Gandhi Automations: Technology leadership in entrance automation
Q. Gandhi Automations has been operational for 2 decades; please share some of your milestones & achievements?
Since its inception Gandhi Automations is continuously working on improving the products offered to clients and services attached to it. To support this mission the company has set up a 300,000 sq. ft. state of the art manufacturing and warehousing facility in Bhiwandi. Expansion is a key strategy with Gandhi Automations. Our principal focus is not only offering quality products but also on providing outstanding customer service for which we have a dedicated customer service team available 24×7. Today we are not just the leading Entrance Automations Company but are in-fact the number one company in this segment. We are number one in Entrance Automations and hold the same rank when it comes to vehicle loading automations. We also have strength in warehouse related items like loading bay equipment. We have patents for some of our product designs thus giving the customers unique products. Gandhi Automations today is synonymous with good quality and a name to reckon with.
We started with manufacturing of manual rolling shutters then went on to importing automations for rolling shutters. That was the first decisive step in bringing in advanced automations. From then onwards, we gradually enlarged our product portfolio – Automated Gates, Barriers, Doors etc. Around the year 2000, we introduced products which are primarily used in Logistics and Warehouse operations like Dock Levelers, Dock Shelters, Sectional Overhead Doors, etc. One thing led to another and we began to design doors and gates using the latest structural and mechanical engineering software and this is how we grew.
Q. Can you elaborate more about the product portfolio & its applications?
We design, manufacture, supply, install, and maintain highly sophisticated industrial and commercial doors and loading bay equipment. The doors meet various objectives like temperature control, dust ingress, noise control, maintain hygienic conditions etc. at the same time allows seamless traffic of Forklifts, Pallet trucks etc. All our products are based on European and American technology that conform to very high standards of safety. Our Dock Levelers also adhere to the most advanced concept. The prefabricated solutions for the quick construction of loading baysallows a cut by 60% of the construction time of pits and dramatically reduces the need of man labour. Our product range includes High Speed Doors, Sectional Overhead Doors, Dock Leveler, Dock Shelters,Clean Room Doors, Aircraft Hangar Doors, Swing Doors, Fire Doors, Fire Shutters, Rolling Shutters, Automatic Swing Gates, Retractable Gates and Boom Barriers
Q. What are your strategies to improve the Gandhi Entrance Automation‘s position in Indian & global market as well?
We are equipped with a staff strength of 450+ that continues to increase as we expand our business. Out of this 150+ are engineers some of whom are trained overseas. Our strategy is not to appoint dealers for marketing and selling our products. All our contacts with the clients are done directly by our staff themselves. We believe that a dealer will never be able to service a client with the same passion as we do. In this industry the model of appointing dealers to service a client is an absolutely unsuccessful one which ultimately results in the client being unhappy.
Recently we had participated in R+T Exhibition, Germany. R+T is the undisputed number 1 trade fair – the leading world trade fair for rolling shutters, doors/gates and sun protection systems. Industry veterans from diverse background visited our stall and we had an opportunity to exchange ideas and we are glad that they were impressed with kind of product portfolio we have and they were in awe of our technical expertise. Many have expressed their desire to partner with us. In next few weeks we will be scrutinizing proposals from different companies and we will be meeting lot of them again to discuss the possibility of export in respective countries.
Q. What are the key technological trends that are driving the entrance automation and loading bay equipment industry?
In this industry more and more of energy efficient products are being manufactured and considering the power crunch we face, this is a major contribution to saving energy. The development of electronics and the PLCs used in our products is being researched constantly for energy efficiency.
Q. What is your vision for Gandhi Entrance Automations?
“We are number 1 in the domestic market. There’s huge untapped international market for our products. Our products meet international safety standards and with right kind of product portfolio, we are ready to meet the demands of this huge international market.”
With increased globalization and countries opening up for business we see a great opportunity in neighboring countries also. For instance in Myanmar, last few years foreign investments has increased from few million to several billions dollars (300 million dollar 2009 to 5 billion 2014). The Myanmar government has relaxed import restrictions and abolished export taxes. Such policies boost our confidence and we will venture in such countries.
“Our current target for export is Gulf Countries and European Countries. In coming years we will be aiming neighboring countries like Bangladesh, Indonesia, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and few African countries. I have visited few of these countries and we have better products to offer them, than the ones they are currently using. By 2018 years we are targeting 50% revenue from export.”