Committed to the Craft

Aided by state-of-the-art infrastructure and triggered by the objective of providing optimum quality components such as die sets, die springs, cam units, rotary tables etc., Pune-based Fibro India Precision Products Pvt Ltd has achieved an enviable position in Indian industry. Compact design and longer functional life with competitive pricing constitute added factors that have given the company an edge over others.

with a tag line — ‘German Precision, Crafted in India’, one gets a clear understanding of the self-assured persona of Fibro India Precision Products. In fact, way back in 2007 when Fibro India let its roots grow in Indian soil and flagged off operations from a rented production space, its management knew that arrangements would soon have to be made to cater to a quickly rising growth curve. And that, precisely, has been the company’s story so far. Engaged in the production of Rotary Tables and Die Sets, Fibro India started its

operations with the manufacturing of guide pillars for the domestic and export markets.

But then as market expectations increased, the company kept adding new products every year to widen its product portfolio. Subsequently, in 2015, its Rotary Table division in Germany also decided to join Fibro India to manufacture Rotary Tables of ‘FIBROTOR’ series for the automation industry. Providing a more elaborate background about the company’s inception and journey over the years, Vivek Nanivadekar, Executive Director, Fibro India Precision Products, says, “Fibro GmbH was established in 1958 and subsequently was taken over by the La?pple Group in 1978. Fibro entered the Indian market in the year 2000 through an agent. Having carried out a market study, the management decided to set up a manufacturing base to cater to the local market as well as clients in Europe.”

Subsequently, Fibro India moved from its rented premise to its own plot of 4000 sq mt in MIDC Phase II, Chakan in March 2013 and in 2017, started the construction of its second plant adjacent to the existing one. Its journey in the Indian market so far has been quite interesting with several ups and downs but each of them treated as a learning experience. “We have been growing at an average CAGR of 30 percent. Our strategy has been to work closely with our customers to understand the problems or challenges they face and offer them the right solutions. Based on the market feedback we have kept on adding new products every year. And we are positively responding to the government’s initiative of ‘Make in India’ so that we are fully equipped to face the rapid changes in manufacturing trends,” he adds.

Focused reach

Fibro India’s main customers have been OEMs and their Tier I and Tier II vendors for the supply of Sheet Metal components or tooling for standard parts division. Whereas, for Rotary Tables, the company’s main market segments have been automation and SPM builders. “So far, our standard parts division gets us the large volume and the revenue but in years to come the Rotary Table business is likely to take over,” informs Nanivadekar. Admitting that the Indian market is certainly volatile, he says that in this digital edge, the target is not restricted to the Indian customer but to manufacturers across the globe. “Today, 35 percent of our turnover comes from the export market. In the coming years, it could be 50-50,” he reveals.

The whole business equation revolves around the matrix of product and market. Therefore, Fibro India works closely with all its customers to understand their dynamic requirements, according to which it keeps changing its offerings. “In today’s highly changing and competitive world of business, one has to be on their toes and keep the eyes and ears open while being flexible to adapt to the requirements of the market,” says Nanivadekar. Admittedly, what gives Fibro India an extra edge over its competitors is the backbone of its German engineering, which is well-accepted not only in India but all over the world. The company being highly cost-competitive constitutes another reason. “Nowadays, it’s not just about the cost; more important is the lead time, i.e. how fast one can launch the new product,” he adds.

The right mantra

The company has adopted a simple equation as the means to its success: If the toolmaker has to deliver the tool to his customer within a committed timeframe, he prefers to use quality standard parts that are generally available ex-stock or has the advantage of shorter delivery times. “One has to concentrate on their core competence, and manufacturing standard parts is our core competence. Similarly, designing and manufacturing Automation Systems are not our core competence areas but manufacturing Rotary Tables is,” Nanivadekar explains. In the Indian economy, the contribution of manufacturing is only 15 percent that needs to be increased to 25 percent as targeted by the government.

Manufacturing Rotary Tables is the company’s core competence.

Standard and customized solutions

For Fibro India, in the offering of standard parts, the customization is around 10 percent. Over a period of more than 50 years, having worked with a majority of the leading automotive makers, the company has been able to standardize its range of offering. Yet, specific standardization is undertaken if a client has such a specific request for any part. As for the Rotary Table business, customization may go up to 40 percent. In fact, based on the market feedback, Fibro India has recently introduced a highly efficient indexing ring table – the FIBROTOR RT.0750 – for assembly automation in automotive, electronics and consumer goods industry. This table offers shorter indexing time, soft acceleration, higher indexing accuracies, etc.

Fibro India’s range of Standard Parts.

Sustainable manufacturing

With digital manufacturing and the practices related to the adaptation of Industry 4.0 being the buzz trends of recent times, Fibro India understands only too well that this is going to be a continuous process and cannot be achieved in a short period. “We will be doing it in a phased manner and are in the process of challenging the current processes and redefining them so that it gives us the desired output, including productivity and quality. In Germany, for instance, we are working on implementing Industry 4.0 in Rotary Tables. In short, we have a long way to go to achieve digital manufacturing but we are certainly getting there,” concludes Nanivadekar.

P K Chatterjee

Senior Correspondent
Magic Wand Media Inc

info@magicwandmedia.in