With increasing industrialization and urbanization across the world, the automotive and industrial filters market is being significantly propelled today. There has been a rise in demand for a safe working environment, wherein, the paramount importance is to safeguard industrial workers in the working environment across industrial facilities. Furthermore, with diverse automotive and industrial applications, the trend of customized filter technology is rapidly evolving.
This has been supported by the rapid evolution of filtration technology in the last few years to adapt to the ever-changing market dynamics, change in emission regulations, globalization and increased customer awareness. However, with technology advancements in engines and equipment, reliability and durability have become extremely important for optimized performance. As filters are at the core of the engine/equipment, it has become imperative to procure filters which are robust, performance driven, and are designed for specific tasks, operating conditions, and working environments.
Coming to the fore, Fleetguard Filters Pvt Ltd. (FFPL) is one of the leading and most trusted organisations in the filtration industry with its decades of experience on application engineering of engines and equipment, considering Indian operating environment. The proven track-record backed by its robust design practices gives them an edge in offering filtration solutions which ensure ultimate protection against all engine problems. The company offers filtration solutions for all such applications, wherein, they work very closely with OEM customers right from concept stage to evolve into the most suitable and optimized solution.
Their New Product Development (NPD) processes ensure fastest turnaround time for supplying prototypes and final design of products. This is further backed by its efficient and agile supply chain, which ensures on-time delivery without a single default, exactly as per customer schedules and locations. And to top it off, FFPL’s after sales service has strategically located service executives to resolve field issues and ensure that the end consumer issues are resolved on priority. This makes them a reliable and approachable brand for any of the requirements.
Fleetguard Filters Pvt Ltd. was incorporated in the year 1987 in technical collaboration with Cummins Filtration U.S.A. Since the inception, they have been setting benchmarks in India by providing world-class filtration solutions for both on and off-highway applications. They are not only one of India’s most trusted manufacturers of filtration products, but an organization that implements the best practices and delivers complete solutions for all filtration needs.
Staying at the Forefront of Innovation
FFPL has always been amongst the top players in the filtration business and has always strived and worked towards making it a trustworthy and amicable brand. With its Advanced Analysis Led Design (ALD) and state-of-the-art R&D Lab, FFPL has been developing technologies suitable for Indian sub-continent and hence understanding the core needs of customers. FFPL offers filtration solutions, and not just filters for all applications/equipment.
FFPL commenced its operation in the year 1992 in Pune, and as it has always operated with the approach of product delivery with minimum lead-time, the company started its operations close to its OEMs pan-India. Currently, they have manufacturing units in Pune (Maharashtra), Jamshedpur (Jharkhand), Hosur (Tamil Nadu), Sitarganj (Uttarakhand), Dharwad (Karnataka) and the corporate office at Baner, Pune.
Speaking of its product range, the company offers a whole gamut of products that includes Air Cleaner/ Pre-cleaner/Air Intake System/Integration of Mass Air Flow Sensor (MAF Sensor) and TBAP Sensor, Spin-on and Cartridge Lube Filters and Lube Modules, Spin-on and Cartridge Fuel Filters/Fuel Water Separators and Fuel Modules, Spin-on Water/Coolant Filters, Spin-on and Cartridge Hydraulic Filters/Hydraulic Filter Assemblies, Crankcase Ventilation Systems, Engine Coolants and Cooling System Cleaners, diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) and DEF Filters, Gas Turbine Filters, and Air Oil Separators.
“We are a system driven organization where we have ensured that the operations and functions are process oriented. I have always been actively involved when the systems were to be brought in place and ensured our foundation is robust enough to run the operations seamlessly. I mostly look into matters when and if there is any challenge or issues with the system, which may abruptly interrupt or hinder the processes of the organization or the deliverables to customers. In such situations, we align and make necessary changes to the processes for continuous improvements to achieve customer delight. We have been able to build a strong leadership team
who are technically and managerially at par to ensure that organization goals are met unanimously,” states Mr. Niranjan Kirloskar, Managing Director at Fleetguard Filters Pvt Ltd.
