The Fascinating Journey Called Entrepreneurship

Chapter 1

The passionate and persistent innovator

RAVICHANDRAN DHAMODARAN

Chapter 1

The passionate and persistent innovator

The preparatory years

Mr. Ravichandran Dhamodaran (Ravi, meaning Sun), is a shining example in the galaxy of the first generation of entrepreneurs. Carrying with him a wealth of experience, he is always pragmatic in the way he approaches any situation or problem. Ravi attributes his long innings in business to one core reason, the pleasure he gets in identifying problems, working on innovative ways to address them, and eventually creating a solution with his team’s support. This rare quality has surely contributed to the success of his business and helped him explore many uncharted areas. It is this persistent zeal he has towards innovation that would surely be a great source of inspiration to future entrepreneurs.

Though heading an engineering automation company, Ravi takes pride in the fact that by qualification he is a Mathematician. Not having an Engineering qualification has never been a stumbling block as he feels it is the curiosity that drives you to learn new things. Ravi started his career working in the computer centre at PSG College of Technology in the mid-80s after completing his Master’s in Mathematics at the same college. Those were times when computers were not too commonplace except in large educational institutions or corporate organizations. He remembers those years as the golden period which gave him a good grounding in designing, building, and managing software for various academic and administrative applications. After working for a few years, in 1987 he left his job to start a software company named Applied Systems (Applied).

The move from one industry to another is due to the constant urge to do something new and develop niche products that would define what the company stands for

The beginning of the entrepreneurial journey

It was in Applied, Ravi got the opportunity to interact with several small businesses wanting to introduce computerization in their office for the first time. Those were the days when the Personal Computers (PC) introduction into business was taking shape. The challenge initially was to make ends meet. This was because of a lack of business exposure to leverage the opportunity to monetize developing software and consultancy services which prompted him to look at tangible products to build around the software. This was the time around 1992 when the Textile Spinning industry was booming and it helped Applied look for opportunities. The result was the development of Applied Automation as it exists today. The objective was achieved by delivering a product for textiles bundled with software to ensure quicker payment collection like any engineering equipment.

One thing led to another and paved the way for Applied to foray into industrial automation. Automation in textiles was in a nascent stage then. This enabled getting good projects to build production monitoring and testing systems. Most of the automation projects were developed in-house and were implemented for the first time in textile mills. This provided an opportunity to take computers closer to the shop floor of the mills, to where the machinery was physically present. Later, Applied developed Textile Online Inspection Scanners for cotton contamination removal using Vision Inspection systems* to aid the textile spinning mills to export yarn to markets where cotton contamination was a serious problem. Subsequently, Applied Controls was promoted to develop Siemens and Allen Bradley machine and motion control panels for several non-textile manufacturers.

After 15 years of executing various projects Applied moved into a completely new field, the Power Sector where they identified a requirement of Online Dehydration Systems for EHV transformers. What interested them in a relatively unknown field was the requirement of an online monitoring system with stringent monitoring of the transformer health assessed before this online dryout* process could be undertaken.

It took six years to develop this technology as it was the first time a product of this kind was conceived and had to get the approval of a power transmission industry leader like Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd. (PGCIL). This product was spun off to be manufactured under the company called Power Transformer Sales & Services Private Limited (PTSS).

The blossoming journey

The move from one industry to another is due to the constant urge to do something new and develop niche products that would define what the company stands for, says Ravi. He adds The strength of ‘'Applied’ is to develop innovative products and sell them based on its technology. After selling it for a few years, invariably it gets diluted because competitors jump into the fray. The challenge then is to develop a product with the same functionality but at a lower price. This can be done either by compromising on quality or on the technical excellence of the product. Applied as a company, does not have the edge to excel in either of these and finds itself safer to move to newer areas. Moreover, competing with other players on a cost platform has never been our forte. Hence ‘Applied believes in developing innovative products in new areas and domains that help the company mitigate the risks from any predatory or surprising moves by our competitors. As a product engineering services organization, the company is currently focused on developing Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) enabled solutions for the smart connected world.

One of the biggest challenges they have faced has been in the way products get redefined in the market. Many of the products that Applied has developed and deployed were the first of their kind in the industry. The transformer fluid filtration products were built using an international concept and took almost

six years of intense and dedicated development efforts. These have found acceptance for the last 10 years among large multinational companies such as Siemens as well as Government organizations such as Power Grid Corporation, Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. (BHEL), Oil and Natural Gas Commission (ONGC), and several State Electricity Boards. Associating with these large corporations has also helped Applied improve their processes by imbibing their best practices. In this process, Applied has also built successful partnerships with multinational companies like Rockwell Automation, Parker Velcon, Rittal, Janatics Pneumatic, etc. to integrate their products as part of their solutions.

