CERA (Construction Equipment Rental Association) organized its 3rd General Body Meet in New Delhi amidst encouraging reports that developing markets are experiencing huge demand for construction equipment and the global CE market is expected to grow at a CAGR of ~ 8% by 2022.
Addressing the members at the Meet,
Satin Sachdeva, Secretary General, CERA, and MD, Equipment Planet, stressed on the need to strengthen the relationship between the equipment rental industry, manufacturers and financers. “The APAC region, which includes India, will be the largest construction equipment market in terms of revenue. The reports are indicating big opportunities for huge investments in this region. Therefore, our focus for 2018 is for strengthening the relationship between the equipment rental industry, construction equipment manufacturers and financers for mutual benefits.”
“Demand, type of need and innovations come from equipment rental companies. Manufacturers give us solutions in the form of new products, support and technological innovations. Financers are the important link between manufacturers and equipment rental industry. Therefore, we all can benefit from each other,” he added.
The General Body Meet was inaugurated by
Rajesh Agrawal, President of CERA, and MD, Jindal Infrastructures Pvt Ltd, with a tribute to Founder Member (Late) Shri Brahampal Panchal, Jagdamba Crane Service, who passed away last month. He said that CERA was progressing across India, but to maintain this momentum equipment rental companies and manufacturers must work together for a win-win situation.
ACE was the main sponsor of the General Body Meet; Liugong and TIPL were associate sponsors, while NBMCW was the official media partner. The Meet was attended by a large gathering of company owners and representatives from the construction equipment rental industry, crane rental industry, piling rig, equipment manufacturers and financers.
Sharing CERA’s vison for future growth and expansion with the opening of regional chapters, Satin Sachdeva said, “We aim to make CERA an organization on the lines of premier associations like CII and FICCI. We also announce the opening of regional chapters of CERA in Maharashtra, West Bengal, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Punjab, and more such announcements will be made during the year.”
“We intend to work closely with the Government on policy issues, interact with thought leaders, for enhancing efficiencies, competitiveness and growth opportunities in our industry through a range of specialized services and strategic global linkages. Developing markets are experiencing a huge demand and we are really growing,” he added.
Rishi Raj Agarwalla, CERA’s Regional Head of Maharashtra, and MD of Infracon Resources & Development Pvt. Ltd., stressed on the necessity of legal framework for rental companies. He suggested a model legal format for rental companies to avoid payment issues with project companies/contractors. “We have a long journey ahead of us. CERA’s aim is to discuss problems of rental companies and find solutions within a legal framework, as is the practice in the USA. We need to put things down on a stamp paper for a balanced agreement that will also address contentious issues such as idle hours of the machines, breakdown hours, etc. There must be a clause to protect rental companies from facing payment cuts by clients in case of higher fuel consumption, and such like. CERA aims to make a legal framework permanent across all members.”
Suchit Agarwal, Founding Member of CERA and MD & CEO of RV Infrastructural Pvt Ltd, said, “The market is growing under Modi’s government, and all new market developments are coming on the CERA platform and we must all share our views. We are grateful to ACE; it has been supporting us by representing us at other CERA meets.”
ACE President Pradeep Sharma, complimenting CERA said that the association is passionate, dedicated and hardworking. “Many people ask us why we do not do rentals as well, but we believe that our job at ACE is to manufacture, and we don’t want to be in competition with our customers. Our sales volumes have increased by 50% and going forward we are looking at a further 40-60% increase. Payment delays happen as one out of ten, and rentals are improving now. But we all have to grow together.”
Arvind Saraf, CERA’s Regional Head of West Bengal, and Director cum CEO of Sugam Infrastructure Ltd, called for opening more regional chapters for connecting with people at the district level. “CERA now has 5 chapters, but we need to grow nationwide as regional issues must be addressed, and all blockages removed. Recovering machines and payments are big issues as our members control equipment to the tune of crores, and we need to empower our regional players. We need to appoint legal consultants to draw up contracts and have a strong regulatory framework. We must also avoid ‘poaching’ of engineers and operators, for whom there is a big demand. I feel that they must get an NOC from their employers if they want to join another company. The RTO tax is also a big issue and needs to be addressed across all chapters. I think that the government will listen to us as we are a strong body now,” he said.
Announcing benefits to CERA members,
Manoj Kumar, Tractor India Pvt Ltd (TIPL) informed that their training facility would be open for CERA members to help train their operators. He congratulated CERA for its success and lauded it for bringing the equipment rental industry, manufacturers and financers on one platform, and said. “The CE industry’s ecosystem is based on 4 Ms: Members, Money (to buy equipment), Machine and Man (operator). We are offering trained operators for construction and mining jobs on all Caterpillar machines, both big and small at our two facilities in Asansol; and Greater Noida, where we impart training and developing new skills to operators and in various other aspects and we have very flexible fees.”
Prashant Srivastava, DGM Customer Support from Liugong India, extended full support to CERA and appreciated it for bringing the equipment rental industry together at the national level.
Monish Kakkar. Managing Partner, Dozco India Pvt Ltd, said that he was glad to see all competitors on one platform, and congratulated CERA for making this possible, by saying, “CERA is an idea whose time has come.”
CERA also announced that regional workshops would be held at Mumbai, Kolkata and Ahmedabad.
