Technology

We have tie-ups with ITIs where we impart industry- specific training to students

Published

4 years ago

October 14, 2021

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SK Dutt, President & Head – Group HR & CHRO, ABG Group

Advance planning helps in dealing with skill shortages. At times, geographic locations can contribute to skill shortages and that too has to be taken into account while formulating a strategy, says SK Dutt, President & Head – Group HR & CHRO, ABG Group. ABG is the largest shipbuilding company in India with an order book of approximately USD 3 billion. The company has now entered the cement market with cement plant capacity of over 6 mtpa. Excerpts from the interview.

Is the industry facing skill shortage? How is it dealing with such a situation?

There is a skill shortage in the industry if you look at it as a whole; more in some vocations and less in others. To cope with this, the corporate sector relies on advance manpower planning in terms of ensuring supply of talent, year after year. We do this by looking at our skill demand and supply projection and trends and compare that with our budgeted/forecasted requirement based on growth plans. After which, based on our past experience, we take further action. We look at availability of people internally and factor in those who can be absorbed laterally. We have a skills inventory of our organisation, which helps us know our status in terms of specific skills and vocations at any given time point and plan accordingly both for our training and development needs, hiring plans etc. Advance planning helps in dealing with a skill shortage. At times, geographic locations can contribute to skill shortages and that too has to be taken into account while formulating a strategy.

What are you doing to resolve the issue at root level?

The industry is facing a skill shortage on two fronts. One is in the number of people required and the other is in the quality of manpower available or employability. The industry is not happy with the quality of people that the colleges and institutes in general are churning out today. To tackle this, we have a basic training sector at our facility. We have tie-ups with ITIs where we attempt at impart industry- specific training to students; we also give them advanced training at our factory. The training is specific to the industry and is related to the work that they will be doing, based on our experience and knowledge of areas. The training is focused on improving and sharpening skills and proficiency on bench marked levels. The skill gap is seen at different levels. One is in what they should know and the other is how well they should know it. Both these issues need to be addressed.

Is productivity of Chinese workers is better than ours?

I have the experience of working with Chinese, Japanese and Indian workers, and there are few things that we can learn from them. But we must first realise that India has the combined advantage of cost as welll as technical knowledge/engineering skills over these countries and is today a global power to reckon with, in manufacturing. I think that productivity is a much a function of individual attitude, motivation and the environment around the person than only that of skill and technology. In certain Japanese companies, I have seen that the productivity was high despite having fewer/standard productivity norms to comply with. The lesson here is that if the organisational culture is good, it shows in the productivity, too.

In several Chinese companies,(and now in many Indian companies too) every minute of industrial productivity is accounted for. Even the time the worker spends to walk to the cafe during the tea-break is taken into account. The culture of productivity is imbibed in right from the factory design stage.In Japan, and now also in China, productivity inputs and feedback is taken from workers just as much as from officers at higher management levels. The philosophy here is that the man who operates the machines on a daily basis knows better about issues related to productivity. This is another thing that we can learn from them.

Are you happy with current industry-academia collaborations?

Industry- academia interaction is taking place and has improved with time, but yes, I feel that there is still a lot of distance to be covered.I am positive that things are improving and will continue to improve.

Technology

ARAPL Reports 175% EBITDA Growth, Expands Global Robotics Footprint

Affordable Robotic & Automation posts strong Q2 and H1 FY26 results driven by innovation and overseas orders

Published

2 weeks ago

October 15, 2025

admin

Affordable Robotic & Automation Limited (ARAPL), India’s first listed robotics firm and a pioneer in industrial automation and smart robotic solutions, has reported robust financial results for the second quarter and half year ended September 30, 2025.
The company achieved a 175 per cent year-on-year rise in standalone EBITDA and strong revenue growth across its automation and robotics segments. The Board of Directors approved the unaudited financial results on October 10, 2025.

Key Highlights – Q2 FY2026
• Strong momentum across core automation and robotics divisions
• Secured the first order for the Atlas AC2000, an autonomous truck loading and unloading forklift, from a leading US logistics player
• Rebranded its RaaS product line as Humro (Human + Robot), symbolising collaborative automation between people and machines
• Expanded its Humro range in global warehouse automation markets
• Continued investment in deep-tech innovations, including AI-based route optimisation, autonomy kits, vehicle controllers, and digital twins
Global Milestone: First Atlas AC2000 Order in the US

ARAPL’s US-based subsidiary, ARAPL RaaS (Humro), received its first order for the next-generation Atlas AC2000 autonomous forklift from a leading logistics company. Following successful prototype trials, the client placed an order for two robots valued at Rs 36 million under a three-year lease. The project opens opportunities for scaling up to 15–16 robots per site across 15 US warehouses within two years.
The product addresses an untapped market of 10 million loading docks across 21,000 warehouses in the US, positioning ARAPL for exponential growth.

