Operator efficiency is critical for manufacturers

Wirtgen Group has been acquired by John Deere, thus transferring ownership from the Wirtgen family to John Deere. 'However, Wirtgen will operate independently,' says <span style="font-weight: bold;">Ramesh Palagiri, Managing Director &amp; CEO, Wirtgen India</span>. Hence, there will be no change for customers. In fact, the partnership is seen as a win-win situation for both companies-while John Deere caters to construction and earthmoving, Wirtgen caters to road building. <br /> <br /> The handshake of these two companies will lead to the growth of both of them, says Palagiri as he shares more...<br /> <br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Products at Excon:</span> Wirtgen has a range of products for concrete roads in India and there are a lot of Wirtgen pavers working in the country. The SP 62 by Wirtgen is a two-track paver for city jobs and small roads; it is a more compact machine compared to big pavers like SP 94, which is more for high rises. We have also displayed some new technologies that are already applicable in Europe and other areas, and are expected to be relevant in India as well. <br /> <br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Technological innovations: </span>We have a two-layer concrete machine. This helps save time and money. Also, we are in serious talks with many government agencies and ministries to bring technology in India. <br /> <br /> In the Vögele section, we have introduced a new technology where the operator will know the temperature of the asphalt just behind the paver before the compactor plays its role. This helps the operator take necessary action as asphalt can be worked on only when it is warm. <br /> <br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Operator efficiency: </span>Operator efficiency is critical for all manufacturers. In addition to the paver machine, many parameters have to be right to get the desired quality. To bring in operator efficiency, we have introduced an operator school. <br /> <br /> Also, we are in talks with the India Skill Development Council for training engineers. We want to provide training to project managers and civil people, especially before the arrival of the machines. <br /> <br /> This will equip them for road projects carried out again and again.<br /> <br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Opportunities:</span> While there have been major opportunities in the previous six months in the northern part of India, recent developments indicate a lot of opportunities in the states of Maharashtra, Jharkhand and the southern states as well. The vision and mission of the road minister have brought in a lot of project opportunities in the Northeast. As of today, we have enough projects awarded to keep us busy for the next three years. I expect these projects to turn into action on the ground; from our point of view, in terms of supplying machines and making them work, it will be at least another two years.<br /> <br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">&nbsp;- Shriyal Sethumadhavan, Seraphina D'souza &amp; Sudheer Vathiyath</span><br />