Japanese-based machine tool manufacturer DMG Mori has carved a name for itself in manufacturing lathes, milling machines, systems, and pre-setters. Dr Jens Hardenacke, CEO, DMG Mori, said, “In India, we see new industries popping up like medical and aerospace, and it is no more just defence. There is also the trend in automation.” He senses that India has different kind of organisations. “If you have a deadline then the people involved are ready only at the close of the deadline. If the deadline is extended, then they will be ready exactly before the extended hours. This is difficult for German organisations to understand.”
Talking about challenges of doing business in India, “India is still not one country. You have to pay taxes if you move from one area to another. The personnel who operate the machines speak little or no English. There is more room for improvement for infrastructure in India. Many times we are questioned by companies asking why we are throwing twenty new products every year in the market. However, if we don’t then we are not going to be on the competitive edge.” Dr Hardenacke considers IMTEX 2015 very huge for DMG since it introduces sellers to the market. “Today every Indian customer comes to IMTEX and this is a huge chance for us to leverage. In 2015 we are expecting 30% sales and without IMTEX this would not be possible,” he remarked.
He also stated that India has been moving sidewards last 4-5 years. “Sometimes it’s difficult to explain to our management why we need to invest in India by explaining the benefits,” he added. The CEO feels positive about the new government in India. “The new PM is going to build up the industry. We have a couple of new machines this year, like, i50, for the automotive factories. We also have Sprint 20-5 for the medical sector. We also have a couple of new features on our 5-axis,” he opined.
On a lighter note, he says, “When we have a new machine, we test it in India first rather than in Germany. If the machine survives in India then it will survive in Germany.” He believes the current infrastructure is much better now. “Aerospace, power generation and electronics are picking up. We want to create more local solutions. We localize more in India. So we are looking for Indian partners,” he revealed.
“We are working with R&D centres in Universities. Singapore, for example, is a small country and they are bringing in all the experts together. Nan Yang University is a good example, and they have been working with us. We need something similar in India too,” he said when questioned about what kind of partnerships the company was looking for in India.