Gedov Transmissions India Pvt. Ltd. (GTIPL) is the newest entrant in the country’s highly competitive field of automotive spare parts. Incorporated in February 2016 by Mr. SS Rao, a veteran in the auto parts sector, the ISO – 9001-2015 and ISO/TS 16949-2009-certified company offers a full range of suspension parts for different categories of vehicles.
Gedov currently has two facilities catering to the requirements of its customers across the country. The first unit in Delhi supplies parts to the Northern and Eastern regions, while the second unit in Hyderabad caters to the Western and Southern zones. The company started its business with clutch assemblies, brake pads and brake shoes and subsequently expanded into disc rotors, hub and brake drums, with more new products in the offing.
“We are in the process of adding clutch release and wheel hub bearings, engine mountings, rubber bushing kits and tie rod ends to our portfolio by the end of the second quarter of 2017. We also plan to open a manufacturing and assembly plant for drive shafts and water pumps by the end of 2017 and launch our first drive shaft and water pump by April 2018. With a basket of 15 products, we want to create a hub for suspension parts in Hyderabad for which we have acquired a space of 5,000 sq.ft.”, said Mr. Rao, now Director, Gedov Transmissions India Pvt. Ltd.
Growth plans
FY17 being Gedov’s first full year, the company achieved an overall sales turnover of Rs. 80 lakhs. With more products in the pipeline, the company plans to reach double-digit crores turnover in the next four years.
“We are targeting sales of Rs. 2.5 crores in FY18, driven by an expansion of our product portfolio. With the country’s auto spare parts segment projected to grow by nearly 30% in the next few years, we are projecting sales of almost Rs. 3.5 crores in FY19 and Rs. 5 crores by FY20. With 15 products under our brand, we are very confident that GTIPL will achieve a turnover of Rs. 10 crores by the end of 2021”, revealed the Director.
While Gedov’s current distribution network is heavily focused on the southern market, the company is actively working on strengthening its presence in the North and other parts of the country. Given the already-existing burgeoning competition in the market for auto parts, how does Gedov plan on making a difference? Mr. Rao shared: “We are confident of our success because most of the retailers are willing to partner us since we offer quality products at a reasonable price. Another important advantage we deliver is the parts availability, timely delivery and dedicated support which is what retailers are looking for. None of the retailers are interested in maintaining huge stocks due to the increasing number of vehicle models since it becomes practically impossible to invest in such volumes. We are trying to capitalize on such a market scenario by making any part available anytime and anywhere, as per our customers’ requirements.”
As part of its growth strategy, GTIPL is also looking for channel partners who could represent its products in different parts of the country. The company is also interested in partnering reputed manufacturers of automotive components who might be looking for business collaboration to further expand their activities.
Mr. Rao started his career in 1971 at Andaman Harbour Works – Little Andaman, and has an experience of more than 46 years in the automotive trade. Known for his skill in introducing new products such as pistons, engine bearings, shock absorbers, EPDM rubber profiles, taper roller bearings and spherical roller bearings to the market, Mr. Rao has embarked on a new journey with the Gedov Brand, with a vision of becoming a one-stop solution for suspension parts as conveyed in the company’s tagline – ‘Think of suspension parts, think of Gedov!’