The ongoing Pandemic has badly battered the economy. Does infrastructure hold the key to revive the Indian economy? Your views
Infrastructure projects such as roads and highways, power projects and metro are key factors in quickly reviving the economy as soon the country is raring to ramp up its manufacturing sector. The redemptive measures and policies for infrastructure development will decide, fast tracking the growth of overall GDP and defeat the Covid Blues.
How are you adapting to the ‘New Normal’?
Schwing Stetter India has done well to tackle the Covid induced work protocols, both with manpower and the manufacturing processes. We ensured our productivity did not hamper to a great extent, at same time adhering to the strictest Covid safety norms. Staggering of work timings, prioritization of work schedules, new work culture of “WFH” sanitized work place, virtual conferences, online webinars for customers, remote trouble shooting of equipment etc, has not only made us to adapt to the new normal but also have helped us save costs which were not visible prior to the pandemic.
How can the government assist the RMC sector in this Pandemic time?
The cement prices and other aggregate prices are spiraling out of control which affects the construction activity and thus the infrastructure development. Regulatory measures in this sector will help the RMC industry to bounce back quickly.
Covid-19 protocol such as ‘minimum contact’ has further expedited Digital initiatives to be in contact with all the stakeholders of infrastructure projects. What are the digital initiatives you have taken in this regard?
As already in vogue with Schwing Stetter Equipment, the usage and implementation of Digital initiatives has helped us not to lose on customer service and productivity. For example, the remote access of plant operation thru Internet, made batching plant operation with minimum manpower. Similarly, IoT enabled equipment such as SLM, wheel loaders, excavators and transit mixers gave their maximum productivity with a continuous feed back to the stake holders and to Schwing Stetter on its performance.
The Pandemic has further expedited technological advancement such as minimum human intervention by integrating technologies such as IoT, AI. Towards this, what are the R&Ds going on at your end?
Schwing Stetter has recently strengthen & expanded its own in house R&D facility, a one of its kind in this industry. Major focus is on product design, development and product performance improvement, prototype with infusion of IoT and AI. A slew of Equipment such as SLM, excavator, wheel loader and batching plants are equipped with cutting edge AI and IoT already in field helping customer to churn out production with minimum manpower.