The Eureka moment

Looking back, Ravi says The milestones of my entrepreneurial journey could be marked as moving from Software to Automation in 1993, from Automation to Vision Control Systems in 1997 and thereon to Fluid filtration systems during 2009. Revenue or profits have never occupied our mind space and we are always on the lookout for innovative areas that would give the company the right advantage insists Ravi. At International expos, it’s an amazing experience to see the multitude of technologies and updated products. The urge to develop something begins there which makes you move along the learning curve. This passion drives you to do different things adds Ravi. That’s how we forayed into automation in the early 90s by developing local electronic boards. In the mid- 90s when the Government opened up the economy, we partnered with companies like Siemens, Rockwell and started working on Programmable Logic Controller (PLCs)* and built products based on these. When Vision inspection systems became an emerging area, Applied was the first Indian company to bring out a solution applying this to textiles says Ravi.

Similarly, power companies in India were uncertain about how to deal with moisture in transformers. Applied collaborated with a technical consultant experienced in this field to address the exact problem and pursued the opportunity. With the online monitoring and automation expertise of Applied and the domain expertise of the Technical Consultant, the team worked on this idea. Though initially skeptical, the team took the challenge as an opportunity to prove themselves. Being a new domain, it required a good understanding of handling the fluids which the team studied and mastered. Based on this learning, the latest software was implemented successfully getting it First Time Right. Customers in the power industry until then were not used to working with a technology company like Applied. Once the results were demonstrated, the client encouraged them to go ahead approving their product for 10 years. Power Grid Corporation endorsing us was our Eureka moment and PTSS was extremely fortunate to be bestowed this honour adds Ravi. This contract gave them a superb run with several large organizations supporting them thereafter with large orders.

Processes and Quality systems, their backbone

Ravi says that implementing ISO 9000 and 5S certifications have been beneficial for the company. Investing in these quality systems has ensured that the product matures through a process that stabilizes and refines with time. When fresh recruits join the organization, these procedures are taken as the de-facto standard to be adhered to and this becomes a standard practice with time. Similarly, by implementing an ERP (ODOO open source ERP), it has been put to good use. Since most conditions are defined at the design stage of the ERP implementation, deviations are not allowed by the system. This ensures that in case any design change needs to be effected, it can be carried out only with the approval of the management which helps avoid unnecessary changes.

The unfurling of COVID-19 and thereafter

As with everybody, Ravi agrees that COVID-19 hit them suddenly. The situation led to closing down operations. Employees who were in software development and embedded systems were asked to take their laptops and work from home. After the first lockdown was extended, computer-aided design workstations were moved to the homes of the design engineers for them to work. Several of their clients being large Government organizations, (apart from clearing all pending payments) were extremely supportive by asking them to execute all the orders already placed. They were also receptive to the service team carrying out all installations online. All the machines that were supplied for transformation dehydration systems across India were installed and supported remotely. Earlier they would have sent an engineer to each of these locations but now, even at remote sub-stations in Northern India, the managers from the client’s side were out on the field talking to the Applied service engineers over the phone and installing the machines themselves. This has proved to be a good way forward and a great advantage in terms of saving time and costs.

Revenue or profits have never occupied our mind space and we are always on the lookout for innovative areas that would give the company the right advantage

Ravi also recalls how once they convinced their suppliers to provide the necessary support, he found that all that the vendors asked from them was to ensure a steady order flow. Most of their suppliers had the resources to bear the brunt of the lockdown and move forward. Only a few companies that were already heavily leveraged or those that did not have best practices in place were the ones who were in trouble.

Supporting the nation’s fight against COVID-19 through design thinking

Meantime, Applied received a request from the South India Textile Research Association (SITRA), a premier research institution to collaborate for the development of equipment called Synthetic Blood Penetration Resistance Tester (SBPR Tester)* to be used to test items such as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits. Since PPE kits were in short supply and in great demand during the initial months, several manufacturers decided to venture into this area. As these were critical products meant to safeguard healthcare professionals, the Government entrusted research institutions like SITRA to certify these products. Being a work of utmost urgency, Applied got special permission to open their factory. Ravi says It is a matter of great pride that the equipment was successfully built, tested, and commissioned on time to enable SITRA to use it for testing the PPE kits being produced by several manufacturers across the country. Subsequently, other products called Viral Penetration Resistance Tester (VPRT) and Penetration Test Cell were also jointly developed with SITRA. These testing equipment have been used by SITRA for certifying several industries that are involved in the manufacture of products being used by healthcare workers.

