, and swimming pools. In contrast, RG-6 coaxial cables are typically used indoors for connecting TVs, set-top boxes, and other audio/video devices.

5. Physical Design: Flat submersible cables have a flat shape, which allows for easier installation along surfaces and in tight spaces. RG-6 coaxial cables are cylindrical in shape and have a thicker, round profile.

It’s important to choose the appropriate cable based on the specific requirements of your application to ensure reliable and safe operation.

 

7.What are the key features of Fire Survival Cables? How it is helping in preventing from short circuit?

Fire survival cables, are specially designed to maintain their functionality and integrity during a fire. They are used in critical applications where the continuous operation of electrical systems is essential for safety and emergency purposes. Here are the key features of fire survival cables and how they help prevent short circuits during a fire:

1. Fire Resistance: Fire survival cables are manufactured using materials that are resistant to fire and high temperatures. They are designed to withstand the effects of fire for a specified duration, maintaining their structural integrity and electrical performance.

2. Flame Retardant Insulation: Fire survival cables are insulated with flame retardant

materials that limit the spread of fire along the cable. This insulation helps to prevent the cables from catching fire and reduces the risk of short circuits caused by direct exposure to flames.

3. Low Smoke and Toxic Gas Emissions: Fire survival cables are typically designed to emit low levels of smoke and toxic gases when exposed to fire. This is important for ensuring the safety of people in the vicinity of a fire and for maintaining visibility during evacuation procedures.

4. Circuit Integrity: Fire survival cables are constructed to maintain circuit integrity even in the presence of fire. They are engineered to continue carrying electrical current during a fire, allowing critical systems to remain operational. This is achieved through the use of fireresistant conductors and insulation materials that can withstand high temperatures.

5. Mechanical Strength: Fire survival cables are designed to maintain their mechanical strength even when exposed to fire. This ensures that they remain intact and are less likely to break or become damaged, reducing the risk of short circuits due to cable failure.

6. Compliance with Fire Safety Standards: Fire survival cables are manufactured in accordance with specific fire safety standards and regulations. These standards define the fire performance criteria that the cables must meet, including fire resistance, flame spread, smoke emission, and circuit integrity.

By incorporating these features, fire survival cables help prevent short circuits during a fire by resisting

the spread of flames, maintaining their electrical functionality, and minimizing the release of smoke and toxic gases. This allows critical systems to

continue operating during a fire, facilitating safe evacuation and emergency response efforts.

PIYUSH GARG - DIRECTOR

( BALAJI SWITCHGEARS PVT. LTD. )

1.What are the key features and benefits that set Balaji Switchgears apart from other competitors in the industry?

At BSPL, we believe in the 3C philosophy i.e.

Customer Satisfaction, Compliance Fulfillment & Competent Solutions.

With these principals we ensure that all our customers get an access to globally renowned products & services which provides them a complete basket. We ensure that all our customers irrespective of their business volume get the same experience with us. We have strengthened our operations & backend in such a way that over 95% of our orders gets shipped the same day, thus ensuring that your supply chain never stops. In addition to it, we don’t only provide products but also have an inhouse team of technocrats who can assist for any kind of Hardware & Software supports.

 

2.Can you provide insights into the innovative technologies integrated into Balaji Switchgears' product lineup?

We have a wide spectrum of products in Low Voltage Switchgear & Automation products. Working with globally renown brands like Schneider Electric, Omron, Lapp, Socomec, Connectwell etc. we aim to provide best possible solutions to our set of clients.

In addition to product sale we also undertake AMC, Retrofitting & Commissioning jobs. Our engineers provide IOT enabled cloud solutions to OEM’s for a better predictability in their machines.

 

3.Can you highlight any industry certifications or approvals that this company has attained for their products?

We are a ISO 9001:2015 Certified company and are a registered member of IEEMA, & DATA.

 

4.How does Balaji Switchgears stay ahead of market trends and continuously innovate their product offerings?

We believe that change is the only constant, and with this thought we keep on adding new technologies into our portfolio. From a simple relay to a complete SCADA solution, you can expect anything from us. Also our efforts to provide value added solutions to our customers like Programming and commissioning support, AMC & Retrofit solutions, help us in having and edge in the industry.

 

5.Can you share any industry recognition or awards that Balaji Switchgears has received specifically for their product design, attesting to their exceptional aesthetic and functional qualities?

Recently in 2022 We were awarded the Prestigious Udaan award by Times of India Group for our contribution in Automation Segment. The award was handed over by Hon’ble Mr. Arjun Ram Meghwal (Minister of State For Parliamentary Affairs). This award was a testimony to our work in this industry.

 

6.Can you share any specific industries or sectors that have benefitted from Balaji Switchgears' supply of feeder pillar distribution boards in recent projects?

Recently our supply and installation of control panels have been done for a client in Extrusion Industry in Bahadurgarh, Haryana. We had supplied them smart panels for their entire applications and the client has recovered utmost efficiency in their operations.

MR RAM SHINDE - DIRECTOR

( MADHURA POWER TECHNOLOGIES PVT. LTD. )

Q- Please enlighten our readers about the vision and objective of Madhura Power Technologies Pvt Ltd!

We at Madhura Power Technologies provide Electro-mechanical parts & systems for Engines, Generating sets and DG Control panels. We have embarked on a journey to become a technology leader in this segment by continually bringing new sustainable technologies to this field. Our objective is to offer to our customers’ innovative products & state-of-the-art solutions and expand our customer base.

 

Q-Could you brief us about your business expansion to a wide range of areas?

We believe that expansion is necessary to survive in today’s competitive market. We wish to expand in areas where the industry is looking for solutions to improve product efficiency; meet statutory requirements and bring down ownership costs.

The Indian Diesel generator market (900+ million USD) is expected to rise @ 9% till 2030. While becoming a part of such an expansion program, the challenge is to meet stricter exhaust emission norms (CPCB IV+). In this field, we are offering novel solutions like electronic governing, controllers and exhaust emission products.

The market is driven by requirements such as automation (less human interface), remote monitoring through internet/mobile phone & standardisation. We add value by offering common solutions which can be used on a variety of brands, models & sizes of engines/generators.

In states like Delhi/NCR, there are restrictions on the usage of Diesel generators to cut down exhaust emission & improve air quality. We are now offering Dual-fuel kits for Diesel generators already in use. Our kit will facilitate generators to run on combination of gas & diesel, in 70:30 ratio.

 

Q-What kind of market opportunities do you see in an Indian Market?

The Indian Market is growing rapidly including the Diesel generator market which will touch 1800 million USD by 2030, in turn offering massive opportunities for all players. We foresee opportunities not only with OEMs but also in After-market & Retailing. After-sale support is important for non-OEM market where we have leverage. We, a 29-year-old organization with an All-India network; are in position to support our customers locally.

 

Q- How are the products and offerings of your company changing the scope of work for its customers?

Our OEM customers, viz. engine & generator manufacturers are receptive for changes in their scope to accommodate our products which are based on latest technologies. This benefits OEMs and also their customers/users.

 

Q- How do you envision growth for your company for the next five years and what are the future plans of your company?

We will grow substantially in next 5 years as we are offering stellar products with latest sustainable technology with engineering support and local services. To keep pace with the growth of the engine/generator industry, we are planning to expand in terms of manpower and also the distribution network.  We are excited to induct new products complimentary to the existing product range, based on customer requirements.

 

Q - What are the major achievement highlights of Madhura Power Technologies Private Limited in 2022? What are the company's hopes in 2023?

2022 was an eventful year for us. In 2022, we introduced Lovato, Italy make AMF and Synchronizing Generator Controllers, which has many features to meet industry demands. Additionally, we undertook many “Generating set retrofit” projects in which old Controllers & switch gear parts were replaced by new versions. Electronic speed governor (GAC) was introduced on new engines and applications. Our AC Alternator (LINZ, Italy) was introduced for Light tower applications. Our Electric Vehicle division was engaged in validating and supply of electronic components viz. DC-DC Converter, On-Board charger, E-pumps, E-Compressors, Powertrain. Based on this, it is safe to say that the last year was pivotal for us.

We hope that current trends of expansion in diesel engine industry continue and we are geared up with the finest technology products.

 

 Q- Would you like to convey any special message to your customers through our platform?

Through such a great & renowned platform like “Electrical Mirror”, I wish to assure our OEM & Retail customers that our offering comes with the latest technology backed up by our 29-year experience in engine/generator industry. We are committed to serve the Engine and Generator industry by supplying reliable products and solutions. We look forward to providing quality services and interacting with newer customers.

ANIL GUPTA - CMD

( KEI INDUSTRIES LTD. )

Q. As KEI earned name and fame in electrical industry, how do you see yourself when it comes to other wire and cable companies?

KEI has been in Indian market since 1968, over the years we have grown as a multinational conglomerate giving customized solutions in B2B Space as one of the Top leading brand and driving very strong B2C Retail footprint. With legacy of 55 years of being into this business and have diverse product portfolio of wires ranging from 1 KV to 400 KV, KEI is the only brand who have grown 20% + YOY in the last 5 Year (Except Covid Year); and presently we have 5 state of the art Manufacturing facilities.

The future of KEI wires and cables looks bright, especially in comparison to its competition. With a commitment to innovation and a focus on providing high-quality products & services, KEI is well positioned to continue growing and expanding its market share. In addition, KEI has NABL accredited labs and has established a strong reputation for reliability and customer service over the years, which will help to further enhance its competitive advantage. Despite the challenges posed by emerging competitors, KEI is poised to maintain its position as a leader in the wires and cables industry.

 

Q. Please brief about your business expansion to a wide range of areas?

We are increasing our Greenfield capex approx. INR 1000 Cr. In the coming 3 Years this will help us to cater rising demand for wires and cables. we are further strengthening our product Wire & Cable portfolio for many sectors into specialty segments such as Oil & Gas, Infrastructure, Solar, Wind, Power, Agriculture, EV (Electrical Vehicles) and Various type of Commercial needs. We will continue to remain focused on the Wire & Cable products and will put more emphasis to grow our customer base worldwide.

 

Q. How do you envision growth for your company for the next five years and what are the future plans of your company?

In the next 5 Years we will he crossing annual top line worth INR 14000 Crore and we will he strengthening Wires and Cables product portfolio further. Currently we are available in 55+ countries and we will he focusing more on spreading our footprints and improving our exports in the developed countries like US, Europe & Australia.

KEI Wires and Cables have been providing quality products to the electrical industry for decades, and in the future, we will continue to expand our reach. We are committed to providing solutions that meet the needs of their customers while being mindful of environmental sustainability. The future of KEI wires and cables looks promising, and we will continue to he a leader in the industry by providing excellent world class products and services.

 

Q.What kind of market opportunities do you see in Indian Market?

Govt. of India is creating new opportunities in the economy by increasing the capex from 7.28 Lac Crore in the last financial year to whopping 10 lac crore now, which will boost infrastructure development. Since electricity is an integral part of any such development therefore I believe there are immense opportunities available in the Indian market for Wire & Cables products in both B2B & B2C segments.
The government’s initiatives to support the domestic manufacturing sector and infrastructure have paved the growth for the wire & cable sector. Apart from that, there is very strong growth seen in new solar energy projects recently and we are experiencing a good traction in the solar sector as well with rise in demand from solar developers.

Also, we observe a strong demand from power distribution  companies  for RDSS  projects  as a result of the current revised distribution strengthening scheme being implemented by numerous distribution firms in India which is financed by PFC and REC. Additionally, the manufacturing sector is showing signs of increasing demand, and it is anticipated that private capital expenditures will also demonstrate very strong demand, particularly from the steel, oil and gas, petrochemicals, cement, and other industries. Investments in the manufacturing sectors will undoubtedly increase as a result of the government’s emphasis on giving production linked incentives (PLI) for manufacturing projects. Moreover, the revival of Real Estate sector will bring more opportunities in the house wire segment.

 

Q.What are KEI wire and cable highlights in 2022? What are the company’s hopes in 2023?

KEI Industries have registered top line ofINR 6912 Crore. Over last 10 Years KEI has grown significantly with CAGR growth of 17.5%. The projected growth of the industry is fueled by advancements in technology and the increasing demand from diverse sectors such as Infrastructure & Private Capex Industries, construction, automotive, and telecommunications.

KEI currently has very strong ‘AA’ credit rating and has an outlook to grow its top line by 15-17%, and bottom line by 18-20% in FY 2023-2024. We will also add one manufacturing line at Silvasa plant and 1 Manufacturing line at Pathredi Plant within this year to cater the growing demand.

 

Q.What are the latest trends in the market and what are the challenges faced by the electrical industry?

With technology becoming increasingly integrated, wires and cables are gaining more importance now than ever before. The applications of wires & cables have increased due to growing data centers and IT facilities ensuring secure and affordable connectivity. Moreover, the demand for next-gen gadgets and the rollout of 5G and 6G services are acting as catalysts for the ever-growing industry.

Some of the major trends defining the growth in demand of the wire and cable industry are meeting the demand in view of the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), surge in EV charging products & accessories, and the rise of the export potential of the industry. Additionally, there will be a spurt in the demand for segments like railway cables, solar cables, amongst a few other segments to name.

Some of the challenges like the competition in the cable industry is intense, with both local and international players vying for market share. We need to stay ahead of the curve by continuously improving our products, processes, and customer service. Secondly, fluctuations in copper prices pose a key challenge for us, therefore we are focusing on the need to be agile and adaptable to navigate these challenges and seize opportunities as they arise.

 

Q.Which new product are you working on?

We would like to throw some light on a massive greenfield expansion of about 1000 Cr in the coming 3 years. This will be the largest manufacturing plant KEI has ever built and will be based at Sanand, Gujarat, an enormous milestone in powering our way towards success, this facility will help KEI scale to new product introduction in the Wire & Cable product range into specialty sectors.

As we are growing our footprints beyond 60 counties we are already serving, there are many countries who have different standards or certification which are mandatory to market your products for Wire & Cable for diverse sectors such as solar/Wind/ Power Transmission & Distribution.

 

Q.What is the future outlook of Indian Electrical Sector?

The Indian Electrical Sector is undergoing a significant change that has redefined the industry outlook. The electrical industry’s future in India is bright, and sustained economic growth continues to drive electricity demand in the country. India is emerging as the fastest-growing major economy in the world and due to its very strong infrastructure pipeline and focus by central government and state governments on infrastructure, especially railways, metro railways, urban railway systems, highways and the real estate, we expect a very strong momentum in the cable demand in the coming financial years.

The government of India has identified the power sector as a key sector to promote sustained industrial growth. Some initiatives by the Government to boost the Indian power sector such as

1.PLI scheme to boost manufacturing of high-efficiency solar modules/Photovoltec cells and Battery backed power storage infrastructure.

MR JK AGARWAL - CHAIRMAN

( ELECRAMA )

ELECRAMA is the flagship showcase of the Indian Electrical & Allied electronics Industry ecosystem and the largest congregation of power sector ecosystem in the geography.ELECRAMA brings together the complete spectrum of solutions that powers the planet from source to socket and everything in between. Featuring not just equipment & technology, but peerless thought leadership platforms for everything electric – from technical conclaves to industry summits.

1.Overall, how do you see a growth in the sheer number of exhibitors in ELECRAMA 2023?

Yes, last time, which is ELECRAMA 2020, we had around 1,300 exhibitors. For the upcoming 15th Edition, ELECRAMA 2023, we are expecting well over 1,500 exhibitors.

2.How do you gauge the RBSM phenomenon in the upcoming ELECRAMA?

The Reverse Buyer Seller Meet (RBSM) has generally been very successful. Till the last edition (ELECRAMA 2020), Central government support was limited to developing countries, and developed countries such as the USA, European nations, etc were not included.However, this time we will have buyers from all over the globe. In this RBSM, we are expecting over 700 buyers from across the globe – South East Asia, Africa, Latin America, North America, Europe, etc.We will now be in a position to cover the whole world!

3.Can you please share details of your new initiative known as Start Up Challenge?

IEEMA Start-up Challenge is a platform for some of the most promising ones to showcase their innovations at ELECRAMA 2023. While only the top 10-12 will get a chance to showcase at ELECRAMA, we will enable you to have a look at all the participating ones too. Do leverage this opportunity and provide a platform for these start-ups to pilot/scale-up their ideas at your plants and perhaps invest in relevant ones to help them scale

 

4.How is IEEMA faring with respect to extending the popularity of ELECRAMA?

