Running three companies successfully, Mr. Ashok Rao highlights how Indian manufacturers can unlock their true potential. It is not necessary to make huge machineries. What one is to make machines which cater to the problems faced by clients. He also sheds light on Indian manufacturers and how they can step up their manufacturing processes.
Mr. Aksho Rao, is the Managing Director of KGK Engineering, Shakambari Engineering and KGK Security System Pvt Ltd. All the three are manufacturing entities of which two are design and manufacturing companies and the third, Shakambari Engineering is a manufacturer of aerospace parts. It was in 2014 that Mr. Ashok Rao decided to be an entrepreneur. Though a later entrant in the field, Mr. Ashok has shown his true calibre in running all the three companies successfully.
Between them, the group manufactures a variety of products including fixtures, general engineering in the arena of industrial uses. Of these, it’s the fabrication tool that stands out the most and gets them all the recognition. With their base in the city of Bengaluru, they are a group known for their prowess countrywide.
Over the years Mr Rao and his entities have been fabricating a variety of items that have graced the needs of varied industries from their plants in Bengaluru. Of these the one which is truly remarkable and worthy of a mention is a fixture that helps welders (who weld sections) easily derive a 90° angle that has been bringing high accuracy and finish to products. In Mr Rao’s words “This significantly increases the efficiency of the welder ” when the latter uses the innovative fixtures for its right uses. Different items that are used in the process can be easily held in place in the right way and the fabrication done easily. With the clamps being reusable, it makes the products truly sustainable and very cost-efficient. In this line, Mr Rao’s entities provide three kinds of fixtures: A basic right angled fixture (the most basic), the second, an orthogonal which makes all the three axises right angles, and the third, a fixture that can be used for any custom angle.
At IMTEX these products attracted its share of admirers and likely users given its (quite) apparent uniqueness and sustainability with their being usable across products and circumstances. Owing to the products being competitively priced, they have the ability to help a large number of manufacturers, especially those who produce things in large numbers, such as furniture makers.
Appreciating his ace engineers like Mr. Subramanium Sharma, Mr. Mahesh M G, Mr. Santosh and Mr. Pramod who worked together to make these products, Mr. Ashok has time and again shown his admiration by showcasing their products at the right forum.
The challenges for designing new products are common. These among others include developing it in a manner to keep final product costs low, and getting it across to the largest number of people to make the whole operation self-sustaining. That said Mr. Rao and his team has been at it giving additional features and functionalities with adequate R & D at their own expense. That said, they do seem an entity with a love for Research and Development across functionalities and needs, and are all the time into designing products that would find application in organizations all over India if not the world. To an extent their efforts have slowed down due to the electronic circuitries therein being a challenge due to the overall problem that’s plaguing the industry.
One of their most significant products was the one they supplied automotive companies to monitor fuel pilferage and theft given that close to 15% of fuel is stolen and given the prices of fuel, can make a neal pile if saved the right way. That, and the unit itself being low in cost just adds to its being a quick-sell product to companies.
“The innovation cycle has always been there” says Mr. Ashok talking about the ‘Make in India’ initiative. He further explains how their customers do not care much about the ‘make’ of the machinery, but its ability to complete the task in an efficient and economical form. Saving time and money is very important to businesses, and Mr. Ashok Rao and his entities are helping industries in India do just that.
Mr. Ashok comments “We haven’t reached our potential yet”, talking about the Indian industries. Mr. Ashok continues his insights saying, youngsters need to motivate themselves to enter into the research and development department. The efforts are going into training people rather than working on innovations. Chinese products have very good quality and it doesn’t come naturally for India. They have a lead on India but this doesn’t mean we can’t catch up. India needs to be patient with the innovations and needs to focus on exports and give the best price for the Indian industry. Ecosystem plays a very important role considering the quality of the products.
