In an interview given to Wire & Cable India, Rajendra Ekbote, Director, Swaraj Technocrafts Private Limited, talks about his company, product portfolio, business challenges and expansion plan.
Wire & Cable India: Could you tell us about Swaraj Technocrafts and the major milestones it has achieved so far?
Rajendra Ekbote: Swaraj Technocrafts started in the year 2003 as a manufacturer of machines for the wire and cable industry. We gradually became a leader in equipment for steel wire processing. We believe that quality is a passport to the market, and this belief is the basis of our work culture. Our goal has always been to provide our customers with high-quality and efficient products. We consider customer satisfaction as our greatest reward. Also, we have successfully exported our machines to countries like Germany, Mexico, Spain, Czech Republic, Thailand, Indonesia, etc. Our global footprint has expanded considerably.
WCI: Could you tell us about your company’s product range, production capacity and plant setup in India? Do you have any plans for expansion?
RE: Our product range includes products like straight line wire drawing machines, inline wire rod preparation systems, pay-offs and take-ups for process lines like galvanizing, patenting and annealing, CO2 wire production line, inverted drawing machines, vertical/horizontal spoolers, dead block coilers, rewinder machines, wet wire drawing machine, etc.
We have a fully established manufacturing unit with CNC metal working machines, fabrication, assembly and paint shop. Also, we have a tungsten carbide coating facility based on high velocity oxy fuel. It is fully equipped with a quality lab for inspection and testing. In addition, we have a fully functional on-load trial and testing facility for our machines. We will soon be including some new and innovative products in our product portfolio.
WCI: What are your views on the industry’s adoption of the latest technology? Could you tell us about your own predilection for new technology?
RE: Swaraj Technocrafts employs the best innovations and technologies in its manufacturing process to make sure that its products are engineered according to the set standards. We have installed high-precision computerized metal working machines at all stages of manufacturing to get high accuracy and precision in our products.
Our product development team keeps track of the latest technological advancements – technology that we can incorporate in our machines. We recently developed a new and improved way of manufacturing drums of WDM. Also, we developed different types of die adaptors for better performance.
WCI: Are you committed to quality? If yes, then do your products adequately reflect your commitment to quality?
RE: Wire drawing machine manufacturing involves fabrication with high engineering standards and a thorough understanding of the wire manufacturing process. We are committed to quality at all the stages of the wire drawing machine manufacturing process. While designing machines we always keep in mind that our machines have to meet the highest quality standards. And that’s why we have always been successful in meeting our customer’s quality expectations. We have successfully carried out many projects in the past.
We get raw materials with supplier test certificates. Our skilled inspectors check all the other parameters before accepting the raw material. At our in-house manufacturing, we focus on better design and development of wire drawing machines so that the machines are rigid, reliable and trouble-free. During the in-house machining process, we use different quality assurance techniques to control the specified parameters. We also focus on different parameters to prevent any defects at the assemblies and sub-assemblies stage. Also, we put our machines through trial runs before dispatching them. Our machines are, therefore, trouble-free and require just a bit of easy serviceability and maintenance.
WCI: What major challenges does the wire and cable industry face in activities such as drawing, cutting, and making wires? How does your process technology enable you to face such challenges?
RE: Even though the growth prospects of the wire and cable industry are quite bright, the industry faces a lot of challenges in its operations. Some of the challenges it faces are ensuring the quality of the product, maintaining the standards of quality certifications, keeping up with the varied demands of the market, bearing high conversion costs due to use of old-technology machines.
We incorporate new and improved technologies in the most simplified way in our machines. This incorporation enhances the quality of the machine, increasing its speed, which in turn increases production. We also offer customization and automation to our customers.
WCI: Could you tell us about the regions and markets you supply your products to? Does your market footprint extend to places outside India?
RE: A big number of our customers are based in Asia. We have a significant PAN India presence. Speaking about our export of machines, we have a strong global presence – something we have achieved in a very short span of time. We have exported a large number of our machines to North America, Europe, Asia, etc. We are currently focusing on the global market. Also, we will participate in some of the upcoming international and national trade shows to make our global and domestic presence stronger.
WCI: Could you share your views on the present state of the wire and cable industry? Do you think the industry is getting ready to make investments in further expansion and new machinery?
RE: The wire and cable industry is a very dynamic industry. Changes and improvements happen in this industry on a regular basis. The dynamics of the industry is expected to change in the near future. The industry is likely to expand with favorable changes in the government policies.
In the wire and cable industry in India, old-technology machines are still being used in a big way. However, a majority of today’s customers have become quality-sensitive. They go for quality products. So, companies using old technology will have to switch to more efficient and productive machines. Swaraj can meet this growing requirement through its economically priced machines. We therefore hope to get substantial business in the near future.
The Government of India should provide Indian manufacturers with greater protection to push the growth of local manufacturing further, which can provide employment for thousands of people.
