Rakesh Modi, Chairman, Mtandt Group believes renting gives consumers access to the most modern, safe and environmentally friendly equipment without the capital outlay.

What is your strategy to expand business for existing product range?
We are proactive in entering into partnerships with international market leaders for our equipment purchase division for man lifting and material lifting needs. We represent the world’s top brands in the Aerial Work Platform product and offer their widest range in terms of working parameter, country of origin, price and value proposition. Similarly our vertical access equipment range are handpicked from the best suppliers of the world and we can provide over 10 different categories with close to 200 types of configurations. Over 20 years, we are the most preferred partner for OEMs for offering material handling equipment for complex installations at site. We are known to bring the best advanced technologies in the Indian market for the above mentioned product categories and our associations with the world’s best OEMs is based on evolving client applications. For our own product, Mtandt Aluminium Scaffolding System (mobile access platforms) for which we are the country’s largest manufacturer, we are continuously designing new products and improvising on our current product range for the booming commercial/private real estate sector such as malls, offices, bank premise, hotels, multiplexes, airports, hospitals, warehouses, housing societies, factory set ups, infrastructure development projects etc. for accessing heights for maintenance, interior jobs like electrical, HVAC, painting and many other work related needs.

Looking at the present scenario what would you advise for procurement of new range of products? Buy it or rent it, why do you say so?
Aerial working platforms, vertical access equipment for accessing heights for maintenance needs are expensive equipment and we advise mall developers, hospital and hotel chains to buy these as they require these for their regular maintenance and can be shifted from one mall, hospital, hotel site depending upon their need as they are self-propelled and can be loaded over trailer. Similarly EPC companies are also advised to purchase their own material handling equipment as they require these on a regular basis as we can provide complete post sales service through operation and maintenance.

However cost benefit depending upon the time period of application is a key factor for renting equipment than owning as it removes a sizeable burden from the customer’s asset register. Renting gives consumers access to the most modern, safe and environmentally friendly equipment without the capital outlay. Mtandt is India’s largest rental company for mobile access platforms, aerial work platforms and material handling equipment with a fleet size of over 700 as there are no hassles of regular maintenance and running costs and in addition trained and certified operators are provided to run these equipment. Mtandt through their mobile app provides on-the-go access to the consumer tomost of their man lifting and material handling equipment rental needs.

How are you acclimatising to the fluctuations in material prices?
For our own product, Mtandt Aluminium Scaffolding System (mobile access platforms), we are anticipating the demand and orders in hand and purchasing material as per our requirement. In addition, inventory of the products are maintained as per the demand. Based on our regular orders, we are able to get discount on our bulk purchase which mitigates the risk of fluctuations in material prices. On account of input material procurement planning based on demand for successive months helps us save transportation and tax levies. Manpower planning based on production demand also helps in controlling costs. And at the end, stringent internal collection practices for tracking outstanding helps us to maintain a healthy cash flow.

Rakesh Modi, Chairman, Mtandt Group