Being passionate about people

In the initial years, Applied found it difficult to get good talent as engineers were reluctant to work for a small company. This changed after the 2009 economic meltdown. As per a program that has been rolled out, the company invests resources in grooming young talent in the initial years. Engineers are provided all the resources such as tools, software, projects, etc. to work on and learn. Based on the inputs from their seniors, these young engineers realize that their efforts would help them build careers in large organizations such as Siemens, Bosch, etc. This keeps them always motivated to contribute their best while ensuring that there is always a steady pool of cost-effective talent for Applied. This keeps most of the people committed, satisfied, and secure.

Giving details of their staff, Ravi says that around 20% of the employees have spent over 20 years working with the company and have families dependent on them. The rest are under the age of 30. This mix has ensured that there are good mentors to share their experiences and guide the youngsters to learn. The Directors of the company spend adequate time with the senior staff guiding them in this grooming process and providing them adequate resources to address their concerns.

Leading the way forward

The present COVID-19 situation being an unprecedented one, all the staff are encouraged to stay positive and look for opportunities. One of the best things that has been a spinoff of this situation is the concept of "Work from

Power Grid Corporation endorsing us was our Eureka moment and PTSS was extremely fortunate to be bestowed this honour

Home (WFH). Though not ready initially, the company indigenously put together an environment to enable WFH swiftly. Other than the engineers involved in the production of equipment, people in software, accounts, design, sales, and administration were asked to work remotely, unless essential. Ravi says With WFH, if people stay disciplined and are passionate about what they are doing, the productivity is excellent. In some cases it is much better than earlier. This is so since people log in early, work late, and are fairly relaxed at home with their loved ones, without spending time commuting. Applied" has adopted the Google G-suite for internal collaboration about three years ago which helps people connect, validate designs, and spend time constructively with each other working online.

Though there was no production for a few months due to the lockdown, executing a whole backlog of orders ensured that the year ended well with a great amount of learning. There has been drastic upward revision of prices of raw materials necessitating an increase in the end-user prices for their products which was inevitable. As part of a new strategy that was adopted, it was decided to operate at reduced margins and bring down prices. This led to a substantial increase in orders which has ensured a healthy overall contribution.

New areas, new opportunities

Everything in life is about opportunity recalls Ravi saying how when just 38, he was diagnosed with a heart ailment and was treated at Apollo hospital for an Angiogram. Despite the stressful time he went through, what intrigued him was the cost of the Angioplasty machine (which was around Four Crore Rupees then). He did a lot of research which facilitated him to learn new technologies such as X-ray inspection that became the basis for products built by Applied in later years. This zeal in him to keep an eye open for opportunities even during adversity has always held him in good stead.

The milestones of my entrepreneurial journey could be marked as moving from Software to Automation in 1993, from Automation to Vision Control Systems in 1997 and thereon to Fluid filtration systems during 2009

Ravi recalls how there were always a set of things that they wanted to do but kept postponing due to paucity of time which they are working on now. Goals have been given to all the design staff on what products the company is looking at in the next few years. We have also started working on backward integration by indigenizing several components that they used to import earlier. Previously, multinational companies used to specify the brand of components that needed to be used which has changed today as they are willing to accept products developed in-house under the Make in India program. One such import substitute product developed by Applied is the Speciality Cartridges that has resulted in bringing down prices of their products substantially and has also saved the exchequer precious foreign exchange. Another break was through the Government’s Atma Nirbhar (Self Reliant) program in the Defence sector adds Ravi.

We are currently developing a product for Mazagon Shipyard* in collaboration with the technical textiles team at PSG College of Technology says Ravi enthusiastically. The company has a good number of people in design and development and is exploring how they can tap interesting opportunities. We are working in the area of assistive equipment** to design and develop products which will help people be independent. Taking up product design work outsourced by external customers based on specific requests where we design, develop and transfer the technology to the client is also actively pursued. One such work that was undertaken in partnership with a Chennaibased company for a Nitrogen Fire injection system for power substations has become a roaring commercial success shares Ravi.

