TAL to create mkt for robots in India

TAL Manufacturing Solutions, a 100% subsidiary of auto major Tata Motors, believes that robots sales will be explored anytime like smartphone sales in India.

Talking to DH on the sidelines of IMTEX 2017, TAL Manufacturing Solutions Chief Operations Officer - Robotics Amit Bhingurde said, “After the successful launch of 10kg robot in March 2016 in ‘Make in India’ programme in Mumbai, there is a huge demand for below 10 kg robots. We are creating the market and we are the first company to launch indigenous products which are easy to handle and maintain.”

As of now, India imports all its robots from different parts of the world. Around 2,300 robots were imported last year.

On production capacity, Bhingurde said, “We anticipate an explosive growth. Right now, we have a capacity of 3,000 robots per year, and we have planned to augment the capacity to 10,000 depending on the market requirement.”

These robots are produced at Tata Motors Campus, Chinchwad, Pune. Till date, the company has invested over Rs 20 crore in research and development. At IMTEX 2017, TAL has showcased  the compact BRABO 2 kg robot. It will be launched in April at a price range of Rs 4.75 lakh to Rs 5 lakh.

TAL BRABO is directed towards change in not only to the OEMs (original equipment manufacturers), but also to Tier II and Tier III suppliers who can automate their facilities by deploying robots, which will complement the human workforce, by taking over dull, dangerous, repetitive, and dirty jobs.

TAL BRABO will focus on automotive, electronics, logistics, food, packaging, pharmaceutical and other industries.

When asked how different is the product when compared with its competitors, he said, “We are 30% lower in price and we provide a complete solution compared to others.”

“A majority of OEMs have big robots, however, the suppliers are working manually, there is no automation level and hence quality and consistency is not there. By supporting the various industries, we are also expanding our product portfolio which will help more manufacturers realise the benefits available from robotic technology,” he added.

On sales projection, he said, “We have 500 leads in the pipeline.”