Since its entry in 1961, Gabriel has been striving to assure comfort to people riding on two-wheelers, three-wheelers, four-wheelers and even railways
Innovatively inclined, technologically competitive, and resolutely safe, comfortable and customer-focused, Gabriel India Ltd. (GIL), known to be a pioneer for automotive shock absorbers in India, reflects all these aspects being a leading auto component brand of the country. Also, it is popularly referred as a ‘leading automotive OEM supplier for ride control products’. The company has its strong presence as a producer and supplier of high quality ‘ride control products’, catering to all segments, including passenger cars, utility vehicles, commercial vehicles and two-wheelers.
Current market position
“Gabriel continues to be in a commanding position holding over 70 per cent of market share in the domestic commercial vehicle. In the domestic two-wheelers segment, Gabriel has been very successful in growing its market share to over 20 per cent since inception. Gabriel has also been a key success supplier-partner with newer entrants into the two-wheeler segment, which holds sizable growth promise over the next few years”, said Mr. Deepak Chopra, Chairman, GIL & Group CEO, Anand Group.
He added: “The passenger car market has been a very challenging market with many participants entering during the last decade. However, Gabriel has been able to hold its market share at around 30 per cent and has aggressive plans for increasing exports as well”.
The history of Gabriel dates back to 1961 when Mr. Deep C. Anand, Founder of the Anand Group of companies, as an enterprising young man of 27 years, launched his very first business venture, Gabriel India, the flagship company of Anand, in collaboration with Maremont Corporation (now Gabriel Ride Control Products of ArvinMeritor Inc., USA.,) to manufacture shock absorbers at Mulund, Mumbai. Gabriel India commenced operations in 1961, with a single plant in Mulund, Mumbai and today has seven manufacturing facilities and three R&D centres spread across the country. Gabriel is today the leading automotive OEM supplier for Ride Control products in the country.
Said Mr. Manoj Kolhatkar, Managing Director, GIL: “At Gabriel, product innovation continues to be the backbone. The company started with just one customer and today it caters to almost every Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) in India with the widest and unmatched bouquet of high quality product range for every application.
As it is a well-accepted fact that technology is the key driver for creating value, Gabriel has always been focusing on forward looking technologies much earlier than competition. Our prime objective remains to always meet our customer requirements”.
From 1980s onwards, the focus was on technology assimilation. With limited infrastructure, lack of trained human resource, communication constraints and import restrictions, the challenges were immense. “The Gabriel team worked relentlessly since 1980s to absorb the know-how from the erstwhile collaborator, indigenised components for the shock absorber and today provides affordable as well as robust products to its customers”, said Mr. Rajendra Abhange, Senior Director, Technology, GIL.
Suspension to ride control systems
As the industry moved ahead from the days of Fiats and Ambassadors, Gabriel also expanded its facilities at Gurgaon, Nashik, Dewas and Hosur in the late 1980s and early 1990s where it produced McPherson struts, shock absorbers and telescopic front forks. “These products set the benchmark for the auto industry that provided a distinct ride and handling comfort for passenger cars, commercial vehicles and motor cycles”, added Mr. Kolhatkar.
Also during this era, Gabriel modernised its manufacturing by adopting the Japanese concept of cellular manufacturing that helped to produce smaller lots more flexibly and productively. “Gabriel was one of the first industries to adopt modern manufacturing method for mass production of shock absorbers. It also brought in the concept of servicing customers ‘just in time’, by co-locating its manufacturing facilities near the customer”, said Mr. Sumit Bhatnagar, Vice President & Head Operations North India, GIL.
By this time, Gabriel had access to the world class technologies for every segment – two-wheeler, passenger cars and commercial vehicles with distinct leadership in all areas. This was the time, when leadership thought of developing own product and process technologies, to meet future requirements with home grown R&D. “Accordingly, a big leap was taken by the company to establish R&D centres in Hosur and Chakan, in 1998, for product development, machine design and state-of-the-art testing facility”, said Mr. Manoj Kolhatkar.