We have always done domestic road shows to spread the message of ELECRAMA. However, this time, we not just targeting the larger cities but also smaller cities and towns that have industrial clusters relating to electrical equipment. We are doing road shows in such places even if there are just about 500 industrial units in the cluster.We want that IEEMA and ELECRAMA should be known to all connected to the electrical equipment and allied industries.

 

5.Are there countries that would be participating in ELECRAMA for the first time?

As far as I can recall, US, Canada, Portugal, are some of the countries, which if they set up a country pavilion at ELECRAMA 2023, it would be their first time.

 

6.How is ELECRAMA becoming a platform for budding engineers and technology startups?

Like it has always been, this edition of ELECRAMA will also feature an Innovation Hub. This will be supported by Fraunhofer Society, Germany. We are also in talks with the Ministry of Commerce whereby grants could be given to startups to finance up to 95 per cent of the expenses incurred in showcasing their innovations. This tie-up with the ministry is still in progress. We are very close to getting the deal finalized. Once this is done, you can expect a lot of startups to participate in the Innovation Hub of ELECRAMA 2023.

7.How is ELECRAMA 2023 tackling new and emerging areas like energy storage, renewable energy, etc?

ELECRAMA 2023 will have a co-located event “eTECH nxt” that will be addressing only emerging areas like e-mobility, energy storage systems, etc. This will be a specific sub-event, within ELECRAMA 2023, focusing only on emerging areas. In fact, the brochure of this event was launched at the IEEMA Annual Convention.

8.What is your broad vision for this mega event?

My personal vision as Chairman, ELECRAMA 2023 is that wherever we are today, after 10 years, ELECRAMA should be four to five times bigger. It should be like the Canton Fair, for electricity, at the global level. If you need anything in electrical or electricity under one roof, ELECRAMA is the place. That is the vision that I have. And as I have been saying, with ELECRAMA, it only gets bigger and better! 

MR. ATHER SALIM - DIRECTOR

( NEXT GEN EQUIPMENTS PVT. LTD. )

Next Gen Equipments Pvt. Ltd. (NGEPL) is Gujarat; INDIA based ISO 9001 – 2015 Company established in 2009. We’re the team professionals who understand what customer needs are and try to full fill those requirements in an appropriate span of time at a suitable price. The management team of NGEPL has over eighteen years of experience in the Indian Power industry and with strong customer relationships & support from various overseas principals, NGEPL has got wide acceptance in the Indian power industry. NGEPL is proud to be associated as a Sales & service representative of the following world-class companies in INDIA.

 

Q.How was your experience at Elecrama 2023? What kind of footfall you have witnessed there?

The Elecrama 2023 is one of the Best ELECRAMA we had so far. The Event was well organised and had great footfall, great to have Customers not only from India but also from Middle-East and African continent. We are pleased to have Mr R K Tyagi Director Operation PGCIL apart from many senior executives from SIEMENS, TOSHIBA, ABB, SCHNEIDER, Raychem, ERDA, CPRI etc. as well as people from SAUDI Arabia, UAE, Bangladesh etc. at our stall in Elecrama 2023 .Our principals have given overwheliming support to this event ’ and visited personally to support us during the event.

Q.Is there any new product launch that you have unveiled over there? 

Yes, We have Launch the new mini-ATOS from Raytech which got very good response from customer. We have done Live Demonstration of the product at our stall during the exhibition and was praised by many customers as well. Infact, we have started getting Orders as well as DEMO request for the same kit from across India now. We have displayed our latest High voltage Tester Model ATS400 which has some unique testing and safety feature and latest introduction of ONLINE PD Test System from IPEC UK got a very good response for the same as well. 

Q.What are the key features of Micro Ohm Meter 200 A?

Our Contact Resistance Meter Model # MICRO Centurion -II is already very popular in Market and we have supplied many units across India. Our contact resistance meter provides True DC Voltage with ripple less than 1% and is unmatchable for its quality & reliability. The Kit has different ranges like 10A, 20A, 50A, 100 A & 200A to cater to wide range of applications.

Q.What are the company hopes for 2023? 

We always believe in providing High Quality Products where customers reliability and Trust is utmost importance. We wish to carry on the same faith & Trust with the customers in 2023 and further. The proven products like Winding Resistance Meter, Turns Ratio Meter, CT Tester, TAN DELTA, MICROHM METER, STANDARD CT & PT with accuracy as good as 0.005%, HIGH VOLTAGE FILTERS, AC DIVIDERS/ Coupling Capacitors and State of Art High Voltage Testers from ETL will carry on its market share and the new products like mini -ATOS, New Online PD Test System from IPEK UK and ATS Series High Voltage & Safety testers will make its presence felt in the market in 2023 and beyond.

MR. GOPURAJ N - DIVISION SALES DIRECTOR, SMART POWER & SMART BUILDINGS DIVISIONS, ELECTRIFICATION BUSINESS AREA

( ABB INDIA )

ABB’s portfolio ranges right from low voltage solutions to medium voltage switchgears and technologies which go into the power distribution of these industries. The focus is now shifting from power generation to improving the power distribution vertical that will see a lot of investments in the near future. Smart energy distribution makes ABB the partner of choice for utilities, industries, transport and infrastructure. Our class leading data center power solutions that has been gaining quick momentum due to their space-saving, timesaving, energy-saving, cost-saving and infinitely scalable ability.
 
Q1. ABB's Electrification business offers a wide-ranging portfolio of products, digital solutions and services, from substation to socket, enabling safe, smart and sustainable electrification. How is ABB’s business shaping up in India? Which are the new technological innovation and digital efforts that ABB is successfully focused on?
 
Over the past decades, ABB has invested across domains and has helped expand the overall manufacturing base in India. Our solutions have been developed in India with a vision to support the Government of India’s Make in India policy. For the electrification business ABB’s portfolio ranges right from low voltage solutions to medium voltage switchgears and technologies which go into the power distribution of these industries. The focus is now shifting from power generation to improving the power distribution vertical that will see a lot of investments in the near future. Smart energy distribution makes ABB the partner of choice for utilities, industries, transport and infrastructure. Our class-leading data centre power solutions that have been gaining quick momentum due to their space-saving, timesaving, energy-saving, cost-saving and infinitely scalable ability. India is a high potential market for adoption of digital technologies. ABB Ability™ digital solutions deliver a safer, smarter, more sustainable electrical infrastructure by providing data-driven insights that enable you to reduce costs, increase comfort, and drive efficiency. Operators face all kinds of different challenges, ensuring continuous power distribution, keeping operational expenditure lowest and optimizing efficiency to improve plant sustainability.
 
ABB Ability solutions can help address all these challenges. It’s simply a case of harnessing the data your operations are already producing to provide valuable insight that will enhance decision making.
 
ABB AbilityTM Energy and Asset Manageris a state-of-the-art cloud solution that integrates energy and asset management in a single intuitive dashboard. Providing full remote visibility of asset and electrical system behaviour. The solution provides insights that help you minimize cost and risk and maximize performance and safety across your operations.
 
ABB Ability™ Building Ecosystemis an open and scalable digital platform that fits with building needs, that enablesoptimization of space and to improve energy efficiency. This energy management systems drive operational efficiency, reduce energy consumption by up to 40 percent, minimize costs, and increase occupant comfort.   
 
Q2. What are the market’s challenges, particularly in terms of cost, technical advancement, and getting raw materials? 
 
With today's market scenario, there are multiple challenges like management of logistics, component availabilities, fluctuation forex costs and the most common one with supplies in electronics.All these factors with others effect the entire value chain in terms of costs, technical advancements, material procurement and several other factors.
 
Q3. Can you please describe the objective of the ABB Electrification tagline "Writing the future of safe, smart and sustainable electrification" in detail?
 
With ever increasing urbanization and the world forging ahead to create a low-carbon future, ABB is supporting with digitally connected, ABB Ability™ enabled solutions and services. We are shaping the future trends of electrification, differentiating through technological and digital innovation while delivering an outstanding experience through operational excellence for our customers across utilities, industry, buildings, infrastructure and mobility.
 
Q4.What are the new products showcased by ABB in the recent years? 
 
ABB’s Electrification division provides a full range of medium voltage solutions for the utility, industrial and commercial customers with safe, reliable, and smart technologies for the distribution of electricity. 
Recently ABB India has launcheda new series of electrical measuring and power monitoring meters for the digital panel meter market. The newly introduced M1M11, M1M DS, M1M 20B and M1M 30B cover the main submetering easily and cost-effectively by powering quality monitoring requirements inside power factor correction boards, motor control centres or sub-distribution switchboards of commercial and industrial buildings. ABB provides a full range of low voltage solutions to connect, protect, control and measure a wide range of electrical installations, enclosures, switchboards, electronics and electromechanical devicesalong with MV solutions.The business improves the reliability and efficiency of its customers’ activities across all major industries including the residential sector Recently at EL Asia 2022 ABB India Electrification Division launched a plethora of LV solutions for the Indian market.
 
Q5.How is ABB contributing or adding to India’s energy growth and development? 
 
We at ABB India are known for our sustainability culture and ethos. This culture has also been carried forward throughout the value chain of our stakeholders. Energy efficiency and innovating technology to decouple growth from environment impact is central to our sustainability. Our prime focus is on advancing technology with energy efficiency both on the conventional energy and renewables. We develop products and solutions that make the production, transmission, distribution, and use of energy in various forms for utilities, industries, infrastructure, and transportation sectors more environmentally friendly.  ABB India offers a wide range of basic to advanced level smart metering solutions for efficient energy management in India. The range covers all requirements of low to medium voltage applications across industrial, commercial and residential segments. The meters are designed to cover all needs, from the measurement of basic electrical parameters to advanced power quality parameters. Energy management is one of the biggest challenges in business applications and has a huge impact on the cost of operations. To ensure optimal energy efficiency, ABB India had launched a new series of electrical measuring and power monitoring meters for the electrical market which is growing at a CAGR of 6% for the period between 2017 to 2023. Our strategy for cutting energy consumption involves putting an emphasis on automation, using renewable energy sources where appropriate, making product components more environmentally friendly, and taking automation to the next level through digitalization.
 
Q6.What services are ABB offering to its customers, uniquely than other brands?
 
ABB India a leading global technology company that energizes the transformation of society and industry to achieve a more productive, sustainable future. By connecting software to its electrification, robotics, automation and motion portfolio, ABB pushes the boundaries of technology to drive performance to new levels.ABB’s Electrification Business Area is a global leader in electrical products and solutions, operating in more than 100 countries, with over 200 manufacturing sites. With ABB AbilityTM enabled digital solutions at its core, our portfolio protects, connects and optimizes the flow of electrical energy, including the integration of renewables and energy storage for smarter electricity distribution for utilities, industry, infrastructure and transportation.
 
 
 
 

MR. ALOK KISHORE - CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

( WAGO INDIA )

WAGO India has recently set up a new production facility in Vadodara. WAGO is represented in many different areas of the energy industry with automation technology, interface electronics, and connection technology. Spread over 1 lac square meter with the planned investment exceeding INR 300 crore in phases, the new factory caters to domestic demand and global exports as well. It will allow us to enhance our product portfolio for the Indian market and become more competitive
 
 
1.How is WAGO business shaping up in India?
 
WAGO India is on a constant growth path since its foray into Indian market in 1995. German lineage and state-of-the-art technology offerings supported by worldwide application approvals contributed immensely towards customer acceptance of the brand in India. WAGO considers India as a high potential market. As a testimony of this fact, WAGO India has recently set up a new production facility in Vadodara. Spread over 1 lac square meter with the planned investment exceeding INR 300 crore in phases, the new factory caters to domestic demand and global exports as well. It will allow us to enhance our product portfolio for Indian market and become more competitive. With our 18 sales offices and over 100 channel & solution partners across India, we serve the industry with our comprehensive range of Electrical Interconnection, Interface Electronics and Automation Control products and solutions. While a lot depends on the global and Indian economy outlook, we are confident of our market strategy to continue the growth momentum.  
 
 
2.What has been WAGO journey during the COVID period and after the lockdown?
 
The first wave of the pandemic stalled the progress of Infrastructure projects in both the public and the private sector. For over 2 months the manufacturing sector was largely shut. This did affect us as orders begin to dry up.  The start of 2021 saw the market recover. The second wave created doubts once again. But this time industry was better prepared. Learnings from recent past helped us to continue business critical functions without compromising safety. In fact, at WAGO India, we posted our best sales ever in 2021. The momentum is continuing in 2022 with healthy sales trend and upbeat forecast so far.
 
 
3.What are the market’s challenges, particularly in terms of price and technical advancements?
 
India has traditionally been a price sensitive market. Often it creates challenges for companies that do not wish to compromise on quality for price competitiveness. We do believe India has a market segment for every price bracket. We are happy that our customers prefer higher quality product over other economical alternatives.   We consider the ever-evolving technology and faster adaptation as an opportunity rather than a challenge. It inspires us to innovate to retain our market leadership. Since beginning, WAGO has been empowering its customers with ground-breaking ideas & innovations ranging from screwless connection technology, lever actuation in connectors & fieldbus independent automation controllers which have now become an industry standard. With the global infrastructure and resources, the company will continue to set higher benchmarks for itself with each success and constantly strive to remain future ready. 
 
 
4.What are the new add-ons in WAGO offerings?
 
Everything we do at WAGO is built around our core philosophy of “empowering our customers”. This guiding principle of customer centricity has always inspired us to make usage of WAGO products - simpler, faster, safer and sustainable.  Some of the recent additions include all-new control cabinet power supply module - Pro2 with 96% efficiency to offer higher energy savings and reduced carbon footprints.  WAGO customizable IoT Box includes fieldbus independent automation systems that enable organizations with legacy operational infrastructure to take a step towards digitizing ‘brownfield’ systems, connecting machine data to the cloud and gain all the benefits of Industry 4.0. With our experience in automation, we know that in many cases, transferring large and complex data from machines directly to a cloud is resource-intensive and not feasible due to the low latency often prevalent in industrial applications. WAGO understood this challenge and introduced Edge devices. The Edge Controller and Edge Computer are the right solutions for specific requirements relating to memory, computing power and project design in existing automation system. Instead of enormous data volumes being sent to the cloud, a portion of the processing takes place at the network's edge. This edge processing allows smooth application operations that require low latency.
 
5.Please share an overview of your solutions for Energy sector.
 
The energy transition from generation, distribution, storage to consumption requires the interaction of all the players. Technologically, WAGO is represented in many different areas of the energy industry with automation technology, interface electronics and connection technology.  The main objective of the power generation and distribution industry is ensuring power supply safety and reliability while paying attention to efficiency and low costs when installing their systems. They are also required to connect systems of a certain size to the control system of the grid operator so that they can be monitored remotely as required. To enable this communication between electricity producers and grid operators, the operators of power plants revert to telecontrol protocols. WAGO automation controllers provide a standardized and easy-to-use interface for users based on the IEC 60870-5-101/-103/-104, 61400-25, 61850-7-420, MODBUS, DNP3 standards. Our proven experience with municipal utilities, system operators, system integrators, station builders and industrial customers alike enables us to become reliable partner to the energy industry for many years.
 

IMTEYAZ SIDDIQUI - REGIONAL AREA MANAGER SOUTH ASIA AND GCC

( ALTANOVA INDIA PVT. LTD. )

Within ALTANOVA (a Doble Company) brand, we have six manufacturing brands; ISA, Doble, Techimp, MS, Phenix & Vanguard. ISA, Vanguard & Doble primarily produce Testing Equipment, both off-line & Inservice testing. Through Techimp, we provide products and services related to Partial Discharge/ Insulation Diagnostics.
 
 
Q1-Could you throw some light on the market reach of your company?
 
After the merger of ALTANOVA with Doble, our market reach has expanded extensively. We are now spread all over the globe, from North America to Australasia. Traditionally Doble has been very strong in North America, whereas ALTANOVA has a proactive presence in the rest of the world.In India,we have the presence of both ALTANOVA & Doble subsidiaries, and we have integrated both teams to serve the customers proactively. Within ALTANOVA (a Doble Company) brand, we have six manufacturing brands; ISA, Doble, Techimp, MS, Phenix & Vanguard. ISA, Vanguard& Doble primarily produce Testing Equipment, both off-line & Inservice testing. Through Techimp, we provide products and services related to Partial Discharge/Insulation Diagnostics. MS has solutions related to Dissolved Gas Analysis. Techimp & MS provides global online monitoring solutions for Transformers, whereas we also have online global monitoring solutions for all the electrical assets like GIS, Rotating Machines & cables. Through Phenix, we are providing anything & everything related to High Voltage & Current applications. Hence, to conclude, we can confidently say that now, as a combined entity, we have solutions to almost all the challenges faced by the assets managers.
 
