The global rubber market size is projected to reach USD 51.21 billion by 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 5.3 per cent during the forecast period. There is immense opportunity for Indian air springs in India, especially in the automotive segment. The railways segment has also emerged as a prospective market. The world is looking at India as the next manufacturing destination after China and customers from the automotive and industrial segments are using more Indian components to substitute imports which are also likely to push the growth of the air springs manufacturing sector.
Automotive aftermarket customers are price sensitive and they pay less attention to quality at times. This is exactly where Gibraltar comes in and makes a mark. Arpan Basu, Director (Marketing & Product Development), Gibraltar states, “The proven quality of Gibraltar products has converted some of the largest Indian OEMs over the years. Gibraltar’s “value for money” approach has made it easy for the Indian OEMs and aftermarket customers to enjoy world-class quality products at local price.
Our integrated production unit near Kolkata brings R&D, design, manufacturing, and testing of the rubber air springs under one roof. To suit the varied requirements across the industries, our “flexible” approach helps the customers to opt for
customized air springs, depending on the load capacity, stroke, temperature, space, application, etc.”
The Growth Story
Gibraltar was established in the year 1993 by Pronob Kumar Guha in association with Firestone Industrial Products Company, USA for the distribution of Firestone air springs in India. The company has successfully worked with Firestone in India for more than 15 years and eventually graduated to their 100 per cent indigenized air spring manufacturing plant. Their new air spring manufacturing unit near Kolkata was the first air spring plant in India that was independent of any foreign tie-ups. Gibraltar has started manufacturing air springs for buses, trucks, and eventually trailers and various other air springs for industrial applications.
Arpan states, “We started supplying to the various OEMs in India as well as abroad. Air springs for the Indian Railways have been developed and are undergoing the approval process. We have successfully started supplying air springs for the railways in Italy. Gibraltar is actively increasing the export market and looks forward to getting established as a key global air spring manufacturer in the premium segment.” He adds, “Our newly established exportwing has managed to secure substantial orders from prestigious customers across the globe. This includes global automotive OEMs, railway applications in Europe, and various prestigious automotive aftermarket customers across the world.”
Gibraltar is actively increasing the export market and looks forward to getting established as a key global air spring manufacturer in the premium segment
As far as quality assurance is concerned, Gibraltar is an ISO 9001, ISO 45001, ISO 14001, and IATF 16949 certified unit. Starting from human resource development to product development, everything has been structured based on certain core Indian values, which have laid the foundation strong enough to reach beyond perceivable boundaries.
Looking at the Future
Gibraltar’s proactive and flexible approach as per the customer’s needs keeps them ahead of others. The company has simplified various myths and prejudices created by the global giants who are in the manufacturing of air springs for many decades and made Gibraltar air springs a customer friendly commodity. Speaking of the road ahead for the company, Arpan concludes, “Air spring is the future for all the heavy commercial vehicles, including electric buses and trains across the globe and we aim to capture as much market as we can in the times to come.”
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