Make in India – Sounds good but are we ready?

Published in WICMA's Industry Insight Jan - Mar 2015 Issue

Our incumbent government’s “Make in India” initiative sounds particularly promising and points in the right direction to strengthen the contribution of manufacturing sector to our GDP. Ideally, this would mean that businesses would go all out to expand and ride this wave but on the ground that is not the case. Everyone seems to be in a wait and watch mode as the government is nearing its “1^st year in office” mark. Frankly, just by announcing “Make in India” will not mean that companies from the developed world will rain on our country with their manufacturing outsourcing plans.

The initiative is tremendously positive indeed. Foreign companies would love to make in India and take benefit of the price difference and talent pool. However they have stricter standards and norms. They are exceedingly precise about quality, delivery schedules and of course specification. The “Chalta Hai” attitude does not work for them. Business deals are never done over a few phone calls and a callously written email ordering say 500 pieces of shaft. The smallest of the businesses in the developed world believe in clear contracts, strong written communication with little space for misinterpretation, rewards and penalties for delivery schedule. Though payment is followed quite honestly, the clauses are extremely sharp and tight. Under these circumstances are we truly ready for “Make in India?”

Typically, when someone mentions that he or she is a business person, people immediately think of them to be loaded with cash and living a king’s life putting in least amount of efforts. Factually it is a business owner who takes the risk, invests in a venture, puts his house on mortgage to raise capital borrows from friends and family. Most often Indian businesses are proprietorship firms where the liability lies entirely on the owner. If a firm is not doing well, the employees and workers have all the freedom to seek a better opportunity and quit but does the owner have same options under our existing laws? This business person generates jobs, pays taxes, and helps the economy. And in return the government binds him with such laws, policies and conditions which create a strait jacket structure for the person to operate in. The picture is however not really gloomy and I do not mean to deride this wonderful move but there are at least 3 pain points which must be addressed before we go all out.  

Labor

Most of the MSMEs in India are still semi – automated and largely depend on the labor force. Labor has a lot of elements which needs attention. It is used as a major political tool which generates lot of vested interest. Availability of skilled work force is a common concern. Rampant absenteeism and festivals round the year affect production.

At present, the government issues the minimum wage figures zone-wise with no regard for the other business factors, they tinker with the provident fund norms and the union leaders at the other end are continuously negotiating for the workers. Union issues are badly affecting businesses and trade. Sadly, the actual worker is not really gaining much if we investigate deeply. Let me cite a true example. A well-established business in an interior part of the country with a large workforce was suddenly issued with a notice that a union has been formed by their workforce. The company shut shop the very next moment. No discussion, no questions asked. We all know how long the litigation will take in this country. Till date the fate of the workers is unclear, the owners are facing short term hiccups but they have another production location which is fulfilling their orders. Not all business owners have this choice but such cases are growing.

A business owner is not like the cruel and greedy “Sethji” from the movies of 70s and 80s trying to extract the maximum from the toiling workers’ while paying them peanuts. Business owners are usually fair and reasonable enough in their dealing though some bad apples do exist but that is human nature. Hiring, retaining, removing labor force should be within the purview of the business owner. I do not advocate straight hire and fire rule but there has to be some equanimity. There should be some link between the location of the unit, business performance, salary and wage structure, bonus and other benefits extended to the work force.

 Our government is initiating processes to streamline and subsume the existing laws to make them more efficient which is a good move but what is the actual outcome till date. Industry experts have to analyze in details whether the move is really going to be helpful or some section of another archaic act might cause conflict and still hurt businesses. Who will speak up for the business owners; the only people who will actually help realize the vision of Make in India!

Capital/ Funds

I don’t need to ask the readers their experience while trying to apply for a term loan/ working capital loan/ enhancement of overdraft limit or simply to buy some machinery for business improvement. Most readers will have more than one painful story to narrate.

