France-based ACOEM Group bets on defence, noise monitoring in India

ACOEM Group will be working with state pollution boards and the AAI on the govt front

France-based ACOEM Group which has recently set up its India subsidiary in Vadodara is eyeing collaborations in defence sector for its patented gun shot detection systems, apart from bringing its noise monitoring technology to industries in the country.

Through its India subsidiary, the company is looking to bring in its patented gun detection technology to the defence sector. According to Samir Sabnis, managing director of ACOEM India, the company would not only be looking at tapping the government and security forces but also exploring technological collaborations with defence manufacturers in India.

"We will be working on two fold fronts in defence. On one hand, we will be working with the government and security forces for the periphery monitoring. On the other hand, under the Make in India contour, we will also be working with local manufacturers to strengthen their offerings by integrating our technical know-how with other defence manufacturers," Sabnis told Business Standard.

Refusing to divulge the size of investment that would go into the company's defence offerings, Sabnis said, "We will be on the product development front in defence and as and when investment is required, we will be making the same."

Commenting further on ACOEM India's patented gun detection technology, Sabnis said, "The patented technology can pin point from where the gun shot is coming and of what calibre of ammunition which can be used in order to deploy troops in the area of attack."

Globally, ACOEM Group is also known for its expertise in monitoring environmental parameters, including noise, vibration and air quality, of which it intends to invest further in noise monitoring operations in India. While operates through its brand 01dB-Metravib, ACOEM had also acquired Australia's ECOTECH which specialises in air quality monitoring. The new Indian subsidiary of ACOEM Group will be in charge of commercialising and providing support for products and services designed to reduce environmental impact.

As of now, revenue is evenly distributed across verticals including consultancy, engineering division and training, apart from environmental monitoring and maintenance. Going forward, the group is betting big on defence and environmental monitoring technology and services.

"India is on a cusp because it has the promise of a huge industrial growth. But at the same time, India wants to present itself as environmentally conscious. That is where our maintenance portfolio helps in offering zero breakdowns for the industry. Further, our environmental division closes the loop in monitoring impact as the industry goes in future so that it doesn't go beyond the permissible limit," said Sabnis while adding that the group will also look at offering technical training as third party services to industries in India.

On the noise monitoring front, ACOEM Group will be working with state pollution boards and the Airport Authority of India (AAI) on the government front. "On the private sector front, we will work with any process industry such as refineries. We would like to bring in the noise monitoring technology given that noise pollution in factories such as even a small decibel over exposure can reduce life expectancy of workers at the same level of air pollution," Sabnis added.