We look at bauma CONEXPO INDIA as a platform for us to bond with our customers in the northern and eastern region

– V. G. SAKTHIKUMAR

Managing Director, SCHWING Stetter India

What are your plans for bauma CONEXPO INDIA in terms of product display?

Schwing Stetter India will be launching 14 new products in the BC India Show along with our regular products such as batching plants, Concrete pumps, recycling plants, TSRs, Self-loading mixers wheel loaders, excavators, piling rigs, truck cranes, and horizontal directional drilling machines.

From your company’s perspective, please offer your views of bauma CONEXPO INDIA as a business generating platform for the CE sector and what do feel are the strengths of the exhibition?

We have always been a vivid supporter of BC India since its debut in India. We look at it as a platform for us to bond with our customers in the North and eastern region. We are looking forward to this edition as a big event after 4 years, to connect with our customers and also to show case our latest range of products.

How do you look at the market in India for your range of products?

Schwing Stetter India is a leading provider of construction equipment in the Indian market, offering a comprehensive range of products including concrete batching, concrete transport, concrete pumping, earth moving, and road construction equipment. The company is known for its world-class product range, customized and complete package offerings for projects, and a wide range of variants to suit the needs of all customers, from small real estate developers to large construction conglomerates. In addition to its state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities, Schwing Stetter India also provides unbeatable after-sales support with a pan-India presence and a commitment to continuous innovation through in-house R&D. The company’s latest offerings feature cutting-edge technology to ensure maximum efficiency and productivity on the job site.

How have the sale been for the company this year, and given the ongoing and upcoming building and infrastructural opportunities, what are your sales projections for FY23?

Last year (In 2021) Schwing Stetter India witnessed its highest turnover since its stint in India, notwithstanding the pandemic and global slowdown. But the Steep hike in the steel prices and other allied cost increases are a worry which has been to an extend been addressed through lean manufacturing process, JIT practices and Digitalization of After sales support network such as E-Commerce platform for Customers. We expect our turnover to increase by 53 % this year based on the sales projection, and the due to increase in the product portfolio to the Schwing Stetter Stable. Close to 28 dealers have been appointed pan India to reach this target and we have crossed this target as of December 2022.

What are the emerging technological trends in your range of products?

Schwing Stetter India has always been a frontrunner in innovation, and we always bring out products which are compliant to World standards and regulations, while conforming to the BS VI emission norms was a challenge. We have planned our roll-out of equipment methodically and hence we are on the right path in releasing the best solutions for the CE customers.

What are your investments made in the Indian market in terms of manufacturing facility, distribution network and other aspects?

Schwing Stetter has invested around Rs. 350 crores in the Chennai Global Manufacturing Hub and is planning to invest additionally. The investments made so far are as per the requirements prescribed by Global Investor Meet (GIM) and the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with Tamil Nadu government. With this facility addition Schwing Stetter has become the biggest subsidiary in the group and its parent company. With this, we do have huge plans to innovate on new products and equipment.

What are the challenges / bottlenecks that you are facing in the sector?

There are certain sectors in the construction industry where electrical and hybrid systems can be a part of the construction equipment but there lie many challenges such as optimum battery available in mass quantity, power to weight ratio calculations, price constraints, mass producing constraints, technology know-how transfer from the peers. Schwing Stetter is continuously innovating and we are looking to bring out a fully built electrical version of our shotcreting pump very soon. When this EV version is launched, it will remove the effects of operating fuel based vehicle in tunnels. Our global manufacturing facility in Chennai was built to offer a wide range of machines and equipment locally as well as globally. With this facility the supply chain management has become efficient due to the proximity of the various vendors and the challenges faced earlier has become redundant. The addition of GmH to our production facilities has provided us with the answers to all challenges related to our industry while also adding to our production capacity and our endeavour to create a industry 4.0 inducted manufacturing facility.

How do you access the potential of the Indian market?

SCHWING Stetter India always has a customer first policy which has augmented our marketing strategies as well. All the outreach done by our marketing team is customer centric and the tools we use are customized to reach out to our potential customers with ease. The National Infrastructure Pipeline programme is an excellent initiative by the Government which had an outlay of 111 Lakh Crore rupees facilitates easy access to the market requirements of our products. The Bharath Mala and Sagar Mala projects are one of the biggest investments in the NIP which has been reinforced by the GATI SHAKTI project under which the government aims to build a robust high speed road network across the country. The progress of these schemes will result in India becoming world’s second-largest road network with a total of over 62 lakh kms road connectivity. SCHWING Stetter India is proud to have supported many construction companies with the finest concreting and construction machinery in this endeavour. Schwing Stetter India has been a synonymous brand name when it comes to concreting and construction machinery. Our record-breaking engineering has helped us retain a top position in the CE industry in the past two decades. Our concrete batching Plants in H2.25 capacities, M30 and other variations along with Transit mixers and concrete pumps have been heavily inducted in large scale projects.

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