As soon as he completed his Ph.D. in aerospace engineering in 2009 at UNSW, Australia, Mr. Laxmikant made his way back to India. After working with a few reputed companies he left his job at MNC and started Sinar Sheetmetal Pvt Ltd in 2019. Sinar is an upcoming leader in metal laser cutting machines. With constant R&D and dedication toward the technology, Laxmikant Kannappan, Director of Sinar Sheetmetal has made the company the success it is.
In an interview with the Machine Maker, Laxmikant Kannappan opens up about his dedication to Sinar and the products they produce. Working for 18hrs sometimes, he is determined to provide better technology than the foreign pioneers. Mr. Laxmikant believes in free expression and that shows in his work culture, he encourages his employees to be expressive. Truly Mr. Laxmikant defines the spirit of ‘Made in India’.
Small Start Big Results
With a team of only 3 people, they dedicated the first year to designing and developing the laser cutting machine. Mr. Laxmikant was never a fan of MNCs because they take away the creative liberty of the engineers. His approach toward the work culture is very different, he believes that one needs to be open to different areas of work rather than stick to one. Nowadays, everything is cohesive and different sectors of engineering are coming together into one product resulting in the merging of the fields.
Mr. Laxmikant has noticed that there aren’t many Indian companies that manufacture laser cutting machines. Most of the companies are trading, buying, and selling machines from China. 80% of the market is captured by Chinese companies and it is very difficult to differentiate. For Mr. Laxmikant, the differentiating factor was the technology that he was able to implement successfully. “We are on a technological ladder” comments Mr. Laxmikant addressing Sinar being invested in technical aspects rather than cost which has earned a good reputation for them.
The True Spirit of ‘Make in India’
Now Sinor is a team of 20 people, and they have developed their own software also cutting an edge for the competition. Sinar is more focused on the high power segment which ranges from 3kW to 6kW. Almost all of the product is made in India except the laser source which they need to import from Germany or Russia. Although Mr. Lakshmikant was not a fan of low power usage, they needed to commercialize their 1-2 kW laser cutting machines. “Technology needs funds”, comments Mr. Lakshmikant regarding the R&D process they need to go through. Sinar manufactures products that are a bit expensive compared to Chinese products but the technological aspect makes them a better choice. They provide the same value as German or Japanese companies do for half the size. Sinar Sheetmetal has teamed up with Ace Micromatic Group which handles the sales and marketing for them. With exposure to over 65 countries, AMG takes care of the company at the front end.
Working in foreign companies is a dream of many students, on being asked why he returned to India, Mr. Lakshmikant said “I came back to do something to the country”. This showed his spirit for the ‘Made in India’ campaign and his efforts toward the country. By employing 19 people with him, he is happier than ever to contribute to the country. “Exposure they get here will make them a better technocrat,” says Mr. Lakshmikant. He truly believes in his employees, and most of them are freshers in their respective fields. He encourages employees to be better technically and gives them their freedom. “This country needs more technically sound people”, he comments regarding the future of India in the manufacturing industry.
Blessing in Disguise
For the first 9 months, the team dedicated themselves to designing and developing the laser cutting machine. It was March 17, 2020, when they carried out their testing and on March 20, 2020 lockdown was announced. Even though it can be considered the worst situation for the manufacturing industry, Mr. Laxmikant took this opportunity to do some technological establishments. He gave his time to assess the products and address all the issues. “Blessing in disguise”, comments Mr. Lakshmikant as this time allowed his team to enhance their products and they never had to worry about the competition.
‘Make in India’ needs a proper definition according to Mr. Laxmikant. People need to recognize the voice manufacturing industry and seek the opportunity to invest in this industry also. The Machine Makers are the voice of these manufacturers and will surely provide exposure to this industry. “It may have come at the wrong time but now it has clicked” comments Mr. Laxmikant talking about the ‘Made in India’ campaign. It was introduced a long time ago but only now it has seemed to take notice. “After buying cheap machinery they are going to come to somebody like me,” says Mr. Laxmikant, as many clients have approached Sinar and have created a connection with them due to the ‘Made in India’ campaign. This revolutionary moment has truly led to a change in the manufacturer’s thinking.
