Established in 1973, Kriton Weld Equipments Pvt Ltd manufactures nearly hundred types of arc welding and resistance welding machine models in various capacities at its three manufacturing units equipped with complete manufacturing and testing facilities. All Kriton machines are manufactured strictly as per ISS/RWMA (USA) standards, incorporating latest technological developments and controls with highest order of quality and performance. Mr K B Purohit, Chairman, responded to the IPF Questionnaire for the Special Section on Welding & Fabrication. Excerpts:

What are the products that you offer? What are their applications?

The main product line comprises resistance welding and allied equipment. We also manufacture arc-welding machines as per the customer's requirements, and a range of special purpose machines (SPMs) as per specific applications and requirements of customers. The range is vast - nearly 150 models - that cover a broad range in terms of spot welding, butt welding, projection welding, seam welding, resistance heating and brazing, hot stacking, metal gathering and upsetting, CD welders, AC/DC arc welders, and shear arc welders, to name a few. We also manufacture sheet shearing equipment, notchers, side-guides, hole-punch units, etc. As for applications, the machines are used across the industrial spectrum, from small fabrication shops to automotive and steel industries, heavy engineering and defence sector as well.

How are the operations managed with such a wide range of machines?

As elaborated, our manufacturing involves special purpose welding equipment where we manufacture in-house all the components like structures, transformers, components, welding heads and fixtures, programmable weld controllers and control panels. All three of our manufacturing units are located in and around the city of Vadodara - two at Makarpura and one at Por-Ramangamdi. So basically it is assembly of machines from a large number of aggregates that are manufactured across the three units.

What is the USP of Kriton products? Why should the customer opt for these?

We are members of the American Welding Society (AWS) as well as of the Resistance Welding Manufacturing Alliance (RWMA), which is a standing committee of AWS that represents manufacturers making products for welding process and application. All our equipments are manufactured and tested as per relevant RWMA specifications and Indian Standard specifications. We also have a 720 kVA captive power generator where we test welding equipments up, to 500 kVA capacities.

Besides, continuous R&D also ensures that all the requirements of the customers are incorporated based on the feedback received from previous experience. The technology is upgraded continuously to incorporate the latest trends, especially in automation. Our design department is equipped with the latest software, in order to incorporate the new developments. The constant touch with global markets through AWS and RWMA publications and visits to technology events and seminars also widen the knowledge that goes into the development of machines. So the customer is assured of a quality product all the time.

Any breakthrough product developed that made a significant difference?

We have developed several innovative products, mostly SPMs, which are really custom made machines for specific applications. A recent example is a machine, a seam welder for coil strip welding supplied to a company in the Philippines on the recommendation of one of our customers in South East Asia.

The company till then had been using an overlap spot welder, which was taking lot of time to join coils and which was generating lot of material wastage as well. With our machine, they realised that with the material thus saved, the machine is going to pay back within a year just by fast and efficient production. Such incidents are many and it has widened our market base considerably. We firmly believe that satisfied customers are part of our marketing team.

Among the more recent developments are DC mash seam welding machines for strips, CD welders and automatic weld-attachments including special purpose pneumo-hydraulic equipments, and the latest programmable welder controls.

What is the response to your products in market? Do you export your products?

As mentioned right at the beginning, our products have found wide acceptance in the Indian industry and our client list reads like the who's who of top corporate customers. We also regularly export our special purpose equipments. Kriton strip welding seam welders are used in most of the steel processing industries in India and we have exported various types of welding equipments to nearly 22 countries. In developing countries, Kriton is considered the most economical and trusted brand for strip seam welders and spot welders.

What changes have you witnessed in the nearly four decades of your experience in the Indian welding industry?

Since we began operating in 1973, a lot of welding equipments with new technologies like inverters, robotics laser welders, advanced electronics and programmable controls have come into the field. The manufacturing facilities have wider global exposure and more sophisticated technologies are now available. The customer is more knowledgeable, and he has access to the latest information at his fingertips. Wider application base is created in industries. It has opened floodgates of continuous and consistent innovations and developments.

What are the future trends according to your experience so far?

Welding is a process involved in nearly all manufacturing processes. All over the world, continuous development is going on in this section. More reliable inverters, electronic automations and controls, laser welding and cutting, electronic seam welding, welding for space-technologies are just few among the trends making inroads. India with its base of intellectual labour and consistent growth will soon find a leading position.