In the field of manufacturing, particularly in the segments where precision and dependability are critical, such as construction, companies tackle several market challenges. One major issue is the need for the machines to be customized in order to conform to the different hydraulic requirements. While the one-size-fits-all approach can be fine for some, it often fails to provide individually-oriented engineering solutions to clients. The astonishingly rapid pace of technological development turns out to be another problem that companies have to face as they need to regularly update their equipment to stay in the game and be relevant. In addition, one of the main issues that remain is the provision of quality assurance under the circumstances of rising competition, thereby making it necessary to have a good testing system.
Oriental Engineering Works (OEW) addresses these challenges with its engineering expertise and customization capability. In the early 1970s, the company embarked on the manufacturing of hydraulic cylinders. Now with clients primarily from the construction industry, coming to them with their hydraulic specifications, design engineers are driven to create different designs. The main function of their business is supplying engineering solutions with hydraulics currently being the most important product they offer. High flexibility is the feature thanks to which they can match a variety of manufacturing needs offered by their state-of-the-art facilities. They have almost every manufacturing capability in-house from CNC machining, high precision fabrication, various types of painting and plating to their own foundry.
"We are constantly improving our facility to stay up-to-date with the latest machinery and technology. We have to stay agile and flexible as engineering is our core-competency. Every generation before me has brought new ideas, products, and partnerships. This has been the key to our longevity and so I hope to do the same," says Shivam Saluja, Executive Director, Oriental Engineering Works.
Making a Strategic Shift
Founded in 1938, the organization started with single-stroke diesel engines that had applications in agriculture. Transitioning in the 1970s, their operation had to be changed, and they focused on hydraulic cylinder manufacturing. Their technology capability encompasses anything from hydraulic cylinders for construction to different tools used in glassmaking, tool fabrication and even boilers, such as line splitters. They have followed a decentralized approach to their business by venturing into a wide range of businesses besides hydraulics.
One of which is through their partnership with Impulse Pumps, a Dutch company since 2004. Impulse Pumps specializes in reciprocating and screw impeller dewatering pumps with soundproof canopies. This was a foray into an entirely new product line. They have also used their experience in hydraulics to be the sole distributor and after-sales service provider for Roemheld Germany for hydraulic fixture clamping elements and quick dies change systems since 1988. As for project work, they provide installation services and play the role of reliable sales partner for the Alimak Group, a Swedish Group of Companies, for facade access, suspended platforms and building maintenance units.
Their involvement in projects like the Signature Bridge in Delhi underlines their engineering spirit and expertise in this field of technology.
The hydraulics market has been becoming more and more competitive with the emergence of newer, smaller companies. But OEW has always had an approach of technological progress, which was achieved through the constant acquisition of new equipment. As an example, for anchorage sets for cable stay-bridges, there were major challenges in terms of machining larger and harder parts. OEW purchased the second machine in all of India that was capable of performing the drilling operations, the first being in the training centre of the machine builder themselves. The company is also progressing towards Industry 4.0 digital integration, the most recent endeavour being the tie-ups with NASSCOM COE for manufacturing excellence.
Moving away from hydraulics, the company's expansion covers wider engineering and manufacturing activities along with partnerships with global companies, powered by the digitalization, which is the basis for the improvement of operational efficiency. This tactical shift recognizes the changing market dynamics, where although the sales volume of the conventional hydraulic systems goes on rising, the increased price competition necessitates breaking away from the conventional product lines to create room for innovation.
Efficiency through Innovation & Collaboration
OEW’s philosophy of innovation is such that they keep investing in new machines and inventive procedures all the time. For instance, with Impulse Pumps, they have a shared PDM server with the Netherlands to ensure all drawings are up to date. When they were frustrated by difficulties in manufacturing the impeller component, which was complex, they developed their own automated investment casting system.
OEW's philosophy of innovation is such that they keep investing in new machines & inventive procedures all the time
In fact, for a year, they have been working to design and implement a company-wide digital solutions, using various software vendors, that would make their operations more transparent, easy to use, and efficient. The company is looking for a way to streamline its workflow with real-time data on production, scheduling, and consumption as well as a custom system for its unique manufacturing processes.
They keep going despite occasional failures by their desire to embrace new technologies. Their endeavours are diverse, among which is testing AI-driven night shift monitoring by camera surveillance, although the first trial with one vendor showed inefficacy. Despite that, they keep inventing new technological solutions like a document management system to improve transparency and ease of communication of information. In addition, they give due attention to conformance with the industry standards, such as CE marking and adhering to the ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and Zed gold certifications. They were one of the first small scale companies in North India to get ISO 9001 way back in 1992. Hence, quality has always been at the top of their priorities.
Design-oriented Solutions
With digitalization being at the forefront, they are looking ahead to keep integrity and traceability throughout their operations. Their capabilities empower them to offer the setting up of new production lines specialized for certain tasks while meeting all regulatory standards. The next step is the development of new product lines and partnerships with companies with a high technical requirement in any phase of the lifecycle of a product. From pre-sales, design, engineering and manufacturing to after-sales and servicing, OEW can offer it all.
When it comes to its business operations, OEW has used design-oriented solutions as a basis for its business model and it reflects its commitment to innovation and efficiency. With the fourth generation joining the ranks, the zest of the company remains the same. The roots of the company can be traced back to Lahore since 1938 but the current facility was born in the spirited air of Haryana in the 1960s. The company has state-of-the-art facilities and are constantly making large investments into advanced machines from well-known brands. This has enabled them to satisfy the needs of their customers and partners with both precision and volume.
The Way Ahead
The company is, at the moment, considering ways of expansion through introducing new lines and categories to its product and service portfolio. Around 30 to 50 percent of current revenue of the company is generated from hydraulics, which shows that they are doing well in this sector. With the future in mind, they foresee a possible expansion outside of hydraulic products, underlining their basic principle of attention to detail while also looking for innovative and product diversification opportunities. As a company primarily known for their ability in hydraulics, their identity as an engineering organization underlines their adaptability and technical proficiency, giving them an edge to embrace change and showcase their broad range of skills beyond hydraulics.
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