Our focus is on delivering innovative services and solutions to our customers
Aspire Grand Excel Automation, formerly known as Aspire Automation and Technologies, has carved a distinguished niche in the realm of spinning automation. Hailing from the vibrant textile hub of Coimbatore, India, and with over two decades of hands-on experience, Aspire embarked on indigenous manufacturing of doffing machines under the Aspire brand, successfully deploying them in numerous spinning mills.
Driven by a relentless pursuit of product enhancement, the company has excelled in addressing the inherent challenges in doffing processes. Its renowned Auto Doffing System has garnered acclaim for its efficiency and reliability, prompting the launch of the one hundred per cent indigenous ‘EXCELspin Compact Spinning System’ to meet the evolving customer needs.
Recently, the company has launched its very innovative Auto Cone Packing system.
Aspire Grand Excel Automation prides itself on its robust product lineup, featuring the Aspire Excel Retrofit Auto Doffer, celebrated for retrofitting G5/1, LR6, KTTM, Zinser, Jingwei, Sanghai Erfangji and Tongda Ring spinning frames across a vast spindle count. This system boasts state-of-the-art PLC and touch screen controls, ensuring precise operation and minimal downtime.
Coupled with comprehensive after-sales support, the company today continues to expand its footprints in the textile industry, upheld by its commitment to quality, reliability, and customer satisfaction.
Fibre2Fashion met PM Ayaaswaamy, Director, and his partner PN Santhankkhrishnen, both seasoned engineers (one electrical and another mechanical), during the recent SIMA Texfair event in Coimbatore.
The discussion aimed to explore Aspire Grand Excel Automation’s range of products, its unique selling propositions (USPs), and strategies for expanding its market presence in the future. They provided insights into the company’s innovative solutions showcased at the event, emphasising their commitment to enhancing efficiency and reliability in spinning automation. Ayaaswaamy and Santhankkhrishnen highlighted Aspire’s plans to reinforce its footprints in the industry through continuous product development and customer-focused initiatives even as they look to leverage their expertise and experience to position Aspire as a leader in the field, meeting the evolving market demands with quality-driven solutions.
How has Aspire Grand Excel Automation evolved over the years?
We founded Aspire Grand Excel Automation in 2009, and now, after 15 years of dedication and hard work, we are celebrating our 15th anniversary. Our journey has been marked by significant growth and development.
Since our inception, we have focused on manufacturing three main products that have become integral to our product offerings. These products are the Auto doffer, which enhances the efficiency of ring spinning frame, in addition to reduction in manpower; the Suction compact, which improves the quality and strength of the yarn and increases productivity by way of reduction in TPI; the Bobbin transport system, which optimises the internal logistics of textile mills.
Our latest, Auto Cone Packing system, which automates the packaging process, reduces human error and increases productivity, is grabbing a lot of attention lately.
Our growth over the past one and a half decade bears testimony to our relentless pursuit of excellence and our ability to adapt and innovate in a competitive landscape and as we celebrate this milestone, we remain focused on continuing to deliver innovative interventions and services to our valued customers.
Do you cater to customers outside India and if so, which part of your business is more substantial, the export or the domestic?
The domestic market constitutes the primary segment of our business operations. Our focus is predominantly on key textile clusters located in South India, Maharashtra, and the Ludhiana in the north. These areas represent a sizeable portion of our customer base, and we have tailored our products and services to meet the specific needs of clients in these regions.
Our commitment to serving these clusters has allowed us to establish a strong and loyal customer base, contributing to our sustained growth and success in the domestic market.
We are also catering to overseas clients with equal success!
In a competitive market with numerous textile machine manufacturers, what makes Aspire stand out from the rest?
Aspire Excel stands apart in the competitive landscape of textile machine manufacturers due to our solid foundation and support from technocrats. Our company is promoted and backed by a team of technical experts who bring specialised knowledge and experience to every aspect of our operations under our guidance.
This technical expertise is not only reflected in the quality of our products but also in our comprehensive after-sales service. By prioritising customer support and satisfaction, we have fostered long-term relationships even as we continue to secure repeat orders while expanding our market reach through positive word-of-mouth recommendations.
Our strategic approach initially focused on South India, where we established a solid presence. Building on this success, we expanded our operations to North India and Maharashtra, responding effectively to market demands and customer needs in these regions.
Over the years, Aspire, through its dedicated service and innovative product offerings has earned a reputation for reliability and performance. This has also facilitated our entry into new regions, as we continue to spread our footprints in the unchartered territories.
After-sales service is considered very crucial in today’s landscape. What distinguishes Aspire in terms of after-sales support?
After-sales service at Aspire Excel is characterised by both responsiveness and thoroughness. We pride ourselves on promptly addressing any issues that arise, whether they stem from minor user oversights or more complex technical reasons.
Our approach involves identifying and tackling the root cause of problems to ensure lasting solutions. In many cases, we can resolve issues remotely, offering assistance over phone, but still, we prefer to send our service engineers to check for themselves.
Our dedicated team of engineers travel extensively across the length and breadth of the country, striving to reach our customers within 48 to 72 hours of a service request.
