In a Discussion with Mr. Sachin Sabnis, Managing Director of BFPL – Belgaum Ferrocast(India) Pvt. Ltd., and President, Laghu Udyog Bharti Karnataka Chapter.
Could you please provide us with more information about IMS Foundation?
“Basically, we started IMS Foundation to facilitate various industrial activities conducted under Laghu Udyog Bharti Bharati. IMS Foundation operates throughout Karnataka, not only in Belgavi but also across India, whenever we have an opportunity to engage in industrial endeavors. Currently, the main activities of IMS Foundation include organizing a B2B exhibition for aviation and aerospace held every alternate year in Bangalore at BIEC known as IMS Show. We have already completed nearly five editions of this exhibition, with a significant response, involving more than 650 participants and considerable participation from the defense and aerospace sectors.
In addition to the exhibition, we organize something called Tech Bharat to promote the startup ecosystem. We have already completed three editions of Tech Bharat, with the most recent one being held last year in Mysuru, focusing primarily on the food and agricultural industries, as well as food and Agri-tech. Another initiative we’re involved in is called Gram Shilpi, aimed at assisting rural entrepreneurs and artisans in showcasing their products and developing a market for them, along with implementing technological interventions to enhance their global competitiveness.
Apart from these initiatives, we are also exploring opportunities to work in the FPO (Farmers Producer Organizations) space by establishing a facilitation center to help them enter the global market. Additionally, we aim to support women entrepreneurship by providing guidance and support to around 500 women entrepreneurs over a three-year period, with the goal of making them self-sufficient and able to support their families. Furthermore, we are considering initiatives in the medical and healthcare sectors, particularly targeting industrial workers and other populations.”
As the President of Laghu Udyog Bharti – Karnataka Chapter, could you highlight the changes you’ve observed in the industry and elaborate on the role and impact of the organization moving forward?
“Honestly speaking, we are all, especially in the industrial fraternity, in a very, very exciting phase. Basically, a lot of things are changing. We have seen in the last 10 or 15 years, many changes occurring, and along with that, Laghu Udyog Bharati is also working on hand-holding our industry members in skilling,, entrepreneurship, technology upgrading, as well as training programs and other areas. Basically, we are striving to do that. So, we are working in that space where we hand-hold our members to take them to the next stage. Because our whole motive is first to cater to or help with entrepreneurship, that is, entrepreneurship development programs. That is what we aim for. We visit colleges, trying to motivate them to be entrepreneurs or to become entrepreneurs rather than being employed. We look for people who can be employers and create employment in this country, as well as people who are already in the industry. We aim to help them with innovation research. Skilling is an important part. So, overall, we have a full package where we can just hand-hold them and transform them into existing entrepreneurs, from perhaps moving them from micro to small, and small to medium. I think that’s the job we have at hand.”
We are keen to understand the ecosystem that Belagavi offers to organizations to facilitate growth in the region ?.
It is the individual spirit of the people of Belagavi who have been entrepreneurial for more than 75 to 100 years. There are many companies that have also completed 75 years of existence in Balgavi. So, I would give credit to the entrepreneurial spirit of the people of Belagavi,. The skill set is available here, The availability of raw materials is notable, as Belgavi is a hub for foundries. Foundries essentially began in Balgavi because of the existing skill set. People were present, tied to both the city and agrarian economy, with agriculture being predominant. Many people used to come and work during free time when they could not engage in farming. Thus, labor was readily available. Initially, cheap labor was available, though this is not the case now. Now, it’s a level playing field everywhere, but over the years, this development has nurtured the skills of the people and contributed to the growth of the entrepreneurial ecosystem or landscape of Belagavi.
Could you please provide us with insights into your company and the journey of BEFL?
“I’m a first-generation entrepreneur, basically, I’m a Belagavi native. So, I wanted to do something here rather than going abroad. In 1993, I completed my engineering; maybe I could have gone abroad then, during the Y2K era, like many of my friends who shifted to the IT field. However, I continued in manufacturing, stayed in Belagavi, and started my own company. We began back in 1995 after gaining a couple of years of experience, focusing on manufacturing gray and ductile casting components. We have two foundries and a machine shop, supplying to global customers. We’re proud to mention that we were one of the first suppliers to Rolls Royce in Germany. The entire journey has been a learning experience, and today, over 25% of our sales come from exports. We cater to various industries like stationary engines, automobile compressors, gearboxes, and pumps. Being an entrepreneur has been fulfilling, and over the years, we’ve been able to employ more than 600 people across all our companies, which gives me a lot of satisfaction and peace of mind.
“Make in Belagavi. Made for the World.” Can you elaborate on the exports your company engages in and shed some light on the overall export volume from Belagavi as a city?
You know, Belagavi district contributes significantly to exports. Currently, it ranks #2 in Karnataka in terms of exports. Karnataka’s total export volume is estimated to be around $25 billion annually, with Belagavi contributing over 5000 crores in exports. Last year alone, Belagavi’s exports amounted to 4800 crores. The district is renowned as the “Sugar Bowl of Karnataka,” with numerous sugar factories driving a significant portion of its exports. Additionally, Belagavi exports a diverse range of products, including aviation products, defense-related components, hydraulics, foundry castings (both gray and ductile), crankshafts, hydraulic machinery, tapes, and helmets . The district serves as a hub for various industries, making it a significant contributor to the state’s export economy. With the ongoing growth and development, it’s anticipated that by 2023-2024, Belagavi’s exports could exceed 5000 crores annually.