 
 
Q2-What are the market's challenges, particularly in terms of cost, technical advancement, and getting raw materials?
 
 
It is a crazy situation due to the electronic chips shortage and supply chain issues. We all are going through very difficult times as far as the components & raw materials are concerned. The prices are skyrocketing, and the lead time for availability for many electronic components has increased from a few weeks to a few months. That has cast a serious impact not only on the production but also on the R&D and new products launch.I sincerely wish & hope that the situation will improve soon and we shall be coming from this crisis sooner than later.
 
 
 
Q3-What are your views on using new technologies or moving towards digitalization?
 
 
Digitalization, for sure, is the buzzword these days. Most of the new projects are greenfield projects with a focus on digitalization. Moreover, almost all the forward-looking utilities worldwide are also moving towards digitalization for their existing assets Digitalization will improve the electrical network's reliability, leading to reduced downtime and hence improvement in the availability and efficiency of power.On the flip side, we need to be more cautious about the security of our network and strong safeguards against cyber-attacks. Strengthening cyber security will need more attention and budget.
 
 
 
Q4-What are your most advanced solutions to optimize the generation assets?
 
 
We have both products & solutions for the generation companies. We have solutions like online global monitoring solutions for insulation diagnostics based on the inception of Partial Discharge phenomena.We provide on-site testing for PDs of generators and motors present in the generation plants. We are working on many such projects where we help the plant managers classify their assets based on the PD data trend and help them move from Time Based Maintenance (TBM) to Condition Based Monitoring (CBM). This asset classification gives them a clear picture about the aging of their individual assets, thereby helping them better plan their future replacements.We also provide consultancy to our customers for Root Cause Analysis of any asset failure in their plants so that they can avoid similar situations in future. We have a very strong team of experts in different offices spread over different parts of the world. For more than 100 years, the experts of Doble have been known for their knowledge and sharing them with our customers/partners through regular conferences & workshops.
 
 
 
Q5-What is the Doble- Altanova's other recent strategic developments?
 
 
Total Customer Satisfaction has always been our motto,whichthe merger of ALTANOVA & Doble has further reinforced. We have now a local presence in more countries, and our customers have very well taken this. This merger has increased our team size. We are continuously improving the knowledge level of our team by providing cross-training to our engineers. These training are helping us provide the complete solutions to the customers by the local engineers for both ALTANOVA and Doble range of products & solutions. The combined team in India is buoyant and fully geared to work in tandem and continue to delight our customers. Even the locations of two offices, in Noida & Vadodara, gives us a strategic advantage in reaching our customers faster.
 
 
 
Q6-How do you define your brand values?
 
 
I firmly believe that brand values are defined by the market we serve, and our customers make a brand successful or fail. However, our mission or vision statement gives us the direction and roadmap to operate and grow."ALTANOVA, a Doble Engineering Company, provides diagnostic solutions to utilities and industries to improve the performance of their electrical assets through portable testing equipment, advanced monitoring systems, and professional services".The entire ALTANOVA team, inspired by the power of the above statement, is contributing their best to improve our customer's experiences.
 
 
 
 
Q7-What is your outlook onthe electrical industry?
 
 
Despite the current situation due to the supply chain issues, shortage of electronic chips, skyrocketing prices for raw materials, and a few countries going through economic recessions, I am quite positive that the electrical industry will keep growing. Electricity,an essential part of our lifestyle, will continue to be in demand. The current demand for Electrical Vehicles itself requires such a huge infrastructure. In other words, every innovation nowadays is dependent on electricity. Hence, I firmly believe that our sector will continue to grow, and we, as ALTANOVA Group, will continue to contribute our bit to ensure that we all get reliable and efficient power to run our day-to-day life easily.
 

MR. T P SINGH - SENIOR DIRECTOR – SALES, EMERGING MARKETS (MIDDLE EAST, INDIA, CIS, TURKEY, SS AFRICA)

( TELEDYNE FLIR )

The World's Sixth Sense! Teledyne FLIR is building more than innovative technologies; they are striving to create a more sustainable, more efficient, and safer future by enhancing human perception through best-in-class intelligent imaging & sensing solutions! Pioneers in thermal imaging, the company was founded in 1978, originally providing infrared imaging systems that were installed on vehicles for use in conducting energy audits.

Q.What is the core ideology of TELEDYNE FLIR? Which products served as Elecrama 2023’s primary focus? 

With a global revenue of 5 billion US dollars TELEDYNE FLIR is an American company listed on the New York Stock Exchange. We at TELEDYNE FLIR are primarily focused on infrared imaging cameras while having a Sizeable overall portfolio under Teledyne as group. As core focus area for Elecrama- its The solutions for electrical utilities. We provide equipment for Predictive maintenance, continuous substation monitoring, SF6 visualisation, industrial acoustic imaging and complete set of testing and measuring instruments. For the Indian market as well as the worldwide market, we provide more than 100 products for electrical utilities.

Q.What distinguishes TELEDYNE FLIR from  its rivals ?

TELEDYNE FLIR is an established brand in India and in the global market. We’ve hundreds of satisfied customers in India who are pleased with our goods and services. We provide a very special warranty on our goods and their key components, which is one of the main benefit for the customers. For instance, the main component of Thermal camera is detector and that comes with 10- year warranty once the product is registered within 60 days of purchase. This shows how confident we are on our quality. We are also unique in providing convenience of use of our products with very high quality of images.

Q.What potential do you see for thermal  imaging cameras for electrical utilities?

A thermal imaging camera is the first item that comes to mind when thinking about preventive maintenance for critical assets in Utilities. A technician can measure the temperature accurately without taking shutdown or touching anything and from safe distance. The first sign of trouble with equipment in a substation is an increase in temperature. Thermal imaging cameras are crucial for preventive maintenance since they simplify overall operation and speed up the correction procedure. As a result, to that extent, it becomes an essential component of the sector.

Q.What are future plans for TELEDYNE FLIR in India ? 

In the Indian market, TELEDYNE FLIR is wellestablished. We will try our best to engage more customers so that they can get benefitted from this amazing technology. To offer comfortable experience to our customers, We have service centre and a strong distribution system in India.

Q.What modifications do you think the Indian market has to make in order to provide better goods and services?

For open tenders here, most of the times, selected supplier is the L1 (lowest in price)- this may not help to get best product for use; it would be helpful if we could have certain parameters so that quality of product is also considered and not only the price.

CHANDMAL GOLIYA - DIRECTOR

( KUSUM ELECTRICAL INDUSTRIES LTD. )

1.How the second wave of Covid-19 is affecting the market and the company?
 
ANS : The first & second wave of Covid-19 has caused untold miseries to the business community.  On the one hand may establishments & shops are closed due to the lockdown restrictions, on the other hand, the overhead expenses have to be met by the owners.  Many workers, fearing even worse times compared to the first lockdown, migrated to their native places at the very onset of the second wave of Covid-19, without waiting for the official announcements by the state governments.  Also the partial lockdowns announced by the states was not simultaneous, but in a sort of relay system due to which atleast 4-5 states were closed at a time which also hampered business activities.  Movement of people and goods was also heavily affected.
 
2.What are the recent additions in your product bucket? Is there any plan to launch any new product?
 
ANS: Considering the slowdown in business due to Covid-19, our company also slowed down the introduction of new products. However, we recently launched a new 6000 counts, TRMS Auto ranging Digital Multimeter, to measure inverter voltage (2000V DC) of Solar Panels, Meters to measure the intensity of LED lights, new range of GAS Detectors, Loop Impedance Tester to comply with the new CEA regulations, Electroplating Thickness Gauge, Infrared Thermometers, Fork Clamp Meter, etc.
 
3.Please tell us about the key smart features of your products. 
 
ANS : All KUSAM-MECO products have high reliability and excellent repeatability. The construction of the products is rugged and can withstand rough use without comprising the quality.  If used properly, our products can give many years of service.  KUSAM-MECO has the largest range of High Safety “UL” Listed Digital Multimeters&Clampmeters which even “Phoren” brands do not have, who have only “CE” marking.  “UL” listed Multimeters&Clampmeters have Polycarbonate body unlike CE products.  UL products have sturdy Holster making it shock resistant, it has HRC fuses for Current range protection.  They have Surge Protection of 6-12 KV which again no “Phoren” brand has.
 
4.How Kusam-Meco is transforming itself to cater to the emerging needs of the Indian T&M instrument market?
 
ANS : We at KUSAM-MECO constantly monitor customer’s requirement in the new emerging situations & research suitable products to fulfill the needs of the customers.
 
5.How will you provide flexible maintenance services and the price structures for the customers?
 
ANS :  We have a highly qualified & experienced team of Technical Engineers for providing after-sales-service for almost all our products to the satisfaction of the customer. We hold ISO certificate for AFTER-SALES-SERVICE for our products.  We have serviced some instruments even after 25 years after it was sold.
 
6.How do you distinguish yourself from others as far as your offered T&M solutions are concerned?
 
ANS : With sound technical knowledge, our engineers can provide the right product to the customer after studying his requirement, unlike other companies who simply push any product available with them to the customer even if it does not suit his requirements.
 
7.What are the future plans of Kusam-Meco? What will be the outlook of Indian Electrical industry in coming quarters?
 
ANS : KUSAM-MECO has plans to add about 10 new products in this year to cater to the competitive market requirements.  The Electrical Industry is passing through a difficult phase.  If the situation on the COVID front improves the industry may see a good  all  round growth rate in the later part of the year.

MR. KALIDAS BHANGARE - MANAGING DIRECTOR

( TESTO INDIA PVT. LTD. )

Q.1Please enlighten us about the journey of TESTO in India. What are the products and services available for the Indian market?
 
Established in 2006, Testo India Pvt. Ltd. is a 100% subsidiary of Testo SE & Co KGaA which is a world leader in design, development and manufacturing of electronic portable test and measuring instruments and is backed by 60 years of measurement engineering experience. 
We provide the best suited product for HVAC & electrical consultants, contractors, advisors, building surveyors and for segments like Refrigeration, Cold chains, Power, Steel, railways, Food, pharma and many more. Our products are of great utility starting from those who work in precision and comfort level monitoring in large working areas to those who are engaged in electrical safety and facility management. Our all-rounder instruments impress with smart technology, fast readiness and convenient application. Our wide product range includes 
Portable Measuring Instruments & Systems for: Temperature, Humidity, Pressure, Air velocity, RPM, Sound, Light, Current, Voltage and Resistance.
Transmitters for Humidity & Temperature, Differential Pressure, Dew point of Compressed air and Compressed Air Flow Meters
Data Loggers and Wireless Data Monitoring System - Saveris
Portable Flue Gas Analyzers for Combustion and Emission Analysis
Thermal Imagers for Predictive and Preventive Maintenance
 
Q.2How has the second wave of the pandemic affected business? How is the company managing risks and ensuring business continuity during the second wave?
 
For an emerging market like India where new possibilities are always evolving, we are always confident about the growth prospect of Testo. The kind of product range we have with so many features and areas of application for our measuring instruments, the future is full of opportunities. We do experience situational fluctuations in the demand dynamics at times, like the one we had right now due to the second wave of COVID, but then that is unavoidable, and the entire industry is learning to manage its operations as per the situation. We too are progressing with necessary strategy to create opportunities & ensure business continuity. Additionally, our solutions speak for themselves. For instance, to check the performance of electrical systems, power plants or any other application, constant inspection and monitoring is necessary in any condition, and we as a measurement equipment company play a crucial role in ensuring the necessary standards of the processes, system, and operations along with condition monitoring of components. 
Our continuous R&D on new products & solutions enables us to provide smart instruments that not only carry out measurement task but even help the user with data recording, on-site reporting, and safety too. We feel that our technologically advanced products & continuous efforts will help us grow in the future.
 
Q.3What are some of the new and promising technology trends that are shaping the Indian electrical industry?
 
At the current scenario we are witnessing a great development prospect in the Indian electrical market and a lot of new technologies are getting established. Electrical industry is very vast that includes electronic goods, power & utility products, HVAC systems, telecom, industry components, tools, machines, gadgets and many more. Even electric vehicles would be a part of the industry soon. In terms of technology also, we are on a progressive path with constant development. The latest advancements are coming in the forms of smart operation which is also the current trend accompanied by the digitization of the working system. Advanced methods are being adopted in the sector right from the product development, assembly to manufacturing of electrical goods and services. As far as the testing and measurement industry is concerned which also belongs to the same segment, a wide variety of smart and intuitive products are being developed for the troubleshooting of electrical components and systems. Right from maintenance of HVAC systems to the inspection of Solar PV panels, every aspect is now under check & long life of the equipment can be ensured very easily.
 
Q.4How is TESTO transforming itself to cater to the emerging needs of the Indian electrical industry?
 
Considering our latest and most advanced solutions for instance, our Electrical Instruments are very distinct in their features. They are excellent instruments to inspect the electrical components for short-circuits or circuit failure threats. Along with that they ensure longevity and efficiency of various power electronic components that control and regulate the flow of electrical energy. The unique Clamp meters and Multi meters are intuitive and can measure several parameters in a single component. Our new range of Thermal Imagers with smartphone integration designed to deliver networked thermography are mostly used for predictive and preventive maintenance in electric and power sector. These electrical instruments & thermal imagers are the best solution for trouble shooting in electrical industry.
 
Q.5How technologies like IoT, Big Data and other smart technologies are helping the industry in survival?
 
It is a very well-known fact that existing systems are getting digitized and smart technology &IIoT has become very relevant within the industry.The new phase of industrial revolution has experienced this disrupt on a very broad spectrum from manufacturing to service sector. The industrial operations are now self-governed where the processes can communicate within themselves and take corrective actions in case there is any deviation. This helps in reducing the downtime of the operation. Data storage and analysis becomes super easy with the inclusion of smart techniques, which also helps in higher efficiency & reduced wastage. Same goes for the T&M division too where the products have evolved with the new technologies. The measuring instruments are now more intuitiveand could be easily integrated with various operationsfor troubleshooting, predictive maintenance and are also capable of generating alarms & reminders without any human intervention.
 
Q.6What are your top priorities for TESTO for the next one to two years? What are the company’s growth plans?
 
India is termed as an emerging market and the numbers are only growing. In a very short span of time from its inception, Testo India has grown exponentially, thanks to our innovative products and German technology. In the years to come we are confident to multiply our success as we provide solutions for several industrial applications which require testing and measurement of parameters along with troubleshooting & maintenance. We have plans to launch several new products & extend our arms to all possible regions, industries and newer applications. We intend to offer solutions that are relevant, precise, easy to use and supports environment health, air quality and human comfort. We now provide complete solution, from hardware to sensors to software, for a couple of applications and work to improve continually. Testo also has an NABL accredited service & calibration LAB that takes care of the after sales support locally from Pune. This facility is highly cost effective as it delivers international standards very conveniently. We feel that our technologically advanced products & continuous efforts before and after sales will help us grow in the future.

GAUTAM SETH - JOINT MANAGING DIRECTOR

( HPL ELECTRIC AND POWER LTD. )

1.How has this year been for HPL? What are the differences that you see in the market in pre & post lockdown period?
 
It has been very challenging year for the entire economy, despite this, we managed to show considerable resilience and have bagged many new orders and fulfilled our existing orders. We recently we bagged an order of Rs 372 Cr for its switchgear, wires and other related accessories for low-cost housing projects in Andhra Pradesh. Our business has picked up considerably in the recent months and the company hopes for improved growth in the coming months. If we look at the overall industry scenario, the demand of electricity has been reduced undoubtedly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Governments were constrained to reduce the business activity in response to minimize the danger of coronavirus. This on-going situation due to COVID-19 has changed the lifestyle globally as people are mostly staying home and working from home if possible. Hence, there is a significant increase in residential load demand while there is a substantial decrease in commercial and industrial loads. This calamitous situation creates new challenges in the technical and financial activities of the power sector and hence most of the utilities around the world proposed a disaster management plan to tackle these ongoing challenges/threats. As of now many states are doing some relaxations in the guidelines in the lockdown period. This can somehow increase the commercial and industrial loads in power sector.
 
2. How is HPL playing a major role in ensuring safety of the consumers from electrical hazards? Can you share about HPLs’ products to address the situation?
 
