The current market conditions have seen improvement with the start of the new fiscal. Similarly, logistics and warehousing sector hopes for a better outcome in the coming time. Experts believe that the market growth will also be factored by incorporating new technology in operations and manufacturing. Ravi Hissaria, Managing Director, Tippers and Trailers India Private Limited (TNT Cranes) delves into key trends, the German connection and expansion in the Indian subcontinent, in an email interaction with Pushkar Oak.

How do you serve industry with your products?

We believe in customer satisfaction in ease of handling the loads. Ultimate product quality and perfection in all aspects is our primary target. We never compete on pricing front by reducing quality. Since, we are engaged with Stahl-Germany, our final products are almost perfectly balanced. There is 140 years of research and development behind our products. These products are ultimately designed to meet global safety standards and with a proven track record of more than century.

Could you tell some key trends in the MHE segment?

Recent trend in MHE segment is artificial intelligence (AI). Today, the logistics and warehousing industry is bending towards atomisation of entire stocks and distribution systems. This is to avoid human errors and improve speed of delivery. Even in crane technology, cranes are in-built with automatic error display system. If the crane stops due to any reason, it can be easily identified by accessing SLE control display system in the crane panel board.

Share products launched by TNT Cranes recently and their performance?

As a group we are the PEB (Pre-engineered building) manufacturer. We have one of the largest fabrication facility in Bangalore, spread across in 1.5 Lakh sq feet, having installed advanced technology of fabrication machinery.

We are the sales partner of Stahl-Germany for manufacturing all type of EOT crane solutions. Our world class crane is built with German technology crane components and engineering. We are one of the emerging partners of Stahl-Germany in India, focussing to expand our business across India. And we are also setting up world class fabrication facility in Calcutta shortly.

How significant is modernisation of automation for you?

It is very essential for any industries to go with upcoming technology. Technology and atomisation are meant for perfection and quicker delivery. Modernisation is very significant to grow with global standard of working culture and quality.

Do you use and process data accumulated within your infrastructure? How?

Every process sequence is monitored and recorded for complete data and reports. Based on the process data, the product quality and output can be measured in terms of quality and delay time analysis. Data storage is very important to our kind of industry to analyse the breakdown sequence.

How have you tackled Covid 19 impact on your business?

This is Global challenge, where everyone come across the business ups and down.

We need to overcome the challenge in coming days by improving our service quality and on time deliveries.

In this testing time, how are you meeting the MHE sector requirement?

Usually in the MHE sector CAPEX is high, OPEX will be lower. Down the line our kind of products like EOT cranes will payback the investment in terms of operating expenditure. Example Stahl or any other reputed brands cranes are consuming very less electrical energy comparative to any Indian crane brands. Breakdown times are very minimum in Stahl systems. Overall OPEX is very low in MHE sector.

What does Stahl-Germany bring to TNT Cranes? Any recent development or solution delivered?

Stahl Germany operates globally through its local sales partners. Stahl will not build total crane solutions, whereas they support partners by giving complete crane components and technology. We are one of the emerging sales partners in India, we recently started our venture with Stahl and we have executed good number of prestigious projects with short span of time.

Stahl-Germany is Rs 1700 cr business globally. TNT partnered with Stahl-Germany recently before Covid-19. Despite Covid situation, we managed to generate good numbers all over India.

Compared to global market, Indian market presence is low. So, we are focusing more towards increasing the numbers.

What will be your strategic targets this fiscal? Any expansion plans?

We are working on expanding our business pan India presence through by strengthening local dealer network. We are also building our footprint in the Indian Subcontinent by setting up local marketing offices in prime locations of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and in the Middle East.

As part of expansion, we are also setting up new manufacturing facility in 1 lakh square feet area in Kolkata to cater to Western part of India and even Bangladesh.

Currently, Southern part of India is in its progressive mode, down the line whole Indian market will grow in positively.

Share some stats on PEB industry. Do you see a demand for PEBs due to growing Warehousing segment in India?

PEB has got its major share from the construction business. Since the buildings are modular type, cost effective and with less time to execute the project, the demands will be higher all the time.

For Indian market, since industrial revolution, is in full swing. Lot of industries will come up in the cities, most of which will be built by PEB. Commercial establishments, residential buildings are also being built by PEB because of speedy execution and economical construction cost.

Warehousing industry is growing in India massively. PEB is the ultimate solution for warehousing for faster growth. We have built lot of warehouses and lot more to come.