Just by announcing “Make in India” is not going produce a Midas touch for the economy. Banks are still not easing lending system, too many bureaucratic hurdles, only large companies manage to get funded, and the smaller ones are still self funded or remain stunted. Financial bodies are the last source of raising capital for small businesses much of which play and will play a major role in the great Indian manufacturing story. Till these businesses gain critical mass, no one wants to touch them. If they do, it is at the cost of serious collateral and steep interest rate which often renders cost of production uncompetitive.

We would like to see some serious data on the vast number of schemes floated year after year; and their outcome. The actual case studies of businesses benefiting from bank finance and how. How have businesses actually gained through them? How can others take advantage of the schemes? What does the fine print say?

The issue of capital is quite intriguing. The banks won’t lend without collateral and if they do then we are expected to pay back on time by signing up a concrete fenced agreement failing which we will be penalized severely. (We do not understand half of the clauses we agree and sign, atleast I don’t). On the other hand customers won’t pay on time which has hardly any legal solution. Even a case of cheque bouncing drags on for years. The delayed payment clause of MSMED Act is yet to show its teeth. How many people have flouted this clause and what has been their punishment? There is no clear roadmap or intent shown by the government on how the issue can be resolved.

Market Development and Sustenance

In the west, people spend quite a bit of money in educating themselves, upgrading skills, learning new technology or marketing solutions to reach out to a wider audience. But mainly they focus on creating a product of excellence while identifying a niche.

Indian small manufacturing companies are either setup by first time entrepreneurs who have an idea and some amount of capital but not much experience or ex-employees of large companies who go out and create their own small business and become component suppliers. Over a period of time they increase their customer base using the tag of these large companies. Very few companies are involved in systematic market development, spend on branding or communication. Much of it is word of mouth publicity or through acquaintances and business network. There is a lack of structure or form.

Most small businesses here typically depend on few well paying ethical customers who are disciplined. There is no conscious attempt to explore and develop their market or reach out to a larger customer base. One reason is lack of a strong legal framework to operate at a larger scale and protect the receivables. Lack of a swift and strong judicial system for recoveries of outstanding is a common hindrance which forces these businesses to operate within a limited geographic area. Naturally the demand is limited and won’t grow beyond a certain point. This finally hits the ability to sustain. The few larger buyers also use their position to coerce cheaper rates which actually hit the balance sheet and owners realize much later when the path to recover is steep and unsure.

We need good business support and enhancement networks under the aegis of the government to train existing business persons about law, markets, technology, branding and communication. Strengthening the business environment with strong judicial foundation is another requisite from the government.

Much of the pain points will be alleviated if the three above factors are constructively dealt with. We, as business people also have to contribute our bit towards “Make in India” by becoming ready for the global players. We have to change our attitude (all of us) and become more professional, understand and respect commitments, create a formal system of written communication, appreciate the importance of quality and imbibe it into the DNA of our businesses, absorb the dynamics of global trade and continuously upgrade our knowledge and skill base to stay ahead of the curve.

Cost or Investment? – A Perspective

Ignorance may be bliss, but it certainly is not freedom, except in the minds of those who prefer darkness to light and chains to liberty. The more true information we acquire, the better for our enfranchisement. ~ Robert Hugh Benson, Intellectual Slavery

While setting up a small business, the cost burden is huge for an individual. Owners try hard to reduce costs through various means including (frequently) trying to do multiple things on their own. Thus, they often miss out on important data or information which can prove costly after a certain period of time. We have to accept that we cannot do everything on our own but at the same time we cannot depend on others completely. 

A series of events in the recent past has given me some wonderful lessons in understanding operating business more efficiently and cost-effective way. The reason I am writing this article is because I have been told many people make such mistakes and end of up paying a lot as a consequence.
 
Lesson 1 – We often remain dependent on one person (usually the accountant or sometimes the dispatch person) who knows what is happening and seldom is the information available on paper for retrieval. Accountants in small businesses are good at book keeping and only understand certain amount of the tax laws which are in repeated daily use. Owners should not depend on one person especially when it comes to Accounts or Production. Get two people to do the job. You might argue that does it make sense? Yes, it does. What happens if one person quits or falls sick? Can you imagine the chaos?
 