HPL has been promoting and creating awareness on electrical safety through its vendor network and keeps customers and distributors aware on key safety features and aspects of all our products. All our products are certified with Indian and International standards conforming to highest safety standards. We educate our customers to buy only certified products and on good operation and maintenance practices that enhance safety and durability of electrical systems and products.  All our products have the highest safety standards and best in terms of technology, quality and design. An enhanced fire retardant property in insulation plays a major role in fire safety. Cables are insulated/jacketed by such blend of insulation which are more resistant to fire. We are offering cables with fire retardant PVC, fire retardant low smoke PVC, extremely low smoke and halogen free compound. We are developing FR-LSH (Flame Retardant Low Smoke Halogen) cables which is made up of Bare-annealed copper and unicolour FR-LSH PVC.
 
3.Is there any new addition in your products’ list for the wire & cable segment?
 
As one of the leading manufacturer of wires and cables in the country, our product portfolio already caters to all major segments in the wire and cable industry. At the same time, we are continuously exploring and innovating with new technology and materials to come out with new products in the wire and cable segment.
 
4.How are you exactly contributing to the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ mission?
 
We are an Indian brand committed to ‘Make In India’ and Atmanirbhar Bharat. With over 50 years experience in the Indian market, we understand the mood of the nation is to have a robust industrial and technological capacity, to be a resilient economy in view of the global uncertainties. We are not only designing and manufacturing electrical components and products at our manufacturing facilities, we also have elaborate R&D and testing facilities. We have recently set up R&D centre to conduct advanced research in developing solutions smart IOT technology and communication technology.
 
5.How is your export business shaping up?
 
In the recent years we have done exceptionally well in the export market and HPL has established itself in more than 35 countries in regions of Asia, Africa, Europe, UK and Indian Sub-continent. Our exports have substantially grown year on year and in the near future we are looking to further expand our footprints in the African, Middle East and Asian markets.          
 
 

ANIL MUNJAL - CEO & DIRECTOR

( RIELLO POWER INDIA )

1. How is RIELLO POWER business shaping up?
 
Riello started business operations in late nineties in India and it has been an encouraging journey so far.  Our core business is the power conditioning solutions and we manufacture Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS), devices that ensure power quality and business continuity, guaranteeing power supply for all the critical business applications. We manufacture our products in India and our range of UPS includes single-phase and three-phase UPS with a power from 6kVA to 6.4 MVA with all topologies for healthcare, pharma, Data Centres, Telecommunication, IT and manufacturing industries, as well as aviation, engineering, financial services, education, hospitality, entertainment, defence, space, retail and many more applications where power continuity is a must.
 
2. How has thelast financial yearbeen for RIELLO POWER? What are the differences that you see in the market in pre & post lockdown period?
 
The impact of COVID 19 on the power conditioning sector is relatively less pronounced as compared to other sectors. Despite the lockdowns and limited economic activity, several essential industries that rely on continued power requirements have been running at a reasonable level. As a result, our businesswas not much affected. This pandemic condition has undoubtedly provided India with a chance to expand local manufacturing and industries. COVID has also emphasised the importance of the power conditioning business as more and more business operations rely ondigital platforms now. We're preparing ourselves at Riello to seize this opportunity and increase our market share.
 
3. How is RIELLO POWER playing a major role in ensuring safety of the environment and energy efficiency through its products? Can you share about RIELLO POWER s’ products to address the situation?
 
Riello Power India is a UPS manufacturingcompany dedicated to continuously improving UPS technology through innovation and R&D initiatives in order to make our UPS solutions more and more energy-efficient and bring down the carbon footprints and reduce heat losses. We are totally committed to our business philosophy of "reliable power for a sustainable world." It is this reason that Riello UPS brand is consistently ranked among the top 5 players in the world. We've been at the forefront of the industry in developing future-oriented solutions that boost energy efficiency while ensuring reliable, resilient and scalable power.
 
4. Is there any new addition in your products’ list?
 
Yes, we have recently launched new modular range of UPS as well as enhanced our current range with new models of transformerless ON LINE UPSfor smaller and medium Data Centres and all mission-critical applications. These new UPS products facilitate Data Centres to be scalable, resilient and able to adapt to ever changing demandswhile delivering outstanding performance and up to 97% efficiency.
 
5. How are you exactly contributing to the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ mission?
 
Riello UPS is a global brand and we entered the Indian market with a primary goal & vision to establish ourselves as a strong industry playerand giving a boost to the Indian economy. It is for this reason that we set-up our state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in India and today, our company produces the widest range and ratings of UPS systems in India. Many of the components used in manufacturing of our UPS systems are manufactured in India.
 
6. On the technical side, in what direction are we headed in the power conditioning industry? What are the trends?
 
Industry and all other business applications now place a higher value on a clean, secure, scalable, reliable, energy-efficient, flexible, high-density as well as environmentally friendly power supply solutions. 
 
And Riello Power India is fully committed to deliver the same to the Industry.

ANIL UPPAL - MANAGING DIRECTOR

( KVTEK POWER SYSTEM PVT. LTD. )

Q.1Please enlighten us about the journey of KVTEK in India. What are the products and services available for the Indian market?
 
KVTEK was established in 2005 with a clear aim of manufacturing quality High Voltage Test and Measuring Equipment and marketing it across the world. Prior to 2005, we were have involved in marketing, installing, Commissioning and providing after sale service of these equipment in India by sourcing it from Europe and USA. However with emergence of China in this field it became difficult to market these products by sourcing from Europe and USA due to huge price difference.
At that point, we had two options; either to start sourcing from China and keep marketing or start manufacturing these equipment, we chose the later option. We spent good 5 years from 2005 to 2010 in R&D activities; designing, developing these products ourselves. In 2010, we started marketing these equipment in India and then slowly expanded to other international markets as well. Initially the import content was relatively high in our equipment but now the import content is less than 5%.
We are currently involved in following products and services:
1. Setting up the complete Power & Distribution Transformer Test Lab (Both for routine and type tests) on turnkey basis. Major equipment involved are;
  Static Frequency Converter
  Intermediate Multi-Tap Step-up Transformer
  Capacitor Bank (Option of Manual, Semi-Automatic and Fully Automatic is available)
  Transformer Loss Measuring System
  Multi-Channel Partial Discharge Detection System with HV Filter 
  Impulse Voltage Test System
  SR Test Set for separate source test
  Portable C & Tangent Delta Test Set of 12 kV with variable freq. option.
  Winding Resistance meter with Heat run extrapolation software
  Earthing, Site Preparation& Shielding design
 
2. Setting up the High Voltage PD Test Lab for Testing CT/PT/CVT, Cables, Switchgear and other HV Components on turnkey basis. Major equipment involved are;
  High Voltage AC Series Resonant Test Set (Variable Inductance OR Variable Frequency OR both Variable Inductance & Frequency Type)
  Partial Discharge Detection System
  RF Shielded Room
  HV & LV Filters 
  Earthing and Site Preparation design
3. Setting up Impulse Test Lab for Testing CT/PT/CVT, Cables, Switchgear and other HV Components on turnkey basis. Major equipment involved are;
  Impulse Generator
  Impulse Divider & Impulse Shunts
  Multiple Chopping Gap
  PC Based Impulse Control System
  PC Based Impulse Analysing System
  Over Shoot Compensation Device
  Glaninger Circuit
  Earthing and Site Preparation design
4. Capacitance & tangent Delta Test Set with Standard Capacitors
5. AC/DC Kilovoltmeters with Voltage Dividers
6. Online Moisture Absorption System
7. Calibration services for all the above equipment through NABL accredited lab
 
Q.2How has the second wave of the pandemic affected business? How the company is managing risks and ensuring business continuity during the second wave?
 
Second wave of pandemic has affected in terms slowdown in cash flow as many customers are delaying picking up their ready consignments. Many projects on which we were working has been put on-hold temporarily. However fortunately we had the healthy order book so we have managed the continuity of work but sudden increase in raw material costs has severely impacted the business margins.  
 
Q.3Could you brief us about the performance of KVTEK and about the overall performance of the industry?
 
High Voltage Test & Measuring Industry is a very niche market and barring China, worldwide there are only 4-5 manufacturers in this field. KVTEK is the only Indian company and the latest entrant in this field. In the span of last one decade, KVTEK has succeeded in creating a space for themselves in this challenging environment by taking the major share of the Indian market and have also succeeded in exporting test equipment to 17 countries so far. All leading names in the field of Power Equipment manufacturing like Siemens, GE, ABB, Toshiba, BHEL etc. are already our regular customers.
Electrical Industry by nature is a very slow changing industry and equally slow in accepting the change in any technology sector especially the testing arena. It normally takes several decades for any new player to succeed in this field but relatively we have been very quick in creating a space for ourselves in this field. We have not just created space for ourselves but have also succeeded in introducing new technologies in the testing field. Historically Transformer manufacturing industry has been using 2 x MG Sets; one as 50Hz power source and another for 100Hz or 200 Hz Power source, some even use voltage regulator as 50Hz power source. This resulted in lot of wastage of time in changing connections from one source to another during transformer testing. KVTEK has successfully introduced Static Frequency Converter (SFC) in lieu of MG Sets and Voltage regulators as single SFC can give you variable output voltage and variable output frequency ranging from 50-200 Hz thus the need of changing connections from one source to another has been eliminated and this significantly improves the testing throughput. Besides saving time, it saves lot of energy, space and noise pollution as well.
KVTEK recently has manufactured and successfully tested the world’s largest Static Frequency Converter of 6 MVA specifically designed for testing large power transformers of 500 MVA rating. This will add growth to our business in the coming years. Besides successfully using SFC for this application of Transformer Testing, KVTEK has also introduced SFC technology in Potential Transformer (PT) Testing. KVTEK’s revolutionary concept of using variable inductance & variable frequency Series Resonant system has made it possible to conduct High Voltage and Partial Discharge Test successfully on PT’s which conventionally was being done by feeding high frequency power from the secondary side of PT (which at best is a makeshift arrangement only). 
The other significant step which KVTEK has taken is that now we have an in house NABL accredited calibration laboratory. This adds lot of depth to our business as we are able to supply all test equipment manufactured with NABL accredited calibration certificate which adds lot of value to our customers as this helps them to get their test labs NABL accredited.
Overall performance of the industry also has been full of turbulence in the last few years as major players from Europe and USA in this field are busy changing their respective owners. Most customers across the world are quickly realizing that it is not prudent to rely heavily on Chinese companies in this field due to serious quality issues and complete lack of after sale service on their part.
 
Q.4What are some of the new and promising technology trends that are shaping the Indian electrical industry?
 
Power Testing Systems industry is going through the transition as there is significant change in the technology. More digital technology in the field of power testing industry is not only helping users to make much more accurate measurements but with increased automation in the technology is also helping the users to significantly increase the testing throughput as well. 
Use of Static Frequency Converters & Transformer Loss Measuring System in Power Transformer industry is helping them immensely to make measurement much more accurately and significantly increasing the number of transformers being tested in a day. 
Use of Variable Inductance & Variable Frequency Series Resonant Test Systems for HVPD Testing of PTs has helped Instrument Transformer Industry immensely in creating a proper testing facility for PTs rather than the makeshift arrangement of feeding high frequency power from secondary side.
Fully automated voltage seasoning equipment for Vacuum Interrupter Bottles has helped the industry in increasing their testing throughput significantly.
Additionally with the option of sourcing quality testing equipment from within India from companies like KVTEK instead of importing it from Europe and US at almost double the price, setting-up the test labs by electrical equipment manufacturers and third party test labs have become very cost effective which is allowing even the smaller players to enter the field of manufacturing power equipment like Power Transformers, Instrument Transformers, XLPE Cables, Switchgears. Lightning Arrestors, Bushings, Insulators and other HV Components. Which is good for them and us as well as this is a win-win situation for all concerned.
 
Q.5What are your top priorities for KVTEK for the next one to two years? What are the company’s growth plans?
 
KVTEK after establishing their footprint in Indian market is now focused on expanding their business to across the globe. Till date KVTEK has succeeded in exporting their test and measuring solutions to 17 countries and are now in the process of adding 5 more countries every year. KVTEK is working aggressively in making formal tie-ups with trade partners in the selected countries who in turn will help KVTEK promote their products in their specific countries. Plan is to have trade partners in every major country in the next decade so that we can cater to the requirements of entire world market in the field of HV Test and Measuring Solutions. KVTEK’s current business of manufacturing HV Test and Measuring Equipment for the Electrical Equipment Manufacturers, often requires lot of customization which requires a lot of R&D work for each project. This increases the turnaround time of each project significantly thus limits the growth options.
To overcome this challenge, KVTEK is also diversifying to cater to the Indian Railways and Metro Railways requirement of Frequency Converters. Railways is the single largest consumer of Frequency Converters; KVTEK will be investing lot of quality time in the coming years to make their Static Frequency Converters suitable for Railways application and their specifications, especially keeping in mind the converter has to go through harsh environmental conditions and vibrations.

SAMEER WAGH - SR. GENERAL MANAGER - SALES DISTRIBUTION , SERVICE & IT

( MECC ALTE INDIA PVT. LTD. )

1.How Mecc Alte asses the Indian electrical industry amid the second wave of Covid-19?
 
MeccAlte like all other electrical industries and industry in general is going through the pains of ongoing COVID-19 impact,
Second wave of COVID was seen as an ultimate human crisis Indian faced and much graver than the first wave. 
Unlike the first wave, Industry in general was allowed to operate with certain restrictions hence financial impact was lesser than the first wave where everything was closed for 2+ months.
Different States had different problems thus restrictions & its timelines were not uniform which severely affected the supply chain.
Second wave saw huge oxygen shortage and COVID infections across all the age groups, both had an impact up to 50% on the output & thus the revenues of the electrical and manufacturing industry in April and May 2021.
Electricity use reduced by over 10% in May 2021 but the alternate & emergency power requirements surged for powering oxygen production plants and hospitals. The demand kept accumulating due to non-supply/low-supply in the lockdown period and  should expect a V-shaped demand increase.
 
2.What are the latest products on offer by Mecc Alte India? Please enlighten us about the applications of those products.
 
We have launched the C-Type range of alternators- the next generation in power.
 
Drawing on over seventy years’ experience in manufacturing the world’s class alternators, our radical new approach has led to product innovations that deliver tangible performance benefits for our customers. We have reconsidered every aspect and variable to create a ground-breaking new family of alternators. 
 
We have consolidated these innovations in all aspects of performance and function to create and introduce the new MeccAlte C-Type Alternators. 
 
The C-Type Alternator Series is a family of three core products lines with six to eight models each, producing between 7.5kVA to 165kVA across the range. This truly builds on MeccAlte’s leading design features and benefits from many years of continuous refinement.
MORE POWERFUL: C-Type alternators make the most of energy conversion to produce the maximum power to size ratio. With an increased power density they really punch above their weight.
MORE ACCESSIBLE: C-Type is easier than ever to assemble and integrate, reducing your production times. It’s a double-win for the end user and your maintenance/service team.
MORE CONFIGURABLE: Maximum power from the smallest, lightest and strongest alternators and our designers has lavished the C-Type with auxiliary winding, the MAUX and 12 wire connections as a standard, much more flexibility for adjusting power settings on the fly. The result is outstanding performance and practicality from the most easily adjustable and maintainable family of alternators on the market. 
MeccAlte follows a no compromise approach on product quality. The design guidelines are followed strictly at all manufacturing locations. As a result, we consistently get the same world class quality at all our factories.
 
As power generation becomes much more about complete solutions than products, we recognized the growing need to offer single source supply and present versatile and robust power solutions for OEMs. 
 
As such MeccAlte can now offer: Genset Controller, Engine Controller and Battery Chargers. 
 
These products will carry the same class and quality as that of MeccAlte Alternators
 
With flexible component packages and our new product introductions, we will continue to meet our customers’ order requirements in the post Covid-Era as we all look to work together and mutually build success.  
 
3. How MeccAlte is transforming itself to meet the emerging needs of the Indian power industry?
 
MeccAlte has been a highly focused company in the field of industrial alternators. And that has been the reason for the success of the product across the globe.
MeccAlte offers a single product range – Synchronous Alternators from 1 – 5000kVA, right from portable alternators to industrial alternators through to medium and high voltage alternators for power generation.
In the Indian market we have very significant opportunities across all the segments. From a manufacturing perspective we will be continuously moving towards higher horsepower (HHP) alternators to cover the entire range of requirements. Our products are under consideration for use in the Indian Railways and we are also looking to broaden opportunities in the field of alternators for agricultural applications and lighting towers.  Our customers will also find superior value in the range of accessories that we will introduce shortly and provide our customers with a single window service for all products related to alternators.
MeccAlte also offer 2 pole and 4 pole alternators that provide best in class efficiencies and excel in other performance parameters. As a leading manufacturer of industrial alternators, we have consistently addressed our customer requirements through product modifications and innovations. MeccAlteusing the highly specialized products has made advances in the niche segments of Marine, Aviation and Indian Armed forces 
 
4. How IoT& other technological advancements are changing the face of alternator industry?
 
Digital platforms have led to the changes in how one perceives the Alternator product and 
MeccAlte has started very early and thus been the pioneers and leaders in digital regulators over the last 15 years. 
 
