• Amar S, Global Product Leader – Compressors & Vacuum, ELGi Equipments
• Pallavi Pandey, Sr VP & Head – Global Marketing, ELGi Equipments

What are the key products and technologies that ELGi showcased at bauma India 2026?

Amar S (AS): At bauma India 2026, we showcased a wide range of products focusing on the construction, mining and waterwell segments. In construction and mining, we have products catering specifically to mining applications and excavator applications. For the waterwell segment, we have products for the 4.5-inch and 6.5-inch segments.

We also understand that several mines are moving towards electrification. Keeping this transition in mind, we have started introducing our electric range of portable compressors. Overall, our product offering at the exhibition covers multiple segments and applications.

The portfolio displayed included portable compressed air solutions for construction, mining and infrastructure applications. These included the PG 90E electric portable compressor for crawler drilling applications, the PG 550-215 diesel portable compressor for demanding drilling applications, and the PG 850S-290 and PG 1100 excavator-mounted air compressors for mining applications.

What key trends are you witnessing in the compressed air and equipment market currently?

AS: One of the key trends we are seeing is that customers are becoming more aware of products and their expectations are increasing. They are looking for higher productivity from their equipment.

Productivity requirements vary depending on the application. For waterwell customers, productivity is measured in terms of cost per foot, penetration ratio and fuel consumption. Overall productivity and lifecycle cost are becoming increasingly important factors in how customers manage and operate their equipment.

In construction equipment, DGMS compliance is becoming increasingly important. Earlier, DGMS guidelines were considered good to have, but now customers are actively seeking products that comply with these requirements so that they are prepared during audits.

Electrification of mines is another major trend. Many manufacturers are moving from mechanical engines to electronic engines. Electric systems offer advantages in terms of fuel efficiency and a more compact footprint, although they also bring their own considerations. Overall, DGMS compliance, productivity, electronic engines and mine electrification are some of the major trends we see today.

Which segments are currently driving demand for ELGi?

AS: Today, we are market leaders in construction and mining. For a long time, our focus in waterwell was primarily on the South Indian market. However, we are now increasing our focus on the pan-India market and expanding globally as well.

We have another facility in Italy through an acquired brand called Rotair, through which we cater to emission-regulated markets. From our Coimbatore operations, we cater to non-emission-regulated markets. Between these two facilities, we have a complete portfolio that can address different customer requirements globally.

We will continue maintaining our momentum in construction and mining while increasing our focus on the waterwell segment so that we can become a stronger player in that market as well.

Can you explain the key features of the machines showcased for construction, mining and waterwell applications?

AS: There are multiple aspects that we focus on depending on the application. In construction and mining products, DGMS compliance is becoming an important requirement. Along with meeting basic DGMS requirements, we also focus strongly on operator ergonomics.

For example, the product displayed here has an extended harness with a control panel that can be placed inside the excavator cabin. This allows the operator sitting inside the cabin to operate both the compressor and excavator from a single location. The operator does not need to repeatedly move in and out of the cabin, improving convenience and efficiency.

For our waterwell products, we have a patented technology called ICS. This ensures that at greater depths, customers continue to achieve better productivity and maintain drilling RPM. Depending on the application and customer requirement, we bring specific innovations into each product.

As India moves towards electrification and lower carbon emissions, how is ELGi’s technology roadmap evolving to support next-generation machines?

Amar S (AS): Several mines are now moving towards electrification, and customers are becoming increasingly aware of emerging emission regulations. Keeping both these aspects in mind, we have developed our electric range of portable compressors.

Currently, our electric portable range starts from 22 kW and goes up to 132 kW. We have a roadmap to further increase the capacity range in the future.

The biggest advantage of electric portables is that they are completely emission-compliant as there is no diesel consumption. Secondly, for the same amount of work performed, the operating cost of an electric portable compressor is significantly lower compared to a diesel-engine-driven portable compressor. These factors make electric portables an attractive solution for customers.

Going forward, we will continue improving the efficiency of these solutions, introducing remote monitoring capabilities and expanding the product range.

How important is India in ELGi’s global manufacturing strategy?

Pallavi Pandey (PP): ELGi has been in existence since the 1960s and has over 65 years of experience in air compressor manufacturing. India has always been at the heart of our initiatives, and we have been catering to the Indian market for more than six decades.

Our biggest manufacturing base is in Coimbatore, where we have five state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities. These facilities manufacture products not only for India but also for global markets.

We have a Made in India portfolio developed specifically considering demanding Indian operating conditions and customer requirements. At the same time, these products are designed to serve global markets and are currently supplied across more than 120 countries worldwide.

What further opportunities do you see for localisation, local sourcing and exports from India?

PP: We are highly invested in India as a market. Apart from our five existing factories, we are making significant investments in another large facility in Coimbatore. This investment is around Rs 500 crore and will include state-of-the-art manufacturing capabilities and R&D facilities.

This facility will further strengthen our manufacturing capabilities and support our growth plans in India and globally.

What is ELGi’s vision for the next five years?

PP: Currently, ELGi is ranked sixth globally, and over the next five years, our ambition is to become one of the global top three players. This will require strengthening our presence not only in India but also across key international markets and gaining greater market share through both organic and inorganic growth initiatives.

Traditionally, we have invested in acquiring brands in specific markets, and we will continue exploring opportunities to expand our global presence and strengthen our position.

Our growth strategy is a combination of multiple factors. Organic growth will come through strengthening our product portfolio, investing in R&D and developing state-of-the-art solutions that address evolving market requirements.

What is ELGi’s strategy to achieve its global growth ambitions?

PP: ELGi has traditionally focused on both organic and inorganic initiatives to grow market share across key markets. India remains our largest market, contributing around 50 per cent of our sales, followed by North America as another important market.

We will continue investing in our product portfolio, ensuring that our solutions remain robust and address specific customer requirements. We are also investing in future R&D initiatives, including digitalised product portfolios designed for future market needs.

Additionally, we see opportunities to expand into markets such as Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa, which will help us strengthen our global footprint.

How does ELGi approach sustainability and customer value creation?

PP: Customers remain at the centre of everything we do. Our objective is to enable customer growth and success through engineering sustainable performance worldwide.

We believe in strong engineering capabilities that enable us to create world-class products. We also focus on improving efficiency at the customer’s end, helping them reduce carbon emissions and achieve their sustainability goals.

Performance remains at the core of our products. We ensure that our solutions deliver reliable performance under demanding operating conditions and meet evolving customer expectations.

Air compressors are a critical utility across industries. Since almost every industry requires compressed air solutions, our focus is to ensure that we are present whenever customers need reliable and efficient compressed air systems.

How does ELGi ensure after-sales support for customers?

AS: We have a strong aftermarket support system that operates through two channels. First, we have our own service technicians and service engineers. Second, we have channel partners across India and globally wherever we operate.

All our service technicians and channel partners are trained by ELGi. For engine-driven products, engine OEMs also participate in training our technicians so that they are equipped to handle customer requirements effectively. Customers can therefore have confidence in receiving the required aftermarket support.

What skilling and training initiatives is ELGi undertaking?

AS: Skilling, upskilling and training are ongoing initiatives at ELGi. On a quarterly basis, our teams come together to exchange knowledge, discuss what worked well, identify improvement opportunities and share solutions to customer challenges.

Technicians and sales engineers share their experiences, including challenges they faced and how they resolved them, so that knowledge can be transferred across the organisation.

Apart from this, our learning and development organisation conducts continuous training programmes for our employees as well as channel partners. We also collaborate with engine manufacturers, who provide training on new engine technologies and advancements. Training and knowledge development are part of ELGi’s organisational DNA.