“We believe in solving problems”, say Managing Director Hasmukh Gohil and Senior Vice President Shashank Watane of Shaktiman, ag machine manufacturer from India. “Our company is by the farmer and for the farmer. With strong roots in India, now on our journey to serve the global ag machinery market.”
By Ad Bal
Both gentlemen attend the recently held biennial EIMA International trade-show in Bologna, Italy. Here a substantial number of Shaktiman products are on display to the international audience of EIMA. “My grandfather founded the company in 1997”, says Mr. Hasmukh Gohil. “As a farmer he helped fellow farmers by producing spare parts for ag machinery, in those days mainly rotary tillers. Initially for customers nearby Rajkot in the Gujarat region in Western India, where the company was founded. Soon, our business expanded to serving customers in all corners of India.”
Then the question arose why only spare parts were made. As a result, Shaktiman started manufacturing rotary tillers by themselves.
In India, much sugarcane is grown. Given the fact that Shaktiman had gone into manufacturing, the company also started developing machinery for sugarcane harvesting. Hence the business further expanded and started developing other kinds of machinery for crop growing. Initially just for the India market, nowadays Shaktiman products are available in over 100 counties across the globe. According to Mr. Watane and Mr. Gohil, the market share of Shaktiman in India reaches over 50 percent. Also globally the company is expanding. Up till now, 130,000 Shaktiman machines are in operation worldwide.
“Particularly in Europe we are currently extending our footprint”, they continue. “Also in other parts of the world we aim to further increase our presence, with a focus on Latin America.
We think that we have a good competitive advantage. In addition to machinery for crop growing, nowadays we also offer implements for the dairy farming sector.
Shaktiman machines are robust and economic with a high Return On Investment (ROI). That is one of our core assets. We have our own staff abroad to monitor and service our machines. However, we are satisfied to see that Shaktiman machines are reliable. We register only 0.01 percent failures, which proves that we are manufacturing good quality machinery.
In our product development department in India, we employ about 150 engineers. Everything we manufacture has been developed by ourselves, apart from components like engines and tyres of course. We have a joint venture with Grimme from Germany for manufacturing potato growing and harvesting equipment for “low spec” markets like in Asia and Africa. Grimme is a well reputed German company and we are committed to provide the same quality standards.“
“It’s all about our good technology, increased efficiency and enhanced durability,” they continue. “These are benefits that apply to all farmers. Shaktiman offers fully featured farming solutions as a valuable choice, customized to crops and soils.”
Comprehensive product range
Among the new Shaktiman products making their debut at EIMA in 2024 are a variable chamber round baler, a vertical feed mixer, and a range of flail mowers. A twin-rotor hay rake topped off the product launches. “The new variable chamber round baler gives hay farmers the opportunity to invest in a modern machine, with a feature set including minimal maintenance requirements and a low total cost of ownership,” points out Mr. Gohil.
“Shaktiman sees the feed mixer as being the most emblematic of its mission to develop affordable, accessible labor-saving, ‘safety first’ solutions that are still to trickle down to many smaller enterprises in Europe.
“A fully electronic weigh scale and a hydraulic feeding gate brings complete ease of operation to the machine,” he says, “while longevity and reliability are reassured by the presence of a heavy-duty planetary gearbox that’s perfectly suited to the machine’s 2.5 cubic meter capacity.”
Also, Shaktiman presents their flagship product the “Twin Rotor Hay Rake”, covering 6 meters working width. With the addition of this new machine, Shaktiman approaches towards its objective of completion of hay mechanization solutions.
“What you can see on our stand this year is only the beginning,” say Mr. Gohil “We have an ambitious product development program that will see an ever more comprehensive range of farming solutions.”
Specialists in implements
Currently Shaktiman introduces 30 to 40 new machines per year. And what’s next?
“We embrace our commitment to contribute to a sustainable future in the ag machinery business” both gentlemen say.
“In this context we are using high-quality raw materials and sustainable engineering designs to produce machinery and equipment that meet international standards. Our company is continuously expanding to cover all aspects of the crop cycle.
We emphasize sustainable growth and aim to be a driving force behind farm mechanization while ensuring environmental and economic sustainability. One such an example is developing machinery for residue management as an alternative to stubble burning.”
Is Shaktiman further developing into a full liner in the ag machinery business, including tractors?
“We will never enter into that market segment”, both Shashank Watane and Hasmukh Gohil firmly say. “We are specialists in developing and manufacturing implements, by the farmer and for the farmer. And finding solutions for them. That is our core business, now and in the future.”
