Paving practical construction solutions for high advantages
By displaying equipment, Columbia Machine Engineering hopes to make a significant impact on the audience and provide visitors an understanding of the working technology.
Q 1.) What growth in housing and infrastructure needs you see? How will the demand of concrete block industry grow in 2017-18?
The growth has been slow considerably after the demonetization and GST getting introduced. However, there has been steady increase in the construction and infrastructure after that. There has been increase in housing and infrastructure requirements after several schemes been introduced by the government, thus the demand of concrete block industry shall also grow simultaneously.
Q 2.) What steady developments and future strengths for “Columbia Machine Engineering (I) Pvt. Ltd. are expected? How the market opportunities will create potential for your business?
Market is sluggish in some parts of India however the future looks bright and there is slow and steady developments happening all around. Road development provides concrete block manufacturers with opportunities to supply paver blocks and retaining wall blocks. Concrete pavers are practical solution for the construction of roads (particularly in high rainfall areas like Assam), high traffic intersections and shoulders because of their high compressive strength, wear resistance and easy maintenance. Retaining wall blocks produced on Columbia machines have the advantage of precision height control and are extensively used for bridges and flyovers. Infrastructure development such as sea ports, container terminals, inland container depots and the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) between Delhi and Mumbai will result in a huge requirement of high strength paver blocks. Government is keen to develop country’s infrastructure. Metro rail system itself has been launched in 19 major cities in India and now expanding to tier ii and tier iii cities in India. This gives a lot of opportunity for everyone in the market. Not just that we see high potential in the countries like Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania and Ethiopia.
Q 3.) How do you see the meeting of prospects and buyers in EXCON 2017? In what ways the market information here will benefit your company’s future business?
Expectations are always high from a show like Excon where you have huge number of visitors pouring in. Generating business is always secondary however trade shows always gives a lot of information on market potential, interaction with the existing customers and educating them about our recent innovations and developments. It is always very fulfilling meeting new prospects and buyers.
Q 4.) Tell us about the fully automated Concrete Block Machines that you are displaying this time at EXCON 2017. Are there any new machines to be launched at the show?
This year at Excon we shall be displaying a fully automatic Concrete Block Machine, Model SPM30. This is a completely new Rack and Pallet Handling technology being introduced for the first time in the Indian market. By displaying this equipment we hope to make a significant impact on the audience and provide visitors with a thorough understanding of the working of this new equipment and its technology. With this we shall also try to educate about the bigger board machines offered by Techmatik. Techmatik acquired by Columbia, offers a very large capacity, fully automated, high technology Concrete Block Plant made in Poland.