To further bolster our after-sales support, we maintain a robust inventory of spare parts. As we continuously manufacture our products, we ensure that essential components are readily available, minimising any potential downtime for our customers. Thankfully, our machines are designed with efficiency in mind, requiring minimal spares and basic consumables that we keep well-stocked.
Can you describe your market positioning strategy in today’s changing milieu?
Since its inception, Aspire Excel has consistently expanded its product portfolio by introducing new innovations. Beginning with auto doffers, we have since established ourselves as leaders in the retrofit segment of the market. What distinguishes us is our commitment to maintaining our existing product range while actively pursuing new advancements based on customer feedback. This dual approach allows us to cater to diverse market needs without discontinuing older products, a practice that sets us apart from others.
Unlike other machine makers who frequently discontinue products, potentially leaving customers without support, we prioritise continuity and innovation. This strategy ensures that our customers can rely on our established products while benefiting from new technological advancements.
What’s more, by listening closely to customer insights and market demands, we continually evolve our offerings to enhance performance and efficiency, thanks to which, we always remain responsive in this dynamic industry where reliability and innovation are must for growth.
Can you elaborate on your approach to the export market and what are your plans for expanding into new markets?
At present, our export focus is primarily on Bangladesh and Indonesia. However, we have encountered challenges in the Bangladeshi market due to a shortage of US dollars, which has led to businesses being unable to open Letters of Credit (LCs). As a result, our activities in Bangladesh have been impacted, prompting us to pivot our efforts towards Indonesia, where we are experiencing more favourable market conditions and performance.
While we initially considered entering the Vietnamese market, recent economic conditions there have proven unfavourable. As a result, we have deferred any immediate plans for expansion into Vietnam and are currently concentrating our resources on strengthening our presence in Bangladesh and capitalising on the promising market dynamics in Indonesia.
What are some of the machines that you are showcasing at SIMA Texfair 2024?
At this year’s event we are displaying three of our leading products, each designed to enhance efficiency and productivity in the textile industry.
Firstly, we are displaying our Auto doffer, secondly, we are featuring our Suction compact system, and last but not the least, we are also displaying our Bobbin transport system, an innovative solution that streamlines the internal logistics of textile mills by efficiently transporting bobbins between various stages of production.
These products provide advanced, reliable, and user-friendly solutions to our customers.
Can you elaborate on the advantages of Aspire’s Auto Cone Packing system?
The Auto Cone Packing system represents a significant advancement in textile mill operations, particularly in terms of manpower efficiency in the packaging line.
By implementing our system, mills can achieve substantial savings in labour cost. Specifically, our system has been shown to save six people per shift. For mills operating in two shifts, this translates to a total reduction of 12 people involved in packing operations.
The Cone packing system is specifically tailored for larger mills, typically those with 50,000 spindles or more. This scale ensures that our automation solutions are best suited to handle the high volume and operational demands of larger textile manufacturing facilities. By reducing dependency on manual labour in packing processes, our auto cone packing system not only streamlines operations but also minimises the potential for errors and inconsistencies, thereby enhancing overall production efficiency and output quality.
Can you provide insights into the pricing of your products, factoring in the initial capital investment?
At Aspire Grand Excel Automation, our primary focus is on meeting the specific needs and preferences of our customers rather than placing undue emphasis on pricing. We prioritise customisation of our products to ensure they align perfectly with the requirements of each client.
For instance, our cone packing solutions are highly adaptable, allowing us to incorporate features like weighing capabilities or UV inspection based on individual customer specifications.
When it comes to pricing, our approach is to determine costs based on the level of customisation requested by the customer. This means that the price of our products reflects the specific features, functionalities, and modifications tailored to meet the unique operational demands of each client.
As we continue to innovate and expand our product offerings, customisation remains a cornerstone of our strategy, enabling us to remain responsive to the evolving demands of the textile industry.
What is the typical ROI calculation for your cone packaging machine?
Quantifying an exact return on investment (ROI) this particular product is little difficult considering the diverse benefits that it offers, particularly in minimising errors and optimising workforce. For example, reducing the workforce in the packaging department eliminates the need to reallocate personnel from other critical areas in case of absenteeism in the packaging line, thereby preventing potential production losses.
Similarly, our automation solutions such as the auto doffer and bobbin transport system enhance machinery utilisation, contributing to overall operational efficiency.
The complexity in calculating ROI stems from the multifaceted advantages our products provide beyond immediate financial returns. While traditional ROI metrics focus on cost savings and revenue generation, our emphasis lies in improving workflow efficiency, reducing errors, and enhancing operational reliability.
By prioritising comprehensive performance improvements rather than solely financial metrics, we ensure that our customers realise the sustainable long-term benefits.
Are there any new products or advancements on the horizon that you would like to share?
In the short term, there are no plans. Our focus is currently on establishing the Auto Cone Packing machine in the market and ensuring its successful integration before considering our next product. That said, we anticipate potential new product launches as early as next year.
How would you describe your company’s research and development efforts?
Our research and development team comprising approximately six dedicated individuals focuses exclusively on design and innovation. Equipped with state-of-the-art instruments and advanced design systems, we ensure robust support for our R&D endeavours. This setup enables us to innovate efficiently and effectively, continuously improving our products and staying at the forefront of technological advancements in our industry.
