Bhavesh Karia, Executive President – India, South Asia, Africa and the Middle east & South East Asia, ELGi Equipments

What are the new products you are showcasing at Excon 2025?

At our outdoor booth (OD 106), we are proud to showcase our latest electric-powered portable air compressors, engineered to deliver superior performance and enhanced energy efficiency, supporting customers in achieving their sustainability goals. We will also display our range of diesel-powered portable air compressors, engineered to exceed the demanding needs of construction, mining, sandblasting, cable blowing, and drilling applications.

How are your machines addressing the demand for efficiency, safety, and sustainability in India’s infrastructure growth?

India’s infrastructure push is being backed by an estimated infrastructure spend of around $1.7–$2.2 trillion between FY24 and FY30, with annual public capex now above Rs 11 trillion and infra investment expected to rise from about 5.3 per cent to 6.5 per cent of GDP by FY29. At the same time, India has committed to cutting carbon intensity by 45 per cent by 2030 and reaching net-zero by 2070, which is forcing project owners to demand far higher efficiency and lower emissions from construction equipment.

ELGi’s latest portable compressors are exactly aligning to this demand. The advanced airends along with intelligent electronic controls deliver higher specific output per kW, reduce fuel or power consumption, directly lowering operating costs for infrastructure, construction, and mining customers. Electric and high-efficiency diesel variants help cut site-level CO? emissions and noise, supporting India’s decarbonisation and urban-compliance needs, while improved safety and monitoring systems enhance uptime and operator safety on demanding infra projects.

With India focusing on mega infrastructure projects, how do you see the demand evolving for large vs. mid-sized/small equipment?

India’s megaproject pipeline is expanding the market at both ends of the spectrum—large, high-capacity machines and a fast-growing base of mid-sized and compact equipment. On one side, big-ticket projects such as expressways, dedicated freight corridors, metro and high-speed rail, large irrigation and mining projects will continue to be anchored by large tonnage excavators, high-capacity concrete equipment, and powerful compressors that can run 24/7 in demanding conditions. These projects need maximum productivity per machine, higher output per litre of fuel, and machines that can be monitored and managed centrally across vast, distributed sites.

At the same time, there is a very clear shift in demand towards mid-sized and compact equipment driven by urban infrastructure, smart cities, last-mile connectivity and redevelopment in tier II and III towns. Here, the ask is for versatile, fuel-efficient, easier-to-transport machines including compact excavators, skid steers, smaller compressors and light compaction and concrete equipment—that can work in space-constrained, regulation-heavy environments while keeping total cost of ownership low.

As a manufacturer, we anticipate robust growth in both segments, but the mix is evolving. Large equipment will remain critical for core infra, while the fastest growth is coming from mid and compact ranges. We continue to invest and innovating in portable electric and diesel-powered air compressors that offer better fuel efficiency and lower emissions. This approach allows us to support India’s infrastructure story end-to-end—from mega corridors to municipal roads and urban renewal.

What role does localisation play in your product strategy for India?

From ELGi’s perspective, localisation is central to our product strategy for India. Our manufacturing base in Coimbatore is designed not just for scale but for technical agility, making compressors specifically engineered to address customer pain points.

We produce our own airends, pressure vessels, motors - critical components right here using advanced machining and foundry infrastructure. This vertical integration helps us maintain tight quality control and incorporate feedback from users quickly, ensuring machines that deliver superior efficiency and durability. 

Our wide sales and service network, with over 600 trained technicians across India, guarantees rapid response and minimal downtime for critical industrial customers. We deeply understand sectors like construction, mining and infrastructure, delivering solutions tailored to their unique operational needs.

In short, localisation at ELGi isn’t just geography, it is engineering, supply chain, service, and market alignment all working together. This commitment allows us to offer best-in-class compressed air solutions with competitive lifecycle costs that truly address the diverse requirements of our customers.

How is your company addressing after-sales service and spare parts availability in remote project sites?

At ELGi, we deeply understand that after-sales service and spare parts availability are critical, especially at remote project sites. To address the same, we have established a robust India-wide service and parts infrastructure. We maintain 100+ service centres and over 600 trained technicians across India. We guarantee genuine spare parts availability through our dedicated parts network, minimising downtime. For remote locations, we focus on fast response via our trained field engineers, strategic spare-parts stocking, and service contracts that prioritise restoration of compressed-air availability. This ensures that even at challenging sites, we support uptime, productivity, and lifecycle cost efficiency for our customers.

What are your growth priorities for the Indian market in the next three to five years?

Over the next three to five years, our focus in India is on strengthening our leadership in the domestic compressor market while nurturing talent to support ELGi’s global growth vision. India will remain the cornerstone of our operations and drive innovation, manufacturing excellence, and leadership development. As we work towards becoming the world’s No. 3 compressor manufacturer within the next decade, our ambition is to enable more of our Indian talent take on global leadership roles, carrying ELGi’s culture and values worldwide. This growth journey is not just about business expansion but also about empowering people, creating success stories, and building a stronger, globally connected organisation.

How do you see the rental equipment ecosystem shaping demand for your products?

The rental-equipment ecosystem is emerging as a key driver of demand for our compressed-air solutions. Rental companies across construction, mining, infrastructure, and oil and gas depend on reliable, high-uptime equipment. With our portable screw air compressors—engineered for rugged, continuous operation—we support rental fleets that require flexible deployment and quick turnaround. By engaging closely with rental customers, we gain twofold benefits: steady volume demand driven by fleet expansion, particularly for electric and diesel-powered portable compressors; and exposure to diverse site conditions and applications that help us refine our product design, service offerings, and aftermarket capabilities.