-How is the entrance automation products’ market evolving in India as well as abroad?
Entrance Automation is a very big market in European and other developed countries. India is a developing country, and with economic revival and infrastructure growth – we see tremendous potential in entrance automation products in the next 10 years.
When we started business in 1996, this industry was in nascent stage, awareness about the product was very less. With multinational companies setting up their businesses and warehouses in India, our business picked up in terms of volume.
Today, domestic Indian companies also understand the importance of entrance automation products, and prefer installation of the same in their projects.
-Are you sourcing all automation components (drives, actuators etc.) from abroad?
We have tie up with many European companies for drives and actuators. But these components are manufactured as per our instructions. We get them designed as per our requirements.
-What is your forte that led Gandhi Automation to capture more than 70% market share in India?
Major reasons that made us fit to capture 70% of market share in India are: firstly we are manufacturers. Quality, Safety, Innovation and Customer Service are the four parameters on which we work at Gandhi Automations.
We are manufacturers of High Speed Doors, Dock Levelers, Dock Shelters, Motorised Rolling Shutters, Motorised Gates, Boom Barriers, etc. Since we manufacture our delivery time is less, our after sales service is best in the industry. Our response time to customer is less than 24 hours.
-How do you ensure high quality of your products?
We have state-of-the-art manufacturing and warehousing facility where we have a team of skilled and experienced engineers, every product is test and retested by our engineers before it is dispatched to customers site.
-What is the significance of high-speed doors application (say) component or cost wise?
High Speed Doors are most useful where there is frequent movement of goods or people – and at the same time you want to avoid dust, outside temperature, humidity etc. from entering inside the facility. Opening and closing of door has to be quick enough to isolate the outside environment and internal facility.
The cost of same depends on various factors – such as size of the door, number of applications to be installed etc.
-What kind of new technologies and/or innovative designs are you putting in your loading bay equipment?
Innovation & improvement is a never ending process at Gandhi Automations, we firmly believe in the same. Our research & development is working on few innovations in loading bay equipment products.
We will soon launch a new product exclusively for warehouses, which we feel will be very useful for warehouses, details of the same I will tell you only after launch.
-With our respected prime minister’s call for ‘Make in India,’ how will the Indian entrance automation industry reshape itself?
As I told you earlier, next decade will be a boom for infrastructure industry (warehouses, manufacturing plants etc.), thus we see a lot of potential in entrance automation products.
Multinational companies are coming to India and setting up plants here. They will definitely need entrance automation products. We see 20% year on year growth in this segment.
-What are GAPL’s plans on the anvil?
“We are number 1 in the domestic market. There’s huge untapped international market for our products. Our products meet international safety standards – and with right kind of product portfolio, we are ready to export to this huge international market.”
With increased globalisation and countries opening up for business, we see a great opportunity in neighbouring countries also. For instance in Myanmar, in last few years, foreign investments have increased from few million to several billions of dollars (300 million in 2009 to 5 billion dollar in 2014). The government has relaxed import restrictions and abolished export taxes. Such polices boost our confidence, and we will venture in such countries. “Our current target for export is Gulf Countries and European Countries. In coming years we will be targeting neighbouring countries like Bangladesh, Indonesia, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and few African countries. I have visited few of these countries, and we have better products to offer them, than the ones they are currently using. By 2018, we are targeting 50% revenue from export.”