Objective-driven Methodologies and Princples
FFPL strongly believes in Theory of Constraints (TOC) and has been practicing it since 2007. TOC has always been an indispensable part of the organization. The company’s entire processes and systems are developed and based on TOC principles. It is imbibed in FFPL’s DNA and has been implemented across every operation. TOC has benefited FFPL in more than one way and across functions such as operations, supply chain management, sales & marketing, among others.
“We use TOC tools like critical chain project management (CCPM) for new product development (NPD), which helps us to be at the forefront of the market. In September 2016, FFPL was awarded the 'TOCICO International Ever Flourishing Award' for maintaining a level of sustained excellence and demonstrated results utilizing TOC for more than eight years, and for contributing significantly to the TOC community. We will continue to implement TOC across FFPL in every sense of the way and lead the way in the TOC community,” says Mr. Niranjan Kirloskar, Managing Director at Fleetguard Filters Pvt Ltd.
Vijay Gokhale, Executive Vice President (Sales)
Delivering One-stop-Solution
FFPL has always offered its OEM customers with a complete filtration solution, where they do not have to depend on multiple suppliers. Furthermore, FFPL uses a vendor managed inventory system, which ensures availability of product and in the quantity required by the customer. And due to their competency in delivering a one-stop solution, FFPL has become one of the most trusted and preferred suppliers of numerous OEMs across industry today. Currently, they have been catering to 85+ OEM clients with 5000+ products through 200+ distributors and 35000+ retailers with 80000+ mechanics. FFPL’s thorough focus has always been around factors such as concentrating totally on customer needs, reducing the volatility in supply chains, product availability and quality, strictest compliance of legal and corporate policies and value systems.
Sanjay Kulkarni, President
“FFPL has its sales and marketing function aligned to TOC principles of sales and marketing. We have always offered our OEM customers complete filtration solution, where they do not have to depend on multiple suppliers. Providing our customers with a one-stop solution has helped us gain customer loyalty, become preferred suppliers by OEMs and accelerated business growth and increased sales revenue. We use a vendor managed inventory system, which helps us to ensures 100% availability of product and in the quantity demanded by the customer,” specifies Mr. Vijay Gokhale, Executive Vice President (Sales) at Fleetguard Filters Pvt Ltd.
FFPL strongly believes in theory of constraints (TOC) and has been practicing it since 2007. Toc has always been an indispensable part of the organization
Mr. Vijay Gokhale further states, “Ensuring product availability at all times with lowest inventory is the Unique Selling Proposition (USP) that we embrace. This in turn ensures that there is never a surplus or a shortage in the distribution chain. In addition, we have provided products other than Filters under the Filtrum brand to our distribution network, which has helped our distributors extensively to improve their ROI through increased sales within the current operating expense. Our customized sales and after sales services has made us one of the most reliable and dependable brands in the Filtration domain today.”
Leadership Approach and Corporate Responsibility
Mr. Sanjay Kulkarni, President at Fleetguard, says, “I think there is no specific leadership mantra as such, mostly you need to apply common sense and have organizational systems and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) firmly in place. I am a great believer of developing processes and systems and work on timely improvements in them, which will help, reduce any unwanted pressure on people and they can ‘THINK’ more on the task in hand rather than on “activities”. I generally focus on 60:40 approach for planning and execution for any task. Better planning reduces trials and errors and saves time, money and re-sources.”
One of the key focus areas for us is always to keep our corporate financial controls strictly in place and improving cash f low situations. We always believe that “Cash is King” for any business. With this strategy, the business is better leveraged to handle many other business challenges and issues at large.
“We have always believed that the business must return what it has gained from the society at large. Therefore, we take great pride in implementing our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives. This is inculcated in every associate in FFPL.
We ensure that the sales proposition developed is a win-win one and with a bigger win for the customer of course. Identifying customer needs should be the top priority for any organization in order to flourish and prosper where they should strive at improvising and excel in providing solutions to meet the customer needs,” concludes Mr. Sanjay Kulkarni.
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