Rajkot-based Weldor Engineering Pvt Ltd is engaged in manufacturing metal forming and plate bending machinery and its ancillary machines since 1983. With pioneering experience and on-going research for inputs of modern technology as a source of strength, "Weldor" has become a renowned name in sheet metal forming industries like coach building, steel furniture, refrigeration, control panels and textile machinery manufacturers. The company today is ably led by a triad of Directors - Vijay Vaghela, Bharat Vaghela and Mahesh Vaghela. They responded to the IPF Questionnaire on the eve of IMTEX 2013, the Indian manufacturing industry's biggest annual event scheduled at Bangalore from January 24-30, 2013. Excerpts:

What are the products that you offer?

Weldor Engineering has a long history of manufacturing Sheet Metal Working Machines in various types. Slowly and steadily, over the years, the company has developed a wide range of products that include:

• CNC/non-CNC hydraulic and mechanical press brakes
• NC/non-NC hydraulic and mechanical shearing machines
• CNC/non-CNC 3-/4-roll hydraulic and mechanical plate bending machines
• CNC turret punch presses
• Hydraulic section bending machines
• Hydraulic presses
• Hydraulic iron workers
• Mechanical power presses, and
• Other special purpose sheet metal machines.

What are the applications?

As these are basically sheet metal working machines, they are useful to manufacturers of steel furniture, control panels and general fabrication industry along with the auto industry, which of course works with various grades of sheet steel. We are also working with the small and medium sector industries, which are an important industry segment, and are aiming to upgrade their capabilities, besides of course, catering to big and established industry players.

What are the current trends in the industry, especially with growing emphasis on automation?

The trend in the machine tools industry nowadays is towards providing higher features specially, especially CNC/NC/motorised controls and other features that automate operations, or complement the production processes. Needless to say, such features save on energy consumption as well as manpower, making the production process more economical, and hence, more and more users are demanding the same.

The booming automobile scene must be a good business opportunity?

Yes and no. Yes, over the last few years, but at the moment there is a definite slowdown with some pile up of inventory. This is especially true for the forming part of the auto industry where our machines are used. We are working with big manufacturers like the Tatas, Asia Motor Works, Hyva India Pvt Ltd, and many others.

What about the other business activity of the Weldor Group - that of pre-owned machines?

The pre-owned machine business is running well, but at the moment that is also affected by the slowdown which is spread across the country as is obvious from the manufacturing scenario at present.

What are the company's significant achievements?

Apart from other achievements like manufacturing special purpose import substitute box folding machine for BHEL, the company has received Best Design of the Year Award in IMTEX-2004 for its new development of CNC Turret Punch Press. The company has manufactured a shearing machine to cut 32 mm (MS) plate which is an extraordinary achievement in itself. Also other developments like the 1600-tonne hydraulic press with bed length of 6300 mm and plate bending machine of capacity 3200 x 60 mm (MS) are few of the noteworthy achievements attained by the company.

How is the present business environment?

The current business environment is a bit tricky as at the moment as the worldwide stock exchanges, one of the important barometers of industry, shows slowdown. Even the Indian industry, which had weathered the global slowdown over the last couple of years rather well, is presently witnessing a decline in orders and that is also reflected in the machine tools industry in general. Of course, utter care must be taken before going for any ambitious decision, and we are very much proceeding with caution.

What are the future plans?

The company is planning to treble the present capacity to take the maximum advantage of the emerging scenario after the present recession ends, which is just a matter of time. Most experts agree that it has now bottomed out and the recent upward trend of the Purchase Managers Index is also a pointer in that direction. Also the export market is growing very rapidly as most of the countries prefer Indian machines as compared to Chinese machines.