From 1980s onwards, Gabriel understood the emerging market and customer need, and shifted its focus from just ‘dampers’/‘suspension’ to ‘ride control system’. This brought better products for customers, designed and developed to meet the Indian terrain. For example, when modern generation motorcycles picked up during the mid-eighties, companies like TVS Suzuki, Hero Honda and Escorts Yamaha brought in fuel-efficient and high quality models to India. Gabriel responded to their new requirements in Ride and Handling by developing adjustable rear shock absorbers for the first time in India. This became a USP for OEMs to attract more customers.
To illustrate a few examples of innovative product & process technology: Gabriel was the pioneer in introducing cutting-edge automated chrome plating technology, robotic manufacturing and autophoretic surface coating. In addition to being state-of-the-art, these processes are also environmentally friendly. Over the last year the team has been focusing on reducing energy consumption, thereby making its contribution to improve the climate in its own small way, observed Mr. Shridhar Nanal, Vice President – R&D, GIL.
Recognition, patents and awards
As the motorcycle market matured in India, with fierce competition amongst global players, the Gabriel team took on the challenge to develop a remote canister shock absorber to accommodate a canister gas-charged shock absorber in a limited space. This is a mono-shock absorber on which GIL has a patent, fitted at the centre of the motorcycle and below the rider’s seat. The canister unit is housed at a convenient place where space is available. This product innovation capability has the potential to open new markets for Gabriel in the years to come and help maintain its leadership position in product development.
Besides, when Yamaha Motors launched its R series performance bikes, it decided to work with Gabriel for development of lighter and stronger front and rear suspension. Special facilities were installed with know-how from Japan to produce strong and lightweight front forks to ensure performance in ride and handling for high-speed motorcycles. This development again set a new benchmark for technology and safety in the motorcycle industry.
In the passenger car segment, the company co-developed suspensions for the Volkswagen Polo platform in India and introduced the concept of hollow Piston Rods. Gabriel won the Golden Peacock Eco-Innovation Award for this in 2012. The Gabriel team worked relentlessly for three years with tremendous support from OEM to develop this suspension right from the point of conceptualising to rolling out mass production flawlessly. The product was rigorously tested under conditions in Europe before a mandate was given. An eco-innovation, the product has several new features such as being lightweight due to its hollow piston rod and has extremely reliable laser welding.
The Gabriel R&D centre is recognised by the Government. In 2011-12, the Department of Scientific Industrial Research (DSIR), an apex body under the Ministry of Science and Technology, officially recognised Gabriel’s technology centre for the development of suspension products. “This certification is towards the development of products as well as processes at Gabriel. It also recognises the import substitution imperative. Notably, The three R&D centres at Pune, Hosur and Nasik are now certified by DSIR till 2017”, said Mr. Nanal.
Talking about the patents to the company’s name, Mr. Manoj Kolhatkar said that Gabriel, currently has seven patents registered in its name, including induction hardening, checking the surface finish of chrome plating, and load adaptive damping.
In addition to the above mentioned Industry recognition, Gabriel India, Nasik won the first prize in medium category of “FICCI Quality Systems Excellence Award for Manufacturing for Year 2012”, a second time in a row. Three other plants of Gabriel were awarded appreciation certificates in the same function. Also, Gabriel India has been winning several awards from its esteemed customers every year.
Future forward
Gabriel would continue to focus on strengthening its working relationship with technology partners by way of cross-training/information and technology know-how exchange. “The brand Gabriel is synonymous with comfort and safety in the Indian after-market suspension world. With introduction of newer products and capitalizing on brand ‘Gabriel’, the after-market stands in a formidable position vis-a-vis competition in India”, said Mr. Amitabh Srivastava, Vice President, After Market, GIL.
Talking about research and innovation at Gabriel, for more competitive products, Mr. Manoj Kolhatkar said: “The journey continues and Gabriel will be commissioning a full-fledged R&D Centre for two-wheelers at Hosur in this fiscal year as well as continued investments in the area of Ride control R&D for Passenger Cars, Commercial vehicle & Railways”.