C Dhandayuthapani
Director MAG Solvics Private Limited
Technology together with automation will be driving industry by 2020
MAG Solvics Private Limited was established in 1991 to design and develop testing instruments for the textiles industry. Over the years, the company has grown its product portfolio and is now a multi-product, multi-market enterprise that provides total testing solutions for all the segments of the textiles industry. C Dhandayuthapani, Director of MAG Solvics, speaks about the challenges and opportunities for the Indian textiles industry.
What is the size of the global market for textile testing equipment? At what rate is it growing?
According to reports, the organised global textile testing equipment market is more than $100 million in size and is expected to double in the next six years. Testing is very important for analysing and to define the quality of the product right from raw material to finished products. The demand for the latest testing equipment is increasing day by day due to the ever-increasing demand for rapid and accurate measurement. This demand, we feel, is due to reduced lead times available with manufacturing industries, right from yarn to garments. So, the current demand will sustain, and there is a possibility that this rate will increase in the years to come. Also, the thrust given to technical textiles, nonwoven and apparel by the government will definitely create winners on the way.
How do you see the Indian textile industry evolve in terms of technology by 2020?
The government is giving the much-needed encouragement and confidence to invest, expand and grow. The textile machinery industry size is also expected to double in the next seven years from the present ?22,000 crore. This, together with intense competition for space, is pushing manufacturers to invest in R&D for top class machinery which provides improved production and quality. The textiles industry is always in the forefront in accepting the latest technology from all fields, be it hardware, software, electronics or pneumatics. The quest for development is never ending and this will be the driving force in the coming years too. In testing field also, we are receiving many new concepts which we never thought of even a few years back. Technology together with automation will be driving the industry in the future. The doyens in the field with very vast experience are giving many new inputs. These inputs, when materialised, will definitely boost new automation and technology in the years to come.
Which are your major markets for testing equipments for fibre, yarn, fabric, and spinning systems?
Mag is very strong in both Indian and export markets. Our strong marketing team together with the strong instrument performance itself speaks of our pan-world presence. Our major markets are Bangladesh, Indonesia, Iran, Turkey, Vietnam, Egypt, Pakistan, European countries, Latin American countries and certain African countries, apart from India.
Which major sectors/areas in the Indian textiles industry need immediate government intervention?
The Indian textiles industry is contributing 4-5 per cent to the GDP. The industry is a major employer after agriculture giving direct and indirect employment to more than 90 million people. The powerloom sector needs immediate attention as the modernisation is going on slowly except for in some regions. The unorganised sector could not raise its productivity levels, volumes and quality standards due to difficulty in accessing latest technologies and finances. The huge investment required for technical textiles and the requirement for testing equipment in this sector is also very huge. Taxation is another concern. Now, the GST rate slab from 5-18 per cent will definitely be a driver in the years to come.
As a private enterprise, what is the kind of governmental help that will advance growth in your field?
Our R&D centre is recognised by the ministry of science and technology, and we are receiving the needed resources and help from the government. Affordable access to finance is vital for the success of any private enterprise and the same applies to us as well. The effective commercial application of new ideas involves much more than just pure research. The extent of market competition, the intellectual property regime/patent protection, the availability of financing for innovative ideas, and tax incentives are needed to push our industry forward.
What are the key global trends in the textile testing domain?
Testing is done to confirm that the product is adhering to quality related standards. This helps the product gain recognition worldwide. The introduction of new and improved standards caters to the new regulations introduced by the governments on safety and quality of products. More and more players are coming up with exclusive testing laboratories on their own to adhere to international standards. The textile clusters which could not install their own labs due to costs are coming together and setting common labs for their testing needs. The stringent quality standards on health, environment and safety are forcing the industry to deliver the best and green product to the end customer.
What are the challenges hampering the growth in this niche?
The main challenge is to bring out good and innovative products at an affordable cost. Initially, it was thought that the testing is done only to fulfil the buyers' requirement and reporting. Slowly, the trend has changed and it has started to run in their blood. Now, everybody is looking for testing equipment. We need to do a lot of research to bring out products at viable prices. The grants from government for R&D activities must be properly utilised for developing solutions to the testing needs with international standards. We at Mag have tied up with many institutions and research organisations for developing testing equipment and hope to deliver new products in the months to come.
Which three factors will have a major impact on the industry's performance in the years to come?
The textiles industry is a vibrant part of the world economy. In India too, the industry plays a crucial role in the economic development of the nation. It occupies an important place in Indian economy in terms of industrial production, employment and exports. We feel that the exchange rate, capital (including FDI), technology and competitiveness will affect the performance of the industry. India is improving tremendously in all these areas and we hope its world share will increase further in the next few years.
What kind of technologies and solutions do you plan to introduce in the near future?
Recently, we introduced an online spindle monitoring system 'SPinFO' for spinning mills. The response for this product has been tremendous and this has triggered us to introduce more innovative products. We are launching modified versions of our existing products and some of the new products are under development, which we plan to introduce during the forthcoming expos.
Please share details of the last two fiscal years and your expectation for the next two.
We have done well in the past and have improved in the last two years. I hope we will keep the same momentum for this year too. We feel that the new products launched recently and the products planned for launch this year will deliver us with increased volumes for the next two years.
Published on: 04/10/2017
DISCLAIMER: All views and opinions expressed in this column are solely of the interviewee, and they do not reflect in any way the opinion of Fibre2Fashion.com.
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