Super Slide: the linear motion intelligence

In over two decade of its existence, Superslides & Ballscrews Co. India Pvt. Ltd has made its mark as a reputed provider of world-class linear motion and automation products. The company has a strong customer portfolio and high market share to its credit. Now, the company is ready for its next big leap with plans to set up a manufacturing facility in India in the next 2-3 years. In an exclusive interview with Machine Tools World, Rajiv Desai, Managing Director, Superslides talks at length about the company’s journey and milestones, its success mantra and future plans. Excerpts

Q. Please take us through the journey of Superslides & Ballscrews Co. India Pvt. Ltd. How far along has the company come since establishment and what have been significant milestones?

Superslides has come a long way since its establishment in 1999. We started our journey from a very small set-up, with the idea of bringing international quality engineering components to India. Superslides set out as a sole agency and distributorship of Precision Motion Industries, Inc. (PMI) Taiwan-based manufacturer of linear guideways & ballscrews. In our initial days, we faced some acceptability issues as there was limited awareness around both for Superslides as well as PMI products both being new names in the industry. However, once customers started noticing the dual advantage of supreme quality with reasonable cost and excellent service, there has been no looking back.

Today, we represent various international manufacturers in India, with PMI still being our prime principal. In over 20 years of our existence, we have grown from strength to strength and have established ourselves as a premium and reputed supplier, channel partner and authorized distributor for a wide range of hi-tech engineering components. Our strong client base of 1500-plus customers and high market share in both our key product segments ball screws and linear guideways is a testimony to our growth. We have now expanded our operations and have a state-of-the-art office space, warehouse and service centre.

Q. Tell us more about your product range and the industries you cater to?

Superslides offers a range of engineering products such as High Precision Ground Ballscrews, Precision Rolled Ballscrews, Hollow Ballscrews, Nut Coolant Type Ballscrews, Roller Type of Linear Guideways, Ball caged Type of Linear Guideways, Stainless Steel Miniature Rails & Blocks, Precision Locknuts, Support Units, Hardened & Ground Shafts, Linear Bearings, Rack-Pinion, Gear-Box etc. Our products find application in a number of high growth sectors, including machine tools, printing & packaging, automation and robotics. Apart from these industries, we are eyeing huge opportunities in semiconductors and electronics sectors. India is looking to become prominent manufacturing hub of mobile phone in the world according to findings from a market research firm IHS. This opens a new door of opportunity for the Indian machine-tool industry with application of our products.

Talking about machine tools segment specifically, Superslides and PMI products have carved out their niche and we supply to all the major players. In fact, around 80% of machine tools players use products supplied by us. Some of our most valued customers are LMW, ACE Designers, AMS, BFW, MICROMATIC Grinding, Jyoti CNC, HMT, COSMOS, LOKESH Machines, MACPOWER CNC, Electronica, Solitaire Machine, Kennametal, L&T, BHEL, Godrej, to name a few as OEMs. Hyundai Motors. Maruti Suzuki, TATA Motors, M&M, Hero MotoCorp, Indian Railways and many other for replacement business.

Q. As a leading supplier to machine tools industry, what kind of trends and growth are you observing in the segment?

Indian machine Tools industry has been on a high growth trajectory and shows good future ahead. The manufacturing sector of India has a potential to reach US$ 1 Trillion by 2025, as per industry reports, machine tools industry is projected to grow 4 times by 2025. The trend is towards machine tools with automation. Due to skills shortage looming large over the sector coupled with the demand for quick delivery time and quality, there is an increased demand for high-end precision machines with automation. Also, there is a requirement for compact size machine with multi-functional capabilities to offer multiple operations using a single machine.

Q. Highlight key opportunities in the Indian machine tools industry.

Machine Tool is the mother industry for any manufacturing activity, without good machine one cannot produce high quality components may it be a metal part, plastic part or a paper part. India is one of the fastest growing markets and there are opportunities galore. The country’s manufacturing landscape is conducive with government’s policies, such as Make in India. Also, with the introduction of GST, there is a visible difference in ease of doing business and standardization. Looking at this opportunity, several Taiwan, Korean, Japanese and European companies are planning to set up manufacturing in India.

With increasing manufacturing activities, demand for machine tool is also constantly rising. Currently, 50% of the machine tool demand in the country is fulfilled by Indian players, whereas 50% requirement is fulfilled by importing. There is a significant opportunity for Indian players to take on this share by manufacturing high-end machines.
At Superslides, we are focused to fully tap the India market—although we have penetrated and established our brand in major areas throughout the country, there are still few untouched territories where we are planning to make our mark.

Q. How does Superslides & Ballscrews facilitate the customers and ensure their evolving demands are met?

We at Superslides constantly strive to provide the latest technology, systems, products and solutions to keep in line with new industrial automation & development trends. In terms of our products, PMI is very focused on innovation and works on the aspects of constantly upgrading the speed, accuracy, reliability and performance as per the customer requirements. Backed by a strong R&D center and strict quality check conditions, where each component passes through 48 inspection stages before dispatch, PMI products have gained immense trust from Indian customers.

At Superslides, we are committed to satisfy our customers in terms of quality, price, service and timely supply. Superslides not only sells but also works alongside the customers’ design & development team to not only ensure the right selection of the product but to ensure the latest and best in technology and products are given at the right price. Apart from standard products from PMI, we also offer customization services to our customers to meet their requirements. Further, we follow a very strict quality check processes to ensure that material received by the customer is in line with the technical requirements.

Q. What is your future vision and growth plans for the company?

In the coming years, we will continue to be focused on satisfying our customers and expand our presence further in India. Also, looking at the immense opportunity of manufacturing in India, we at Superslides along with PMI are committed to set up a factory in the country. We are also looking at tapping semiconductor, electronics, medical, aerospace and defence segment by supplying high-precision machine tool components.

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