Could you give us an overview of Venus Techno Equipment and its product portfolio? What are you showcasing at bauma?

Venus Techno Equipment is a Gujarat-based Indian manufacturer with a portfolio spanning concrete equipment, road construction machinery, mining equipment and allied products. In concrete equipment, we manufacture batching plants, transit mixers, concrete pumps, self-loading concrete mixers and boom placers. On the road equipment side, our portfolio includes hot-mix plants and batch-mix plants. We also offer tower cranes through a technology tie-up, with a high degree of manufacturing undertaken in India.

One of the key products we are showcasing is the self-loading concrete mixer. It essentially combines the functions of a batching plant and a transit mixer.

The machine can produce concrete at one location, transport it and discharge it where required. Another advantage is the relatively low manpower requirement, as it can operate with one operator and one assistant. 

How is the market for self-loading concrete mixers developing in India?

The Indian market for self-loading concrete mixers is growing. Last year, the total industry volume was around 6,000 units, and we expect the market to increase by about 20 per cent this year, taking it to more than 7,000 units.

Within this segment, we estimate our current share at around 8 to 10 per cent. We also have a strong presence in batching plants and concrete pumps, particularly in markets such as Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. 

Which markets are currently strongest for your self-loading concrete mixers?

We are seeing good demand in Gujarat and Odisha, as well as in northern markets, particularly Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. We also have a dealer network of around 20 dealers across India for the self-loading mixer business. These dealers operate largely on a stock-and-sell model, which helps us maintain product availability and support customers across different regions. 

How much automation and digital technology have you incorporated into your self-loading mixers?

We have introduced IoT and GPS-based monitoring in our self-loading mixers. This provides machine owners and operators with information such as operating hours, average fuel consumption, concrete output, machine location and service intervals. The objective is to give customers greater visibility into machine utilisation and operating performance. 

What features are you introducing to improve operator comfort and concrete quality?

Operator comfort is becoming increasingly important, particularly because operators can spend eight to ten hours a day in the machine.

We therefore provide features such as a rear-view camera, adjustable seating, a tiltable steering arrangement and an in-cabin music system. At the same time, we have focused on improving concrete accuracy and homogeneity, which are important parameters for the customer. 

Are exports becoming an important part of the business?

Yes. We currently cater to export markets including Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and countries in Africa.

We are also exploring additional markets such as Algeria and Indonesia as part of our strategy to gradually expand our international presence and dealer network. 

How is the company diversifying beyond its traditional concrete equipment business?

When we started, our focus was largely on concrete equipment. Over time, we diversified into road construction equipment, and we are continuing to evaluate additional product categories. The objective is to broaden our portfolio while strengthening our manufacturing capabilities across the different equipment segments we serve. 

What are your growth and capacity-expansion plans over the next five years?

Our business is currently growing at around 30 per cent, and over the next five years we are targeting turnover of approximately Rs 10 billion. We are also expanding manufacturing capacity. We currently have multiple plants, and further capacity additions are under way.

In some product categories, including tower cranes, we currently operate through technology collaborations. Going forward, our aim is to progressively make these products fully indigenous, manufacture them locally and strengthen our domestic production capabilities.