What products of the company will be highlighted at the upcoming bauma Conexpo India?
We will be exhibiting some of our world-class brick and block making machines which will showcase our capabilities in machine design and development and the automation we have incorporated in them.
We have come up with a specialized Wet Press, which is used exclusively for making slabs. This patented product is unmatched in the industry with its high production rate. This mini slab press is the need of the hour as the Indian market has started to embrace the wet press technology, bringing us at par with international markets.
We offer complete end-to-end solutions for precast concrete products. All the machines are manufactured at our in-house facilities. Our products are designed to meet customer demand for smooth running of their plants with very low maintenance cost, and high productivity.
Equipment sales in are predicted to rise in FY 2023-24 in view of the ongoing and upcoming mega infra projects. How has Parijatha Machinery geared up to meet the forecasted demand?
The construction industry in India is expected to grow steadily over the next four quarters. The growth momentum is expected to continue over the forecast period, recording a CAGR of 9.5% during 2022-2026 and construction output in the country is expected to reach INR 60,508.9 billion by 2026.
Taking these figures into consideration, we have already geared up to meet demand and ensure high profitability to our clients. The company prides itself in having its own manufacturing facility, equipped with high tech machines that can cater to every production process, while ensuring quality and consistency in the end-products.
We have many automated products in our portfolio, and will be adding more resources and infrastructure over the next two years to reach a larger client base. Now that India has matured to understand the importance of technology and quality in construction, we are ready to cater to this demand with our technologically advanced machines.
The last decade has been the age of information and digitization; we, at Parijatha, have always driven the change towards effective designs and concepts, which allow for better automation at a competitive price. India being a very price-sensitive market, has always looked towards smart and cost-efficient solutions. Parijatha has been at the forefront of adapting more cost-efficient concepts and ideas that can pave the way for automation and smart machines.
What progress is India’s Construction Industry making in its initiatives to develop autonomous machines, introduce electrification & digitalization, and create a more eco-friendly environment with zero emission production processes?
Achieving zero emission in construction machinery is still a long journey for most mobile construction equipment which is still heavily dependent on fossil fuels to run them. The new launches seen at the recently concluded bauma Germany in 2022, revealed that though most manufacturers are using electrification in their machines as an alternative fuel, yet the technology and the practicality of such machines is still at a nascent stage of development.
India’s construction industry has grown rapidly over the years; we see a lot of potential in some cities where red clay bricks have been completely phased out; accordingly, we have been supplying machinery, fully automated plants, and total solutions which also account for a more eco-friendly environment.
Having a presence in European markets has exposed us to new ideas for greener and cleaner ways of construction. We are a proven reliable partner, having supplied quality products to over 40 countries. We have proved our engineering mettle in all levels of automation and digitalization, and have been supporting our customers towards this end as well. We have been exploring various alternatives to cement and concrete, which are amongst the highest carbon producers right now. We are also developing machinery that can use more-energy efficient alternative fuels.
What technologies are being developed or adopted at your end to reduce wastage, recycle usable materials, and reduce carbon emissions?
The construction sector has always been considered the highest contributor to carbon emissions and waste generation, after the energy and automobile industries. But now, a rapid change is happening within the automotive industry which is diversifying into electric cars, and the energy sector is looking at renewable sources of energy.
Although the construction sector is arguably late to embrace this change, I wouldn’t say that we are far behind. There has been significant progress made to replace cement with polymers which will not only reduce the curing times but will also enhance the properties of the concrete made. This step alone will significantly reduce carbon footprint, since cement manufacturing and processing is a highly carbon negative process, plus, a large amount of energy will be saved by cutting down the laborious curing cycles.
This technology is relatively new and is yet to make a breakthrough on a large scale in the market. But we cannot ignore the shift being made by masonry brick manufacturers who have started incorporating fly ash and other waste products. Parijatha has specially designed mixers and presses to aid in the manufacture of fly ash bricks, and we expect the concept to grow exponentially in the coming years. Even in the precast concrete products industry, thanks to the various initiatives by the Government and some private organizations, fly ash, slag, GGBS, and related waste products are being used successfully.
What services is Parijatha offering its customers?
Post-Covid, with travel having become an uncertainty, and physical contact being avoided, we are using technology to virtually access customer machines and service them, while sitting at the factory. This not only reduces machine downtimes but also increases customer confidence in our brand value immensely.
The best part is that all this technology is accessible to all our customers at no added cost, irrespective of the kind of machine or service they procure from us. In 2023, we will provide a more online immersive market space to our customers so that they can virtually avail our services, procure spares, and visualise machines for new projects before making a purchase decision. This is currently ‘work in progress’.
How will the shortage of skilled operators affect optimum utilization of Parijatha’s newly introduced automated and digitalized machines?
Shortage of skilled operator has been a pressing issue since the last five years in our industry, which is heavily dependent on skilled manpower. The world’s timeline has been divided by the pandemic, so post-Covid, getting skilled manpower is more of a luxury that not everyone can afford or rely upon.
Parijatha has been at the forefront of incorporating new technology for automating machines at every stage. We pride ourselves in being masters of frugal engineering, which helps drive the price down without hindering quality. All our products are equipped with the latest electronics which provide real-time feedback to the operator, allowing him to get the maximum efficiency from the machine, without having to make extra efforts.
We design and automate the machine layout as per customer requirement; we provide appropriate solutions to reduce wastage of raw materials; and we cut down the number of labours required by automating our machines.
By adopting innovative technologies at various levels of production, Parijatha has come to be perceived as a market leader, much to the delight of our customers. Moreover, Parijatha is now launching fully automated production lines for Vibro Press, Hermetic and Wet Cast product machines. The company will use robots and advanced handling systems, which will reduce the need for skilled workers and the efforts required, apart from reducing the manpower count.
For India’s construction industry to be at par with world standards, what are the grey areas that the Construction fraternity and government should look at and resolve?
Parijatha has been contributing to the construction industry of India and across the globe since the last 35 years. Our technology is at par with the world’s leading OEMs who are catering to major projects. Hence, Parijatha stands in the top league of manufacturers as we have successfully automated many plants and projects across the globe.
According to industry insiders, India is slated to become the third-largest construction market in the world by 2024. For this, the country will create demand for nearly $777.73 billion investment in infrastructure development by 2024. We, therefore, expect the Indian Government to create a conducive space for manufacturing high-quality machines. The biggest challenge for the Government right now is to create a pool of skilled workers and incentivise the talented and skilled ones so that they do not look for better job opportunities in foreign countries.
For long, India’s construction sector has held a very conservative approach and has been slow in embracing new technologies and innovations. Exhibitions like bauma India and Excon are showcasing and promoting more quality-centric ideas and concepts, by adopting which, OEMs can pave the way for higher productivity and greater efficiencies in construction.