MeccAltealternators fitted with our own digital regulators( AVRs )are designed and proven to deliver power, guaranteed uptime and complete peace of mind for all power applications from 1- 5000kVA. Digital AVRs are fitted as standard, throughout our range.
MeccAlte AVR not only serves the purpose of controlling, monitoring and fine parameterization of the Alternator output but through the MeccAlte App, available on Google and Apple stores, users can set alarms and source technical data from simply scanning a barcode. 
 
 All these digital features and parameters have been further enhanced in our new innovative ‘NEXT GENERATION AVR - MAVR”, with many added advantages that bring in more flexibility and smarter controls: 
Self-stability setting by adaptive and/or auto tuning algorithms
Single and three phase sensing.
CAN Bus J1939 communication protocol.
External E2PROM (calibrations, settings and alarm LOG)
Standard C.T. input  
Dynamic response adjustable by trimmer (STAB)
Improved control robustness.
USB communication embedded  & Up to 118 digital settings (parameters)
4 Models: MAVR2 (Basic), MAVR3 (Enhanced) MAVRHD (Enhanced HD), MAVRHD+ (Advanced).
New communication board with WiFi enabled to set the AVR by means of mobile phone app or Windows software.
 
MeccAlte follows a no compromise approach on product quality. The design guidelines are followed strictly at all manufacturing locations. As a result, we consistently get the same world class quality at all our factories.
These products will carry the same class and quality as that of MeccAlte Alternators
 
5. Do you feel Covid-19 can prove to be a huge opportunity for India to emerge as a global manufacturing hub?
 
The mantras of ‘Made in India’ and ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ have started to have a big impact on how India responds to the available opportunity in the post COVID-19 era.  The QUAD group is also emphasizing on having collaboration and improving coordination in all the areas of business. India has charted out a new path for a self-reliant country during the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Various initiatives by Government of India is giving a big push to the manufacturing sector and efforts in localization is being taken at up at the Apex levels to avoid dependence on other countries. Atmanirbhar Bharatis an attempt to merge domestic production and consumption with global supply chains, without being self-contained or being closed to the world.
 
6. How do you evaluate the developed and developing market when it comes to technology, product offerings, and marketing strategies?
 
There’s no standard metric for differentiating between developed markets and emerging markets, but there are a number of identifiable characteristics that are hallmarks of each.Developed market is a country that is most developed in terms of its economy and capital markets. This term is contrasted with developing market which are emerging markets and frontier markets in the process of rapid growth and development but they have lower household incomes and capital markets that are less mature than developed countries.
Developed nations have more advanced economies, infrastructure and higher standards of living. Emerging economies have developing manufacturing bases with more rudimentary infrastructure; they may be suppliers of components or natural resources to other more advanced manufacturing nations.
Hence the marketing strategies and product offerings have to be differentiated with the intimate understanding of consumers and how to meet their demands. Innovative products rather than technological products and its pricing plays an important part while deciding product strategies in the emerging markets. Developing markets are large markets like the BRIC countries hence fast and widespread delivery of good has to be part of smart services strategy.Gone are the days when good quality was often not even a hygiene requirement, let alone a differentiator inemerging markets but yes, technology still remains a sought after area in the developing market.This results in a preponderance of low-technology buyers in the developing market, and technology becomes a key differentiating factor for the small group of customers that demand it.
 
7. What have your key learnings from this experience been from this virus outbreak? Will this in any way lead to a change in positioning of Mecc Alte as the brand in the future?
 
People keep saying it, everything has changed. As the days spent in our homes blur together and become indistinguishable, outside in the world huge shifts in consciousness are happening.
Just as it was unimaginable that things could go back to normal, things have gone back to normal after the 9/11 attacks and the continents have survived two animal influenzas and several waves of Ebola – lessons are emerging about the kinds of societies that will be required to withstand the future outbreaks that scientists tell us are inevitable, and increasing.
There have been diverse management strategies displayed in COVID-19 crisis response which can guide adjustments to our crisis response strategies.Transparency, decisive leadership, effective communication, solidarity, and accountability are vital. The lessons learnt can guide decisions to help reduce economic and social impacts,we can use innovative technologies and financing mechanisms in pandemic response.
In-spite of Pandemic MeccAlte is growing by 20% over last year and have strategic expansions plans in place for future growth which have started taking shape. This has only been possible due to efficacy shown in the areas of management of supply chain, man management in pandemic by vaccination drives (completed vaccination of 100% of our employees), localization of components like the digital regulator and other critical components to become self-sufficient and thus avoid the hassles and burden of imports during the testing times. Our domestic as well as export customers have appreciated MeccAlte’s timely supplies in-spite of the pandemic problems, we have also supported newer customers, who approached us temporarilyfor their urgent requirements,thus improving our image as an reliable supplier in the Alternator and Genset market. This will certainly pay dividends in the near future and we are waiting to reap its benefits with open hands and improve the market share by atleast 15% in the next year.
 
8. What are your plans for the Indian market in coming years?
 
As power generation becomes much more about complete solutions than products, we recognized the growing need to offer single source supply and present versatile and robust power solutions for OEMs.  As such MeccAlte can now offer: Genset Controller, Engine Controller and Battery Chargers.  With flexible component packages and our new product introductions, we will continue to meet our customers’ order requirements in the post Covid-Era as we all look to work together and mutually build success.  

JITENDRA AGRAWAL - MANAGING DIRECTOR

( THE MOTWANE MANUFACTURING CO. PVT. LTD. )

What are some of the new and promising technology trends changing the T&M industry? How Motwaneis transforming itself to cater the emerging needs of the industry?

The Power Sector is undergoing a massive transformation due to IoT (Internet of Things) Solutions providing real time intelligent analytical data, trending and predictive analysis etc. helping improving operational productivity, efficiency, enhancing residual life of the assets.  Test and measurement is going far beyond what it was, and now data analysis capabilities will provide a wide range of benefitsto the customer that were not possible before.Motwane has designed and developed MOT-WARE – a cloud-based Test Data platform to aid in accurate Asset Health Assessment. Through Motware, the Test and Measurement industry has takena huge leap forward. It is a revolution in the way tests are conducted and the way data is analysed. MOT-WARE captures data from a full range of BLE Enabled Motwane Testing Equipment. It is accessible from web based applications, desktop applications, and mobile applications. In addition, it offers an open architecturethat can seamlessly integrate with any non Motwane Test and Measurement equipment for quick and authentic digital test data. Data can be captured periodically as well as be streamed in real-time via sensors fromseries of IoT devices such Transformers, chillers, Motors etc. Some of its features include a pre-loaded repository of test templates for various assets as well as customizable test templates. A customized report builder in MOT-WAREallows users to create reports that can be designed and generated as per their desire. MOT-WARE also has a facility to upload test data history and the breakdown history of the assets. Tests can also be viewed in various metrics such as Pass/Fail.Digital test data enables data analytics and visualization which offers multiple statistical advantages. It improves productivity & efficiency, enables cost reduction, and improves asset life. Data analysis done through MOT-WAREincludes trend analysis, MIS reports, and pivot tables. As an add-on, MOT-WARE also offers ‘Motwane AI Analytics which uses a proprietary AI algorithm and Machine Learning to make accurate predictionsabout your asset’s life based on its behavioral patterns and operating conditions. MOT-WARE can be used for various applications across customer segments like Utilities, OEMs, Industries, Electrical contractors (Testing, O&M) or Fieldrepairs & service providers, EPCs, commercial premises, and many more.  

How the company is expanding itself to cater the T&M industry? Please tell us about your recent acquisition Telemetrics and how it will help the company in strengthening its T&M portfolio?

Motwane is expanding through organic and in organic growth. Organically, we have designed & developed various products/solutions from our state of the art R&D in diversified categories which includes solutions fortesting of lightning arrester, circuit breaker, transformer oil, real time monitoring of transformers, motors etc. Our solutions also includes energy conservation solutions like dimmable street lighting solutions, on line chiller monitoring,energy management solutions etc.Motwane’s strategic acquisition of Telemetrics, an established market leader in highly specialised underground cable fault locating equipment has expanded our reach to smart test & measurement solutions for our clients,and thus strengthens our portfolio in India and abroad. Telemetrics is a very well-run company and a trusted brand. We are pleased to welcome it to the Motwane group. The two companies will add value to eachother’s offerings, and help create an Indian champion in the Test & Measurement space that can compete with the best globally.For Motwane, it is a perfect strategic fit that will enhance the company’s product range, spur growth, increase market share and as a result aligns with Motwane’s vision of becoming a key global player in theelectrical Test & Measurement industry. Underground cable fault location is a definite growth area, since power cables are increasingly being laid underground as a result of rapid urbanization, and distributed renewable energy generation. Motwane’s strong global distribution network base is a perfect opportunity for Telemetrics to expand into those new markets. Motwane is a preferred BOP supplier for global EPCs and addition of Telemetrics range of products/solutions in its basket further strengthens its positions as One Stop Solution provider for Global EPCs, PowerSector customers and enhances Motwane’s capability to partner EPC’s for supply chain consolidation in efficient and competitive manner.

What is the footprint of the company in global market? How you are increasing reach in global markets?

Motwane has taken few key objectives for its global expansion including internationalize the Company, leverage technology, expand and upgrade the brand, up-skill employees etc. In order to accomplish these objectives,we have started our offices at Sharjah UAE to address GCC and MENA region markets and also appointed country managers for GCC, Egypt, Kenya, South East Asia, East Africa, Europe and Latin. In addition, we have enhanced our international marketing team and also participating in all key international exhibition including the Middle East Expo in March-2022.  We have also upgraded all our product/solutions to comply the Certifications type test of addressed international markets.  We have supplied our products/solutions in more than 50 + international utilities/projects and our product range is approved by all key International Utilities,Oil & Gas and other customers.Constant R&D is one of the driving fundamentals at the company. Our diverse global presence empowers Motwane to build scale efficiency, and through our variety of project sizes, teams, and locations, we are able toleverage the world for new knowledge and expertise and incorporating it in our R&D facilities. 

What Motwane is looking forward to the future?

Motwane is looking forward to play a lead and pivotal role at global level as innovative partner and thought leader for its customers. Our test data platform Motwane AI & Analytics shall empower all our customers, future engineers and thus enables them to enter into the world of the big data. Our solutions will also help global customers to comply to the Asset Management Standard Certification ISO - 55001.


 

SHRINIVAS B. SHRIPAT - FOUNDER

( SHRIPAT TECH INNOVATION CORPORATION )

1.Please enlighten us about the journey of Shripat Tech Innovation Corporation.
 
STICJourney started on 12th June – 2018 to cater CONNECT, CLAMP, PROTECT & MONITOR requirements of power sector, with optimistic belief that things are positive & will continue to be encouraging to us. We have experienced many unexpected positives & negatives in the past 3 years. However, we strongly kept ourselves into continuous improvement mode wherever possible. In Product front, we follow FIT, FORM, FUNCTION rules with customer delight factors like COMPACT FOOTPRINTS, LIGHT WEIGHT, ROBUST DESIGNS, EASY O&M etc.
We guarantee that our products will performbest at worst conditions with actual site installations, which has gained faith & confidence from user group.Our friends became our customers and some of our customers also became our friends which made our journey more interesting. We getnew productapprovals & orders from major customers like ADANI, TOSHIBA T&D, MPMKVVCL, BESCOM, PSTCL, ACME, BMRCL, OPG POWER, WINDWORLD and many more customers are major part of our journey till now. We are continuously looking for breakthrough opportunities in coming months.
 
2. How has the second wave of Covid-19 affected the electrical power industry?
 
The major setback is “Unexpected Rise in Raw Material Prices” which our industry is facing during & aftersecond wave of COVID and on the other hand, price reduction pressures from customers. The situations are very challenging and it’s difficult to handle this opposite trend. The low acceptability of new products in the Power Sector is also a concern, as major industries including utilities are trying to keep expenses at minimum due to reduction in their revenues.
 
3.What are the different products in your product list? Have you launched any new product recently?
 
We have various products which cater our theme of “Connect Clamp Protect Monitor”.
Till now, we have following major products categories,
1. TUSKER :A New Generation of Transformers Terminals – Patent Filed
2. KANGARU : Insulated Jumper Assembly – for MV & HV Lines
3. EASYCON : Shear Bolted Connectors – Complete Range 10-1000mm2
4. MVCC & LVABC Accessories
5. INSULATION Products
6. Solar IDT Transformer Terminals for Multi-Cable Connections
 
NEW PRODUCTS:
 
Recently we have launched “POWERKON – Substation Connectors upto 400KV” and got 1stbreakthrough at PSTCL for 220KV Circuit Breaker and Disconnector terminals and received one more order from major OEM for 66KVPower Transformer Connectors.We are expecting more orders for400KV Equipment Terminalsfrom major Generation Plant. POWERKON also include SMARTY, which is wireless communicable connector withintegrated temperature sensor. This product is under final qualification stage.
 
4.Could you brief us about the performance of STIC and about the overall performance of the industry?
 
At initial stages, STIC was engaged in identifying issues of customers and then proposing the potential solutions. This approach has helped us to enter other energy segments like SOLAR, WIND, OEMs etc. Thecustomers are looking for new products at economical price, which is abig challenge for us. Hence, we have taken cost reduction initiatives by optimizing the design and investing in improved manufacturing process.
We are working towardsexecution oforders as early as possible (ex-stock for some products), so that new orders can be served with bestlead times. Major utilities have approved STIC markfor our strongest positive approach - “Concept-to-Service under one-roof”. We have provided many applicable and proven solutions to various issues of customer e.g. Special Terminal for Switch Fuse Unit at ADANI Electricity, Mumbai.
 
5.What are some of the new and promising technology trends that are shaping the Indian electrical equipment industry?
 
Trend is to produce Energy Efficient products to reduce environmental footprints and to initiate energy savings. Power sector is witnessing many technological changes such as IoT - Wireless Based Smart Technologies which are giving Real-Time Live Parameters, Bigdata Analysis Process, Predictive Data and many more updates. All these New Technologies will need smart equipment as well as smart components also which is a new trendsetter for electrical equipment industry.
 
 
6.How are government policies influencing the power & energy sector?
 
Recent government policies are supporting infrastructure growth. As part of this, new policies allows 100% FDI in power sector which has boosted the FDI INFLOW. The schemes such as DDUVGJY, IPDS, SAUBHAGYA are expected to augment the electrification across the country, which in-turn will provide a much required boost to electrical equipment/component industry.
 
7.How STIC is transforming itself to cater to the emerging needs of the Indian market?
 
STIC is already into energy efficient connectors which is the need of hour. Also, we have developed I-IoT Based Solution SMARTY which is a smart communicable connector with in-built temperature sensor. We have further plans to develop more smart components for smart equipment which will be a part of smart grid trend.
 
8.What will be the outlook of Indian Electrical industry in coming quarters?
 
Considering announcement in recent budget and expected increase in power demand, our industry is looking forward to strengthen the electrical infrastructure and increased renewable shares in the power generation matrix. In coming months, new power projects are expected to kick-start with bidding process.

SYED SAJJADH ALI - MANAGER DIRECTOR INDIA ELECTRICAL SECTOR

( EATON POWER QUALITY INDIA PVT. LTD. )

Q.1Please enlighten us about the journey of Eaton in India. What are the products and services available for the Indian market? 
 
