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Interview with Mr Anuj Bhagwati

Mr Anuj Bhagwati
Mr Anuj Bhagwati
Director
A.T.E. Group
A.T.E. Group

Founded in 1939, as a small trading and marketing company by Mr S H Bhagwati, Associated Textile Engineers (ATE), today, A.T.E. Group is a diversified group of well respected engineering companies. A.T.E. enjoys a formidable presence in the textile engineering sector with complete solutions for spinning, weaving, processing, knitting and embroidery and garmenting. A.T.E. has also well established it's presence in the fast emerging technical textiles and nonwoven areas. Under the enterprising spirit and leadership of Mr Atul Bhagwati and his son Mr Anuj Bhagwati, their dedication towards excellence and customer satisfaction, the Conglomerate has reached new horizons and is providing customers the world-class technology, quality and services. This accent on technical perfection has resulted in key technical collaborations and joint ventures to manufacture some of the finest equipments and components in India. A.T.E. Group is the home of a well-experienced work force of more than 800 dedicated employees nationwide with a turnover of more than US $ 85 mn. Mr Anuj Bhagwati, aged 40, is the Director at the helm of affairs of A.T.E. Group. He did post-graduation in applied physics from Cornell University, New York, USA, and a graduation in engineering physics (with distinction) from the same university. Mr Bhagwati held various academic honors. From 1988 to 1993 Mr Bhagwati has worked as a research assistant in various physics laboratories of Cornell University, mainly doing research in the field of solid-state physics. While at Cornell, he represented the university in squash in the years 1987 – 1991. From 1994 onwards, Mr Bhagwati has held various positions in the A.T.E. Group. Besides, Mr Bhagwati is an active member of Textile Machinery Manufacturers’ Association, India (TMMA) and has been re-elected as the First Vice-Chairman of TMMA for the year 2008-2009. Mr Bhagwati is on the Sub-Committee of Research and Development set up by Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai, to oversee the progress in the establishment of Textile Machinery R&D Centre as the academic activities leading to Post-Graduation in Textile Engineering. He has also been working with various non-profit bodies like Urban Design Research Institute, the Kalaghoda Association, and the Praja Foundation. In a talk with Face2Face team, Mr Anuj Bhagwati presents his outlook on current scenario in global textile machinery industry and the niche A.T.E. Group has creat

Let us begin with a word from you on the niche that A.T.E. Group enjoys today in the national and international markets of textile machinery?

Today, we believe A.T.E. has become something like a “one stop shop” to textile companies in India for their textile engineering requirements. Moreover, as A.T.E.’s team has deep embedded knowledge in textile processes, we are also viewed as a consulting resource by our customers.

With our expertise and our countrywide network of offices and people, we are seen as “solution providers” by our principals. So, we are fortunate that both the best customer and the best principals support A.T.E.!

 

What does it take to be a favorite junction of the brands like Truetzchler, Fleissner, Fongs, etc?

We believe we can only work with the best as long as we are both “trustworthy” and “competent”. In a nutshell, these two words capture our strategy.

A.T.E. has strongly entrenched values, which we do our best to document explain, and - most importantly – practice. This institutionalises good practices leading to trustworthy behavior.

Competences come from an excellent, carefully chosen team, together with a commitment to training and development, and a long term view to achieving business success. Competency and trust have resulted in our long partnerships - for example, more than 50 years with Truetzschler, Zinser and Karl Mayer.

Can you draw a larger picture of world textile machinery market in present times?

I think the world textile machinery market is going through a very interesting phase, amidst many simultaneous transitions. For example, we have, the shifting of consumption and production eastward. Then we have challenge of ecological sustainability. We have recently also seen huge raw material price swings. And all of this, in the midst of a big economic downturn!

So, the world textile machinery market is going through a rapid adjustment phase. More globally oriented, and at the same time fast-reacting companies, that have an excellent value proposition for their products will emerge from this period much stronger.

In Indian machinery market, how do you see trends in consumers’ preferences?

In the Indian market, we are seeing customers gravitate towards higher technology products. At the same time, they are becoming very careful about spending money. As a result we see demand for over priced or over engineered products reducing, and also demand at the bottom end of the market thinning out, and only good technology and well priced machines being purchased.

What are your comments on technical textile market? How has A.T.E. planned to secure a lion’s share from this sector?

The Indian market for technical textiles is very small, so growth potential is huge. And that is good for consumers too, as technical textiles have proven their worth in many markets.

We will work in technical textile as we have for other products – with a team of highly committed and highly knowledgeable people. We are fortunate that we already represent world leaders for a complete range of products to make technical textile – for example, warp knitting machines, stitch bonding machinery, needle lines, thermobonding lines, spun lace lines, coating and finishing lines etc.

Do you think the ecology conscious era has begun? How is A.T.E. working on this front?

Ecological balance is certainly a great need, given the state of the planet as well as the demands that are still to be met. We have entered so called cleantech space as well. One of our group company's makes comfort conditioning solutions (cooling with lower power and no refrigerants that are usually ozone depleting chemicals). We also have a water treatment company. We are happy to be able to make a difference for the environment, and hope this area will be a big part of our business quite soon.

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Published on: 27/01/2009

DISCLAIMER: All views and opinions expressed in this column are solely of the interviewee, and they do not reflect in any way the opinion of Fibre2Fashion.com.

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