Meeting Mr. Kalaiichelvan Mananathan, Managing Director, Manatec Electronics, fructified as expected into learning the company’s latest plans, EASTA, its workforce training center, and its vision for the future of the garage equipment sector.
Manatec is gearing up for some exciting times ahead. Not only does it offer professional training under its aegis to skilling the workforce, it is also raising the technological benchmark in bus and truck alignment segment through its state-of-the-art 3D alignment systems.
Excited about the new 3D technology that it has brought into the Indian market for wheel alignment for HCVs, which incidentally was launched two years ago and is gaining traction in a much expected manner, he said: “Our OEMs are embracing the fact that 3D technology is the future and that is going to be significantly important for us this year.”
Point of balance
The 3D wheel alignment for the trucks basically brings in the difference of excellence in working with traditional and new technology, which translates into increase in productivity and reduces the manpower cost because, as Mr. Kalaiichelvan put it: “Today, the cost of tyres and fuel is the highest for heavy commercial vehicles. If anybody can give a solution to save this cost, then the buyer segment will naturally opt for it. Hence, proper alignment for the CVs at every 10-15,000 km will mean a clear saving of 40-80 per cent of tyre life.”
And, according to him, the increased awareness amongst the OEMs is working towards ‘pushing their dealers to install wheel alignment equipment’. The result is heartening because this saves the fuel and the tyre cost, and also helps the environment.
Homegrown expertise
This 30-year-old company is purely indigenous in its efforts to make the latest garage technology accessible to the common Indian customers. In the process, their efforts have resulted technically in saving precious foreign currency.
He added: “Make in India is something that we have always believed in. But I have to add ‘design in India’ as well. In Manatec, we indigenously design products, successfully manufacture them and sell. Today we are able to develop world-class technology which is otherwise being imported into India locally and we are able to help our customers save up to 20-30 per cent.”
Besides developing the next generation technology, Manatec is looking into diversification too. He said: “This year, we wish to enter the auto components sector for which we are looking into a JV for the products that we have in mind.”
He further shared: “We are trying to consolidate our position with the existing countries with different product offerings. Now that we have the bus and truck wheel alignment segment, we are focusing on all the 60 countries and are working on preparing a network of dealer distributors.” Manatec has, till date, developed around 60 dealers locally while globally there are 60-65.
Challenging times
Increasing costs and rising input costs coupled with weakening rupee has affected margins. Mr. Kalaiichelvan added: “On the other hand, OEMs want the garage equipment companies to reduce their selling prices all the time. This has forced us to implement austerity measures and productivity initiatives to cut costs on one hand and design products that can move up the value chain and fetch better prices, on the other.”
Skilling the future
About three years ago, Manatec opened a training centre, Easy Drive Automotive Service Training Academy or EASTA on an area of 3000 sq. ft. where it has installed all the garage equipment. He shared more information: “We train the engineers of our customers predominantly but also the service engineers sent by OEMs from across India. We also have a B2C workshop attached to the training centre where we offer practical as well as theoretical training.”
Approved by ASDC, EASTA attracts trainees in large numbers. He shared: “Now we are trying to promote the training centre with our OEMs and customers because there is always a challenge for workshops and tyre outlets to get skilled technicians in this industry.”
EASTA offers this much-needed training. He added: “While we are trying to bridge the gap, we want our 60 odd dealers also to create such centres so that they too can address the skill gaps locally in their garage sector.”
EASTA further offers different training courses which last from three days to one month depending on the number of equipments the engineers need for training.
Mr. Kalaiichelvan further said: “EASTA is also working with some State Governments in developing skills. This will start from this year, and we find it highly encouraging because not only are we training the unemployed youth who are sponsored by PMKVY, but at the end of it we will have a pool of resources which we can promote with our own customer base or with the OEMs.”
The certification of these courses will be officially issued by both ASDC and Manatec.
And, in the not so distant future, Manatec is sure to coming up with some more exciting developments in the garage equipment segment.