Think Global, Act Local

November 10, 2010 7:28 am

“The one and only strategy is to be the first in the market with our unique innovative solutions and create leadership with close interaction with the customers”, says Dinesh Parwanda, MD, Phoenix Contact India in an interview with Shivani Johri of OEM Update.
 
Phoenix Contact is a global player in the electric connection and industrial automation segments. Can you discuss about your contribution to the Indian industry?
Phoenix Contact (India) Pvt.  Ltd., the subsidiary of Phoenix Contact Gmbh & Co., Germany, a renowned company in electric connection and industrial automation segments, provides the best solution of Interfacing and Automation Technology for any control system. With six product lines, Phoenix Contact offers an innovative portfolio of industrial electro-technology. From the classical modular terminal block to splash-proof machine connectors to the wireless Ethernet, Phoenix Contact provides innovations which do more than our customers expect. Consistent investments in innovative products and processes have made Phoenix Contact one of the global leaders today with its wide product ranges.
 
What are the major growth drivers for industrial electro-technology market?
With the technology no longer being the alone benchmark, the focus is now also on the cost effective bundled solutions and timely support on right product selection as well as logistics capabilities.
 
What kind of products and services your company is providing to the customers in India?
In electric connection and industrial automation segments, we provide the best solution for connection between sensor and controller with our six product lines. They are:
•      CLIPLINE (Industrial Connection Technology): We have everything required for the perfect control cabinet (terminal block through the assembly material and practical tools to the complete PC-supported configuration and making system).
•      PLUSCON (Industrial Connectors): We provide a modern and comprehensive program of industrial connectors for all applications to save even more time and costs with system installations.
•      COMBICON (PCB Connection System): We have complete program of PCB terminal blocks and plug connectors for the printed circuit board. For development departments, Phoenix Contact also offers electronic housings, plug-in card blocks, and DIN socket strips.
•      TRABTECH (Surge Protection): Phoenix Contact offers one of the market’s widest product ranges, structured in surge protection for power supplies, data interfaces and measuring and control applications.
•      INTERFACE (Signal Converters): The INTERFACE product range comprises interfaces for binary, serial and analog signals as well as power supplies, PLC cabling and electronic load relays.
•      AUTOMATION: From the serial sensor/actor box up to visualization software, the AUTOMATIONWORX catalog offers everything modern automation technology requires.
 
Which are the industrial segments your products are catering for?
The major segments where our products and solutions are accepted world wide as well as in India are: 
•      Power Generation and Transmission including Renewable Energy sector like Solar, Hydro Power, Wind Power etc.
•      Process Industries including Oil and Gas, Refineries, Cement, Metallurgy and Pharmaceuticals etc.
•      Machine Building
•      Telecom and Infrastructure.
 
What are the major advantages of your products?
When customer got complete solution for connection under a single umbrella then why will he think for other option? We have complete range of quality products for interfacing and automation technology, having all required industrial certifications and approvals. With advanced equipment, sophisticated workmanship, comprehensive testing method and strict quality control in all processes, we provide our customers with most reliable products.
 
How competitive is the market today for your business segment?
The trend in the said key industries is now to go for Enhanced Reliability, Ease of Maintenance of Systems and Efficiency of performance. Companies like us who can innovate and bring about truly Industrial Grade Products are now recognized and hence acceptance in the Indian industry is growing. The one and only strategy is to be the first in the market with our unique innovative solutions and create leadership with close interaction with the customers. This is in line to our motto of thinking globally and acting locally.
 
Do you wish to name some of your nearest competitors?
As Phoenix Contact is one of its kind company carrying different product profiles, it is becoming extremely difficult for us to single out core competitors.
 
What is the annual turn over of your company in India? What target you have set for this fiscal?
With the unprecedented dynamic trends in the different segment of the industry and the direct evolution of copy-cat competitors, the benchmarking and focus of the company has been consciously deviated from just the turnover base. Improvement in brand equity, approval of product technology, penetration of solution in the emerging market segment etc. has now become the new areas of growth for us. We intend to grow in double digits for this fiscal.
 
Can you brief us about your distribution network and manufacturing facilities?
We have two highly automated plants in New Delhi and Faridabad (Haryana) with imported machineriesare working under strict on-line quality instructions of Phoenix Contact, Germany. As part of the global Phoenix Contact production network, Phoenix Contact India is committed to provide the Phoenix Contact quality standard for all products made in India. Also we are certified as an ISO 9001-2000 company by DNV, Netherlands. With our Head office and Product Marketing Division in New Delhi three regional offices in Mumbai, Pune and Bengaluru, resident sales engineers across all major cities and 180+ channel partners, we ensure customer proximity.
 
Where do you wish to see your company in next 5 years?
The immediate measures and the long term philosophy of product life cycle management is directed towards being one of the top three contributors in the electro-technical and electronic interfacing solution providers in the country in the next 5 years.