Transmitting Growth

February 12, 2016 5:04 pm

A study on the current market scenario of power transmission and its major growth drivers
   Indian auto power component industry is one of the growing industries, riding on the success of OEMs. Dovetailed with this is growing demand for Indian quality and favorably priced transmission components. The government has already launched ‘Make in India’ campaign to make India a manufacturing hub. As the ‘Make in India’ story unfolds, the road ahead for the automobile industry is fraught with both excitement and challenge. “The ‘Make in India’ story will, in all likelihood, be led by the automobile and auto component sector as it accounts for over 30 per cent of the entire manufacturing sector in India. In this context it is little wonder that large automotive companies like Volvo, VW, GM, Honda, BMW, Daimler, Renault-Nissan are investing into the Indian automotive market with not only the view of a large market but as well as a global manufacturing hub,” states M Sankaranarayanan, President, RSB Transmissions Ltd.
“The Mechanical Power Transmission (MPT) industry is evolving along with the new technologies getting incorporated in the equipment design and manufacturing. The change is moving towards Electro Mechanical Power Transmission (EMPT) supporting the drives to get more energy efficient. The industry is also moving towards remote sensing and condition monitoring for improving the functional parameters,” says Sunil Kaul, Vice President (S&M), J K Fenner (India) Ltd.
Transmission component industries have swiftly and steadily adapted to latest technologies due to stringent requirements by leading brands like GM, Daimler, Toyota, Ford, Honda, Volkswagen and Mercedes Benz having already set up shops in India. Components with indigenous manufacture, therefore, are global in quality feature, with ruggedness and built-in endurance. 
Transmission component industries cater to gear lock, drive shafts, axles, gears, clutches etc which form the backbone of OEMs on the wheels.  With state-of-art facilities and on-time delivery commitments by  auto components  leading brands with in-built quality  journeying in every process of activity, with favourable conditions like softening of commodity prices etc  and more expected during 2016, OEMs will may witness surge in demand for their brands and evidently, resultant increased order intake for component industry.
Sankaranarayanan feels, “The challenging times of flagging vehicle sales, high capital cost and interest rates, fluctuating exchange rates and slowing down of investments witnessed during 2014, is now likely to change. With twin advantage of price and quality, exports are expected to surge during 2016.  With mood of FDIs upbeat and seeing India as a favourable destination for investors, particularly auto sector, happier days are clearly visible in horizon. With all global OEMs setting up facilities in India and making India as manufacturing hub, Indian auto components makers are well positioned for going global through these OEMs.”
On the other hand, V B Kalyankar, CEO, Elecon Engineering Co Ltd feels, “The current market looks very gloomy. Transmission market depends on strength of various solution driven market or sectors such as power, cement, steel, mining, material handling, EPC; process plants such as sugar, chemical, rubber as well as defence. Majority of these sectors are not doing well apart from sugar, EPC and power and to some extent defence where we are getting good opportunities and we are bagging few orders.”
Major growth driversThrowing light on the major growth drivers, Sankaranarayanan points out below few growth drivers in the power transmission segment:• Establishment of special auto parks and  SEZs for auto components.• Reduced excise duty to give boost to cost advantage.• Competitive advantages facilitating emergence of outsourcing hub.• High export potential.• Proven in-house R&D competencies and capabilities.• Quaity Excellence in every aspect.• Ruggedness and proven design.• Growing domestic automobile market.• Power availability at reduced rates.• Reduced customs duty.
Talking on the major growth drivers, Kalyankar says, “We bagged good orders for cooling tower gearboxes in this fiscal year as well as good number of planetary solution offerings for sugar mill drives. The score against power was okay but not satisfying our infrastructure feed (hunger) rate, and now in the last leg we are hoping to bag a big defence order from Indian Navy for frigates.”
Kaul says, “India stands to be seen as an investment destination and has the momentum to speed up structural alignments for creating new opportunities.  With a contribution of 7.4 per cent of global GDP in purchasing power terms, India has contributed 12.5 per cent of global growth.  The major initiatives of ‘Make In India’ and ‘Smart Cities’ is going to accelerate the growth of core sectors and will give a major push to the manufacturing industry.”
RSB’s latestPointing out the company’s latest offering Sankaranarayanan says, “We are market leaders in propeller shafts in MHCV segment – a vital component in an automobile. We will be offering latest genertion of propeller shafts in collabortion with Jidosha Buhin Kogyo Co Ltd (JBK), Japan and Eugen Klein GmbH, Germany, creating presence in LCV and SCV segments. As already announced, we have inked pact with Andhra Pradesh Government to set up latest state-of-the-art facility at Sri City to manufacture propeller shafts with latest technology  to cater to the southern based customers.”
Elecon’s offeringWhen asked about the company’s offering in the power transmission segment, Kalyankar says, “We have few orders for drive gearboxes of small riverbed power stations as well as few spare gearboxes for coal pulverizors looking for breakthrough in central drive as well as bucket wheel excavator drive.”
J K Fenner’s offeringHighlighting latest offering by the company, Kaul says, “As a company our focus has been to create and deliver value through better management of our products and services. Our ‘Power Tran Green cover Belts’ are being widely accepted in the industry to operate on harsh performing conditions. Value engineering through innovative product programs like Elastic Multi Rib Poly V belts are being introduced to improve upon belt performance in dynamic situations. In our Engineering business the focus has been more on offering ‘Drive Solutions’ to support the industry on energy earnings.” n
***********************Transmission market depends on strength of various solution driven market or sectors such as power, cement, steel, mining, material handling, EPC.
V B Kalyankar, CEO, Elecon Engineering Co Ltd.************************
**********************The change is moving towards Electro Mechanical Power Transmission (EMPT) supporting the drives to get more energy efficient.
Sunil Kaul, Vice President (S&M), J K Fenner (India) Ltd.********************
**********************With all global OEMs setting up facilities in India and making India as manufacturing hub, Indian auto components makers are well positioned for going global through these OEMs
M Sankaranarayanan, President, RSB Transmissions Ltd.