Yudo helps auto component makers bring down cost: Vishal Agarwal

With cost and quality pressure increasing, auto component companies are looking to adopt automated solutions to raise productivity and reduce waste. It is here that Yudo, the Korea-based provider of automation solutions to industries, plays a big role. The company provides cost-effective solutions to auto component makers to solve their production challenges and bring in efficiency in their manufacturing processes.
 
In conversation with Rakesh Rao, Vishal Agarwal, President, Yudo Hot Runner India Pvt Ltd (Yudo India), throws light on the importance of automation for auto component producers to enhance productivity and solutions offered by Yudo for the industry.
 
How is the current status of automation in the auto component industry?
Today, the size of the auto component industry is estimated to be around $ 37 billion with potential to grow up to $ 115 billion by 2020-21. But, only 5 percent consist of organised sector and remaining 95% are in unorganised sector, which mostly do not use automation. Present, setup are more dependent on conventional technology using skilled/unskilled manpower effecting profitability and efficiency badly. For auto components, input raw material and power cost is significant part of the product cost hence it becomes very essential to save every bit of raw material & power, which can be achieved only by best global manufacturing practice and automation.
 
How do you cater to the auto component industry?
Yudo with more than 27 years of rich experience in automation was started mainly because of boom in automotive industry in Korea and even till today automotive sector remains one of our strongest area with maximum number of projects and innovations done in this sector globally. All our automation lines are custom designed keeping in mind the complex requirement to deliver consistent quality and high productivity, Our solutions help customers to achieve zero defect quality standards, reduce rejection, increase production and save on manufacturing cost.

ALSO READ: Automation: Gearing up auto component makers to be future-ready
 
Automation industry is majorly driven by product requirement and cost efficiency as there are no set processes or techniques, it is purely based on expertise in automation and experience in understanding the product needs and customer expectations in that industry, where Yudo leads globally. Being in the industry for the last 27 years, Yudo has grown with the automotive industry and, in the course, has played a major role in the development of automation in this segment. The best advantage our customers gets with Yudo is shortest concept to execution time for the automation. Another advantage working with Yudo is because of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) agreement our equipment’s are imported duty free from Korea.  
 
The biggest challenge customer’s face in using automation is arranging skilled manpower for handling and maintaining automation, which is 100% taken care by Yudo. In India, we have a structured training module with extensive on job training which is fully supported by strong team of technocrats who are ready to support customers round the clock.
 
Why is it important for auto component manufacturer to adopt automation?
With every passing year the demand on quality, short delivery time and cost pressure is constantly increasing from OEMs and the way this business was done till couple of years back (or even in many cases currently) is no more viable or competitive. In order to meet these demands, automation is the right answer. It not only ensures increase in productivity but also ensures almost zero variables like quality and productivity. Automation also ensure to make up for any labour shortage, eliminates human errors completely and removes the high cost of labour for special operations or operations with hazardous working environment.
 
Depends on the application the power consumption can be reduced by 42% and production output has been increased by 35% with the help of automation.
 
What is the advantage of automation to the auto component manufacturer?
With the anticipated growth of more than 20 percent in this industry, sharp increase in exports and growing number of global OEMs (with their strict quality norms), the demand of automation is bound to grow. Also to meet this high demand of production, availability of skilled manpower is not an easy task and, hence, automation is the natural choice to fill the gap.


 
Another aspect which usually does not get highlighted is the high cost of land. The cost of land has been increasing continuously and it takes away a big portion of project cost. In one of our previous project, we reduced the required floor space size by whopping 25%.      
 
Going forward do you see a rise in requirement for automated solutions from auto component industry?
Two-wheeler and passenger vehicle segments are the two main drivers of the auto component industry in India. While passenger vehicle segment contributes 46 percent of total component consumption, two wheeler industry accounts for 21 percent of the consumption.
 
The usage of plastics in car manufacturing is increasing continuously. This will require a lot of new innovative automated solutions and we are more optimistic to see a sharp rise in the demand for automation in near future.