Financial Performance – Q2 FY2026 (Standalone)
Net Revenue: Rs 25.7587 million, up 37 per cent quarter-on-quarter
EBITDA: Rs 5.9632 million, up 396 per cent QoQ
Profit Before Tax: Rs 4.3808 million, compared to a Rs 360.46 lakh loss in Q1
Profit After Tax: Rs 4.1854 lakh, representing 216 per cent QoQ growth
On a half-year basis, ARAPL reported a 175 per cent rise in EBITDA and returned to profitability with Rs 58.08 lakh PAT, highlighting strong operational efficiency and improved contribution from core businesses.
Consolidated Performance – Q2 FY2026
Net Revenue: Rs 29.566 million, up 57% QoQ
EBITDA: Rs 6.2608 million, up 418 per cent QoQ
Profit After Tax: Rs 4.5672 million, marking a 224 per cent QoQ improvement

Milind Padole, Managing Director, ARAPL said, “Our Q2 results reflect the success of our innovation-led growth strategy and the growing global confidence in ARAPL’s technology. The Atlas AC2000 order marks a defining milestone that validates our engineering strength and accelerates our global expansion. With a healthy order book and continued investment in AI and autonomous systems, ARAPL is positioned to lead the next phase of intelligent industrial transformation.”
Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Pune, Affordable Robotic & Automation Ltd (ARAPL) delivers turnkey robotic and automation solutions across automotive, general manufacturing, and government sectors. Its offerings include robotic welding, automated inspection, assembly automation, automated parking systems, and autonomous driverless forklifts.
ARAPL operates five advanced plants in Pune spanning 350,000 sq ft, supported by over 400 engineers in India and seven team members in the US. The company also maintains facilities in North Carolina and California, and service centres in Faridabad, Mumbai, and San Francisco.

Technology

M.E. Energy Bags Rs 490 Mn Order for Waste Heat Recovery Project

Second major EPC contract from Ferro Alloys sector strengthens company’s growth

Published

2 weeks ago

October 15, 2025

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M.E. Energy Pvt Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Kilburn Engineering Ltd and a leading Indian engineering company specialising in energy recovery and cost reduction, has secured its second consecutive major order worth Rs 490 million in the Ferro Alloys sector. The order covers the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) of a 12 MW Waste Heat Recovery Based Power Plant (WHRPP).

This repeat order underscores the Ferro Alloys industry’s confidence in M.E. Energy’s expertise in delivering efficient and sustainable energy solutions for high-temperature process industries. The project aims to enhance energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions by converting waste heat into clean power.

“Securing another project in the Ferro Alloys segment reinforces our strong technical credibility. It’s a proud moment as we continue helping our clients achieve sustainability and cost efficiency through innovative waste heat recovery systems,” said K. Vijaysanker Kartha, Managing Director, M.E. Energy Pvt Ltd.

“M.E. Energy’s expansion into sectors such as cement and ferro alloys is yielding solid results. We remain confident of sustained success as we deepen our presence in steel and carbon black industries. These achievements reaffirm our focus on innovation, technology, and energy efficiency,” added Amritanshu Khaitan, Director, Kilburn Engineering Ltd

With this latest order, M.E. Energy has already surpassed its total external order bookings from the previous financial year, recording Rs 138 crore so far in FY26. The company anticipates further growth in the second half, supported by a robust project pipeline and the rising adoption of waste heat recovery technologies across industries.

The development marks continued momentum towards FY27, strengthening M.E. Energy’s position as a leading player in industrial energy optimisation.

Technology

NTPC Green Energy Partners with Japan’s ENEOS for Green Fuel Exports

NGEL signs MoU with ENEOS to supply green methanol and hydrogen derivatives

Published

2 weeks ago

October 15, 2025

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NTPC Green Energy Limited (NGEL), a subsidiary of NTPC Limited, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Japan’s ENEOS Corporation to explore a potential agreement for the supply of green methanol and hydrogen derivative products.

The MoU was exchanged on 10 October 2025 during the World Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan. It marks a major step towards global collaboration in clean energy and decarbonisation.
The partnership centres on NGEL’s upcoming Green Hydrogen Hub at Pudimadaka in Andhra Pradesh. Spread across 1,200 acres, the integrated facility is being developed for large-scale green chemical production and exports.

By aligning ENEOS’s demand for hydrogen derivatives with NGEL’s renewable energy initiatives, the collaboration aims to accelerate low-carbon energy transitions. It also supports NGEL’s target of achieving a 60 GW renewable energy portfolio by 2032, reinforcing its commitment to India’s green energy ambitions and the global net-zero agenda.