Industrial Automation Magazine India

Our online presence has helped us stay connected to our customers

Published on : Monday 01-11-2021

Ashok Rajpal, Managing Director, Ambrane India. 

Has the Indian manufacturing industry recovered from the pandemic disrupted supply chains, especially in chips and semiconductors?
The Indian manufacturing sector has shown incredible resilience and innovation during and after Covid19 but continues to face recurring challenges. The uncertainty with chipset shortage, delay in shipment, increase in freight cost, etc., have dimmed the lights for many brands despite the onset of the festive season. However, there's one positive spin on the supply chain dilemma; it's the resurgence of ‘Made in India’ products to help minimise reliance on global suppliers. The Make in India initiative with the right policy and government support can address the critical pain points of the industry. Localisation, i.e., self-reliance, will prove to be helpful even in the long run to build the Indian manufacturing ecosystem. This move shall establish India as the Global Manufacturing hub, with ample job opportunities. It will resolve all the central issues and give the Indian economy a massive boost.

As a growing economy in an interconnected world, is it feasible or even desirable to develop self-sufficiency for all requirements?
Being self-sufficient can’t happen immediately. It’s a long journey with many calculated steps needed. Every day new technologies are coming up in the industry. We are still dependent on countries like China, Taiwan, and Japan for some components/raw materials that are quite difficult to source in India. For instance, setting up a semiconductor industry in India would take suitable infrastructure, skilled labour, and government support. The checklist for the setup does not exist in our present ecosystem, as India lacks even the most basic raw-material supply chain. This journey to Make in India needs to take its first baby steps, and the next will be rolling. With the vital support of the Indian government and the make in India initiative, I’m sure that India will be self-sufficient.

What is the impact of progressive policies in the wake of Make-in-India in terms of establishing new manufacturing plants?
The Manufacturing sector has been struggling to overcome long-standing issues. The industry lacks an ecosystem to explore its fullest potential, irrespective of the government's 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' and 'Make in India’ vision. While government backing has been crucial in getting the business off the ground, releasing a new round of bolder and well-targeted changes will propel the industry to new heights. The Indian government has recently announced the National Manufacturing Policy to increase manufacturing's proportion of GDP to 25% within a decade and create 100 million jobs. The policy is based on the notion of collaborative industrial growth with the states. These policies further back the Make in India brands by boosting the raw material manufacturing industry, which will help the entire ecosystem of the manufacturing industry. These policies and steps further motivate and support the Make-in-India dream.
 
How significant is the impact of emerging technologies in automation on the manufacturing industry today?
We are in the developing phase, and these new emerging technologies in automation are very beneficial for the faced paced and volatile Industry 4.0. Adopting the latest technologies helps increase the production rate of the goods, further increasing and enhancing the efficiency cycle. It has also helped to improve the accuracy level of the production.
 
How import-dependent are the Ambrane manufacturing facilities in India? What are the other challenges?

India isn’t still fully self-sufficient to produce raw materials as we lack the ecosystem. However, Ambrane, as a Make in India brand, has encouraged sourcing resources from an internal source. We believe in going Vocal for Local, and hence we aim to go completely ‘Atamnirbhar’ one day.  We have already started our journey to achieve our goal. It’s a very long journey, but it’s going to prove fruitful for the nation and us.

What are the challenges in managing the pan-India distribution network for Ambrane products?
Handling a pan-India presence is a massive challenge in itself. Ambrane has built an extensive supply chain over the years, even in small towns and cities, ensuring every individual can get their hands on our well designed and quality products. Our online presence has helped us stay connected to our customers and even with distributors during the pandemic. We are proud to have built such an effective solid sales team, which manages to carry out the entire process smoothly. We wholeheartedly welcome the distributors who wish to be part of Ambrane’s family.
 
From your own experience as a manufacturer, what other policy changes are required?
There is a need for enhanced Government reforms regarding increased benefits and subsidies to the Small Manufacturing Units. Supporting and motivating small scale industries, especially home grown companies, will be helpful to the whole industry. A holistic structure that supports effective policy responses is the need of the hour.
 
Ashok Rajpal, a first generation entrepreneur, is the driving force behind the brand Ambrane India, which has evolved to be one of the most trusted and top trending Power Bank brands in India. Having a very warm approach and go-getter attitude, he has strengthened the culture of innovation at Ambrane, exploring new markets and extending the brand's product portfolio and also the global reach. He is credited with growing the business and consistently achieving high growth over the past 3 years. Ambrane is today the No.1 market leader in Power Banks and IT peripherals.