Owners are too engrossed in running the business and managing day to day operations thus remaining ignorant of the general gist of business laws. One cannot claim ignorance as an excuse and knowledge would never hurt. Business continuity and compliance should never depend on the activities of one person.
 
Lesson 2 – Business in India (or elsewhere too) is surrounded with many laws and regulations. It is practically impossible for one person to know everything. To navigate these complex compliance factors, if the business owner does not have good consultants or domain experts then there could be pricey pitfalls. Retaining the services of a consultant (Excise/ Sales Tax/ PF-ESIC) is an investment and not a cost. Do not try to cut corners. But do not depend on them blindly. Join an association. Be a part of an umbrella body. This will help enrich knowledge and gain frequent insight on changes in the business world especially the law and regulations aspect. Sit and discuss, ask the right questions, and understand the information, process it, analyze and store it for future reference. These associations are also genuine source of references of good consultants. Getting stuck with an undesirable consultant can also be a sad burden.
 
Lesson 3 – Try and walk through each and every activity of your business and make notes. As cumbersome it may seem; the benefits are manifold. How is a sales invoice made? How do you take the backup of your data? What is the procurement process? Do this frequently and compare your notes. At face value, it might seem absurd but take a moment and deliberate internally. We may not be able to do everything all the time but we must have the knowledge of how an activity is being done and why it is being done. As an entrepreneur, we must be able to chip in wherever there is a need for additional resource or to share the load.
 
As a business owner, you are the person in charge. You cannot claim to be unaware or dodge from the details of laws impacting your business. Since you cannot evade it, the judicious thing is to embrace it with open arms and remain truly “in charge”. Be aware, read, ask questions and educate yourself. Spending time in learning subtleties of business is not cost but a life-long investment.
 
Peter Drucker said “Today knowledge is power. It controls access to opportunity and advancement.” 

Education System and Business Sustainability

Published in SME WORLD Apr 2015 Issue

What is the ultimate goal of acquiring education? To sustain oneself and propagate. That is why in the medieval texts we have a sequence of Brahmacharya, Grihastha, Vanprastha and Sanyasa. Brahmacharya ashrama is all about acquiring skills and education followed by Grihastha when on marries and has family. This is also the stage when one works for livelihood either for someone else (working in a company) or for the self by creating an enterprise. The skills that one acquires help them sustain at their workplace, helps them support their family and helps create an enterprise.

The underlying theme is the vibrancy, innovation, newness and depth of an education system greatly impacts the type of business which grows and flourishes in that environment.

Why our education system needs complete overhauling?

If we observe the developed countries; it is clear that they have progressed mainly on the strength of their education system and teaching methodology. Elizabeth Holmes has created Theranos – a path-breaking diagnostic solution company while dropping out of her graduate program at Stanford. Steve Jobs is the brain behind Apple whose products have become “must have” possessions. Google and Zuckerberg’s Facebook do not require any introduction.

Why India has been unable to come up with any such solutions? The American education system and process definitely plays a pivotal role in nurturing the thought and analytical process, the confidence to take risks among their students which has helped create such enterprises. The German system is another case in point. How do they manage to build such fantastic automobiles, chemical companies and green energy solutions? I am sure it is definitely not the case of being God-gifted. Audi, BMW, Mercedes are still strong aspiration possessions around the world. Other Europeans including the Nordic nations are equally strong in their educational system. Finland whose education system is much studied and often emulated is again overhauling it. They are now going to teach skill-wise instead of subject-wise which makes more practical sense.     

It is still not too late. We need a system where the students are not pursuing higher marks through rote learning rather gathering skills which can help them become valuable for enterprises or being able to create one.

What should be changed?

We have one of the largest populations in the world but if we compare it to per capita income or contribution to GDP, the numbers are appalling against those countries having lesser population and better economy. Our system of education creates lot of good coders for IT companies but how many Indian engineers are in demand for design or original equipment design or manufacturing firms. How many Indians lead large scale projects in the world?