Staying the course- the important lesson in entrepreneurship

Ravi feels very fortunate to have found some good partners, like-minded people with whom he shared the same values. We have stayed the course, practiced all the good things that have to be done in business, and truthfully followed them always, making sure that we follow only ethical practices, whether in marketing, service or product offerings is how Ravi summarises the reasons for their success. Ravi also feels that having a good role model when you start your business can help. He recalls how he used to admire one of their clients, a company that had excellent manufacturing practices which motivated him to be in a professional space managed like that. He was able to incorporate several best practices in Applied over the years, thanks to the inspiration he received from several professional clients.

Nation-building – the clarion call to youth

Ravi is affirmative of the fact that there is a lot of support to start-ups from the Government especially with public sector companies offering a whole lot of incentives. However since the country embraced socialism for a long time, there is a mindset among people that the Government should provide them everything. While this may not be possible due to the limited natural resources, it should nurture a feeling of nationalism among people, especially the youth. They should be taught to have pride in our history, its achievements, and how India has transformed over the centuries. People should come forward with the belief that they can collectively contribute with a sense of ownership and take our country forward he emphasizes. The Government can provide the ecosystem but the commitment has to come from the people which should happen through local participation is Ravi’s view. Similarly, he feels skill development has to be embraced. The multitude of skills available in different parts of the country have to be encouraged and youth trained on these can avail themselves better opportunities.

To budding entrepreneurs, Ravi suggests One should constantly look out for opportunities. Learning is the most important part of one’s entire journey and entrepreneurs should keep learning continuously and should enjoy doing it. They should strive to give their 100%. With determination and conviction, they are sure to succeed.

We stayed the course, practiced all the good things that have to be done in business, and truthfully followed them always, making sure that we follow only ethical practices, whether in marketing, service, or product offerings

Key Take-aways

◾Learning is the most important part of one’s entire journey and entrepreneurs should keep learning continuously and enjoy doing it

◾Keep exploring new opportunities always, even when existing ones are doing well

◾Follow ethical practices in whatever you do

◾Get a STAR customer to endorse your product or service

◾Have a hybrid team, experienced mentors guiding youngsters thirsting for knowledge

◾Youth should be taught to have pride in India’s history, its achievements, and how our country has transformed over the centuries. People should come forward with the belief that they can collectively contribute with a sense of ownership and take our country forward

* Vision Inspection Systems: These are used to automatically examine defects, contamination, flaws, or irregularities in manufactured products and initiate corrective action

* Dryout : This involves the removal of dissolved moisture in EHV (400 kV and above) transformers while the transformer is in operation. The presence of dissolved moisture could result in a catastrophic failure of the transformer and eventually be destroyed. Replacement of these assets is extremely expensive.

*Programmable Logic Controller (PLC): This is a specialized computer used to control machines and processes. These are built to be used for industrial applications and to work under rugged conditions

*SBPR Tester: It facilitates measuring the resistance of materials used in protective clothing. It assesses the effectiveness of materials used for protecting the wearer against contact from body fluids that could be harmful. It is used to evaluate specimens like gloves, aprons, gowns, boots, etc. used by healthcare professionals.

*Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited, formerly called Mazagon Dock Limited, is a shipyard situated at Mazgaon, Mumbai, India. It manufactures warships, and submarines for the Indian Navy, offshore platforms, and support vessels for offshore oil drilling, apart from building tankers, cargo bulk carriers, and passenger ships.

**Assistive equipment is any kind of tool or device that can help simplify caregiving or make the environment safer for an ill, disabled, or elderly person. It could include mobility aids like wheelchairs, canes, crutches, hearing aids, cognitive aids, computer software, and hardware like voice recognition, screen readers, etc.

