With The Great Push To Infrastructure, There Are Endless Opportunities Open For Manufacturing & Engineering Segments.
The T & M instruments industry is on a growth trajectory according to Vikram Bhansali of Metravi Instruments. The Government’s new thrust and impetus to infrastructure and manufacturing should translate into greater growth opportunities for T & M, he opines in an interview with Powertech Review. Metravi is a trailblazer in electrical instrumentation. The company has come up with a vast array of path-breaking products as a result of its rigorous R & D. The spiraling costs of raw materials is a major bottleneck being faced by the industry. The issues stated come in the way of keeping the price line if manufacturing is done indigenously, confides Bhansali. Excerpts:
Q. Metravi has gained credible market share in the Test & Measurement industry. How could you manage this significant growth?
Metravi offers a complete bouquet of hi-tech, reliable, quality instruments. We are indeed a ‘one stop shop’ for any test and measurement need. Innovation is our forte and we also combine instrumentation needs into product packages, so that Engineers can carry and use single instruments instead of multiple. Metravi is dedicated to offer feature-driven instrumentation of highest quality, yet within the reach of every stratum of users. We stress on solutions rather than sales.
We have and do provide instrumentation solutions for applications as per the needs of the customers. Every industry is unique and so are their specifications and requirements. While customers are often unaware about which instrument or specification would serve their measurement needs best, the onus falls on us, to educate the clients about the right and suitable instruments.
We are customer-oriented to the core and we first enquire and understand the client’s usage, measurement or application requirement. Thereafter, we offer them relevant products.
We back our product offerings with fast deliveries, efficient repair times and quick and robust after-sales assistance for applications as well as usage support, including training. We share product unpacking and usage videos along with offering on call explanations as well as hands-on / onsite training as add-on service.
Q. Could you brief us on Metravi’s activities and global presence?
We do receive enquiries and export our products all over the world. We have dealers in some of the countries, while we are looking to expand on our global dealer network.
Our products are well received and have been appreciated worldwide. Our digital and SEO activities and efforts ensure that we reach knowledge and information to the right customers, no matter where in the world they are.
Q. Which are your focus areas?
We have been working on the following issues as regards the Test & Measurement industry is concerned, and we will continue with our efforts in the coming years as well:
Customers are still unaware as well as unsure about which instrument or specification would serve their measurement needs. We provide consultation, advice and customized solutions as per industry needs
Most of the users are still oblivious that certain instruments are already available for their specific or customized needs. We make continuous efforts to educate and propagate our offerings and solutions
Most of the users are unaware that such high-quality and reliable, innovative instruments are available at such realistic pricing; since they have only been used to American brands selling at three times our price. We create awareness of the fact that quality and reliability do not always come at a price.
Q. What are the growth opportunities for Metravi products in India, and how are your products positioned?
With the great push to Infrastructure and industry, there are endless possibilities and opportunities open for all in manufacturing and engineering segments.
Consumers are becoming aware and conscious of the fact that quality is more valuable than price when it comes to T&M instruments. India being a very price sensitive market, the trends and purchase habits always used to be focused on the price while quality, longevity and accuracy took a back seat.
However, this is now changing. The consumers are becoming more and more aware of the fact that they might be saving pennies while buying cheap T&M instruments but in the long run they are losing out on pounds, as these cheap instruments are unable to deliver accuracy and quality which are vital.
This trend is finally a win-win for both the consumers as well as the T&M industry, as the customers are getting better quality and accuracy and the industry is able to move out of the rat race supplying the cheapest possible instruments. Rather the focus now is on quality and accuracy.
Q. What is your growth strategy?
Our strategy has always been and will continue to be to educate our customers and make them aware of their instrumentation needs and analyze, propose and implement the most suitable instrumentation solutions..
A solution-based approach backed by a customer-centric attitude has always worked for us, providing a win-win situation for both the customer and us.
Q. What’s the role of R & D in making your products successful in the market?
We put in a lot of efforts when meeting and interacting with various industries. Our Voice of Customer efforts ensure that we ‘listen’ and observe the needs of our customers, understand their applications and instrumentation requirements, so that we can provide the right solutions..
When visiting factories and sites, our team as well as our dealers, keep their eyes and ears open to grasp the issues and problems being faced by the customers, related to instrumentation, testing and measurements, so that we can provide required solutions.
After rigorous R & D, we have been able to provide customized solutions to many companies & organisations, including Indian Railways. Other industries have also approached us with their stringent requirements. Currently multiple product tests are going on for various industries.
Research and development is a key activity for us. At the root of wide acceptance of our instruments to meet the needs of Indian industry and environments is our on-going, relentless R & D.