Eaton entered India in 1999 through the global acquisition of Aeroquip Vickers. India today forms a key part of Eaton’s overall business strategy with continued expansion of the company manufacturing, marketing, engineering and services footprint in the country.Eaton has focused on enhancing its presence in India in all business segments and on tapping into the diverse opportunities that the country offers, including critical manufacturing and engineering capabilities, product development, service centers and globally competitive sourcing. While India offers a huge market opportunity in itself, it also serves as a strategic location to enhance Eaton’s global competitiveness.Today, with 5500+ employees, 8 manufacturing sites, presence in 19 key locations and over twenty years of proven capabilities, Eaton is uniquely positioned to play a distinct part in the country’s growth story. Eaton’s India Professional Services Center with 2000+ employees offers a spectrum of capabilities from an integrated facility in Pune. The Center enables Eaton globally to innovate,enhance efficiencies, strengthen its customer focus and create value. Eaton’s Supply Chain Center of Excellence in Pune partners with Eaton plants and Supply Chain teams across the world in their
sustained endeavors towards enhancing their overall operational efficiencies.The Eaton India Innovation Center in Pune, with its 1900+ strong workforce is driving engineeringand R&D projects for all of Eaton’s global businesses. Eaton’s Electrical business in India is geared up to provide power distribution, power quality and back-up, control and automation, power monitoring and management solutions and services to commercial, residential, utility, alternative energy, IT and data centers, public sector institutional and OEMs. Eaton’s commitment to the Indian market has been solidified by the booming Telecom and IT enabled services market and the tremendous infrastructure growth in India. Eaton’s Electrical business in India consistently meets the demands of today’s economy with its comprehensive line of products and solutions
Our solutions range from UPS to circuit breakers to MV/LV switchgear to machine controls to Fusegear to monitoring software solutions. We offer a full portfolio of backup power and surge protection, providing maximum uptime and guarding against power surges or outages. Our comprehensive portfolio of end-to-end electrical solutions is complemented by our full-scale engineering and support services.
 
Q.2How has the second wave of the pandemic affected business? How the company is managing risks and ensuring business continuity during the second wave?
 
Businesses worldwide are dealing with varying concerns such as stress on working capital, supply chain disruption, and forced realignment of investments and projects. Eaton is over 110 years old and has survived depressions, recessions, and other economic crises. Learning from first wave, we quickly realign ourselves and adapted to the new normal way of conducting business. We leveraged our Eaton Business System (EBS) tools to optimise our operations and business processes to make our operations lean and agile by weeding out inefficiencies.  While responding to market demands, we emphasised on employee safety, support to our key stakeholders and maintain our position as global leaders in the market.
 
Q.3Could you brief us about the performance of Eaton and about the overall performance of the industry?
 
Electrical Equipment Market in India will witness $ 33.74 Billion growth during 2021-2025 as per industry sources. The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation will accelerate during the forecast period. Rise in power generation from renewable energy sources to boost growthAlthough the economic crisis had a profound impact on our end markets in 2020, we delivered better-than-expected financial results and had one of our best years ever in total shareholder returns. This is clear evidence of how we’re becoming a stronger company. We created the Eaton Digital Office and launched our new market-facing Brightlayer™ platform. Our other key focus is to leverage our leadership in providing efficient solutions to accelerate the global energy transition.  Energy transition is an increasingly used industry term that covers three related macro trends – first is the ever increasing electrification of buildings and transport, the second is that within electricity, we see a major shift in the fuel source that create that electricity from coal and natural gas to renewables such as solar and wind. And then finally, the structure of electricity generation is changing with a dramatic rise in distributed energy resources. For example, solar at your home or in the office building.
 
Q.4 What are the special initiatives taken by the organization for the wellbeing of the employees?
 
One of our business goals is to ensure the safety, health, and well-being of our employees, and we take that very seriously. We are follow all the safety and hygiene guidelines defined by WHO and local health authorities. All sites are strictly following laid down protocols which include self-screening, sanitizing, temperature monitoring, social distancing and other processes. Our teams have received trainings on COVID-19 awareness and precautions. In addition to this, we have introduced various policies to support hybrid work model. We regularly conduct townhall and address the challenges faced by our employees.
 
Q.5 What are some of the new and promising technology trends that are shaping the Indian electrical equipment industry?
 
2021 promises to be a year of hope and optimism. Despite the challenges of ill-fated 2020, current backdrop of recovery in global sentiment, bounce back in local demand, and ample liquidity provides a supportive launchpad for India to lead the journey of economic recovery in 2021. Indian power sectoris expected to play a crucial role in this recovery.Few trends that will impact Indian power sector in 2021.
Technology:While the sector has been undergoing an overhaul over the last few years, the coronavirus pandemic underscored the need of accelerated technological upgradation. Going forward, the focus on implementation of smart technologies like an evolved grid system, smart metering, digital asset management will help transform the seemingly traditional, manpower-heavy sector into a smarter, more efficient power system with each element in the value chain re-imagining their processes and streamlining infrastructure. Green Energy:Renewable energy is expected to form 70% of fresh capacity expansion expected over the next 5 years. This would help achieve India’s commitment to increase renewable share in total generation to 40% by fiscal 2030 from current 25% as part of the Paris climate deal. Transmission:Going forward, significant development in the transmission sector would be triggered by the aggressive renewable expansion plans. Large scale grid connected solar and wind plants are usually located in the far-flung areas, where there is limited existing transmission infrastructure. Renewable power generating companies have urged for adequate grid availability in the past. This will urgently need an expansion of grid connectivity in the next two years to be able to accomplish the renewable energy target.
 
Q.6 How is Eaton transforming itself to cater to the emerging needs of the Indian electrical industry?
 
In continuation with enlarging our manufacturing footprint we have laid out a state-of-the-art production line for manufacturing RMU’s in the Pondicherry plant equipped with high precision robotic welding machines; 100KV die electric and partial discharge test capabilities; upgraded our power quality test laboratories for various simulation tests and now possess the capability of testing UPS with loads of over 2MW; and real time
capturing of auto clave steaming process with SCADA capabilities in the manufacturing of semiconductor fuses.
 
Q.7 How technologies like IoT, Big Data and other smart technologies are helping the industry in survival?
 
The global manufacturing industry is undergoing a massive overhaul, with the advent of the fourth industrial revolution—Industry 4.0. Add to that, the pandemic has accelerated the pace of digital transformation to meet the evolving demand and challenges of manufacturing, logistics, and supply chain. Digital connectivity exists across the manufacturing floor, electric grid, buildings, healthcare facilities, transportation and in the home. We are innovating Intelligent Power solutions that collect data, learn and provide actionable insights to optimize power use and continuity. 
We make the “things” that make the Internet of Things work. Our electrical, aerospace, hydraulic and vehicle products and services live at the origin of data. And with that data, we help our customers operate more efficiently than ever.
 
Q.8 What are your top priorities for Eaton for the next one to two years? What are the company’s growth plans?
 
We will be introducing new UPS & Power distribution products with the latest technologies which would improve efficiencies, reliability and modularity further. We will also be introducing digital solutions in the form of software suites and other digital services for our customers which would help them to monitor and manage their assets and sites remotely. There is also a large focus to transform the capabilities of our employees and channel partners to embrace the new technology and social normal. 

MANOJ SHARMA - PARTNER

( CAMBRIDGE INSTRUMENTS AND ENGINEERING CO. )

1. How has this year been for CAMBRIDGE INSTRUMENTS? What are the differences that you see in the market in pre & post lockdown period?
 
This year has been average for Cambridge Instruments.Like other industries we too have suffered due to lockdown and disruption in supply chain has hampered our production.The cost of raw materials and components are rising day by day but it is not possible to hike rate of our end products.Things are tough but however we have managed the situation to best possible effort.Pre- lockdown things were coming to normal but sudden second wave of Vividh and price hike in petroleum and metal product have hit our progress to some extent.
 
2. How is CAMBRIDGE INSTRUMENTS playing a major role in ensuring safety of the consumers from electrical hazards? Is there any new addition in your products’?
 
Cambridge Instrument s is manufacturing Test and measuring instruments for maintenance and trouble shooting of failures in power projects and power distribution and generations.By providing reliable, accurate and durable Test and measuring instruments we are playing a  major role in ensuring safety of consumers from electrical hazards.Our instruments like Insulation Testers,Earth Resistance Testers,High voltage breakdown Test set, Transformer oil insulation test set ,Relay test set,Micro (contact resistance ) ohm meter,Phase sequence indicator, power analyser etc.  are all important in diagonising the fault in electrical set up and equipments to avoid breakdown.
We are planning for automatic microprocessor android based advance level instruments .
 
3. How are you exactly contributing to the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ mission?
 
We are manufacturing almost all our product on indigenously made part .
All our products are in-house designed and enhancement of performance of our products are carried out in house.We are trying to use as much indian made components as possible to accomplish "ATMANIRBHAR BHARAT" mission.
 
4. How is CAMBRIDGE INSTRUMENTS business shaping up?
 
Cambridge Instruments is shaping up very well.
 
5. How has the electrical industry evolved in India? 
 
 Electrical industries are evolving in satisfactorily in India.With the help of better policies of government in present and hope for best policies in future electrical industry is shaping well in India.
 
6. How are government policies influencing the power &energy sector? 
 
Present govt. Policies are favouring the power and energy sector but still much more effort is required particularly on economic front industries need boosting to overcome particularly bad patches last and present year due to Covid.
Prices of raw materials and petro/ diesel needed to be controlled to bring back normalcy to boost our electrical industries which further will influence our power and energy sector.
 
7. What are your plans for upcoming years?
 
We are planning to develop world class electrical diagnostic instruments to keep pace with latest development world wide and also to enter diversified sector of electrical industries.

RAJKUMAR KHANAPURE - FOOD AND BEVERAGES SEGMENT LEADER

( ABB INDIA )

Q.1  How has the electrical industry evolved in the F&B space in India? What is the wide range of opportunities for the sector across the value chain?
 
The Food & Beverage industry is under constant pressure to adapt and evolve to meet the changing demand from the retailers and consumers. Manufacturers must work at increasing production, variety, quality, and efficiency to meet theever-evolving F&B space in the country especially in the current situation.
Towards this, electrification is fundamental in keeping up with the Food & Beverage industry’s evolving practices. The future of the F&B sector looks promising with the growing demand due to a change in theconsumer's lifestyle and consumption patterns. The sector's growth is dependent on the ability to organize, invest, and innovate to deliver high value products to the consumer.
The changing preferences of the consumers from the urban areas as well as Tier I and II cities have given prominence to the F&B space in India and, in turn, the electrical industry to keep up with the increasing demand. This gives an opportunity to the sector across the value chain right from sourcing to processing to delivering the last mile.
 
What are the various safety solutions that ABB India is offering for the F&B industry in the current times of the pandemic?
 
Safety is of top priority in F&B industry - safety solutions to protect people and assets all along the production chain is an important part of the F&B industry design to keep maximum uptime to produce more with maximum efficiency. ABB as an organization has Safety aspect on top priority so products, we design has to perform with utmost safety in the real production process. ABB provides safety products & solutions across low voltage electrical system, medium voltage distribution systems, building management system to make perfect production processes, safeguarding products, and people integrity as a must. ABB safety solutionslike – Arc fault detection and mitigation solutions, real time temperature monitoring inside the power panels helps customer to operate plants with maximum availability with clear visibility on the health parameters of the panel components across the plant floor to take right decision at right time with predictive approach. ABB offers an extensive service support for safe replacing old ABB and non-ABB switchgears in the existing setup of power panels to create safety environment around the equipments and the people who operate electrical system.
 
Q.3 Explain in detail how ABB has facilitated continuous operation of the electrical systems and machines in the F&B industry.How to take care of electrical system since there are multiple components like harmful microorganisms like bacteria, oil spill, liquids, volatile operational environment, etc involved.
 
With the F&B industry constantly trying to meet consumer and retail demand, there is continuous running of the machines and electrical system. Most of the Food & Beverage manufacturing plants which run 24 hours a day are sensitive to poor power quality events. Modern plants running with high intensity of process automation, digital solutions need high quality of electrical power supply to produce high quality products consistently with better efficiency, however poor power quality has been shown to lead to reduced efficiencies, increased risk of downtime and higher energy and operating costs. Depending on the event and situation, costs relating to product loss, production downtime, or supply chain disruption can be significant. When it comes to continuous operations, the easiest and most effective solution to avoid unplanned shutdowns is the correction of voltage anomalies coming from the grid. What constitutes a power quality problem? There are several phenomena that fall into this category (e.g., load imbalance, voltage transients, harmonics, and reactive power problems) and they can be interrelated. ABB’s power protection portfolio is a unique line up of Power Conditioning solutions with UPS products designed to solve power quality issues for food and beverage applications. Presence of harmful microorganism, dust, water, condensation and accidental spills of machine oils and lubricants can all shorten the life of electrical system. There needs to be effective protection of the electrical system. Corrosion is a major cause of downtime in electrical systems. Harsh chemicals, pressurized washdowns and dissimilar metals in contact with one another accelerate the corrosion process. ABB installation solutions like anticorrosion, antimicrobial flexible conduit systems, fittings, bacterial resistance cable ties etc.  save time and replacement costs. ABB PlantInstallation Product Assessment is a service that helps food and beverage processors find and address existing and potential electrical issues.After assessing the facility’s installation system concerns, ABB provides a customized proposal of solutions that can help the plant.
 
• Increase food, plant, and personnel safety
 
• Cut electrical system changeover/downtime by 40-50%
 
• Increase overall equipment effectiveness (OEE)
 
• Extend electrical system service life by up to 300%
 
• Improve sustainability and revenue
 
 
 
Q.4 What kind of electrical digital solutions are being provided by ABB for F&Bindustry and in what way digital solutions brings value to F&B customers?
 
F&B industry is undergoing critical transformations due to the impact of digitalization on production machines which, since ever, have high levels of automation. At the same time, it is a great advantage to combine the benefits coming from monitoring, controlling and measuring a production line comfortably from remote which helps for continuous improvements of productivity, energy efficiency, safety requirements for both food and employees and the quality of electrical power. ABB’s Smart Power portfolio for food and beverage consists of a comprehensive range of digital solutions, systems and products allowing maximum production, ensuring the greatest utilization of the facility and enhanced product quality to the customer ABB Ability Digital solutionshelps to digitize low voltage, medium voltage systems and components supporting digital production processes, improving safety, assets life and saving costs. With the ability to monitor, control, analyse, optimize, predict, and automate the electrical plant from remote, with just few clicks will ensure production continuity and energy management, digital analysis of assets performance for a continuous optimization of the plant.Thus, these ABB Ability Digital solutions enables predictive capabilities that reduces downtime needed for maintenance and enables users to reduce operational costs.
 
Q.5 What have been some of the latest innovations in this industry that ABB has launched in India, and how are these supporting the sustainable future vision of ABB?
 
ABB India has been committed towards sustainability and eco-efficiency right since the beginning in the F&B industry. As one of the world’s leading engineering companies, we help our customers to use electrical power efficiently, to increase industrial productivity and to lower environmental impact in a sustainable way. The increasing demand from consumers for new innovative products,customer preference is driving shorter product development cycles, faster changeovers, integration across the value chain, and adoption of new technologies faster than ever before. At the same time, stricter regulations are driving new labeling requirements and more robust food safety practices. The scope of “sustainability” is broadening, and F&B players are moving to demonstrate more than simple compliance. Some of the components for sustainable food and beverage operations include flexibility and reliability.A transformative shift has begun, and an estimated 86% of leading F&B companies have set specific targets and ambitious goals to adapt and meet demand. Beyond emissions, efficient consumption of energyis an immediate priority. ABB support towards lowering the operating and maintenance costs in the plantby making switchgears and electrical systems digital to bring real time visibility of entire plant performance, to customers to take right decision at right time.Maximizing the availability and reliability of electrical assets while minimizing risks, increasing personnel safety, reducing operational costs, and improving energy efficiency are the key drivers of the various solutions at ABB. As companies change their business models to match their strong sustainability goals, rethinking their service strategies could help get them there. ABB’s latest innovations are aligned with the vision of a sustainable future and help in upgrading a company’s system and machinery to meet global sustainable standards.
 
 
Q.6 What are the next plans for building an energy efficient infrastructureand meeting global standards for energy efficiency?
 
Food production needs to be almost doubled in next few years to meet the demands of a growing population. One of the hidden issues is food waste. If we were to be able to address the root causes of waste across the value chain from farm to fork by establishing integrated cold chains, storages, smart transportation we would be able to save enough food by efficiently consuming energy. We are moving into an era of enormous growth, with trends such as digitalization, smart connectivity of components and electrical systems, cloud analysis etc.  ABB’s innovation and ideas in ABB Ability digital solutions, energy efficient electrical systems will help businesses realize its full potential in an efficient manner to reach global standards.

VINAY RATHI - DIRECTOR

( GLOSTER CABLES LIMITED )

Q.1 How has this year been for Gloster Cable? What are the differences that you see in the market in pre & post lockdown period?
 
Global Economy got affected drastically during pandemic. We at Gloster quickly transformed us towards using digital platform like online interaction with customer through video calls, making us available round the clock for any of their queries through regular emailers, conference calls, webinars etc. We reached all of our clients through these modes. We noticed change in buying pattern of customers and accordingly we addressed their queries. We conducted several online inspections for customers because of restrictions in visits. As a matter of fact although we faced some hurdles in initial days but we coped up with the situation with our quick transformation from offline to online mode.
 
