Rajesh Premchandran, Director – India, South Asia, Africa & Middle-East, Elgi Equipments Limited

It’s more than EXCON if you look at the broader scenario in the building and infrastructure sector. The amount of footfall indicates that the level of activity has increased dramatically. “After speaking with a number of our clients, we’ve discovered that the amount of projects they’re working on is at an all-time high. And, when I consider the number of machines we’re selling, I believe it just demonstrates that the government’s discourse about infrastructure is being implemented on the ground. So, I believe it’s a good thing”, says Rajesh Premchandran, Director – India, South Asia, Africa & the Middle-East, Elgi Equipments Limited.

Products and solutions displayed 

We’ve been in the business for the last 62 years making compressors for multiple applications. We exhibited two of our key products during the event. One is the electric-powered PG 110E portable air compressor. These electric modules are made for mining applications and are gaining momentum in this industry. Therefore, going a step further, we also launched the diesel-powered PG575 -225, which is excellent in terms of efficiency and brings more value to the customers. 

Earlier, everything was fuel-based, as the availability of enough electricity at mining and quarrying site was quite difficult. Whereas, today, availability is not an issue. Moreover, with the fuelling concerns over pollution caused due to fuel-based machines and equipment, people are gradually adopting battery-powered and electric-powered engines. 

Capitalising on present trends and opportunities 

Previously, road construction was one of the major applications, but the demand landscape has changed with the expansion of tunnelling, mining, and quarrying sites across India. And we’re seeing our product used in rugged terrain, which encompasses our ambition for the future of our company. We expect our business to grow in sectors such as blue metal, quarrying, and coal mining, where there is a lot of development and investment. 

Challenges in going electrical 

Digitalisation and electronics are very sensitive areas in this sector, and hence not many players are moving ahead fully with electrical products. You may have locations that are experiencing these challenges with electricity. But I believe the support if things go wrong, will determine how fast the machine can be resumed, because any downtime of this equipment would result in a significant loss.

It will take its time, especially given the current working environment. Second, we will only be able to produce things that can become digital if electricity becomes more trustworthy. Because the contractors working on it are only attempting to finish their jobs on schedule, this market will take a while to start rolling. 

We are taking steps to track this equipment to provide timely assistance to our customers. As a result, this is one move we’ve made to connect closer to our customers.

Market and business projections 

COVID-19 has had a global influence on practically every industry. However, last year was a fantastic year for us, and according to ICEMA input, the markets really expanded. We, on the other hand, had a double-digit increase. This also indicates that we’ve been in this market for a long time and are familiar with the requirements. I believe the market has a lot of potential. Many new introductions, such as these electric-powered compressors, have really aided us in our progress. As a result, I expect the next three years to be in the high positive double digits.