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It is often said that the growth of the packaging industry in India would be technology driven. This factor has propelled inventions and discoveries to a new height and there are companies which have set their foot in the market with an out-of-the-box thinking. No doubt, the Thane based Linux Machines Incorporation is one of them. A sneak peek at the plant, product, people and prospects. The Origin “Though the notion of starting something on my own was always on my mind, things could materialise only when my health became a matter of concern,” reveals F.A. Khan. His slip disc restricted him from traveling and so he had to plan an initiative in the area where he stayed with his family. That is how Mumbra, a sub-urban city 16 km from Thane, became the house of the 12,000 sq.ft factory of Linux occupying an in-around area of 24,000 sq. ft. This initiative not only added value to a small city like Mumbra but also gave employment opportunities to the local people. “All our workers stay within 10 km of our factory. We are glad that we could help these people learn and earn,” says F.A. Khan. Profiling The Plant As you enter the lanes of Mumbra city, least one expects is big open space, inhabited by Linux Machines Incorporation. Making the best use of the comprehensive area, the forefront of the factory carries a well maintained garden. The Linux Machines Corporation is equipped with state- of- the- art machines and the ambiance reflects Linux's commitment to good manufacturing practices. Not long back, the factory had all its operations in one single room. Acting as a young force behind the success story of Linux, Ehteshan (Jr.) F. Khan took the responsibility of plant's renovation, designing and renovation. And today, we see the house full of all sorts of services. “When I joined my father in this endeavor leaving my job in 1997, I knew that one day we would be counted amongst the pioneers of the industry. And once we entered that sphere, we had to change our set-up to meet the growing requirements,” says Ehteshan F. Khan. With the total strength of 35 people, today, the factory has inbuilt divisions for all its operations. There is a big hall on the back side of ground floor where modeling, assembling, painting and finishing processes are carried. A room at the end of the hall is soon to take up the shape of a canteen for the workers. The plant also incorporates a 400 sq. ft R&D centre and the testing laboratory. This set up is dedicated to the development and the demonstration of the equipment. The laboratory also provides trial and testing facilities to the customers. “We invite our customers for a free trial of our equipments. This helps them overcome their doubts and operational issues,” opines F.A. Khan. Array of Products Linux made a small beginning by manufacturing bursting strength testers. In less than 12 years, the Linux product range has expanded to encompass testing equipment for a wide range of packaging materials and packaging including paper, paperboard, corrugated packaging, tubes, cones, plastics, film, flexible packaging, PET bottles, etc. To name a few products of the company, tensile tester, electronic GSM tester, manual GSM tester, COBB tester, crush tester, drop tester, puncture resistance tester, GANN moisture meter, rub proofness tester and tear tester are widely accepted by the industry. The company also manufactures universal testing machine, mini compression tester for paper, tubes, bottles, cartons, etc, core crush tester, vibration tester, inclined impact tester, dead weight caliper thickness gauge, max doser range of moisture meters, taber stiffness tester, taber abrasion tester and taber scratch/shear tester. Latest In The List In the Bursting Strength Tester, the latest model by Linux is the Double Head Micro PC Model. This industry first product offers direct test results of bursting strength and burst factor of paper and bursting strength of corrugated Board. Another new entrant is the Micro PC Touch Screen Model. It can be used for testing of packages for stacking load and transit load bearing capacity. This product has been highly appreciated by the industry and as a result it grabbed the Pacmachine 2008 award from Indian Institute of Packaging, Mumbai recently. On Standards “We got the ISO certification four years ago. They found us acceptable but not excellent. So, our first agenda was to move towards excellence following the global standard of products. In terms of manufacturing, we adopt quality management system into our method of quality maintenance and documentation,” claims Ehteshan F. Khan. Talking about the safety standards, he says, “We follow the parameters of Indian Industry safety methods like fire, etc. We have built the factory with five emergency exits and have given openings at all the required places.” Customers, Competition & Challenges “There is scope for everyone in the market,” states F.A. Khan. “The USP of our product is higher quality, competitive cost, reliability and accuracy,” he adds. The customer base of the company carries people from paper mills, corrugated packaging manufacturers, plastics manufacturers, printers, label manufacturers, flexible packaging manufacturers and users of packagings from pharmaceutical, brewery, cosmetics, food, light engineering, consumer durable, FMCG and other industries. All the big names are associated with the products from Linux. For example, the customers from consumer products' category include Videocon, Onida, Bajaj, Tata, ITC, Dabur, etc. The major corrugators from Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi, Chennai and many other regions are also listed with us. “If we talk of the challenges, power has been a big hurdle in our progress as it raises the operational costs,” says F.A. Khan. “We have lot of people in this country who can work or who want to work, but resources are yet to be fully utilised,” he adds. Presence National & International The Indian market is evolving and companies are trying to get global products at good and economised prices. They are also extending their reach and making people aware of their products with direct and indirect advertisements. Use of global products has become a profitable trend and following this, Linux has started using imported products like gear boxes, drive systems, etc. “When these products with global excellence are incorporated, we come out with a superior product,” says Ehteshan F. Khan. Commenting on the comparison between Indian and the global market he says, “The global market of course is more profitable as it pays you more. But the Indian market is the core as it is growing at a fast face. The Indian customers also contribute to product enhancement, give valuable feedback, and encourage good interactions.” In terms of point of contact with their customers, the company has a manufacturing facility with sales and marketing office in Mumbai. It has also assigned a few company representatives in Chennai and Delhi for the purpose of installation, training, after sales services etc. “We have a good export base with 30 countries using our products world wide and we export to various countries across six continents. We also have our distributors in the US. We target to do the same amount of business globally as we do in India,” reveals Ehteshan F. Khan. Under CSR If CSR is your criteria of rating a company, Linux would suffice you here too. The factory has aimed at hiring people only from the interiors of the city. Most of the population of Mumbra falls below the poverty line and in such situation, a job at Linux has helped people earn and survive. In another instance, Ehteshan F. Khan, a cricket fan, is all set to start a sports academy for students who are not privileged enough to have proper training. The company also supports an NGO working for dependent women. With the help of Linux, these women are involved in papad making business and that is how they earn their living. “As we grow, we are conscious on sharing some of the part of our profits. It is about paying back the society in return to the position you have been given by them,” concludes F.A. Khan. machines.linux@gmail.com
Date: 09-Dec-2008
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