Satin Sachdeva, the founder of Construction Equipment Rental Association (CERA) and also its current Secretary General, a dynamic entrepreneur, who has set the industry ablaze with his modern ideas, dynamism, keen foresight, impeccable leadership skills, intellect and futuristic outlook, is celebrating 25 years of successful journey in the industry, rendering excellent services to the nation in building infrastructure and generating employment. Satin Sachdeva leads by example and believes that the ability to learn and transform is very important in the fast -changing world.
Construction Equipment Rental Association (CERA) is India's largest equipment rental association which represents India's construction equipment rental industry nationally and internationally.
An automobile engineer by profession, it was natural for Satin Sachdeva to fall in love with machines that move and work. With his zeal to contribute to the nation, he chose the industry of construction equipments and earthmoving machines and worked his way up. To promote the equipment rental concept in order to facilitate a continued growth of the rental industry by creating an open Indian market, Satin Sachdeva founded Construction Equipment Rental Association, CERA.
He is the pioneer of seeding the thought of organizing the equipment rental industry and the one who has realized the contribution of construction equipment rental industry towards India’s infrastructure progress. With a vision of creating and sustaining a conducive environment for the growth of the industry, he has mooted the strong relationship between the construction equipment rental industry, manufacturers, financers and construction companies not within India but globally.
Satin is a fitness enthusiast, he starts his day early with a morning walk in the lap of nature and lives a mix of simple, healthy and trendy life.
To know more about CERA and Equipment Industry, team of Chamber of Startups sat down with Satin Sachdeva, Founder and Secretary General of CERA. What follows is an edited version of the conversation.
1. What is the impact of COVID-19 on the industry? Could you please give us an overview of the construction equipment rental business in India in the current recessionary phase?
Construction companies were hit and consequently, the equipment rental companies were hit due to COVID 19 lockdown. The work was stopped everywhere and payments got stuck. Moreover, there was no bail out package from government for equipment rental industry. The current scenario of CE rental business is not very promising. But problems in the sector always lead to transformation of the industry. We, at CERA are hopeful that a big transformation of equipment rental industry is on anvil and the rental business will establish itself as a recognized sector in next five years. CERA’s main objective is to transform the equipment rental industry.
CERA is committed to promote the equipment rental concept in order to facilitate a continued growth of the rental industry by creating an open Indian market, at a much larger scale than any state market - Satin Sachdeva, Founder and Secretary General CERA
2. How difficult you are finding to stay on your marketing and business development strategy in this tough business scenario where rental price are declining and contractors are delaying the payment by months, which is resulting in low profitability and liquidity?
Equipment rental industry needs to reinvent itself. CERA is already working for transformation and is sensitizing the industry to move towards it. CERA is working on to find new rental models to maintain profitability and check delay in payments. CERA has created awareness in members to register themselves in MSME to take benefits of Samadhan scheme for payments that gets stuck or delayed.
3. To stay a step ahead in the competition in the rental business, one has to continuously upgrade one's equipment fleet with newer and advanced equipment, offers some innovative solutions to the contractors and stay closer to the client are really important. How new technology are changing the construction equipment industry?
Changes and advancements in construction technology has resulted in the demand of new technology construction equipments. This has further resulted in transforming the equipment rental industry in an unprecedented way that is maintaining a fleet of new technology equipments is gradually becoming necessary. It has also led to specialization and also helping the CE rental industry to diversify into unconventional sectors like municipal works, mining segment, concrete segments, etc. It has also created an urgent need of skilled operators and machine crew to handle new technology equipments. Second, the new technology means less breakdowns, fast work and timely completion of projects. The Artificial Intelligence will make the tracking and monitoring of equipments quite easy and reduce the costs of operations.
4. How do you see CERA progression in the market so far since inception? Please enumerate about the association’s various offerings and USPs.
CERA has come a long way since its inception. CERA is transforming the unorganized rental industry into an organized industry and working to create and sustain an environment conducive for the growth and development of the construction equipment rental industry, by partnering with its stakeholders – equipment rental companies, construction companies, manufacturers, financiers, government bodies and all other stakeholders. It is committed towards strengthening the relationship between all the stakeholders to work for mutual growth and benefits. This intrinsic partnership approach has helped CERA to constantly keep transforming the industry into an organized sector. CERA is promoting the rental concept in order to facilitate continued growth of the rental industry by creating an open Indian market, at a much larger scale than any state market.
5. Your specific suggestions to the Government related to the Construction industry?
First, the government should recognize the Equipment Rental Industry as separate sector. Second, there is a need for “National Equipment Policy” in India for the entire infrastructure, construction, environment, cranes, mining, etc. with specific guidelines, rules, rental and other laws, road taxes, trainings, separate operators’ licenses, safety rules, financing, insurances, guaranteeing payments, for employment opportunities, etc for smooth working and ensuring their optimum use in nation building. They cannot be dealt like any commercial vehicles. CERA is building interface with government and lawmakers, and educating them on equipment sector. There is a persistent need to recognize the contribution of equipment rental industry’s towards India’s infrastructure development and nation building.
6. Can you share few lines of business priorities for next 1 year, due to COVID 19?
Currently, the rental penetration is very low in India as compared to other countries in the world. Therefore, there is a huge space for rental market and CERA’s priority is to achieve the rental penetration as it is in other countries. We are determined that we will achieve it step by step. Therefore, the next one year and next 5 years are very important for India’s equipment rental industry.
If you have a Success Story of your business, please write an email to us at advisor@indianstartupschamber.com or contact Mr. Sandeep Bisht at 9999893315.
