AJAX has become more resilient, adaptive and competitive like ever in this complex and uncertain period of pandemic says Debasis Bhattacharya, Head – Marketing, Sales & Product Support at AJAX Engineering Pvt Ltd.

How has your organisation strategised to tackle this sudden pandemic and economically challenging scenario?
AJAX has always evolved over time by adapting to the needs of its customers with a clear and consistent goal towards becoming the most customer-centric organization with a strong customer focus.

AJAX has become more resilient, adaptive and competitive in this complex and uncertain period of the Covid-19 pandemic. We have a strong focus on the capabilities needed to succeed in the constantly changing market dynamics especially in such times, thanks to our technological innovation that has been able to keep up with the challenges.

AJAX has leveraged its capabilities. With a strong network of over 100 touch points and more than 30 dealers with triple S facilities i.e. sales, service and spare parts, we add value in the lives of over 18,000 satisfied customers. AJAX keeps in touch with all its stakeholders through digital channels and has successfully leveraged digital solutions to engage customers and provide them with the necessary support.

Could you talk about AJAX’s focus areas during the lockdown period?
Being innovative is in AJAX’s DNA and that is the biggest takeaway. The company has always strived to be a 360-degree concreting solutions provider to its customers and it is moving towards artificial intelligence and other advanced manufacturing concepts.

AJAX self-loading concrete mixers are versatile and have hydraulic sensing, meaning a pressure transducer and a device to add the weigh batching of aggregate, cement and water. AJAX has been focusing on improving the accuracy of weigh batching that is very critical in the quality of the concrete. Of late, we have come up with a load cell based weigh batching system (patent pending).

During Excon 2019, AJAX also launched a first-of-its-kind next-gen self-propelled boom pump, SPBP25ZX. This patent-pending product has been designed to handle tough terrain and manoeuvre narrow roads and job sites at ease, and effectively uses its full boom length to revolutionize the way concreting is being done in housing and infrastructure projects.

AJAX slip form paver SPX1204, the first indigenous paver designed and manufactured in India which was also launched during Excon 2019 is incorporated with high-quality components and features on par with any of the pavers offered by the global players. This paver has the flexibility to offer paving width varying from 3.5 m to 12 m.

In your opinion, tell us about the possible impact this lockdown will have on India’s manufacturing sector and on the economy as a whole.
India would witness a big slump in the current and coming quarter. However, it is all set to bounce back post recovery of this Covid-19 pandemic as it has been stated by leading financial rating agencies. This would drastically affect the construction equipment sales in India that are expected to drop very significantly during FY 202-2021 due to this outbreak. This pandemic has dented our economy and its overall impact on the CE industry has been severe, which will take a toll on its future growth prospects. Even after the crisis is brought under control and construction work starts to gain momentum, monsoon will set in and construction will have to be stalled June 2020 onwards.

Post-lockdown, what would be your organisation’s agenda to sustain a possible market slowdown/downfall?
AJAX is geared up to fight the slowdown blues. To set the ball rolling, AJAX has come up with the rebound strategy, a detailed business continuity management plan that enlists a set of protocols and standard guidelines that would comply with the newly established norms and regulations by our government for safe and best practices. This would be religiously followed in the factories, offices and business establishments of AJAX across India.

The company is planning to take the following steps and they are as follows:

• Channel partners: Distribution strategy/delivery model as a defragmented channel structure by integrating dealer network over the digital platform is being contemplated by AJAX.
• Efficiency accelerators: Firstly, with social distancing norms at factories, logistics, and warehouses, the need for reducing people density across the supply chain has become a mandate now and AJAX would chart ‘alternate shift’ practices in the factories. We would also look into optimising direct and indirect cost that would result in a significant cost reduction, strengthening cash flow and emerging from this downturn with a stronger and more competitive profile.
• Digitisation: AJAX is active on the digital platform and maintains a strong digital footprint. This helps us to underscore the importance of digital transformation by providing unparalleled opportunities to offer personalised service to customers. 

What is the need of the hour from the government post Covid-19 scenario?
In the wake of slowdown like this, liquidity is one of the major challenges that has adversely impacted construction equipment sales as well as the rate at which projects are completed. There is no dearth of projects but financial closure has become an alarming issue. Delinquencies such as contractors not getting paid by principal clients is a concern as is the diversion of funds from infra-related projects to social spending. Customers have become hesitant to buy new equipment, especially first-time buyers. The CE industry is looking for a good stimulus in infrastructure and housing industry to pave the way for the economy to get rolling and to reinvigorate confidence in the construction sector.