One Preet Bharara in the American Justice System or an Indian financial brain close to Warren Buffet is not enough. It is quite shallow as Indians go gaga whenever a person of Indian origin achieves something on the global platform. Are they there because of being Indian (or Indian blood from either of the parent’s side) or due to their upbringing in an advanced education system? Why do the Chinese immigrants excel in America? The American system amplifies their ability of doing hard work with a process that is value driven. Dignity of labor is one of their basic tenets of learning and the children work to earn from a young age.

Our entire curriculum should change starting from entry level to of course higher education; the testing and evaluation system needs to be made more scientific, a need to identify actual learning potential and outcome and as per the the new Education Policy stress on ethics and life skills.

Unless there is a deeper relation, exchange of ideas and actual joint working teams from education and industry; both will remain disjointed. Teachers play an important role in this backdrop. We mostly see people sticking to a fixed curriculum and racing to finish the course within a stipulated time. We need teachers who are aware of demands of the business world and train students to not only become employable but skillful. The entire approach should be outcome oriented rather than GPAs and marks. Both industry personnel and teachers need deeper interaction on a regular and coordinated basis to understand each other.

We need a 360 degree change. It is about time we put in a serious team in place to study what is working in other countries of the world, why and how are they implementing the system then create an indigenous one.

Many countries have dignity of labor as one of their basic tenets of learning and the children work to earn from a young age. This builds their ability to analyze, decide and choose and become independent. Vital skills for everyday life in any business, any profile.

How educated people can help? They are the people who drive your vehicle, read road signs, unload and load material, answer phone calls, get orders, process them and bill, and at each moment they are making many micro decisions which actually affect the outcome of your business. The ability to open up to new ideas, adopt them, implement and innovate comes from education. Is our education system helping create such individuals?

Cost Cutting through Root Cause Analysis

WICMA - Magazine Feb 2015

I want things cheaper so when I bought this pair of jeans from a retail outlet I was gushing at the discount I got compared to a branded one which I had bought earlier. It is a different thing that the fitting was not right and the material felt rough. But I sidetracked those concerns considering the savings. However, after few rounds of wash, the stitching started getting frayed and the material stretched unevenly. In the end I was pretty upset that my great bargain deal was such a flop. Well, it was bound to be for obvious reasons!

Everyone wants everything cheaper these days but the best of the quality. How much cheaper? Honestly, most people don’t know the answer to this question so anything lesser than the price currently being quoted is great. Why don’t people know how much cheaper? Because they don’t have the capability to figure out the method to calculate or are too lazy to do the legwork.

This is a constant demand in our packaging business too. Customers want cheaper cartons while insisting that we stick to their quality requirement. Most purchasers consider this to be the easiest way of saving costs. There are quite a few reasons; one of them being priority of payment. Packing material suppliers are the last ones to be considered while scheduling payment. There is too much competition in this segment and the work is not rocket science hence, every supplier can be replaced easily (well most of the time).

But the chief reason is lack of hard work and analysis. If one really wants to save costs, they need to fundamentally change the product and processes not the 1 or 2% of the packaging cost. There are ample scope for improvements and waste reduction if the basic product itself is analyzed and redesigned. But this requires serious involvement and hard work. It requires time and resolve to conduct root cause analysis. There is need for data collection, analysis, testing and rechecking. Most people are hence content with reducing the packing material cost which is least hard work and creates the illusion of saving and becoming cost competitive! It is when more international biggies come into the market will these companies realize what is competitive edge?

Businesses do not understand that there are other ways of properly reducing packaging costs. One good idea is to put some serious brains into design and drawing specifications. The designer quite often simply copies an existing template and changes dimensions. If you ask why they need BS of 20 and not 15, rarely will you get a clear answer. Often the specifications are more than what is truly required which jacks up the price. Everyone wants to play safe by adding unnecessary buffer and to cover for shortcomings.

