The machinery manufacturing industry is undergoing a rapid transformation with major changes occurring in the manufacturing strategy. Every type of industrial production is based on production processes and as companies attempt to remain competitive in an increasingly global market, it is necessary to achieve a high level of product quality.
No doubt, the Machine manufacturing market has a bright future in India, growing steadily over the years, driven by various factors such as government initiatives (Make In India), rising demand for automation, and increasing investments in the manufacturing sector. Especially, the Special Purpose Machines (SPMs) market displays high potential as the demand for automation grows along with Industry 4.0 requirements in India.
Sufficing for the increased demand for consumer goods such as home appliances and many other commodities as the machinery manufacturing sector is advancing, SPMs are providing high-quality output to every industry. According to Technavio’s study, the special purpose machines market share is expected to increase to $2.51 billion from 2021 to 2026, exhibiting a CAGR of 6.76 percent. Fortunately, Rewari, Haryana-based Slog Square Electromech is one of the efficient players contributing to this growth.
With in-house design and manufacturing facilities, the company is positioned at the forefront to provide affordable solutions in the field of Assembly, Welding, Machining, Testing, and many other customized applications. It specializes in Special Purpose Machines, Jigs & Fixtures, technological up-gradation of conventional machine Tools, and more.
In an exclusive interview with Industry Outlook, Rakesh Yadav, Managing Director of Slog Square Electromech takes us through the growth journey of the firm and shares interesting insights.
How is Slog Square Electromech positioned in this market? Shedding light on its flagship services, tell us about its USP.
We have placed ourselves among well-known SPM manufacturers in India. The major factor which establishes the difference is our approach and mindset which rightly shows in our name, i.e., S – Sincere to deliver quality machine on time, L – Logical to provide the best solution to customer needs, O – Organized to make optimum use of the resources, and G – Global to upgrade ourselves with latest technologies. Machine Development is not only our profession but it is our passion.
We try to solve the problem in the simplest way with minimal cost involved, which is beneficial for customers and our company in the long run. We provide our customers immediate support in case of any downtime which creates a difference in troubleshooting and availability of machines for production. The attempt we make to ensure the effectiveness of our services are team building, workmen retention, and relevant technological support. We don’t strive much for profits but to maintain the brand value of SLOG. We also do consulting, and hand-holding of customers in case of new projects, with inputs that can help in the optimum usage of resources.
What are the major pain points faced by your customers in this segment? How do you solve them?
The major pain points of our customers are quick changes in technologies. Sometimes, it is so fast that during the development of the machine ordered, the customer finds the need for technology upgradation. SLOG does not work as the supplier with its customer but we work as part of their team. We share our experience at the conceptualization stage and convince them to adapt the latest technology. We provide the best possible solution within their budget.
Please walk us through the complete cycle of your client engagement, right from understanding their specific requirements to delivering the product and offering support.
Firstly, we understand the client’s need for the particular process, discuss the solutions and submit a budgetary quotation along with a concept. Later, after consensus with the client, we submit the final quote. Further, getting a formal PO, we prepare the 3D final design (mechanical as well as electrical) and then take approval for the same from the client. Thereafter, we release the manufacturing drawings to the shopfloor for part manufacturing. The required BOPs are ordered. Every part of the machine goes through a quality check.
The miscellaneous parts are then assembled on the main structure and field wiring from the Main control panel to miscellaneous electrical/electronic is completed and the machine is programmed as per process requirements, internal trials are carried out. After successful internal trials, the client is given a call for final machine trials. Lastly, the machine is dispatched to the customer end after a satisfactory customer trial, with a team for machine commissioning.
Earning a customer is difficult, retaining a customer is more difficult & turning a customer into a promoter is the most difficult task. We are happy as our customer base is our biggest promoter
Tell us about your team’s expertise. How is your combined experience helping the firm to grow?
We have a mixture of experienced professionals and a young team of mechanical and electrical engineers who are enthusiastic and always keen to learn and adapt to the latest technologies. Since we are into engineering work, every week brainstorming sessions are held where we discuss the challenges faced and share the solutions. We do believe in learning and are always open to feedback. We keep a record of the feedback and ensure that the same problem is not a pain point again.
What is the future roadmap of your company? Are you working on any innovations or expansion of your product portfolio?
The company has been having a steady growth, mostly by word of mouth of our clients. We mainly focus on customer satisfaction by delivering quality machines on the time committed, supported by after-sales service support. We never went for faster growth rather we focused on retaining our customer base with our quality sales and services.
Like others, we are also working towards Prime Minister’s New Nation’s dream through ‘Make In India & Make For The World’. We have recently started exports to Asian countries, and are approaching the European countries. Well 'innovations are a continual process in our field'. A few years back, our customer base was limited to automobiles, whereas now we have expanded our customer base to other sectors too such as Home appliances, F&B, and Power.