Q. Please tell us something about your quality regimen.
The quality of all our products and instruments is ensured by our stringent internal quality control system.
This is achieved by:
- Selection and use of high quality raw materials by our factories
- Inspection of all incoming materials at the office
- Proper design to comply with all applicable standards
- Good engineering practices for optimal product designing
- Stringent production control at all factories and manufacturing facilities
- Final QC check before shipping every order
Q. What’s your range of manufacture and which are your key products?
From users of day-to-day products to that of hi-tech professional ones, we provide instruments with state-of-the-art technology, highest accuracy and repeatability, having met and exceeded the toughest quality standards set by the industry as well as users, yet at cost-effective and realistic pricing. From simple Multimeters, Clamp Meters, Infrared Thermometers, Voltmeters, Ammeters, Insulation Testers to Calibrators, Oscilloscopes, Spectrum Analysers, High Voltage Testing equipment, we have it all. We offer more than 400 products across 100+ categories.
We have introduced an industrial / professional series under the Metravi brand – the METRAVI PRO range – fully protected, all water and dust-proof, to be used in the most rugged environments. Some of the products are even intrinsically safe and the range includes products with OLED displays, unheard of in instrumentation as on date. Products under this range carry a 48-hour replacement warranty against any manufacturing defects.
The range includes Multimeters, Clamp Meters, Infrared Thermometers and more with highest accuracies, innovative and high value features and specifications; all while keeping the pricing realistic.
Q. Please highlight the global perspective of testing & measurement technology industry.
In India, we hardly have any exposure to international markets like China, where manufacturing volumes are high and cost efficiency can be taken advantage of to keep the pricing under check. Hence, we have to depend on manufacturing in other countries.
We have the expertise for designing high-precision and reliable instruments in India. However, due to insufficient demand volume, we are not able to ensure cost-effectiveness. Currently, since requirements are low, raw materials are priced very high as compared to East and South-East Asian countries.
Also, good Electronics Engineers are few and far between. Most of the Engineering Colleges have up to 50% vacant seats for Electronics. The country needs to majorly look into the development of the Electronics field and industry.
For the T&M Industry, standards need to be derived and defined substantially. We hardly have anything available. Like the CE standard & certification available for the EU, we should have one standard for all basic electronics.
The top priority of the T&M Industry in India, along with the Government, should be to set up forums and address the standardization issues and needs, along with maintenance of the same, so that we are able to educate, empower and expand usage of hi-tech, latest and standardized equipment of the highest order.
Once we are able to address the above issues, the T&M industry in India will be able to keep in step with the global trends.
Q. What are the emerging technology trends in T & M industry?
With the new thrust on manufacturing, and infrastructure as well as the growing trend towards smart cities and more environmentally conscious consumers, there is a clear growth in all industries and consequently the need for smart electricity, smart grids, more efficient production and transmission or automated monitoring and consumption systems are on the rise.
With this comes the need for efficient, precise and high accuracy instrumentation. We are in a prime position to fulfill these needs with our smart and high-precision, reliable instruments. So, we see growing and sustainable opportunities for both smart electricity and our smart instruments for such smart systems.
With Industry 4.0, human involvement is on the decrease and computers make decisions as they are connected and can communicate with each other. A combination of Internet of Things, Internet of Systems and Industry 4.0 is making and will make the Smart Factory a reality. Consequently, the support from smart machines will be on the increase as they get access to more data and will result in enhanced efficiency & productivity. Ultimately, the network of these smart machines will create and share the information that results in the true power of Industry 4.0.
Instrumentation in this scenario becomes highly imperative with the likes of smart instruments, which need to be connected to computers and smart phones for instant data, reports and analytics. High quality instruments are the need of the hour, to work at higher frequencies with ability to collect, collate and analyse big volumes of data.
Q. How do you envisage the future of the T & M industry?
We see endless possibilities. As mentioned earlier, the government has laid a greater emphasis and a heavy thrust to infrastructure, manufacturing, industry and technology, which in turn is accelerating the growth in all segments. Instrumentation is and will remain a top priority need in this whole process and in the future scenario.
Technological advances in all sectors, the need to manufacture seamlessly and efficiently, the shift to sustainable manufacturing, remote monitoring, predictive & preventive maintenance practices and the shift to IoT and smart factories, all these and more are creating and driving the demand and need for efficient, precise and high accuracy instrumentation. Hence, I see growing and sustainable opportunities overall.
According to a comprehensive research report by Market Research Future (MRFR), “Global Test and Measurement Equipment Market information by Product, by Wireless Test Equipment, by Component and Region – forecast to 2027” the market was valued USD 23,320.4 million in 2018 and is expected to reach USD 30,400.8 million by 2025 at a compound annual growth rate of 4.85%.