2. How is Gloster Cable playing a major role in ensuring safety of the consumers from electrical hazards? Can you share about Gloster Cable s’ products to address the situation?
 
Gloster manufactures a variety of fire-resistant cables with limited integrity in accordance with various international construction and testing standards. We provide these types of cables with Copper and Aluminium conductors, but according to existing standards, only Copper conductors are intended. We have accumulated some experience in the use of Aluminium conductor, so we can provide a flame temperature higher than the melting point of Aluminium. These cables are very important when extinguishing fires because they can ensure that the power supply is maintained for a long enough time. Help people trapped in the building in the event of a fire, check the escape signs, listen to the alarm system, ensure that the water pump, smoke vents and stair ventilation systems continue to work, and ultimately help people leave the affected building
 
3. Is there any new addition in your products’ list for the wire  cable segment?
 
We have a wide product range from 1.1 kV LT Cables to 33 kV HT Cables. We have mastered in different types of special cables like Fire Survival cable. Fire Alarm Cable, Solar Cables, Instrumentation Cables, AB Cables etc.
 
4. How are you exactly contributing to the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ mission?
 
99% of our procurement of raw materials are from Indian manufacturers. Moreover to cater to the renewable energy sector like Solar Power plants in line with “Atmanirbhar Bharat” we have developed Solar Cables with our own technology which will contribute majorly to these solar plants.
 
5. How is your export business shaping up?
 
Due to the problems of Covid 19, due to travel bans and slowing development, various industries are facing many challenges in improving their export business. However, we are exploring business opportunities in
Africa, Bangladesh, Nepal and the United Arab Emirates.
 
6. How has the electrical industry evolved in India? What is the wide range of opportunities for the sector across the value chain?
 
Since India is a developing countries and lots of infrastructure plan is on way viz. JNNURM, AMRUT, IPDS, RAPDRP etc, Upgradation of existing Airport & New Airport in Class B  C class cities, High speed Road & Rail connectivity, Renovations & upgradations of Ports, Housing for all etc , Smart cities projects , As per the economist the Electrical manufacturing sector is growing at CAGR of 15 to 20 %  Keeping all the facts, there is huge potentials for the electricals manufacturing sectors.
 
7. How are government policies influencing the power energy sector? What are the policies that would be an enabler to the industry if adopted on a government and national level?
 
From the 2021-22 Union Budget, the government has allocated Rs 305,984 crore ($42 billion) in the next five years for a new, reform-based, results- oriented power distribution system. By 2022, the goal of 175 GW will be gradually achieved. It is estimated that the energy consumption in 2022 will reach 1,894.7 TWh. 100% FDI allowed in the power sector has stimulated the inflow of foreign direct investment in the sector.
According to the National Infrastructure pipeline 2019-25 projects in the energy sector account for the largest share (24%) of the total expected capital expenditure of Rs 111 Lakh Crore(US$1.4 trillion).
 
8. On the technical side, in what direction are we headed? What are we seeing with regard to technological innovation? What are the trends?
 
Technical innovations are an important aspect for consistent growth of any manufacturing industries. Quality  Safety are the two important parameters, where Gloster consistently focus and added value other the
standard technical parameter.

HITESH KARANDIKAR - DIRECTOR

( ERDA )

Q.1 How you assess the Indian electrical industry amid the second wave of Covid 19?
 
Indian economy, industrial production, manufacturing industry, especially the capital goods sector, were already reeling under the severe onslaught of the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic and countrywide lockdown. Indian GDP shrank by 7.3% in the year 2020-21. The electrical equipment industry declined by 19.6% between April and February 2021 compared to April – February 2020, as per
IEEMA statistics.  When the Indian electrical industry was looking forward to the first sign of green shoots of recovery, the tsunami of the second wave of COVID-19 and subsequent regional lockdowns ruined any chance of early recovery of the sector.  After Govt. of India achieved its target of "100% electrification of villages investment in the distribution sector were reduced substantially. As a result, the financial health of many DISCOMs is highly precarious, thus dampening the direct purchases by these DISCOMs also. In addition, outstanding from DISCOMs have also ballooned, affecting the cash flow of Indian electrical industries. As per IEEMA estimate, the total overdue outstanding of 135 member organizations of IEEMA was INR 6500 Crs. With such substantial outstanding and severe cash flow problem, many MSME equipment manufacturers or component manufacturers will not recover even after normalcy returns. This will create a massive churning in the electrical equipment manufacturing sector, and many small manufacturers will find it difficult to continue their operation in the long run.  However, among this gloom, the only glimmer of hope for the industry is the government commitment towards Productivity Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes
for domestic manufacturing of Advance Chemistry Cell (ACC) Batteries, High- efficiency Solar PV modules, White Goods (ACs & LEDs) under "Aatmanirbhar Bharat scheme. In addition, govt. of India is also committed to improving the quality of electrical products available in the market through various Quality Control Orders. These two policies will give a fillip to world-class quality electrical equipment manufacturing in India for national and international markets.
 
 
What's your take on the gap between education and employability in our country, especially in the power industry?
 
Every year on an average, 15 lakh students get their degree in engineering, but due to the lack of skill required to perform technical jobs, less than 20 per cent get employment in their core domain. However, the quality of engineers coming out from various middle rung engineering colleges are far from satisfactory. Suitable engineers for the power industry are not readily available in the job market. Also, the new age engineers coming out fresh from the colleges are not always industry-ready. Hence industries need to train the fresh engineers as per their requirement for one year or more to make them industry-ready. Therefore,
a lot of time and resources are to be spent to make them industry-ready. The jobs in the industry require patience and passion, and thus retaining those trained engineers are the most significant challenge faced by the industry.  If we consider other professional courses like Medical Sciences, Law, Chartered Accountant, they complete duration of internship or apprenticeship before they are professionally enrolled. We have never tried to implement this kind of rigorous skill-based training for our engineering graduates. Before the final year, the one-month vocational training fulfils a part of the curriculum without fulfilling the skill development. We may think about a bold suggestion for engineering graduates also. The B.Tech project which students do in their last six months (8th semester) may be scrapped. Instead, they should work in an industry as an apprentice, and the industry will give their final grading following some fixed guidelines. To implement this kind of training, both the technical institutes and the industries need to work hand-in-hand. The college has to identify all the industries nearby and the specific training they can provide. Based on that, the students can choose their industry and training area. If effectively implemented, it will help all three stakeholders: the academic institutes, the tie-up industries, and the graduating engineers. 
 
Do you have any ongoing training program? 
 
We conduct workshops on various evaluation and other technical topics with both theoretical and practical sessions from time immemorial. These workshops are widely popular among manufacturers, utilities, industries and laboratory personnel. During the last year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a restriction of movement among our customers. Hence, we conducted various online webinars and workshops, both during the first and second wave period, to benefit our customers. We have received tremendous response and participation for these webinars and workshops. This positive response has encouraged us to plan more webinars and workshops than last year. The latest calendar of these workshops is available on our website www.erda.org.
 
How is the company emerging to fulfil the needs of the Indian electrical industry?
 
ERDA supports all Government initiatives to improve the quality of electrical products manufactured in India or exported from outside. The government of India promulgates Quality Control Orders for various electrical equipment from time to time, mandating these products to be sold in India with BIS certification. During the implementation of the Quality Control Order for Distribution Transformers as per BIS 1180, ERDA rose to the challenge and substantially increased its infrastructure and significantly improved its operational efficiency. Thus ERDA was able to test around 3000 Distribution Transformers per year. Today around 700 DT manufacturers are BIS certified, and ERDA has tested over 75% of India Distribution Transformers, thus making this QCO a success.  At present, the primary focus of electricity seems to be on smart energy meters. Millions of smart energy meters are being installed in the distribution system in India. However, we need to be very careful about the quality of such meters being produced. Otherwise, the customer may lose confidence in these meters, and the adaptability of the scheme would be under doubt. For us, this creates a unique challenge of testing various smart energy meters accurately within the shortest possible time. So far, we have successfully met these challenges and have become the most preferred laboratory for smart meters in India. All the global manufacturers of smart meters are coming to us to evaluate their products under BIS 16444 & 15959.
 
How is ERDA providing assistance to motor and control gear manufacturers?
 
We have complete testing facilities for Low Voltage Induction Motor (up to 150HP) and Low Voltage Switchgear and Control gear as per the latest standards with NABL and BIS accreditation. Govt. of India has enacted Quality Control Order on LV Induction Motor as per IS 12615:2011 and on LV Switchgear & Control gear as per IS 60947. ERDA provides complete testing facilities to LV Induction Motor and LV Switchgear and Control gear manufacturers to obtain BIS certification for these products. We also offer a developmental testing facility on these products to manufacturers, SMEs and start-ups in this field. They can
utilize this option at a highly discounted rate to develop and improve their product design. We also offer expert services for design up-gradation to meet the energy efficiency challenges and new application challenges like Textiles and e-vehicles. ERDA has provided various designs to small scale industries in Ahmedabad and Surat region to meet these specific application challenges, including energy efficiency. In addition, ERDA has provided its expert services to various small scale industries to develop their own motors for e-vehicle applications. ERDA has also developed high-efficiency IE3 & IE4 Induction Motors, and these technologies are available for commercialization. ERDA has developed a novel process for manufacturing economic Silver-Tin oxide contacts containing 14% Tin-oxide using the powder metallurgy route. The
contact tip made using the new method has been evaluated for material properties. The performance of contacts in contactor of 16A, AC3 rating conforms to IEC 60947-4-1 (2012) for endurance test and is found to be at par with conventional contacts. This technology is readily available for commercialization.
 
How is ERDA transforming itself to cater to the emerging needs of the Indian electrical industry?
 
We at ERDA had always maintained pace with the changing electrical, industrial scenario. ERDA was the first Indian laboratory to get BIS accreditation for Smart Meter testing as per IS 16444: 2015 way back in April 2016. We also got accreditation for the DLMS COSEM communication protocol testing facility for smart meters. Today we test more than 50% of India Smart Meters.  Similarly, we have set up a communication protocol testing facility as per IEC 61850 for communicable IEDs. This facility has become helpful for indigenous manufacturers of communicable protection relays in India. On the R&D front, ERDA has set up a Grid Simulator facility for research in the power systems field. We have also set up India's first High-Temperature Low Sag (HTLS) conductor testing facilities, for which Indian manufacturers earlier travelled to foreign countries. This facility will give a great fillip to Indian manufacturers and utilities for HTLS conductor.  In our state-of-the-art High Voltage Partial Discharge laboratory, we have started testing GIS and HV Cables up to 245 kV. Furthermore, in our 10 meters semi-anechoic chamber, EMI / EMC testing is done as per commercial and MIL standards. As a result, local manufacturers can develop global standard products
and export them to the global market or use them for our indigenous defence manufacturing sector.  ERDA had pioneered testing of Power Transformers at manufacturer's works independently with its own instrument under NABL accreditation at the behest of various TRANSCOs. We have now added a state-of-the-art Portable Accurate Transformer Loss measuring system with a higher range and better accuracy in
our repertoire. With the help of this portable instrument, we shall be able to test Power Transformers up to 500MVA independently, 400kV, 3 phase and 500MVA, 765kV, 1 phase rating, at manufacturer's works, the highest rating of Power Transformers commercially manufactured in India.  Our Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modiji, on his "Mann ki Baat" programme on 27th December 2020, emphasized that "it is time to ensure that our products meet global standards. Whatever is global best; we should make it in India and prove it." ERDA is working relentlessly towards fulfilling this goal by
uplifting the quality of Indian Electrical equipment to a global standard and contributing to the nation's development.
 
 
What are the markets served by ERDA? 
 
All the power utilities in India accept our test reports. At ERDA, we test equipment from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and Dwarka to Dibrugarh, i.e. from all over India. Apart from that, ERDA is well known and widely accepted for its reliable test reports in some of the SAARC countries, Middle East, Far East and African countries. Even the world's best-known certification agencies, e.g. Intertek (ASTA), UL, KEMA, CSA, TUV etc., have accredited ERDA as their evaluation partner. Middle East countries like Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, Oman and Far East countries like Malaysia, Vietnam accept ERDA's test reports. Among our neighbours, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka accept ERDA Test reports. Moreover, ERDA engineers regularly visit Middle East countries to conduct Onsite testing and calibration jobs. ERDA is thriving to expand its horizon to other countries across the world.
 
What are the future plans of ERDA? What will be the outlook of the Indian Electrical industry in the coming quarters?
 
We are setting up a complete type testing facility of Solar PV Panels as per IS 14286 and IS / IEC 61730 at Vadodara. This project is expected to be completedby December 2021. We will also be upgrading its existing 600kV Partial Discharge Test Facility to  and has planned to set up a Climatic Test facility for Dry Type Transformer, Fully Automatic Transformer Test System. In addition, ERDA is also planning to upgrade its Conducted immunity and Radiated immunity test facility under EMI/EMC Testing facility. We will also set up an e-vehicle charger testing facility to support the growing EV infrastructure in India. However, the dream project of ERDA is to set up a Centre of Excellence for Medium Voltage Short Circuit Laboratory for testing of Medium Voltage Switchgear equipment and Power Transformers up to 50 MVA, 132kV. ERDA
believes it to be a project of national importance. This project is having an outlay of around Rs. 600 Cr. The financial closure of this project is awaited from the Government of India and the Government of Gujarat. We are cautiously optimistic about the rejuvenation of the Indian electrical industry if we can reign in the future spread of the COVID 19 pandemic and the overall economy springs back to normal. We hope that India and the world will come out of this COVID-19 menace at the earliest. The Indian electrical industry will emerge from this testing times stronger like the proverbial Phoenix reborn from its ashes.

MR. VIVEK YADAV - SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT,

( HAVELLS INDIA )

The integration of industrialization and informatization, development of smart-grids and smart cities, growing focus on energy management and green buildings, is all rapidly transforming the electrical industry. Some of the key industries and infrastructure sectors like telecom, railways, airports, and ports are expanding. Therefore, the increasing prominence and development of smart grids is going to become an enormous part of the switchgear market. With the electrical system being intricate in nature, it is essential to have an intelligent switchgear installed so that it monitor & controls the electrical power system improving electrical efficiency and safety.
 
Smart Switchgears ensuring smart distribution
 
The smart internet of things (IoT) ready switchgear solutions is reality now, which provide real time monitoring, predictive diagnostics, and precise protection against electrical faults. They can seamlessly integrate with building management system, extending supervisory control and other enterprise-level utility systems to control power flow and achieve energy savings. With the increasing integration of renewable energy into grid, smart switchgears are playing an important role in meeting the requirements of high level of energy efficiency and power distribution. It is essential to have intelligent switchgears power system as it facilitates the automatic regulation of incoming and outgoing power, transfer of power during peak load, and opening and closing of switches to maintain power load and preventive maintenance. The adoption of smart switchgears will improve uptime making modern businesses more competitive and limiting intervention cost. With advanced programming of load cycle and efficient energy management, it minimizes energy wastage and improve the efficiency/sustainability. The Indian switchgear industry is dominated by the organized sector and has kept pace with global changes in the industry and utilizes the latest technology in the design and manufacturing process. Some of the leading brands in the Indian market are designing smart switchgears in-house to have a complete quality control, switchgears are designed in the interest to protect the lives and electrical systems, therefore the reputed brands while manufacturing ensure that switchgears are made using engineered materials such as nickel-plated terminal and flame-retardant material, which saves it
from operational degradation and helps it adapt to the adverse/harsh environmental conditions like India. Various endeavours are also being undertaken by the government for the development of smart
grids and smart cities which is rapidly transforming the electrical industry. According to a recent report from Research and Markets, the Indian switchgear industry is poised to reach $3.7 billion by 2022. It outlines that there is a need to develop different kinds of switchgear suitable for smart grid operation and which is connected, compact, reliable, environment friendly and requires minimum installation and commissioning time (Plug and play concept). It is crucial to note that that the smart switchgear is not only smart enough to operate but keeps the power management in sync with everyday operations such as Protection & Monitoring, Control and. Metering. It has a very important connotation in respect to the longevity and seamless integration of the entire power system.

MANOJ VERMA - MD/CEO

( POLYCAB )

Q.1  Polycab has gradually established itself as a leading name in Indian wire and cable industry. Tell us about the journey of Polycab?
 
