Falcon Automotive bags new TAFE order

The tractor major, which is part of the Amalgamation Group, is setting up a separate export line in Sembiam, near Chennai. Falcon will supply VMC, HMC machining fixtures, leak testing machines, assembly machines, hydraulic presses and test rigs for transmission case.

N Venukumar, managing director, Falcon Automotive India, says: “We bagged the TAFE order in February this year. It will take four months for us to complete the export line.” Elaborating on his company’s growth, Venukumar adds, “From a turnover of Rs 17 lakh, we have grown to a Rs 3.8-crore entity. We have been recognised as a one-stop-solution provider for our customers by providing turnkey solutions like mechanical, mechatronics, electrical and electronics.” The company has now targeted a turnover of Rs 12 crore for 2009-2010.

Falcon Automotive aims to make its fixtures maintenance-free. Venukumar explains: “We eliminated hydraulic piping in fixtures by providing internal oil holes for a 1.0-metre length, so that the fixtures will be totally maintenance-free from oil leakage.”

The company has a 50-strong workforce with an average age of thirty. “Our biggest strength lies in our manpower. They have been with the organisation since inception and are the backbone of our growth,” he adds. The company is equipped with a modern design centre, which was set up in 2007. “Our design centre was inaugurated by designer Ashutosh Ganguly, who was the design consultant for Sundram Fasteners. Our 10 designers are well experienced and exclusively work on developing special purpose machines and hydraulic fixtures,” says Venukumar.

He began his career as a design engineer at Sundram Clayton Ltd and has worked in several projects including the anti-lock braking system (ABS) and anti-spin regulation (ASR). Later he moved to a jigs and fixtures manufacturing company, JV Engineering, before setting up his own venture at Ambattur in Chennai in 2005. At the time, the company had only four engineers focusing on providing design and manufacturing solutions to selected customers like Mindo India and JKM Daerim. Subsequently, from being a fixture manufacturer, the company branched out into producing small machines. Falcon Automotive then started manufacturing semi-automated and fully automated manufacturing lines. Today, the company counts TAFE, Caterpillar and Hyundai as its major clients.

Logistics advantage

“As a strategic move to position ourselves logistically nearer our OEM clients, we decided to go in for our own premises from the existing rented facility in Ambattur Industrial Estate. On October 9, 2008, V Madhavan, deputy managing director, Mando India Ltd, inaugurated our new facility in Sriperumbudur, which is equipped with new machinery and new manpower,” says Venukumar. Speaking about the new facility, he says.

“Falcon has all the conventional machining facility in-house. We have around 45 dedicated suppliers as our partners. We have also planned a Rs 10 crore investment next year. We plan to add a joint venture partner or get technical license support from a reputed German machine building company. Our key advantage now is being located near the three automobile giants — Hyundai Motor India, Renault Nissan and Daimler Hero.”

Focus on quality

The company accords utmost importance to quality procedures and practices. “Falcon Automotive has never compromised on quality and delivery and we provide solutions that exceed customer expectations.

We get to understand customer requirements and conduct stage-wise design review meetings before going in for production. We have a process inspection, supplier inspection and final inspection team to ensure quality at all levels. All the quality inspectors and the operators undergo frequent safety and motivational training programmes,” Venukumar reveals.

At present, the company 's clientele includes Hyundai, Mando, Caterpillar, TAFE, Mahindra, Caparo and AES Engineering. “We are at a negotiation stage with many companies including Audco, Ashok Leyland and Honeywell," Venukumar concludes.