In a global first, Sharpline Automation has tied up with Christiani of Germany for a hands-on technical training venture
Sharpline Automation Pvt Ltd, the Mumbai-based leader in CNC retrofitting and automation, has sharpened its focus with a rethinking on vocational training in India. The result is the recent launch of Chritiani Sharpline Technical Training Pvt Ltd, a 50:50 joint venture between Christiani of Germany, the pioneers in vocational training education, and Sharpline Autumation Pvt Ltd. "This is the first of its kind venture in India," says Mr S Meyyappan, the young and dynamic Managing Director of Sharpline Automation.

In an informal chat with the Editors of IPFonline Ltd at the newly-opened premises of the Christiani Sharpline Technical Training Pvt Ltd at its Thane facilities, Mr Meyyapan minced no words in laying down the purpose behind his company's new move: "In India, fresh engineers graduades and diploma holders enter a company and take between 6 months to 1 year to learn the job in running intricate machines. Here at our institute, we will give them a hands-on experience with the machines on three important aspects - CNC, PLC and Mechatronics - with the help of interactive CDs and also simulated systems. This will hold good not only for the new recruits, but also for companies that are upgrading to automation in machinery with executives having little knowledge about automation."

Mr Shamir K Sanyal, CEO of Christiani Sharpline, is equally sharp about the vision in this new business: "The attractive aspect of this vocational training is that the courses are for the shortest periods, typically running up to 5, 10 or 15 days. At this stage, we are experimenting whether we will be able to complete the sessions successfully, and we feel confident about that. Even if they are extended by a day or two, the courses are worth it."

"About 90% of teaching in engineering colleges and institutes is theoretical and the freshmen come out with little hands-on experience, as a result of which they are often clueless about the machines on the shopfloor. Here we provide them opportunities to learn about the seemingly complex systems, understand how they work and also do fault-diagnoses in a simulated environment, with hands-on practical experience. This prepares them well to operate with confidence on the shopfloor once they join an industry," added Mr Sanyal.

The total cost of Sharpline's new vocational training venture is about Rs 2 crore. "We are looking at a turnover of about Rs 5 crore in the next few years," said Mr Meyyapan with conviction, adding that the company has already started selling interactive CDs and books related to all aspects of mechatronics, PLCs and CNC. Christiani, backed by over 76 years of vocational didactic training, offers state-of-the-art training methods and more than 10,000 products related to technical and vocational training.

Mr Meyyapan said he was extremely happy with the reaction from the top brass of Christiani, when they saw the new facilities. Said the Sharpline MD with a touch of pride in his voice: "They told us that at the company's China training centre, their venture partners messed up a table-top training mechanical kit by using a hydraulic oil pipeline instead of air. But they were happy to see that we had the kits properly connected and working when they arrived for the inauguration, and that the training rooms we have built measure up to international standards."

Christiani Sharpline will be adopting a twin-strategy to attract candidates. One is to seek personnel from the industry, where the existing employees would have lost on the developing technologies in automation. The other is to address the copious number of engineering institutes located all over the country, which can send batches of students for updating their knowledge with hands-on experience. Besides, the company also expects a sizable number of young engineering graduates to approach them for these courses in order to bolster their CVs with Christiani training, with their authorised Siemens CNC endorsement. Said Mr Sanyal: "At the same time, we will be promoting the interactive CDs and latest books beside the table-top models of the modern machinery and equipment vital for automating the processes in various industries."

Demonstrating a scaled-down model of an assembly line with a pressing machine, Mr Sanyal and Mr Meyyapan explained how this would give the fresher an exact knowledge of the machine he would be operating after his employment. "All the components are real ones and have been only miniaturised for the sake of space. The candidates will be able to dismantle and reconstruct all the table-top models, which will give them an excellent understanding of the working machines. Besides, with the interactive CDs, they will be asked to dig deeper into the understanding of the working principles, and in the end, they will have a thorough knowledge," said Mr Meyyapan said.

At present, Christiani Sharpline Technical Training has two classes of 16 students each. Said Mr Sanyal: "An engineering student recently came to us to get trained and later when some of his friends saw the facilities, they too showed their eagerness to join him. Now, when students after their degree get this certificate from Christiani Sharpline, they will certainly have an edge over other candidates when they appear for interview because of the former's hands-on experience on operations that they are yet to familiarise with."

Giving the example of the automotive industry, the CEO enumerated the various facilities available, like the cut-away models, wall charts and functional models. Christiani has about 600 kits on topics for the automobile industry. Said Mr Sanyal: "The Advanced Training Institute (ATI) of Hyderabad has already purchased the entire kits, and they are the first to buy from us - about 107 books and 50 CDs. This is to start with. At the industry level, Maruti Suzuki, one of our prestigious customers, has placed the third order already."

At present, for instance in mechatronics, they have about 50 topics and in electrical, another 45 topics available with this venture for distribution in India. "We will soon, in another 3 months, have a ready-stock of books and CDs on various topics. Christiani has been selling these products in over 40 countries, and with the demand for their products and the limited capacity, we will be able to reach a comfortable level of supply in another 3 to 4 months," Mr Sanyal added.

This vocational training centre has come as a feather in Sharpline's cap since this is the first time that Christiani has selected an overseas company as its partner for a venture. In all other places, Christiani has only dealers on commission basis. Besides, Christiani Sharpline is also a Siemens authorised CNC training centre. In Germany, Christiani is the biggest provider for examination papers in International Centre for Vocational Education and Training (TVET). Christiani is developing the test items, puts them in electronic question banks, makes the layout and technical drawings, and sets the documents on computers. Finally, millions of examination papers are printed every year and distributed to the examination centres all over Germany.

Coming back to the parent group, Sharpline has truly made rapid strides. According to Mr Meyyapan, it all began in 1995 in a small place near a residential area with just 2 to 3 people. Now, the company boasts of a workforce of 300, and plants in Navi Mumbai, Thane and Chennai. Said Mr Meyyapan: "We had a very humble beginning starting with retrofitting of small machinery. Today we retrofit over 120 machines in a year and those too huge machines. We have now reached the No.1 position in this retrofitting field. Besides we have already done some projects in Indonesia and China". Besides reconditioning and retrofitting of machines, Sharpline offers other services in laser calibration, CAD/CAM, feedback control systems (linear and rotary measuring scales) and SPMs. The company has successfully manufactured SPMs for high profile users in the public sector in India. The company also has a complete full fledged Component Machining Division doing job work for various types of components on a mass production basis.

Having successfully executed retrofitting jobs abroad, Sharpline does not want rest on its laurels. Said Mr Meyyapan: "We are setting up facilities in Dubai for overseas projects. Since procedural and bureaucratic wrangles in India are causing delays to our overseas projects, we have chosen Dubai for executing them. The project is expected to be ready by December 2008". Meyyapan's unassuming remarks failed to hide his conviction that his company has really sharpened its vision for the future, and clearly hinted that there would be more ambitious projects on the anvil. At the Dubai facility, besides retrofitting, Sharpline will also do mass finishing on valve castings for the petrochemicals industry. Besides, it will also manufacture some machines for AsquithButler Ltd, UK, a world leader in the design, manufacture and installation of large capacity machining centres. So Dubai is just the launching pad for Sharplines's global ambitions.