In an exclusive conversation with Sunil Newatia, Chairman and Managing Director, Suretech Infrastructure, we examine their unwavering commitment to staying at the forefront of technological breakthroughs in foundation equipment. Learn how they strike a careful balance between introducing cutting-edge technologies and meeting the practical needs of the Indian building industry.

“We are primarily in a very niche product segment. Our products are very sophisticated and technologically complex.”

In an exclusive conversation with Sunil Newatia, Chairman and Managing Director, Suretech Infrastructure, we examine their unwavering commitment to staying at the forefront of technological breakthroughs in foundation equipment. Learn how they strike a careful balance between introducing cutting- edge technologies and meeting the practical needs of the Indian building industry.

How does Suretech Infrastructure stay at the forefront of technological advancements in foundation equipment?

Suretech has always been a leader in introducing the latest technologies in India. Our focus has been on innovative, environment-friendly, and safer technologies. Keeping the Indian customer in mind, we are focusing on simpler technologies that are easier to maintain by our local engineers. Indigenisation of components is another initiative that helps us achieve better sustainability of our machines. Our principals have been striving to make the equipment safer, and we shall introduce some of these technologies during Excon. One is a pile lifting device (PLD), which will help safely handle steel casings while being readied for driving into the ground. The latest technology is not the priority for most Indian customers; price usually overrules technology. At our end, we strike a balance between price and technological upgrades on our product.

How does your diversification, from Vibro hammers to dredge pumps, enhance project efficiency and cost-effectiveness for your clients?

for your clients? We are primarily present in two verticals: foundation engineering solutions and earth- working solutions. All our products fall within these two verticals. We offer comprehensive solutions so that our customers do not have to visit several suppliers to get the various equipment for their projects. Regarding earth- working solutions, we concentrate mostly on attachments for excavators, backhoes, and skids. Attachments are a neglected segment in India, and we educate customers on the benefits and advantages of using attachments to control costs and speed up their project execution.

How does your focus on preventive maintenance contribute to maximising equipment uptime

Equipment uptime depends more on preventive maintenance than product support for breakdowns. On project completion, we always return the machine to our yard and carry out comprehensive maintenance. This ensures minimum breakdowns during the job. Further, we always have support staff who can travel to a job site at a day’s notice. Critical spares are stocked at the site to ensure maximum uptime.

What steps does Suretech Infrastructure take to provide maintenance and support services for its equipment throughout its lifecycle, beyond just sales or rentals?

The best we can do in outright machine sales is educate the customer and train their team in good maintenance practices. Our engineers visit the project site periodically to inspect the machine’s health, even without receiving any calls from the customer. We continuously send customers messages and reminders about servicing their equipment, good maintenance practices, and the benefits of using genuine spares and lubricants.

What approach do you use to gauge market demand for these solutions?

We are primarily in a very niche product segment. Our products are very sophisticated and technologically complex. They are used only on large projects, especially marine jobs. These machines are required only when a customer has such a project. Our strategy is thus simple: We keep a tab on such projects, contact the customer who gets such jobs, and convince them that we are the best. However, marketing attachments can be challenging. Due to the severe lack of a trained workforce, we use social media to spread product information.

How do you foresee emerging technologies shaping the future of foundation and construction equipment?

The major change that we foresee shortly is the construction industry’s adoption of renewable energy sources. Our principals are fully prepared and ready to offer electric versions of the equipment. However, the cost of this equipment can be quite daunting, and customers may only opt for it if the government makes it mandatory. Market dynamics force equipment manufacturers to make their products cheaper and maintenance cost- effective. We have developed several locally fast-moving spares to help our customers reduce operating costs. We are also exploring options of assembling some products in India in co-operation with our principals.