Soudamini Instruments has been making switches and solenoids for almost 50 years. It has now embarked on something absolutely unique, reports Huned Contractor.

Think. And think differently. That is what Pune-based Dr Ravi Joshi, CEO of Soudamini Instruments, believes in. The results of this lateral thought process have been significantly amazing as can be seen from the fact that while his primary line of production is that of temperature switches, pressure switches and solenoids, his secondary line is one of making scaled down models of trains. Interestingly, it is not as if these are two processes totally at variance with each other. Both use the same production floor at his Kothrud-based factories since even train models require the making of dies and the use of CNC milling machines, et al. "We recently supplied 2,000 train models to Swiss Railways," Ravi informs.

Soudamini Instruments was established in 1962 by Ravi's father, B S Joshi. Ravi joined the company in 1992 after completing MSc in Physics and doctorate in computers and then took over the reins after his father's death in 1998. Over the years, the company has been consistently engaged in the production and supply of temperature, pressure and overspeed cut-off switches along with solenoids to OEMs like Kirloskar Oil Engines and Greaves Cotton who make diesel engines. "We make about 15 to 16 types of solenoids which are customised according to what they have to be used for," Ravi informs. A solenoid is a coil wound into a tightly packed helix. In physics, the term solenoid refers to a long, thin loop of wire, often wrapped around a metallic core, which produces a magnetic field when an electric current is passed through it. "Solenoids are critical components because they can create controlled magnetic fields and can be used as electromagnets," Ravi adds. However, considering that the market for such switches and solenoids as used for diesel engines is restricted, Soudamini Instruments has now started making solenoids for use in multi-level parking systems. "We supply about 600-800 solenoids to Klaus Multiparking India which has a factory at Shirwal," Ravi states. In fact, the application of solenoids is far and wide.

For instance, a modern-day car requires as many 18-20 solenoids and this does present tremendous potential for Soudamini Instruments to grow. Ravi, however, admits that there are no expansion plans in the offing. "We have a capacity of making about 1,000 solenoids a month but we do not wish to ramp it up for the reason that it would entail an investment of a couple of crores to be able to cater to such huge numbers as, say, 10,000 solenoids per month," he reasons.

Instead, Ravi has decided to branch off into a totally different sector. And this has a direct connection to the fact that the Joshi family also has a museum of miniature railways, which was started by Ravi's father. This is a fascinating layout occupying one whole floor of his house with several trains making their journeys across tracks which have working signals and models of railway stations, buildings, people, and so on. "We started off by supplying these train models to Indian Railways.

Now the demand has been going up," he says. Now it's not just trains. Recently, Soudamini Instruments made a miniature of mining equipment, which was scaled down 300 times. The company has also received an order to make models of windmills. "This is our new line of business and we have no competition yet," Ravi states.

Meanwhile, the fluctuating price of copper has made the making of solenoids a tricky affair. "It becomes difficult to sustain the margins because you are always taking a risk by quoting at a particular price.

Also, Chinese imports have impacted the Indian manufacturers to a large extent because they have installed huge capacities to make solenoids in bulk. There are therefore not many new players who have entered this sector which also means that we, as one of the bigger players, do not need to indulge in promotional or branding exercises," Ravi says. For now, the company has been reaching a turnover of Rs 1 crore per year which, about a decade ago, was Rs 30 lakh a year.

As for any research and development, Ravi candidly admits that there is no need. "Making solenoids calls for reverse engineering. Our clients give us a solenoid made by a German or any other foreign company and we are asked to make a similar one. Our expertise lies in adapting the solenoid for Indian needs and yet maintaining the same level of quality and performance," he informs. "It is essentially a product without too many complications and our staff of 20 people therefore comprises semi-skilled women who are trained on the job," Ravi adds.

For now, therefore, Soudamini Instruments is contented with its steady inflow of orders. But Ravi, the man behind it, is out on an exploration. "We have realised that with our infrastructure of making dies and other components in-house, making miniatures is what will take us way ahead," he says. And that's where the real R&D is taking place.

(Contact: Soudamini Instruments, Pune.
Tel: 020-25435378. Email: ravi@soudamini.com)