What are the most innovative cables that GCL offers for the Indian market?
We offer the most compacted cable In India i.e., there is almost zero gaps in between our conductors, which is unique in its kind.
How is the demand changing from the Indian users’ end?
The Indian market for electrical materials was worth USD 5.9 billion in FY2020 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 17.88% over the next five years to reach USD 9.7 billion by FY2026. India’s electrical materials market is primarily being driven by rising construction activity. India’s construction industry is expected to expand at 7-8% per year over the next ten years, making it one of the largest contributors to economic activity. A combination of fiscal support and government policies that support the country’s housing market will drive the short-term expansion of India’s construction activities. India’s enormous population, which necessitates ongoing investments in the residential building construction sector and presents a market opportunity for manufacturers of electrical materials, will primarily drive long-term growth.
Will aluminium replace copper completely from the cable industry?
Handling of aluminium cable is much easier as it is lighter in weight as compared to copper cable and price wise also it is very cheap compared to copper. Although copper cable takes less space & have better conductivity – still because of its cost mainly copper cables will be utilised in domestic wiring and where more conductivity is required with a space constraint. Otherwise aluminium cable will dominate in India.
How difficult is it to maintain quality in this competitive market?
It’s very challenging nowadays for a quality manufacturer like us since present market is driven by cheapest prices most of the times. We are known for our quality for years. We have stringent quality measures towards raw materials to finished products. We procure raw materials from industry leaders only with thorough quality check. Our laboratory is also NABL accredited. Through inhouse Type test & routine test we do check our each & every material before we despatch them.
Which sectors or segments are you targeting at to become a Rs. 1,000 crores company?
We have already crossed 500 crores turnover last FY. We are aiming towards Rs. 1,000 crores company within next three years’ time. Our presence is there in every sectors in India like Utility, Defence, Oil, Industries, Power Plants etc., as well as we have a huge distribution network all over India.
Please tell me in brief (category-wise) about the safety aspect of your products.
Gloster manufactures a variety of fire-resistant cables with limited integrity in accordance with various international construction and testing standards. We provide these types of cables with copper and aluminium conductors, but according to existing standards, only copper conductors are intended.
We have accumulated some experience in the use of aluminium conductor, so we can provide a flame temperature higher than the melting point of aluminium. These cables are very important when extinguishing fires – because they can ensure that the power supply is maintained for a long enough time – to help people trapped in the building in the event of a fire, check the escape signs, listen to the alarm system, ensure that the water pump, smoke vents and stair ventilation systems continue to work, and ultimately help people leave the affected building.
Please tell me in brief about your manufacturing range.
The following are included in our manufacturing range:
- LT Copper Conductor flexible Single/Multi Core PVC cable as per IS 694/2010(light duty).
- LT Aluminium /Copper conductor Armoured / UnArmoured PVC insulated Power & Control cables as per IS 1554 Part-I (heavy duty cable).
- LT Aluminium conductor/Copper conductor XLPE insulated, Power & Control Armoured/UnArmoured power cables as per IS 7098 part-I.
- HT Aluminium / Copper conductor XLPE insulated Armoured high tension cable suitable for 3.3 kV up to 33 kV(E) as per IS 7098 part-II.
- LT and HT Arial bunched cables.
- Instrumentation cables, Fire Alarm cables, FS cables, Solar cables & Railway Signalling cables.
What are the new products that you are planning to launch soon?
We have added FS cables, Fire alarm cables, Solar cables in our product bucket. Now we have enhanced our capacity for manufacturing 33kV (UE) grade cables and soon we will be launching the same in the market.
What is your suggestion to the purchase managers from the Indian business entities?
My suggestions to the respected purchase managers from different business entities are as follows:
They should freeze the specification properly with the help of their technical team first.
Before commercial evaluation they should go for technical evaluation of the vendor e.g., visiting their factory, evaluating their technical capabilities to manufacture, sources of their raw materials, evaluation of the guaranteed technical particulars, evaluation of the past supply record, checking whether their plants & machinery are duly calibrated or not.
