In the crushing and screening, the sizes are becoming bigger as customers are increasing their scale of operation.

V.Senthil Kumar, Managing Director, Propel Industries Pvt. Ltd., Coimbatore.

How do you look at the crushing and screening industry in India?

Till the time infrastructure growth is there, the crushing and screening industry will grow. However, real estate industry is not doing well for the past 2 to 3 years. Once the real estate industry picks up, the industry growth will improve further.

Do you feel that the demand has not come to its desired growth level?

I think the current pace of growth will be maintained even if there are some setbacks in some industries. At Propel, we are growing by around 60 per cent year-on-year in terms of turnover during the past 4-5 years.

Did you launch any new product at EXCON 2017?

Yes, we have launched 250 TPH Track Mounted Crusher during EXCON 2017. This is an innovative dual-power crusher that can either run on generator or on power. It allows to switch from 200 TPH to 250 TPH in the same machine.  We have also launched 600 TPH Jaw Crusher and 200 TPH Sand Washing System.

What kind of technology shift is being witnessed in this sector?

In the crushing and screening, the sizes are becoming bigger as customers are increasing their scale of operation. So, we are seeing a trend towards bigger machines.

What may be the reason for this shift?

The operating cost comes down with the scale. The number of people involved for a small plant or a bigger plant is almost same. So, there is a lot of advantage when one goes for the scale. It enables to produce more with a bigger machine with less number of labours.

Is this trend going to continue for next few years?

Definitely! This trend will continue for years. Also, there are futuristic trends like automation, Internet of Things. One will be able to control his/her machines even sitting outside the office. These are the few things which are going to happen in another 5-6 years.

What kind of automation we can see in crushing and screening segment?

Automation will enable an operator operating a machine sitting inside a cabin. It will also reduce labour involvement. We have already started supplying automated plants commencing 2016.

Has the demand for artificial sand increased within rural segment?

Everywhere artificial sand demand is increasing. People are realising that it is better than river sand. Earlier artificial sand was better only in theory; now people have started realising it. Artificial sand is much cheaper; it is also better in quality. Many RMC plants have permanently switched to artificial sand even though the river sand is available to them.  However, though engineers and architects are become aware of this, there exist some reluctance from masons and supervisors.

Did you launch any specific product for the rural segment?

Yes, we have 75 tonnes/hour Vertical shaft impactor and 125 tonnes/hour Cone crusher for rural segment which includes Sand classification system.