Mr. Gautam Chandu, Managing Director, Hariram Engineering in conversation with CNCTimes.com

Please tell us something about your company.

Hariram Engineering is engaged in the business of manufacturing, supplying, trading and distributing of quality Paper Plate Making Machines & Raw Material. We have a wide variety of machines priced from Rs. 60,000 – Rs. 10 Lacs. These machines cater to a range of demands, quality and the type of product our customer has the requirement for. We are the leading company in the business of paper plate making machines. Right from fabrication to the finishing process is done under one roof at our factory in Surat.

Have schemes such as Make in India benefitted your company?

Such schemes have not been of benefit to us but have helped our end-user to get loans for their businesses.

Do you provide customized solutions to your customers?

Yes, we do provide customized solutions as we need to fulfill our customers' demands. The great thing about providing customized solutions is that in the process of creating it, we are also able to develop our technology and increase our knowledge of new processes at the same time.

Do you have plans to expand your business?

We are currently looking to expand our sales team and are looking for dealers to sell our products pan-India. Our aim is to appoint 50 dealers by the end of this year.

What strategy are you using for branding and promotions?

We are taking part in a lot of exhibitions all over India to establish our name in the market.

Please tell us more about the achievements of your company?

I am happy to share that we have been awarded the ZEE business award and it makes me proud that a small-scale industry like ours is getting such recognition. We are one of the fastest growing companies in Gujarat.

Where do you see your company in 5 years?

I want a company showroom in all the major cities of India and dealers pan-India. My aim is to have a turnover of Rs.120 crores by the year 2021.

What is your opinion on the shortage of skilled manpower the industry is facing these days?

I believe that our education system needs to be overhauled. Our curriculum is outdated, and students cannot apply the knowledge they acquire once they step out of the classroom and in the practical world. The new generation needs to be groomed properly and has to be mentored in the latest of technologies.

What advice would you give budding entrepreneurs in the manufacturing industry?

I believe that if you work hard, you will definitely reap the benefits. There are no shortcuts to success in this competitive world. One has to work hard, understand and manage challenges. One has to be honest and true to their work to climb the ladder of success. If the foundation is strong, the entire structure will be strong.

How do exhibitions like Industrial Engineering Expo help your company?

We have always had a good experience participating in expos such as this. Our booth is a crowd puller and even in this expo, it is the same. We get around 700 inquiries at exhibitions and I am sure the same will happen at this expo. Apart from inquiries, we are able to do branding, marketing and even sell machines. There is no competitor to the machine that we are displaying at this expo today. We also plan to appoint dealers at this exhibition

• Follow @CNCTimes