Manatec targets increased exports, plans new products

In a bid to hedge the ongoing downturn in the domestic market, Manatec Electronics, the Pondicherry-based manufacturer of automotive garage equipment, is aggressively targeting the export market to further grow its business from overseas clients. The company recorded 100 percent growth in its export business in 2012-13 and expects to notch about 25 percent during the current fiscal. Exports comprise about 40 percent of the company’s total business.

According to Kalaiichelvan Mananathan, managing director, Manatec Electronics, “The export market offers us good possibilities to compensate for the low growth in domestic market. In 2014-15, we plan to add more products to our portfolio and increase our geographical presence in the export market.”

At present, the company ships its products to all major global market except the US and Canada. Now, the gameplan is for deeper penetration by covering all countries in Latin America, the Middle East, Europe and Africa.

The garage equipment manufacturer is also looking to expand its product range. It currently manufactures 3D wheel aligners, wheel balancers, two-post lifts, automatic tyre inflators and pollution-checking equipment. It also supplies Manatec-branded products like AC gas chargers, paint booths, scissor lifts, air compressors, car washers and body shop equipment.

Mananathan said, “We are adding new products to the body shop and lubrication equipment line such as welding equipment, crash repair systems and oil drainers. This will enable us to offer more products to a workshop which is comfortable sourcing all requirements from a single vendor from the servicing point of view.”

At the recent Auto Expo 2014 in Pragati Maidan, the company showcased three new indigenously developed products – a commercial vehicle wheel aligner, CV wheel balancer and hydraulic two-post lift –  all developed in-house by its R&D team. While the CV aligner and balancer are targeted at the domestic CV segment, hydraulic lifts are for the car and LCV segments. These products were launched for the exports markets too simultaneously.

“One important product we are working on is a touch-less wheel alignment system. This is a path-breaking product and right now is in advanced stage of development. We are hoping to launch it at Automechanika Frankfurt in September 2014,” said Mananathan. This product is to be introduced in both domestic and export market.

At present, 3D alignment technology holds sway in wheel alignment. With the new touch-less alignment, no machine part will touch the car being inspected. Once the car is on the ramp, a few cameras will scan the wheel to capture the wheel alignment angles and within a few minutes the operation is completed. This, according to Mananathan, will reduce alignment time by half and sharply increase productivity in workshops.

Manatec says it is the only company in India that produces 3D aligners with 100 percent indigenisation. If it succeeds with its touch-less aligner, it will be a big leap for the company with the credit of being one of the very few in the world with the technology.