Airborne with Servocontrols Belgaum

Belgaum is one such place where there is immense talent all around and people around do not know about it. Here is another such company, which makes Belgaum proud, Servocontrols. The next time you are flying in plane, it might be flying with the help of valves made by servocontrols. Servocontrols has also participated and contributed their bit not only to civil aircrafts but also to space missions like Chandrayan and many more.

Servocontrols was a small start up started by two youngsters Deepak & Dinesh Dhadoti in April 2002 in a garage in Bhagyanagar. Deepak has a vast experience of the global market and technology as he had worked in USA while Dinesh is well versed with the local Indian market and its requirements.

Today Servocontrols is in the inimitable position to offer the position sensors these position sensors are successfully used by various hydraulic companies across the world. They also manufacture hydraulic actuators with inbuilt Temposonic position sensors used in civil aircrafts. They also supply level sensors for petrochemical, pharmaceuticals, biomedical, specialty chemical along with respective controllers & software. Simulators for aircraft flying. Servocontrols is one of its kind facilities India to assemble, test, qualify and evaluate the servo valves. Today Servocontrols has entered into the elite group of companies where under one roof it can offer both the close loop solution for servo hydraulics and also the electromechanical actuators and servo systems. They have the AS9100 B & ISO 9001 certification. They participated in the Sir shows in 2007 & 2009 held in Bangalore and in the Paris Air show in 2009.

It is the only company in India to have a Design studio. Manufacturing and testing all under one roof.

Servocontrols is one of the few Indian companies with AS9100 B certification backed by unparallel reputation for quality & extensive field experience. The company has the right combination of proven system architecture & high tech innovations that make it a leading company in the field of aerospace requirements.

Servocontrols has started its manufacturing facilities for manifold block system, Industrial, and mobile hydraulics market. Servocontrols has started servicing facility, assembly & test facility and getting converted into full fledge manufacturing facility along with testing qualification and calibration of electro hydraulic and servo hydraulic systems.

Deepak Dhadoti did his schooling from Swadhay Vidya mandir and BK Model, and then did his PUC from GSS and his engineering from KLE engineering college. His brother Dinesh completed his schooling from St.Pauls High school and he did his diploma in Mechanical engineering from Gomatesh.

Born to a middle class family where their father is a banker, the duo planned to start their own company and they started it from their house garage. From the garage to the present office, they have airborne themselves in the field of aerospace applications. It is still a mystery to their father as to how quickly they have tasted success.

Here is an excerpt of an interview with the duo:

1. What does your company make?

Servocontrols-->In simple terms we make many things, which are very small in nature but very essential. We make aerospace applications such as Engine control systems, Sensors, Servo valves, Actuators, Flight control systems, manifold systems for civil aircrafts and for space missions.

With all this, they are also present in other markets like Fluid power, Steel mills, Power generation, Plastic & Rubber manufacturing, Petroleum, material testing, mobile hydraulics, General factory automation, construction equipments, ground testing & test rigs to mention a few.

2. How did servocontrols start?

Servocontrols--> Deepak was working in the USA in the aerospace industry and his brother here Dinesh was keen to start something of his own, he did not want a boss on him. Therefore, he asked his brother whether they could start something. The call was right, Deepak had on his mind to come back to hometown Belgaum and do something there rather than be in the US. In 2002, Deepak came down to India and while coming back his colleagues in the US said, you go now and we are sure you will come back in 6 months. However, it was not so, both of them had a never die attitude in them and with very little money in hand they started servicing the servo valves and distribution of sensors from their house garage. Nevertheless, the brother duo was firm they had the knowledge and they can succeed and in 2005 we shifted to their new office in Udayambag.

3. What were the hardships you faced?

Servocontrols--> Hardships, from day one. We had little money and our father who is a banker was not so keen on our venture. However, some how we managed to convince him, we began, and now that we have reached here, he believes we have done something good.

Servocontrols was started in the garage with just two of us, we began servicing of the valves, and we never looked back.

We faced problems with everything but we were sure to overcome them and we did that. Numerous people have visited our office and site, which includes the scientist’s community from India and abroad, topnotch officials of the fortune 500 companies.

4. Why did you choose Belgaum for such a technical industry?

Servocontrols--> When we decided to start this we were told to start it in Bangalore, Hyderabad or Noida, but we said Belgaum, our hometown. We wanted to do contribute our bit to Belgaum and that is the sole reason for us to start in Belgaum.

5. Was it easy to start in Belgaum?

Servocontrols--> Easy to start in Belgaum, no not at all. We had problems from day one. People never knew where this Belgaum is. Clients used to think its near Bangalore and they used to call us in the morning saying we will see you in 1 hour and then we told them it is not so near its far off.

The air connectivity is the greatest hindrance to us. With no connectivity now we have to shuffle between Hubli and Kolhapur and get clients back and forth from there. Most people now days prefer to have a day visit with no over night stay, but the same cannot be done in Belgaum due to no air connectivity. A few international clients who took the Goa route to Belgaum said its better we land in Mumbai and come by road and when they are here we face hospitality problems as there not so good or star hotels.

We feel even if the Belgaum airport is not operational, it would be fine but the road to Goa should be improved. As Goa has international connectivity and if (this is a big IF) we have good 4 laned roads like towards Kolhapur people can fly to Goa and take a drive to Belgaum. However, here nothing seems to be working, nor the Sambara airport nor the Road to Goa.

No doubt, we are on the golden quadrilateral but we face countless logistical tribulations. The train frequency should be increased on both ways Bangalore and Mumbai.

This was one part another major part is the government regulations. In the budgets, so many exemptions are awarded to entrepreneurs but in real, we never get it due to lack of efficiency in local and inter departmental procedures. It is eyewash. VAT, Customs, Excise, DIC, ESI and so many others regulations in which most of our energy goes by.

Belgaum has lacked branding and even now we still need to tell people where Belgaum is and what it has in store.

6. How many employees?

Servocontrols--> At present we have 156 employees and all are from Belgaum and neighboring villages. We do not have very highly qualified employees but what we have is able persons who have been trained by us to get the best out of them.

We need engineers from all fields mechanical, civil, IT, electronics and B.Sc. Most pf our employees are not highly qualified but we train them in such way to get the best for the company. We believe that as we have started this company here there will be so many others with their roots in Belgaum who want to work here. We have many employees from neighboring villages that operate the computers, use the Internet, operate and when foreign delegations come over explain to them the whole procedure.

7. Your future plans.

Servocontrols--> Future looks bright even in this recession. In addition, as we are spread over a wide range of activities and industries we can expect a slowdown in one and an upward movement in another. We have finalized land for our new factory and we hope to begin work there soon. Revenue is equally divided in terms of Rupees and foreign currency we do not se much impact of the recession and appreciating rupee. In this kind of market, also we are exporting to China, which is supposed to be the cheapest in the world.

8. What is that you like about Belgaum?

Servocontrols--> Best thing in about Belgaum is its People, the environment, the cost and the talent. So many people have their roots in Belgaum, they all should come and start up here and pay back to Belgaum.

9. What would you say about this Site AAB?

Servocontrols--> Well this site has always helped recently to be in touch with Belgaum. I was recently abroad for a conference and I used to check the site daily so that I can know what is happening in my hometown. The job team AAB is doing is commendable. All the best!

ServoControls

Survey No. 683, Industrial Estate, Udyambag, Belgaum, 590 008.

www.servocontrolsindia.com