Another way is to focus on advance planning. Now the larger buyers want “just-in-time” since they do not know what they want and when. If a corrugator is given proper forecast of requirement then they can build up inventory to meet the delivery dates instead of stocking up for anything anytime. Inventory turns will be more and the carrying cost will be less.

Let us take an example of Company A and B.

Company A has random requirements and n-number of carton sizes designed and developed by people over a period of time. They are not following any forecast method to identify which type of cartons will be required when. When the item is ready or nearing completion, the carton suppliers are asked to deliver the cartons. At the time of seeking payment, Company A delays at random without any reason. Often they feel humiliated if the suppliers follow up for payment or show a laid back approach towards releasing payment. The adage – customer is king is often taken too literally by many buyers. But they forget that the kingdom prospers due to its many subjects and not just the king.

Company B has created a standardized set of cartons to pack all their items in atleast one of them. (This is what today’s E-commerce companies are practicing). They have a clear system of tracking which items are being ordered, manufactured and are at what stage of completion. There is a visibility of status in the process. This company also has a data stating how much time is needed to make one item and ship. Based on this, whenever an item goes into production, all the relevant suppliers are intimated of the same. This gives every supplier time to plan their production and delivery schedules. Company B also believes in sharing historical data, future plans and planning schedules on a regular basis with their suppliers. Taking a step forward, they also communicate the material receipt and payment processing dates creating good levels of transparency and timely information delivery.

It is obvious that the supplier of Company B is not going to stock too much inventory and buy as required. They will also supply as per the time schedule and have a fair idea of the payment cycle. Continuous procurement will also help the supplier to plan production at their end. Payment and order cycle reliability automatically will impact cost of production and price of the item. Company B will surely demand good quality at lower rates and get it too.

The reliability of timely payment trumps all the other options. If a supplier is assured of timely payment and the commitment is honored regularly, the offered rates will be automatically cheaper. However, no one sticks to the payment cycle, everyone delays and hence, somewhere there is a compromise in quality or buffering in costs.

How is China so competitive in the manufacturing sector? Cost cutting as a means to remain competitive is a shallow approach. There are larger economic factors at play which pushes up the price. Fuel costs, taxes, cost of operating a business, lack of infrastructure, the labor market all contribute to the increasing costs. If these are contained, automatically our products can become cheaper in the global arena. We need some serious root cause analysis and structured approach to cutting costs as an organization and not squeeze the ever dispensable packaging material supplier.

Though it can also be argued that these suppliers lack organized approach towards pricing, quality and need to work in a framework of specified price band like many paper mills supplying Kraft paper. Is there a scope for improvement amongst us corrugators?  

Book Review: Arlene Dickinson's All In

Published in DNA Sunday Edition 08.02.2015.

How Vapi Industries Association is Creating Sustainable Growth and Environment

Convergence of Industry, Community and Environment

Published in SME WORLD Feb 2015 Issue

We often read about the three generation concept of first as the creators, second as the sustainers and the third are either re-creators or destroyers. Amy Chua has also mentioned something similar in her book and so did Latesh Shah profess in his magnetic talk on “Let Money Follow You” at the recent InEXPO organized by Vapi Industries Association.

Manifestation of this thought is evident in how Vapi Industries Association (VIA) is shaping up off late. This 42 year old association has come a long way in addressing the issues of the industries and now moving onto larger concerns beyond the narrow boundaries of their factory premises and business concern. Treasurer of VIA Shri. Prakash bhai Bhadra said, “Our seniors had the vision to organize the industries of Vapi under an umbrella organization and this generation is looking at specific theme – based issues to focus on and take the organization ahead to newer levels.” Of course they do as is also evident from the VIAYuwa wing which is mentoring the GenNeXt Young Entrepreneur Group.

