Electrical component makers set to make global foray

Domestic electrical manufacturing companies are all set to make more global forays with the offer of several turnkey projects in transmission and distribution coming from as far as South America.

This is besides the growing export potential for electrical products manufactured here, said D Jai Ramesh, chairman of Hyderabad-based Vijai Electricals. Vijay is the biggest manufacturer of electric transformers in the country.

"Domestic auto ancillaries have attained international recognition with several global auto majors sourcing components from here. Next in line is the electrical manufacturing sector whose products are already witnessing a new-found respect across the continents," Ramesh, who is taking charge as the president of the Indian Electrical and Electronics Manufacturers' Association (IEEMA) next month, told Business Standard.

The association has already drawn up a roadmap to achieve global excellence in manufacturing practices, build up the made-in-India image and to prepare the domestic industry for business expansion beyond the national boundaries.

Ramesh cited Crompton Greaves' acquisition of transformer business owned by the Pauwels group of Belgium last year as an indication of what is in store for the industry in coming days and also the level of preparedness that has been achieved by domestic companies to enter the global market.

The association's emphasis would be to make the industry's global foray more pronounced and to bring about the product quality on par with that of the developed world.

According to Ramesh, all the transmission and distribution products, including transformers and switch gears and turnkey projects such as transmission lines and electric sub-stations that have been designed, produced and executed by Indian companies have been finding increasing acceptance across the globe.

On his priorities as the head of the industry body, Ramesh said, "IEEMA will continue to play a key role in policy matters related to the energy sector. Several initiatives, including achieving global benchmarks in standards and excellence, focusing on energy efficiency as an important feature of the product, and corporate restructuring of the association to make it more proactive to contribute to the growth of the industry have already been conceived. My endeavour would be to push them forward to achieve the intended goals."

According to him, the Centre's initiatives like Accelerated Power Development and Reform Programme (APDRP) and Grameen Vidyudheekaran Yojana have been worked out through the participation of the industry association.

He said the efforts in putting these initiatives into practice would further the growth of the industry and also help in meeting the domestic needs.

It may be recalled that the Centre has earmarked an additional plan assistance of Rs 40,000 crore to states under the APDRP, which aims to achieve reduction in aggregate technical and commercial losses, bringing about commercial viability in the power sector, reduction in outages and interruption, among other things.

Ramesh said the association would closely work with the Bureau of Energy Efficiency in achieving energy efficiency standards among a range of electrical equipment, especially in electric consumer durables where focus and awareness on energy conservation measures are not at the desired level unlike in the West.

He lauded the various measures initiated by the Andhra Pradesh government on the energy efficiency improvement front in agriculture.

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CASTING THE NET WIDE

Domestic auto ancillaries got a shot in the arm with several global auto majors sourcing components from here

The association has drawn up a roadmap to prepare the domestic industry to take on global competition

The Centre's initiatives like APDRP and Grameen Vidyudheekaran Yojana have been worked out with the active participation of the association

Several initiatives , including achieving global benchmarks in standards and excellence, have already been conceived by the industry body

The association's emphasis will be to make the industry's global foray more pronounced and to bring about product quality on par with that of the developed world

It all started with Crompton Greaves' acquisition of transformer business owned by the Pauwels group of Belgium last year

The association is closely working with the Bureau of Energy Efficiency to achieve energy efficiency standards