INTERVIEW: PRO AUDIO MANUFACTURING
Riding the Indian Sound Waves; The Ahuja Legacy
Sandeep Ahuja, Sr. Vice President of Ahuja Radios
Established in 1940, Ahuja Radio is one of India’s leading manufacturer & exporter of Public Address Equipment. Ahuja products are available across the country through a network of over 500 dealers and the company exports to over 50 countries in 5 continents across the globe. AV-ICN got in touch with Sandeep Ahuja, Sr. Vice President of Ahuja Radios to learn more about the Ahuja growth trajectory in the Indian market and the company’s plans for the future.
Tell us a little about Ahuja’s journey in the Indian pro audio industry.
Ahuja Radios owes its inception to the visionary zeal and courageous initiative of its founder Mr. Amar Nath Ahuja, who in 1940, espoused and championed the philosophy and concept of “Atmanirbharta“ or self-reliance, which has become the buzz-word only today. This because 81 years ago India was not only importing everything including Public Address and Professional Audio Equipment, but also that maintenance and efficient after sales service was either non-existent or prohibitively expensive. Hence germinated the idea of an Indian Product for Indian Customers subscribing to Indian ethos. Ever since Ahuja has progressed continuously achieving one milestone after another.
What is Ahuja’s Mantra for success?
Products designed and developed after careful and thorough research into the specific needs and requirements of the customers in India and abroad. Focus has always been on to make products of the highest quality, which offers utmost reliability in performance over many many years of sustained and regular use. Fulfilling customers’ needs, with an assurance of prompt and affordable after-sales service, through a wide Dealer network.
Ahuja’s philosophy has been to deliver products at the best possible price. Today, when Ahuja is one of India’s largest pro audio companies, is it still possible to maintain a Low-cost perspective?
Ahuja is conscious of the fact that Indian customers want impeccable quality and robustness at affordable prices, and there lies Ahuja’s success. At Ahuja, we have always believed and offered products which are “value for money”. There has never been any compromise on the quality of components that go into the manufacture of Ahuja products, which are procured from the best sources and yet at the best prices. Even today Ahuja products compete with the best brands in the world and are much lower priced, than others.
Mr. Sandeep Ahuja, Sr. Vice President, Ahuja Radios, receiving the National Quality Award in October 2006 from Sh, Pranab Mukherjee, the then Defence Minister.
What is your strategy to ensure the quality and reputation of the Ahuja Brand?
As mentioned above:
- a) Using components sourced from most reputed vendors / suppliers, adopting best manufacturing and stringent quality control practices & procedures with the sole objective of delivering “zero defect” products backed by the promise of prompt after sale service.
- b) To ensure every feedback from customers is taken most seriously and acted upon in the right earnest.
- c) This differentiates Ahuja from others including many international brands and places it higher in brand recall.
Ahuja Dealer Conference
Ahuja is known primarily for its vast dealer network. How do you manage to continue to grow a network of loyal dealers?
Ahuja considers an association with dealers and wholesalers/distributors as the most sacred, and preserves these relationships for years together. Dealers’ feedback, suggestions and advice, however small, is taken most seriously, like gospel, at all including the highest levels of management and ownership. By maintaining a good relationship with the Dealers and by being supportive to them ensures perpetual loyalty of Dealers.
Going by the new momentum in the Indian market of local production / Make in India, how are you expecting to leverage Ahuja’s long history with regards to:
- a) With regards to the brand:
Ahuja is perhaps the ONLY brand in Public Address, and arguably in electronics, in India, which has the unique distinction of celebrating 81 glorious years of constant progress and undiminished customer and user loyalty. This itself fortifies Ahuja’s position and becomes the first brand with recall value in the minds of the customers/users.
- b) With regards to distribution:
Ahuja has a very well established and wide spread distribution (sales) network. This makes Ahuja an easily available and serviceable at every nook and corner of India. From Ladakh in the north to Trivandrum in the south, from Bhuj in the west to Mokokchung in the east, Ahuja Dealers promote and popularise Ahuja. Customers do not have to wait to get their requirements fulfilled. Everything is available at all times.
- c) With regards to product development and manufacturing:
Late Prime Minister Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru visits the Ahuja Factory
Ahuja has a Research & Development wing duly accredited by the Govt of India, which again is a rare feat for any Indian company. And most modern manufacturing facilities spread across Delhi NCR help Ahuja meet all market requirements.
Ahuja has great strength and asset in factory spaces. What government support do you want for Production Linked Incentive? Are/will you utilize this to deepen manufacturing in India?
While the Government is encouraging local manufacture, it is our sincere wish that state of the art testing facilities measuring to international standards are set up by the Government which will help companies like Ahuja to cater to domestic as well as compete in international markets. Also for our kind of products, test facilities for products conforming to EN-54 (international) standards are also made available which is now the norm all over the developed world.
Do you feel manufacturing in India is compromised due to lack of component manufacturing in the country?
Yes. We wish international quality components are manufactured and available uninterruptedly in India which will greatly help dedicated manufacturers like us and will reduce dependence on imports.
To be a major manufacturer in the pro audio arena what according to you is the kind of vision that is required
Constantly attempting to understand the customers’ changing requirements and always investing in the best and latest technologies.
What is Ahuja’s greatest strength - is it brand, innovation, distribution or Finances?
A combination of all of the above and sentiment of Patience, Persistence, Passion, Perseverance, and Perspiration.. Not simply what Ahuja does, but how it does, with a boldness that inspires the entire PA industry.
India could have another 100 years of Public Address and yet not see anything like AHUJA
What is your vision for Ahuja for the next 5 years?
India is witnessing a major thrust and focus on infrastructure development across various sectors. Ahuja is alive to this opportunity and is committed to contributing to this by offering relevant international standard Public Address, Source Reinforcement and Emergency Evacuation products and solutions, for decades to come.