SME WORLD had the pleasant opportunity to visit Vapi and attend the prestigious InExpo conducted truly on a national scale. 205 stalls adorned the event located inside air-conditioned tents. The event was well organized with ample space for the crowd to move around and check the display. A food court was centrally located for the visitors and a fire brigade as well as ambulance was on standby for any emergency. The preparedness is quite apparent. Such events are common in the metros but observing the same in a city like Vapi tucked inside Southern Gujarat is highly commendable. The entire event was held on the sprawling grounds of VIA. Organizers stated that 200 people were working relentlessly to make the event successful for a period of more than a month.

In the backdrop of this Expo, SMEWORLD had a detailed discussion on wide range of activities of the association with the current office bearers of VIA – President Shri. Sharadbhai Thakar, Vice President Shri. Chaitanbhai Shah and Treasurer Shri. Prakash bhai Bhadra who were extremely courteous and patiently answered the queries while sharing their wisdom and vision.

Shaping of VIA

VIA was setup in 1971 by a small group of people from Mumbai. Affected by Datta Samant’s detrimental union activities, people were slowly shifting their businesses to the city which was not far from Mumbai but geographically detached from the state. Vapi is a chemical zone involved in manufacturing paints, pigments, dyes, pesticides, bulk drugs, textiles, pharma, API, speciality chemicals etc. Today Vapi is at a fully-grown state, growing even during the recession period. They are contributing a lot to exports. Rs. 6 – 8000 crores worth of goods are exported every year. Pharma, pigments and pesticides are exported even to China. VIA presently has 963 members representing 1700 units. Around 60 – 70 large, 100 -130 medium, 1000 odd are small scale and rest micro. The association is totally self-funded. 

Present Labor Union Scenario in Vapi

When you talk of people shifting to Vapi due to union issues, SME WORLD asked if there are labor issues now in Vapi. “Labor issues are negligible. There is no political interference due to the sheer strength of the organization. Wherever there are unions, the existence is highly constructive and not at all detrimental or destructive. If required the association intervenes to ensure that both parties are benefitted”, explained Sharadbhai Thakar.

Changing Focus of the Association

“In the beginning years, the focus was on building infrastructure, relaxation of norms, issues affecting new entrepreneurs, taxation and policies of government. Then in the 90s it was concentrating on globalization and how to succeed in the changing environment either by adaptation or innovation,” said Sharadbhai.

Addressing the Pollution Challenge

We could not resist asking the imperative question of why Vapi’s reputation was shadowed by its pollution concerns for a long time. Sharadbhai explained, “We had lot of pollution issues from 1992 to 1997. In 1986, the comprehensive environment act came into force but people were largely ignorant and lacked adequate knowledge about pollution, factors and technology that can help control effluent or still better – treat them before releasing into the environment. They were unaware on what it would do the environment, water, soil or air and how it can affect our lives. There were misconception and ignorance which had a combined effect on the environment. Here the association worked hand in hand to educate people, explain the issues to officials and started creating a framework to improve the ecology of Vapi.”

From 1999 hazardous waste was collected, treated and disposed on a 28 acre land. Today, Vapi has a common effluent treatment plant (CETP). Underground drainage system helps manage 55 Mn Liters/ Day. The CETP is a company formed under the association to operate it. So how does this CETP sustain financially? Sharadbhai said, “The members paid for the capital costs and now bear the operating expenses too.” What a judicious sense of addressing an issue in an exceptional way.

Leading VIA

We asked Sharadbhai how he manages and the leadership of the association. He humbly responded, “It is the team which is leading not an individual. We work like a government with specific sub-groups entrusted with the role of overseeing difference t areas. How do you think I am able to sit and have such an elaborate discussion with you in the midst of this huge expo?”

VIA’s Focus Areas

What are the activities of this association? “We meet once a month to discuss our activities and circulate regular communication of changes in the business environment to our members. We organize study tours to various countries. In April, we are going to Europe to visit some factories there. VIA has a Center of Excellence which has a library, R&D center, and hold regular skill development seminars, workshops and conferences.” stated Sharadbhai.

VIA is dedicated to Karyakarta Nirman by imparting knowledge through training, explaining step-wise processes. Women are also invited to see what is happening in their husband’s business. Skill development is a prime initiative of the association.