Satin Sachdeva, the founder of Construction Equipment Rental Association (CERA) and also its current Secretary General, a dynamic entrepreneur, who has set the industry ablaze with his modern ideas, dynamism, keen foresight, impeccable leadership skills, intellect and futuristic outlook, is celebrating 25 years of successful journey in the industry, rendering excellent services to the nation in building infrastructure and generating employment. Satin Sachdeva leads by example and believes that the ability to learn and transform is very important in the fast -changing world.
Construction Equipment Rental Association (CERA) is India's largest equipment rental association which represents India's construction equipment rental industry nationally and internationally.
An automobile engineer by profession, it was natural for Satin Sachdeva to fall in love with machines that move and work. With his zeal to contribute to the nation, he chose the industry of construction equipments and earthmoving machines and worked his way up. To promote the equipment rental concept in order to facilitate a continued growth of the rental industry by creating an open Indian market, Satin Sachdeva founded Construction Equipment Rental Association, CERA.
He is the pioneer of seeding the thought of organizing the equipment rental industry and the one who has realized the contribution of construction equipment rental industry towards India’s infrastructure progress. With a vision of creating and sustaining a conducive environment for the growth of the industry, he has mooted the strong relationship between the construction equipment rental industry, manufacturers, financers and construction companies not within India but globally.
Satin is a fitness enthusiast, he starts his day early with a morning walk in the lap of nature and lives a mix of simple, healthy and trendy life.
To know more about CERA and Equipment Industry, team of Chamber of Startups sat down with Satin Sachdeva, Founder and Secretary General of CERA. What follows is an edited version of the conversation.
1. What is the impact of COVID-19 on the industry? Could you please give us an overview of the construction equipment rental business in India in the current recessionary phase?
Construction companies were hit and consequently, the equipment rental companies were hit due to COVID 19 lockdown. The work was stopped everywhere and payments got stuck. Moreover, there was no bail out package from government for equipment rental industry. The current scenario of CE rental business is not very promising. But problems in the sector always lead to transformation of the industry. We, at CERA are hopeful that a big transformation of equipment rental industry is on anvil and the rental business will establish itself as a recognized sector in next five years. CERA’s main objective is to transform the equipment rental industry.
CERA is committed to promote the equipment rental concept in order to facilitate a continued growth of the rental industry by creating an open Indian market, at a much larger scale than any state market - Satin Sachdeva, Founder and Secretary General CERA
2. How difficult you are finding to stay on your marketing and business development strategy in this tough business scenario where rental price are declining and contractors are delaying the payment by months, which is resulting in low profitability and liquidity?
Equipment rental industry needs to reinvent itself. CERA is already working for transformation and is sensitizing the industry to move towards it. CERA is working on to find new rental models to maintain profitability and check delay in payments. CERA has created awareness in members to register themselves in MSME to take benefits of Samadhan scheme for payments that gets stuck or delayed.
3. To stay a step ahead in the competition in the rental business, one has to continuously upgrade one's equipment fleet with newer and advanced equipment, offers some innovative solutions to the contractors and stay closer to the client are really important. How new technology are changing the construction equipment industry?
Changes and advancements in construction technology has resulted in the demand of new technology construction equipments. This has further resulted in transforming the equipment rental industry in an unprecedented way that is maintaining a fleet of new technology equipments is gradually becoming necessary. It has also led to specialization and also helping the CE rental industry to diversify into unconventional sectors like municipal works, mining segment, concrete segments, etc. It has also created an urgent need of skilled operators and machine crew to handle new technology equipments. Second, the new technology means less breakdowns, fast work and timely completion of projects. The Artificial Intelligence will make the tracking and monitoring of equipments quite easy and reduce the costs of operations.
4. How do you see CERA progression in the market so far since inception? Please enumerate about the association’s various offerings and USPs.
CERA has come a long way since its inception. CERA is transforming the unorganized rental industry into an organized industry and working to create and sustain an environment conducive for the growth and development of the construction equipment rental industry, by partnering with its stakeholders – equipment rental companies, construction companies, manufacturers, financiers, government bodies and all other stakeholders. It is committed towards strengthening the relationship between all the stakeholders to work for mutual growth and benefits. This intrinsic partnership approach has helped CERA to constantly keep transforming the industry into an organized sector. CERA is promoting the rental concept in order to facilitate continued growth of the rental industry by creating an open Indian market, at a much larger scale than any state market.
5. Your specific suggestions to the Government related to the Construction industry?
First, the government should recognize the Equipment Rental Industry as separate sector. Second, there is a need for “National Equipment Policy” in India for the entire infrastructure, construction, environment, cranes, mining, etc. with specific guidelines, rules, rental and other laws, road taxes, trainings, separate operators’ licenses, safety rules, financing, insurances, guaranteeing payments, for employment opportunities, etc for smooth working and ensuring their optimum use in nation building. They cannot be dealt like any commercial vehicles. CERA is building interface with government and lawmakers, and educating them on equipment sector. There is a persistent need to recognize the contribution of equipment rental industry’s towards India’s infrastructure development and nation building.
6. Can you share few lines of business priorities for next 1 year, due to COVID 19?
Currently, the rental penetration is very low in India as compared to other countries in the world. Therefore, there is a huge space for rental market and CERA’s priority is to achieve the rental penetration as it is in other countries. We are determined that we will achieve it step by step. Therefore, the next one year and next 5 years are very important for India’s equipment rental industry.
If you have a Success Story of your business, please write an email to us at advisor@indianstartupschamber.com or contact Mr. Sandeep Bisht at 9999893315.
