Face
to face: Harshad Vora
What
is your vision and objective for the company?
We
started primarily as a Filter-Regulator-Lubricator (FRL) provider for
the pneumatic industry in 1968. Since then, we have horizontally expanded
our product range to cover total pneumatic solutions. We have over the
years established ourselves as a company that represents quality. Now
we have extended our product range to valves and actuators as well.
We hope to continue to give our customers the quality that we stand
for. Our objective is to provide value. By this I mean value in service,
value in having world-class products and value in affordability.
What
is the current state of the pneumatic industry?
I
feel that the industry is in a consolidation phase. There will always
be regional players, but customers are beginning to see the value in
companies that have a nationwide presence. The customer wants performance
as well as aesthetically appealing products. There was a definite slow
down in the industry after 1997, but the last two years have seen a
growth, which is heartening. We have an inherent strength, which has
helped us to weather the downturn, and we are now very well placed to
take advantage of the up turn. Even though the market size itself is
growing between 5-10 per cent per annum, we conservatively foresee our
yearly growth to be 20-25 per cent, due to the expansion of our product
range.
Do
you foresee most companies in the industry becoming total solution providers?
There
has been a major shift in the pneumatic business recently. There was
a time when there were companies specialising in certain products of
pneumatic circuits. However, due to mergers, acquisitions and consolidations,
all components for pneumatic circuits are being offered by major industrial
companies. There are, however, some companies who have speciality products
to offer and they will continue to be players in the niche areas. However,
the trend is.....
....CONTD