A Rozgar Mela organized every 3 months has yielded good results for creating a bridge between business owners and skilled job seekers. Prakashbhai says, “I have myself hired ITI’s from these mela for my company.”

Broadening Horizon, Evolving Role of VIA in Vapi

A striking feature observed in this association is that they not just concerned about themselves, their business and the city but broadened their horizon. VIA has a Sanjeevani Yojna providing Rs. 30 lakhs worth of support to alleviate the problem of malnutrition in some areas of Valsad. A Hum project is delivering nutrition kits to pregnant mothers and new born children. Blood donation camps are also held regularly. As Sharadbhai says, “Association should work for the society at large. We have to look into education and the environment from where we earn our livelihood and prosper.”

Prakashbhai shares, “From 2003, VIA’s concentration is centered on the need for world-class environment in the overall city. People are shifting to reside in Vapi instead of commuting three days a week from say Mumbai to run their business.”

Vapi is being redesigned by GIZ, German, CEPT, local architects and the industries along-with the government. VIA is working closely with GIDC and other government departments for good roads, storm water drains and increasing the green coverage and use of green technology in the city with Green Global Vapi drive. Parks, gardens and washrooms are being built to decorate the city landscape. The vision today is to reduce, recycle and reuse waste at the source.

A tree plantation initiative is also managed like a business. The association has got 20000 trees planted. Usually such drives end with the planting of trees. Here is where VIA has a different approach. They have enlisted the help of an agency to ensure that the trees survive or plant new ones in place of those which died. Sharadbhai calmly states, “Survival rate is 70% and we have the data to prove our claim. We take up initiatives which we believe in and then put our 100% into it for results and not just gimmick!”

There is a Rs. 22 crore project for disaster management center to tackle accidents and calamity.

Vapi Banse Vrundavan is another stellar initiative in this city. The industrialists believe that they owe their success to the city and it should resemble God’s abode. This shows the level of maturation of the industries from insular matters like profit and return on investment. The association hopes that Vapi will soon be one of the Smart Cities of India with all the amenities and a healthy standard of living.

Going by the adage of healthy body, healthy mind a sports complex for industrialists, employees, workers and their families is being envisioned by VIA. People should not end up in wasteful activities for the want of avenues to be more healthy, fit and constructive. Prakashbhai reiterates, “The complex is again a step towards sustainable growth and environment.”

The continuous evolution of VIA can be attributed to their relentless pursuit in looking for avenues to address and surge ahead. Today VIA is a force to reckon with and the Gujarat government recognizes their contribution to industry and society. As Latesh Shah said in his talk, “problems are in the corners and people tend to settle down allowing their Indriyas to become numb.” After the invigorating discussion with the forbearers of VIA, I am convinced that these are the people who are thriving by remaining unsettled and continuously trying to innovate and improve. And truly celebrating the life of conducting business.

We were shown around the Expo by the Treasurer of VIA Shri. Prakash bhai Bhadra. The scale of the expo is truly vibrant.  Prakash bhai explained, “We wanted a proper theme-based approach and not just another expo. The stalls were also designed to exert the same message“ There were stalls by a wide range of product and service providers. Thermax, Ricoh,  Industrial Safety Products, Pumps and Valves by KSB, Elecon, Filters by Elcom, LED companies like Maxlit from Mumbai, Interior Design firms from Mumbai, Zero-waste generating commercial complexes, Testing Equipments like Fischer Scientific, Technology solutions for Security, Pest Control, Finance etc. Seminars on both technical areas as well as motivational topics were organized during these days. Visitors were given a chance to listen to some of the well – known names like Shiv Khera, Kaajal Oza Vaidya (a prominent woman writer), Gujarati columnist Jauy Vasavada, Radhakrishnan Pillai of the Corporate Chanakya fame and Latesh Shah of the World Human Development Center. Technical seminars on waste and energy management as well as EHS were conducted for the surrounding industries. More than 250 personnel attended these events who are actually managing the activities in their company.