Esterline to participate in army modernisation programmes

Esterline is a specialised manufacturing company principally serving aerospace and defence markets. The Vice President and Managing Director of Esterline (India), Rama Prasad, talks about plans in India.

SP’s ShowNews (SP’s): Could you talk about products and services of Esterline?

Rama Prasad: Esterline offers a wide range of products covering a variety of end markets, but 80 per cent of the company’s revenue comes from serving aerospace and defence markets, with products ranging from avionics equipment, projectors and displays for aircraft and simulators to switches, control products, precision sensors, specialised engineered materials and harsh-environment connectors. We like to say that if a pilot touches or interfaces with something in the cockpit, Esterline is likely part of that product or process.

SP’s: What’s your take on the Indian market?

Rama Prasad: It’s a vibrant market in which Esterline has been and can continue to be a valuable contributor. The ‘Make in India’ effort offers new opportunities for the company to use local resources and services to serve both Indian and global markets. The vitality of the current Indian economy also offers us good market potential as the country acts on its defence and commercial needs to support growth.

SP’s: What are your plans for the Indian market and could you talk on various programmes of Esterline in India?

Rama Prasad: Esterline has been operating in India for several years now. There are several defence programmes with the Navy and Air Force where Esterline products are currently in use. Indian Army modernisation and HAL/Air Force/DRDO programmes also offer great opportunities to collaborate and make niche products in India.

SP’s: What are the new initiatives of the company?

Rama Prasad: Esterline already has a strong presence in India with its Souraiu connectors, manufactured out of our Coimbatore and Cochin facilities. Further, we are expanding the engineering design centre in Bengaluru to develop more products for Esterline. On a broader scale, Esterline as a whole is engaged in a companywide strategy to better serve customers with a new Esterline Operating System and several operational and organisational improvement initiatives.

SP’s: Could you talk about your customer base?

Rama Prasad: Esterline enjoys a vast customer base including many of the world’s top aerospace and defence companies and organisations. In India, Esterline serves all three military forces directly and through PSU, BEL and HAL. We are also working with ISRO and DRDO on several active projects.

SP’s: What’s being done to sustain future growth?

Rama Prasad: Esterline firmly believes in the ‘Make in India’ concept and sees this as key factor in sustaining future growth and developing important products from India for the global market. India has been a part of Esterline’s growth strategy for years and will continue to be an important piece of our strategy going forward.