Manatec Electronics Pvt. Ltd., specialising in carriage equipments, recently opened its third Easy Drive wheel alignment centre in Pondicherry purely to meet the heavy commercial vehicle segment requirements. The new centre, inaugurated by Mr. R. Radhakrishnan, MP, covering an area of 10,000 sq.ft., has an in-house training centre for training its technicians as well as local IT trainees and mechanics. The other two wheel alignment centres of the company are located in Pondicherry and Tirupur.
Mr. R. Mananathan, Chairman, Manatec Electronics, said on the occasion: “Easy Drive is the brand name for our alignment centres. The new centre catering to the HCV segment will be using the same CCD technology which has been upgraded to multi-axle wheel alignment. Launched in 2012, Easy Drive is the dynamic wing of Manatec as a world-class automotive quickfit centre with multi-brand tyre and battery sales and service to vehicle owners.”
The new venture is designed to provide faster services like wheel alignment, wheel balancing, emission checking, car interior vacuum cleaning, and tyre changing for all passenger cars and light commercial vehicles.
Such centres help provide for a comfortable, safe and economical drive. Being a pioneer in the manufacturing of automotive garage equipment industry for over 25 years and being the first designer of wheel aligners in the whole of Asia, Manatec’s Easy Drive has enabled the company to move closer towards customers by providing world class services.
On the company’s expansion plan, Mr. Kalaiichelvan Mananathan, Managing Director, Manatec Electronics, said: “We have plans to expand our product portfolio in another five years. 
We are also planning to enter the automotive tools and accessories segment. Our Trading Division deals with all capital equipments. The Easy Drive concept is based on the Kwik fit centres abroad. We wanted to replicate its success overseas in India where there is vast scope for such centres.”
Manatec now exports its products to over 50 countries. Now supplying only wheel aligners and balancers to its 50-odd dealers, the company is planning to expand the product range. There are plans also to launch crash repair systems and test lines for which it has been working with some European companies.
Mr. Kalaiichelvan was quite optimistic that at the current rate of growth, his company will enlarge its market share both in India and overseas.
Manatec registered a total turnover of Rs. 60 crores in 2012-13, 30 per cent of which was accounted for by exports. The company is keen on to raise it to a level of Rs. 100 crores by the end of the year with exports expected to contribute almost 50 per cent.
The company products have been well accepted by major vehicle OEMs like Tata Motors, Ashok Leyland, Mahindra, Eicher, AMW, Maruti, etc., and tyre manufacturers like MRF, Apollo, JK Tyres, Bridgestone and Good Year.