A: Polycab had a Humble beginning in a small electrical retail shop in Mumbai in 1968 which was followed by the setting up a Manufacturing plant at Halol, Gujarat. The company got incorporated in Jan 1996 and expansion in manufacturing continued with the setting up of a facility for PVC insulated power cables house wires, telephone cables, optical fibre cables, switch board cables and quad cables at Daman. With the strong manufacturing and customer base, Polycab Crossed INR 10,000 mn in revenue in 2006 and INR 3,1000 mn in 2011. Having witnessed exceptional growth in the wires and cables segment, the company forayed into Switches in 2013, followed by Fans, Lighting and Switchgear in 2014 to continue its growth journey in the electrical industry. It continued to focus on strengthening the manufacturing capabilities by setting up facilities for Fans in Roorkee and for Switchgear in Nashik. Polycab also entered a joint venture with Techno Electromech for manufacturing of lighting products. Recently, the company has embarked upon a sales acceleration program focussed at expanding retail reach in top 300 markets for all FMEG products.
 
Q.2   Tell us about your key focus and product line. Is there any new addition in your product  list?
 
A: FMEG segment broadly operates in Fans,LED Lighting & Luminaires, Switches, Switchgear, Pumps and Geysers, Coolers. Our focus has always been on expanding the sub product segments within these categories to become one stop shop for all electrical solutions. Driven by the market demand, there has been a focus on improving the share of premium and super premium products by working on improving functionality, aesthetics, technology, and sustainability aspect. Polycab has recently entered a new segment with the launch of Hohm as a portfolio of smart products such as Smart Fans, lighting, IR blaster etc for the B2C segment. Polycab recently launched Purocoat, India First Antivirus Ceiling Fans which are manufactured with Nanova Hygiene+TM Technology.
 
Q.3 Do you feel Covid-19 can prove to be a huge opportunity for India to emerge as a global manufacturing hub? What steps and policies are required to capitalize on this opportunity?
 
A: India has been provided a major opportunity to increase its manufacturing capabilities as global companies would seek to develop additional supply chain outside China. The manufacturing industry is also a massive job provider. This is invaluable for a country like India, which has such a high unemployment rate and the fact that a million people enter the workforce every month and they all need new jobs. Therefore, India should grab this opportunity to bolster its manufacturing sector by working on cost and quality standards.
 
Q.4  What are smart (switchgears, lighting  luminaires etc.) products offered by Polycab? What is the response you are getting on your smart products range?
 
A: Polycab offers IOT based smart products through a brand called “Hohm” from the House of Polycab which will cater to the needs of the digital age. Current portfolio pans across products categories like Fans, Lighting, Switches and Water Heaters that can be operated using state-of-the- art mobile app and voice control. In addition to these, we also have Hohm Switchboard and Vivere Smart integrated panel designs which are available in various designs and finishes like Concrete, Brick,Marble, Glass,Corean & Wooden. These can be customized to match your floor, preferred colour, or design. Hohm smart product range includes Hohm Lanre Smart Plug, Hohm Zuerst Smart Water Heater, Hohm Lusiant Smart Panel, Hohm Avenir Smart Batten, Hohm Avance Smart Bulb, Hohm Stolz & Stolz-i Smart Fan, Hohm Krasa Smart BLDC Fan and HOHM Mirai IR Blaster.
 
Q.5 How do you evaluate the developed and developing market when it comes to technology, product offerings, and marketing strategies?
 
A: We evaluate all the markets based on factors such as overall market demand, demographics, consumer spending and aspirational value, maturity of distribution channel etc. By and large, all standard products are offered in both kinds of markets, but with a portfolio such as Hohm which has been positioned in the super premium category, we had identified key developed markets only where the consumer spending and aspirational value is relatively higher and therefore, will have to be sold through proper online and offline channel. Similarly, we do offer economy range in certain products specifically targeting the developing markets.
 
Q.6 How is Polycab as a company fairing in the market? Are you planning any launches in the coming 3 months?
 
A: FMEG segment continued its strong momentum, withstanding all disruptions in the last financial year. The year was marked with impressive broadbased growth and market share gains across categories. Within the fans category we emerged leader in few geographical clusters. Lighting business posted strong industry leading growth over last year despite tough market conditions and input cost inflation. Our strategic interventions to unlock synergies helped revive growth in categories like switches and switchgears. A focused programme is underway to develop premium and value-added products which resonates better to market trends. We have a series of new launches planned for the next quarter. In Fans, we are coming up with a new range of remote control operated super premium fans with exceptional aesthetics and energy efficiency. In addition, product extensions are planned in other businesses.

SANJAY MADHWAL - VICE PRESIDENT – SALES & MARKETING

( WAGO INDIA )

Q.1 How the second wave of Covid-19 is affected the market and the company?
 
The first wave of the pandemic completely stalled the progress of Infrastructure projects in both the public and the private sector. For over 2 months the manufacturing sector was largely shut. This did affect us as orders begin to dry up. The start of 2021 saw the market recover. Then the second wave struck, creating doubts once again. But this time industry was better prepared. Learnings from recent past helped us to continue business critical functions without compromising safety. In fact, at WAGO India, we expect to post our best sales ever this year!
 
Q.2 Tell us about your key focus and product line. Is there any new addition in your product list?
 
WAGO is the inventor and market leader in screwless wiring connection technology. Since 1951, this product line has been the torchbearer for us. Meanwhile, we have continued to expand our product offerings to support market requirements. We have developed Interface Electronics and Automation Control technology solutions that are well accepted in the industry today. These new products from the WAGO stable are equipped with intelligent capabilities and comply to the highest quality standards. For example, the WAGO Pro2 Power Supply offers an industry best efficiency of 96%. It also offers diagnostic features, and communication capability with controls systems and the cloud via various fieldbus protocols. Ever evolving WAGO automation control technology offers future-ready solutions for modern machines, systems, and buildings. These include software components, operating and monitoring products, control technology solutions, I/O systems, and sensor/actuator boxes.
 
Q.3 What are the special initiatives taken by the organization for the wellbeing of the employees?
 
WAGO continues to be vigilant in ensuring the best work environment for all its employees. We have been conducting general health check-ups at regular intervals for all our workforce. During the pandemic, we made extensive arrangements for prevention of virus spread and have been very successful at this. We understand that as an organization, we have responsibility towards society at large and not just our
own employees. Recently, we donated high-end medical equipment to a Government hospital in Vadodara, Gujarat for treatment of Mucormycosis (black fungus) that has helped saving precious lives.
 
Q.4 How Wago is transforming itself to cater to the emerging needs of the Indian market?
 
Indian companies have recognized the benefits of new technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Data Analytics, and Internet of Things (IoT). These aid decision-making, reduce downtime via predictive maintenance and provide quantum improvements in quality. Most of all, they provide real time insights on the process, allowing both plant level personnel and management to take informed decisions. WAGO provides edge computing devices and cloud solutions, as well as a range of Interface electronics and Automation solutions to support our customers digitization needs. For example, WAGO provides modular type packages (MTP) for decentralized automation in diverse industries from Marine to Process and Building Automation. With more and more data moving to the cloud, Cyber Attacks has become a real threat. The WAGO PFC100 and PFC 200 range of controllers encrypt information directly in the controller. This ensures that machine data is optimally protected against unauthorized access.
 
Q.5 Do we need to emphasize on Research and Development to obtain global quality standards?
 
Investment in Research and Development is imperative for any progressive organization. The gap between India and global quality standards is thinning sharply. However, there is still some ground to cover. Our Government is also driving multiple initiatives to enable MSMEs to adopt cutting-edge technology. This will enable them to compete with global players when it comes to quality. WAGO has adopted a single quality standard across all its manufacturing facilities. This enables each WAGO product unit to maintain conformity to global standards. This is the reason our customers trust our products for unconditional performance and reliability. They are assured of safe, efficient operation of their systems every time.
 
Q.6 How do you evaluate the developed and developing market when it comes to technology, product offerings, and marketing strategies?
 
The developed and developing markets are always on the lookout for new technology to improve their products and processes. In fact, our customers are continuously pushing us to provide cutting edge solutions to their operational challenges. WAGO, as technology solution providers, relish this opportunity to co-create a better product.
 
Q.7 What are the future plans of Wago for the Indian market? What will be the outlook of Indian Electrical industry in coming quarters?
 
WAGO is committed to become the backbone of the smart connected world. We are already the leader in screwless wiring connection technology. Our goal is to become a significant player in Interface Electronics and be known as a reliable Automation solutions provider. WAGO products are used in a wide range of industry. You will find our products in the power and process industry, building automation and machinery, as well as transportation applications. We have seen increased investment in many of these core sectors. So, the trend for the Industry looks positive as we seem to have adjusted to the “new normal”.
 
Q.8 Any company-side developments you would like to comment on?
WAGO’s commitment towards India market is evident with set-up of our new production facility in Vadodara, Gujarat. Spread over 1,00,000 square meters, this world class plant will cater to our customers, both in India and across the Globe.

SAMEER SAXENA - DIRECTOR - MARKETING

( LEGRAND )

Q1. Please tell us about the journey of Legrand in India.

Ans)  Legrand India is a global specialist in the electrical and digital building infrastructure. Legrand offers a comprehensive, high-performance portfoliodedicated to electrical and digital infrastructures in buildings—including controls and command products and systems, energy and data flow distribution, cable management and installation components.Globally, Legrand is a leader in wiring devices and cable management with a global market share of over 20% and 14% respectively.It holds leadership position in protection/modular devices and a strong challengerin wiring devices. The company also holds a leading position in Home Automation, MCCBs and Cable management systems. Legrand’s products enjoy undisputable brand equity because they have a clear advantage which reflects in the design-engineering that works, in the simplicity of use and in the simplicity of installation. The company is fast emerging as a leader in its corebusiness by extending products and services that suit every segment in the local market.

Q2. How has the second wave of the pandemic affected business?

Ans)     The second waveof the pandemic is unlike the first wave, which has impacted all the businessesand our loved ones. The first wave of pandemic focused on to revive the businesses whereas,the second wave has unprecedently impacted our customers and team members. Owing to the ongoing pandemic, we understand the sentiments and do not believe in rushing to revive the business.At the current situation,health & wellbeingis our utmost priority. Once things grow to be normal at personal front for all our stakeholders, is when we start reviving our businesswhich will be slow and steady. We will not hustleinto business immediately with terms of orders and new customers.

3) What are the operational challenges faced by Legrand due to Covid-19?

Ans)     As a philosophy, health, and safety are key paramount for Legrand and all our stakeholders. The first challenge faced was to bring each one of us to the level of normalcy. Our aim is to maintain track on the recovery of our impacted team members, in terms of healthwhether they have recovered well, are the post-recovery protocols being followed under doctor’sguidance.The second challenge was to ensure that our employees are vaccinated. The most important challenge is on two parameters, one is business and the other is back end (Manufacturing & Supply Chain). On business front, we will not rush in reviving the business whereas, the manufacturing and the supply chain have continued to work under the Government Safety guidelines. We have increased our inventory during the lockdown owing to when the markets will open, we would be able to serve our customers better. The back end has been working steadily within the limitations to ensure that the supply chain is not impacted.But on the customer end, we will go slow and steadyandserve them as and when required. 

Q4. What are the special initiatives taken by the organization for the well-being of the employees?

 

Ans)     Due to the COVID-19 pandemic organizationsmust have focus on employees’ mental well-being and emotional quotient to reinstateefficiency. The significant impact of the COVID-19 outbreakon employees’ personal and work lives is leading to employee anxiety, frustration, and burnout. Lack of attention could affect employees’ productivity and engagement, leading to poor work quality, errors and eventually influencing an organization’s ability to survive in these difficult times.  We at Legrand have introducedEmployee Wellness and Assistance Program (EWAP) for mental health and wellbeing of all our Employees and their families. We have also scheduled free consultation with doctors on call andvideo call, assistance with oxygen cylinders, hospitalization, vaccination drives for employees, etc.

Q5. What kind of technological excellence or uniqueness can be found in the products offered by Legrand?

Ans)     Disruptive technologies lead to transformational changes. In today’s scenario, everything is connected via Internet. The integration of networked buildings is altering the reality of how business operates. The IOT/IIOT have a profound impact upon the future of business.Numerous organizations have analyzed and anticipated the impact of the IoT devices creating the opportunity as big as 397 billion dollars by 2025. New categories of services and products are being developed; thereby leading the next economic revolution or we can say building revolution.In the present era of technological advancement, it’s essential to maintain building’s efficiency and ensure uptime. We, as consumers, need to keep a control on our building’s consumptions and how this in turn will be beneficial to us.We recommend that one should use switchgear products, which are connected, energy efficient and adhere to environment standards. Connected products like LV Panel complying with IEC-61439-2, Bus Bar trunking system, ACB, MCCB, Capacitors, MCB, UPS, Lighting Management with data and Home Automation system and Dry type transformers confirming to ECBC norms can be at the core of connected buildings and help installations improve their overall efficiency and reliability.

Q6. Why there is a need to invest in automation equipment? What are the different smart solutions offered by Legrand for the Indian market?

Ans)     As Covid-19 reaches all facets of industries like healthcare, life sciences and the public sector, are finding new ways to defend against the spread of virus and mitigate the impact that could have long-term effects on businesses and the economy. Home Automation provides tools and solutions to support customers in navigating these unforeseen challenges.The overall home automation market is expected to grow from USD 45.8 Billion in 2017 to USD 114 Billion by 2025 at a CAGR of 12.1% during the forecast period. The wireless home automation systems segment is expected to be driven by the increasing demand from around the world. (Content Credit – Fortune Business Insights Report). We offer various smart solutions for the Indian market such as  Smart home IOT for retrofit solution, Smart home with MyHomup, Smart home with customized keypad & integrated solution Vantage for IB's, Smart & connect Energy Meters, Smart connect Audio system " Nuvo players & speakers", Smart Connected Door Phone" Classe300", Smart IP door Phone, Smart connected " Electrical Cabinet CX3", Smart Connected  Weather station, Air quality Monitor , Indoor & outdoor cameras, Smart integrated KNX system, Smart connected Lighting Management system, Smart connected Guest room Hotel Management system for Hotels &Smart connected Nurse calling system "Neat" for assisted living & healthcare.

Q7. How technologies like IoT, Big Data and other smart technologies are helping the industry in survival?

Ans)     We have already stepped into a world where virtual communication exists. IoT which means a network of physical devices, vehicles, electronics, sensors, software, and every other object around you that are digitally connected and assists collection and exchange of data.IoT technology refers to the Universe of devices with in-built sensors that provide data for further transmission in a much more convenient way. In today’s time all the latest technologies are simply for survival. The latest technologies have impacted all industries, from logistics to manufacturing to healthcare – we are about to enter a connected world. Not just organizations, IoT has also led to massive empowerment of the consumers by providing greater control of household systems and appliances, washing clothes is no more a human task AI means ‘machine learning’. For data to be useful it must be analyzed, which is exactly what AI does. AI makes huge volume of data meaningful. It tries to imitate human brains, how the human brain thinks, behaves, and react to the respective actions.AI provides results as per consumer behavior, for example, Amazon will suggest you movies and books based on your last buy. It brings in ‘intelligent connectivity’ to the users of IoT since mere connectivity of devices will do no good until the data from those devices is analyzed in terms of what is relevant and what is not.

Q8. Given the current situation, what will be the future of electrical switchgear market in India?

Ans)     Owing to global pandemic the shut down of manufacturing and processing industries have led to decline in growth. The emerging economies are investing heavily in developing power infrastructures to strengthen the grid projects. As the COVID-19 spread in India is approaching the third wave lockdown, it is showcasing a decrease in the power demand from the industrial and commercial sectors The increasing energy demand has led to a need for a reliable and stable T&D network. New regulations for reducing the power blackouts and upgrading the power system infrastructure across the globe are creating a potential opportunity for the growth of the market.The global switchgear market size was USD 105.43 billion in 2019 and is projected to reach USD 170.40 billion by 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 6.6% during the forecast period.(Content Credit – Fortune Business Insights Report).

Q9. How is Legrand as a company fairing in the market? Are you planning any launches in the coming 3 months?

Ans)     We as a company are progressing well. The first quarter of 2021 was quite robust as compared to the year 2020 and the momentum was good. Unfortunately, the second quarter was impacted due to the second wave. Our inventory and supply chain were progressing smooth and ready to serve the customers once the markets open.Product launches are a key part of Legrand's strategy from past 20 years.All have witnessed Legrand's aggressive product launches each year with various products. Although we are facing pandemic from last year till now, our product platforms are robust and are investing in product launches. We have launched Myrius Next Gen product in January month. We have also planned few more launches once market is normal.

 

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