A promising project from Bajaj Electricals

Usha Somayaji
08 January 2001

It has often been the refrain that Bajaj Electricals does more trading than manufacturing. But Shekhar Bajaj, chairman and managing director, believes that products should be made only if it makes better business sense. This is the reasoning that has prompted the company to put up its own integrated highmast system-cum-galvanising unit at Ranjangaon near Pune at a cost of Rs 45 crore.

The plant has a capacity of 30,000 tpa. Mr Bajaj believes that in the case of highmast lighting systems, the manufacturing route is a better option, despite demand in the country still being as low as 1000 units a year.

Being more effective and energy efficient, highmast lighting systems are the preferred choice today at major installations like airports, sea ports, highways, major junctions and sports stadiums. However, the industry has been entirely dependent on imports from the UK, Middle East and the Far East.

Incidentally, even Bajaj Electricals, whose engineering and projects division has been in the business since 1984, like other players in the market, has been importing the shafts.

"Making comparable quality highmasts at the Ranjangaon plant offers the industry the option to procure them domestically, shielding them from forex fluctuations," says Mr. Bajaj. "Prices will be competitive and customers will benefit from reduced delivery times - from the prevailing eight to ten weeks to under four weeks," he adds.

"The market is growing at the rate of 35 per cent," says Bajaj, "and 30,000 tpa was the smallest world size project we could have."