Chapter 2

The expert capturer of memories cherished for life

K. MARUTHACHALAM

Chapter 2

The expert capturer of memories cherished for life

Embracing nature, a hobby and profession for life

Hailing from a traditional agrarian family, his father Dr. R Krishnaswamy Gounder (fondly known as RK) was a well-known agriculturist and proponent of nature cure. His elder brother Mr. K. Ramasamy is a well-known industrialist in Coimbatore. Helping his father look after their farms in Kanuvai, Coimbatore, got him interested in nature, birds, insects and nature photography. He used to capture the beauty of nature through his camera and started exhibiting in local and international exhibitions. There were very few nature photographers in the country then but gradually he came to be recognised as one of the best. By the late 1970s, he was rated to be one of the top nature photographers among black and white print exhibitors in the world according to the statistics of the Photography Society of America. Back then, he had to print and process his photos himself since the output from commercial printers was not of the expected quality. While it was easy to process Black and White photos, he encountered several problems when colour prints were introduced. This gave him the idea to start a photo studio for processing photos to cater to the quality-minded people in Coimbatore. Moreover, he wished to have an alternate source of business apart from agriculture and preferred to take up photo processing as it was his hobby. That’s how Mr. K. Maruthachalam began his entrepreneurial journey and started RK Photo Centre at Race Course in Coimbatore on the 17th of January 1991. Today it has grown to be one of India’s premier studios equipped with world-class labs. As someone who has always stood for excellence, he had to encounter several challenges to sustain in this fiercely competitive field and has become a household name in Coimbatore as far as photography is concerned. Moreover, he has identified allied areas of business that not only ensure value addition but also help de-risk the business. When you turn your hobby into a business, you will never want to retire from it, the way I enjoy doing although I have turned 70 he excitedly says.

How does one make a business out of one’s hobbies? How would doing so ensure that you always enjoy working? Isn’t that an interesting and practical approach to today’s stressed lifestyle of individuals? Maruthachalam shares his vital learning and experiences over the last four decades that is engaging whilst encouraging people to pursue their interests with an ardent purpose and convert their passion into a business opportunity.

The uphill task of setting up a photo processing studio

Maruthachalam shares how he had to encounter problems from the word Go. Importing machinery was a major problem in those days since it involved permits and licences. The import licence had to be purchased from exporters at a premium. Even if one were to get a licence for the import, the duty was as high as 360% since photography was classified under luxury goods and hence was exorbitantly taxed. He had to overcome all these hurdles and invest a huge sum to import machinery to process the photographs so that he could pursue his passion for photography and love for the lens.

Challenges to overcome in the initial phase of business

Sharing his daunting hard times Maruthachalam says Once this was done, I had to encounter a highly protected market and realised soon that the industry was dominated by professional photographers who controlled the pricing. To suit their interests, they expected an extremely low price for processing prints which was un-affordable for any lab which had made huge investments. In the first few weeks, I agreed to match the price of other labs and as demanded by the market. However, shortly thereafter, after calculating my costs, I found that it was not worth continuing business at these prices. I decided to set a price that I felt was reasonable for a good quality product with a decent profit margin. Within a month of raising the price, I was boycotted by all the photographers, shrinking the business volume to 10% of what it used to be. However, I was relentless and refused to budge on this aspect. Even Kodak, my principals, advised me that what I was pursuing was a wrong decision and one couldn’t operate at these prices in India. I remember telling them that the purpose of my being in business was not for charity but to deliver quality work and earn a reasonable profit. I was clear that I would not operate at an unviable cost and was even prepared to wind up if need be. But there was no need to do so since eventually, people who experienced our quality came back to give us more work. This gradually built volumes and sustained the business over time.

I am always very quality conscious. I always remember my father telling me not to worry about people saying we are expensive but to be worried if they say even once that the quality is bad

When you turn your hobby into a business, you will never want to retire from it, the way I enjoy and am continuing to do to this day although I have turned 70

Continuing, he says The next challenge I had to overcome was taxation. Because of the high rate of tax (@13%), the compliance from other labs to pay this tax to the Government was minimal forcing clients to demand me to also follow suit. However, this being against my principles, I insisted that the entire sales from the showroom would be subject to the stipulated tax and there would be no exceptions. Though this led to a shrinkage in business in the short term, eventually the market realised our commitment to ethics and started patronising us for the quality we could deliver.

Digital technology- the revolution in photography

Digital technology has changed the way the world works and has disrupted almost all industries. One of the challenges with digital is the rate of obsolescence which is really fast. If one were to adopt new technology and buy equipment, it would be outdated in no time. That is the scenario true of all fields including photography. Though the digital revolution started only in early 2000, RK Photo Centre was the pioneer and introduced digital photography to Coimbatore in 1996, the first to do so in India, much ahead of the bigger cities. With digital, it is not only the investment that is higher. Even the operational costs including trained manpower are more expensive and increase the overall running costs.

