After an action-packed 2018 on the back of robust inflow of orders that raised turnover by around 18-20 per cent, Everest Engineering Equipment Pvt Ltd expects 25 per cent growth in this financial year, according to Managing Director, P.V. Ramdev.

Discuss about the products exhibited in the expo?
We have exhibited mainly GJJ passenger hoist that has different speed such as 46 to 96-metre per minute. GJJ has sold hundreds of units with 120 metre per minute, which is 2 metre per second. It also has curved hoist for cooling towers, lean hoist, industrial hoist, hoist for mines and has introduced new technology called Artificial Intelligence hoist (AI hoist). In AI hoist, there are many sensors which will automatically sense verticality, any loose connection on the bolt, any malfunctioning of limit switchers, electrical loose connection, no of people entering into the cage and oils level i.e. lubrication system. Everything will be monitored & alarm the operator and stop the hoist. The new technology was displayed last month in bauma China. We think this is the future hoist which will take care of everything. Even without a technician, one can operate hoist from Mumbai while sitting in another city. This is the new technology and commercial production is likely to startin 2019.

Moreover, GJJ has come up with Bi directional bus-bar system instead of cable and cable trolley which will face frequent breaking of cables on job site. There is bidirectional bus-bar with crawlers – a new technology that has come with the bus-bar system. Cost increase is negligible, so bus-bar systems in hoist would be the future. We have also displayed anti-collision system used to avoid collision between tower cranes. We sold around 260 systems in India to almost all corporate companies and got booking of around 16 anti-collision systems in the expo.

What is your outlook for construction and infrastructure industry in 2019?
If we consider the current pace of the industry is 100 kilometres per hour, then next year, we have elections, after which if the same type government without coalition continues, the same pace may move on till 2024. In case of more coalitions, pace will come down to 70-75 kilometres per hour. So, we are prepared to move on whatever the result may be.

Please share how 2018 was for you and your business plan for 2019?
Year 2018 was excellent for us as the inflow of orders was robust that increased turnover by around 18-20 per cent. Additionally, we expect at least 25 per cent growth in this financial year.

We are going to increase the number of sales of hoist and tower cranes from GJJ, Topsky as well as SYM. We can offer from 8 to 200 tonnes capacity of tower cranes. We are associated with two-three best companies in China that are selling all over the world. Thus, world-class technology tower crane is available with us. So far, we have sold over 300 units in India. We expect more business in 2019 depending on the election results.

What is the major challenge crane users face?
Major challenge is the service support for construction industry. Most of the construction sites are working 24 hours in India, any breakdown may happen at any time due to various reasons. Site equipment usually don’t get proper services especially during the concreting of slab or columns. If some machines break down, the concrete will get wasted and cannot be stored once made. This is the major challenge this industry is facing, but we are providing the quick services in India. We are the only CRISIL-rated tower crane service providing company in India, and have about 45 service engineers all over India.

How are you dealing with this challenge?
We are giving service support and spare part support very quickly. We are selling machines in India with best component such as Siemens, Nord Germany mechanisms and Schmersal Germany limit switches. All of them are from the best in the world which is easily available in Indian market. Spare support for the customer is not a challenge asthey can buy it from the local market or from our stock.

Major challenge is the service support for construction industry.
P.V. Ramdev, Managing Director, Everest Engineering Equipment Pvt Ltd