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How do you assess the current market scenario?
The slowdown on infra projects and other environmental issues is adversely impacting growth prospects. The slowdown in the crushing and screening plants started only this academic year, and basically it stalls the progress of major infra projects. Development of products is a part of our manufacturing programme to suit to the changing needs of the construction and mining industry. Our focus is on sand plants, quality sand production machinery.

Which are the verticals that drive the demand for crushers and screens?
Commercial plants and road sector projects, especially sand plants, energy and cost-effective plants of capacities 250-350 tph and environmental friendly plants, in other words, cost-effective production is the main demand driver.

What is the impact of the devaluation of the rupee on Puzzolana's performance?
Increased cost of production in terms hike in fuel and power costs, along with imports, is how it has impacted us. While we cannot turn away from this issue, we have enhanced our focus on export business, planning and inventory monitoring/control and cost-effective solutions like the refurbishment of equipment.

What are the value-for-money propositions from Puzzolana, especially in these troubling times?
Our plans run to effective plant capacities in terms of better utilisation, parts planning, product mix and value addition of the product by converting plants to produce more manufactured sand, etc.

Has the slowdown given you the chance to focus more on servicing the clients?
It helped us study the existing plants and implement energy saving solutions, put more focus on parts and spares inventory monitoring and periodic/ planned services, and also helped us modify and add equipment which can result in reduction of cost/tonne.

What are measures you have taken to augment dealership and spares availability?
We have increased the stock points, so that the breakdown time of plants is reduced, and have been focusing on pre-planned service support/visits, etc. Today, there are many suppliers of crushing plants and the competition is increasing, however the customers look to Puzzolana to be a solution partner rather than the mere supplier of a plant.

What are the latest product/technology trends in crushers and screens?
They are plants of higher capacities say +300 TPH plants, quality manufactured sand plants with control of ultra fines.

How do you assess the performance so far in 2013?
Compared to last year, this year's business volumes have been low. We are focusing on consolidation and control of inventories and expect the business to grow by early 2014.

How do you assess Excon 2013 as a platform?
We are looking to launch the new Puzzolana products that will produce quality sand especially concrete sand and plaster sand with the most cost-effective indigenous technology and knowhow at Excon.