From the beginning, my father believed in investing ahead of the curve, whether in modern machinery, global collaborations, or manufacturing capabilities
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Now, with the global manufacturing industry undergoing significant transformations, Elecon remains at the forefront of innovation, continuing to invest in its operational strategy to be a reliable partner to its customers across the globe. With 2026 marking the Group’ s 75th anniversary, we sit down for an exclusive interview with Prayasvin Patel, Chairman and Managing Director of Elecon and son of Shri Bhanubhai Patel, to dive deeper into the company’ s current operations and uncover what lies ahead. Representing the business’ third generation of family leadership, Mr P. Patel begins our conversation by sharing insights into his own career journey thus far.
“ I joined the company in 1983 after completing my Mechanical Engineering degree and an MBA from Loyola University in the United States. Looking back, I often feel I should have started at the shop-floor level because practical experience teaches lessons that no classroom can provide,” he recounts.
▼ Prayasvin Patel, Elecon Group Chairman and Managing Director
From the beginning, my father believed in investing ahead of the curve, whether in modern machinery, global collaborations, or manufacturing capabilities
“ However, circumstances required me to take on leadership responsibilities quite early. Initially, I focused on the gear division, which, at that time, required greater management attention. We invested heavily in technology, automation, and modern manufacturing systems, laying the foundation for what has become one of Asia’ s largest industrial gear businesses today.
“ Following my father’ s untimely demise in 2006, I assumed responsibility for the Group’ s overall operations,” he says.“ Throughout my journey, I’ ve believed in empowering capable people, decentralizing decision-making, and encouraging accountability. Leadership is about creating an organization that performs consistently rather than depending on one individual.”
A defining milestone in Elecon’ s global journey came in 2010 with the acquisition of Radicon and Benzlers from UK-based
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