Once the digital studio was in place, RK Photo Centre started addressing all the requirements of customers including industrial photography which involves professional product photoshoots, designing catalogues, etc. Owing to the high quality of professional services rendered, we have been a much sought-after destination for generations of people who wish to have their family portraits taken to be preserved as life-long memories says Maruthachalam. He proudly adds As a full-fledged studio, no other studio anywhere in the country has the versatility, range of equipment or capability to deliver products that we have. You think of anything related to photography, we have it. It is hence no wonder that they have some of the biggest names in the corporate world like LMW, Elgi, Pricol, Roots, etc. as their clients besides generations of loyal customers.

Value addition – the need of the hour

Prior to the advent of digital cameras, people used to print all the film rolls that they took pictures on which used to ensure brisk business. Once digital cameras entered the market, people stored images on their personal devices like laptops, hard drives, memory sticks, etc. and viewed the pictures on their screen. They print selective pictures to ensure they have a few of the memories in physical form. Due to the proliferation of mobile phones, unlike earlier, millions of photos are taken every day of which only a minuscule percentage is printed. Speaking about this drastic change in the market trend, Maruthachalam says To overcome this sudden shortfall in printing, we started printing on different materials. Hence other than normal photo paper, pictures are printed on a range of materials including stone, metal, ceramic, cloth, glass, wood, leather or any printable surface. This has thrown open a range of products that we offer comprising personalised gifting services including mementos, caricatures, medals, T-shirts, photo frames, printed mobile phone covers, and many more. This value addition has come at an appropriate time and has ensured that the revenue shortfall has been adequately compensated. To keep this going, we have a creative team that constantly is on the lookout for innovative ideas and have added a lot of new products especially related to laser printing on wood, gifts, etc. Apart from this, we started offering framing services and are today rated as one of the leading framers in the country for our range, variety and finish. Walk into the showroom, and you would be amazed to see the diversity of framed pictures, drawings, artwork and woodwork on display and available for sale. We are well known for our delicate handling and personalised work in the area of photo restoration. In recent years, we have come up with exquisite photo books to mark any occasion, which is well received by customers adds Maruthaclalam.

As a full-fledged studio, no other studio anywhere in the country has the versatility, range of equipment or capability to deliver products that we have. You think of anything related to photography, we have it

Maruthachalam adds enthusiastically My other hobby apart from photography is woodworking. Most of the wooden furniture at the studio and home are made by me with the help of my assistants. We have a good woodworking unit which has now been expanded to make a range of products for sale. This facility now makes a lot of play equipment and educational toys for children which are sold through our online store as well as through popular e-com sites such as Amazon, Hop Scotch, Firstcry, etc. Of late, post-COVID-19, we have also launched Work From Home furniture. These are made of high-quality wood, can be easily dismantled, and are in great demand.

Diversifying into a new area of business

Martuthachalam says We have a sister concern called RK Ecran where we manufacture high-quality mosquito screens, nets for windows and doors related to insect proofing. We are one of the leaders in the country, both in terms of quality and the range. This ISO certified manufacturing unit is located in Coimbatore and employs over 100 staff. It is an extremely popular brand, enjoying a high reputation and credibility in the industry. This company has branches in over 15 cities and operates through over 20 dealers who are spread well across South India. Narrating what prompted him to get into this line of business Maruthachalam says Once when I installed roller blind based mosquito screens at home, they worked for just a day and then broke. The service technician did not respond when I called. That’s when I got this idea to make it myself. Since I have an interest in working with wood, I tried making this with wood, but it did not suit since wood is broad and the effective screen area was limited, reducing the area available for ventilation and natural light to pass through. We were able to get only 70% of the area in a 100 sq. ft window which got us working with Aluminium. These frames are sturdy, light in weight, long-lasting, occupy less area and can be offered in colours. This was then fine-tuned, converted into a commercial product and launched to an overwhelming response. This organization was started about 12 years back and over the years has turned out to be an excellent diversification and a substantial business by itself. These invisible nets offer 24x7 protection, boast perfect workmanship, are easy to maintain and are environment friendly. During the COVID-19 period, the demand for screens has been excellent owing to increased hygiene consciousness. RK Ecran has recently entered into a collaboration with a Japanese company by name Seiki, a leader in screen systems and is set to launch their products in India soon adds Maruthachalam.

Quality in everything - the hallmark of their success

Maruthachalam says "I am always extremely quality conscious. I always remember my father telling me not to worry if people say we are expensive but to be seriously concerned if they express even once that our quality is bad. Our priorities have hence always been on