SMK Turnkey Solutions plans to build new facility
SMK Turnkey Solutions Private Ltd, the solutions provider for metal cutting machine technology, caters to the domestic and export markets with the workhold systems, tool-hold systems and CNC peripherals. The company plans to build a new facility which will go on stream in 2019.
Sandip Raut, Director, SMK Turnkey Solutions, told Auto
ComponentsIndia that, “India is a huge market for us. The hublike approach is applicable even to suburbs which are getting developed. We see increasing demand and it is a sign for us to think of a new facility close to our plant in Pune where we make CNC peripherals. The work hold and tool hold systems are imported from Europe. I would like to call our market as oligopoly where there is only a very little competition and we can set-forth our uniqueness.”
The accessories that the company provides include the Italian-make mist collectors, filtration systems for CNC machines and turnkey coolant management for the machine shop. The company has localised 80%, and 20% are imported from the European market. The CNC peripherals are supplied to machine builders like Mazak, and DMG Mori among others. The company makes the process hassle-free by combining 2-3 processes in a single machine. With this the customers can do turning, grinding and gear grinding processes in one machine. “Our high-technology tool holding and work holding systems, imported from Europe based on the customer’s demand, are widely used in metal cutting applications, and in turning, grinding, hobbing etc. They are of superior quality and of international standards,” Raut said.
He said that with these solutions, the customers could increase productivity up to 35%. As the processes are combined, investment on the machines is high. But the same is offset by the integration of the processes. In many cases investment on machines for every process is also discounted. The benefits are derived from reducing the number of operators, shifts, number and of machines and space. “Decision to invest on our systems itself is a huge saving for the customers,” Raut said.
The company has solutions for OEMs, tier-1, tier-2 and tier-3 suppliers. The OEMs outsource all the cutting operations. Over 70% of its business serves tier suppliers and 30% the OEMs. The case was vice versa a few years ago. Metal cutting operations are way ahead in the European and the US markets and India is moving at a fast pace to match with their standards. Minimising the number of processes is one of the signs and I could take FIAT India as an instance where the company was manufacturing crankshaft with 2 machines and with our work holding machines, one machine takes care of crankshaft manufacturing.”
The market share of the company is around 60% and it will increase with the proposed investment. The emission norms are becoming stringent now and the company’s coolant and chemical-based solutions are very environmentfriendly. “Except for the grinding solutions, we offer machines which need minimum quantity lubricant (MQL). With the technology evolving at a faster pace, we cannot let go the social needs and MQL is one of the environmentally conscious solutions we provide,” Raut said.
The company also exports its solutions to Turkey, Sri Lanka and to a few other countries. The export and domestic ratio is at 60:40. It has also a small team which takes care of the design, sales and service of the machines.
The company’s channel partners for India are in Italy, Switzerland and Sweden. It has plans to achieve the leadership position in the domestic market by 2020. “We would capitalise on our unique strength of providing work hold systems, tool hold systems and CNC peripherals to lead the market in the near future,” Raut said.