Arshad Hussain: Spearheading Niedax India Towards Industry Zenith With 27 Years Of Expertise
Arshad Hussain
Managing Director
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
We come across great leaders from all walks of life but seldom do they follow a predetermined path to leadership. While a few of them may have been ‘born leaders’, a few others set out on unthreaded paths & carve out a path, which become a trend for others to follow. For some, that is what defines their leadership style and drives them. Similar is the case of Arshad Hussain, Managing Director, Niedax India Cable Management systems, who comes from a well-educated and reputed Indian family comprising of IAS officers, Engineers, and Doctors who established their name both, in India and across the World. Education & knowledge was the foundation of their success & this legacy continues. With rapid growth happening in the industrial segment in India, the main focus was on Energy & Power. Thus, was born the idea &need to standardize &supply to the rapidly growing electrical industry with high-end products from a reputed brand. The company set up by Arshad Hussain in 2013 to cater to these needs, is today well established & focuses on developing solutions for respective industrial applications from the manufacturing set up which was built up in 2018, in Bengaluru, India.
Engaging in a one-to-one interaction with the team of CEO Insights magazine, Arshad Hussain, highlights his professional journey within the rapidly growing electrical industry, and how he is making constant efforts towards making Niedax a one-stop-shop offering everything that is needed as CABLE MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS for the electrical industry.
Lead Us Through Your Professional Journey. What Is It That Inspired You To Step Into The Cable Management Segment?
Being a Mechanical Engineer and a Management Post Graduate, I always had the flair for Marketing, however, my heart was into Production since I specialized in Production Management. Over 27 years I have worked across numerous verticals including Designing, Sales, Marketing, Product Management, Business development along with top Management roles in the Industrial Engineering industry. With my substantial experience in a variety of environments including the Machine tool industry (Qualimech Engineers), the Electromechanical industry (Enclotek Ready panels limited) & (Rittal India private limited), today, I am heading the operations of Niedax India Cable Management Systems Pvt . Ltd.
Leveraging my years of extensive experience in Management and marketing of multifaceted product lines, and in developing platform sales strategies for a broad range of Electrical & Mechanical products, Leadership experience, and skills in managing teams, handling P&L responsibilities, and administering Million value budgets, I am set to steer NIEDAX towards greater heights. With my global work experience in India, Germany, APAC, and SAARC countries in formulating market share and sales growth strategy in emerging markets, we are also focusing on emerging markets with co-relation of the suitable product range along with solution provider market segments.
It was during my work tenure in Germany for my previous organizations, that I was offered to start and build a base for Niedax in the INDIAN – APAC market. The Cable Management System (CMS) industry in India was at a nascent stage at that time with very limited standards and limited brands. With the majority of the CMS suppliers being regional or small players focusing on customized solutions, I understood the need for a good brand to initiate the process of standardization of CMS solutions in India and bring about a seriousness on the safety aspect of CMS solutions.
Today, with the global brand and leadership position of NIEDAX backing me, it was the right combination to bring into India and this is what drove me to set up a base here with a Full-fledged state-of-art manufacturing setup, which is operational now in Bangalore, India since 2018.
Why Did You Choose Bangalore To Be The Breeding Ground For Your Company? How Has The Favored You In Meeting Your Objectives?
Being born and brought up in the city itself, Bengaluru has always been close to my heart. I have always loved this place and have seen the growth of the city from a ‘Pensioner’s Paradise or Garden City’ it was called earlier to the ‘IT & Manufacturing Hub’ that it is now. To add to this, the city has a pool of talent like no other place in India.
Especially, when it comes to the Manufacturing segment, we have an abundance of talent that we can pick and choose from. Adding to that, the other resources are aplenty, whether it is steel vendors, tools, consumables, machinery solutions, or others.
Having said that, we did a complete PESTLE analysis before we chose the city to start our operations. Bengaluru ticked most of the boxes in the analysis and this made the choice a lot easier. I strongly recommend a PESTLE analysis to be done by every company that would like to venture into a new country/city and set up a base. It gives a detailed analysis of the Pros-cons and in most cases, a very accurate analysis.
And not to forget, the pleasant weather in Namma Bengaluru, still gets the brownie points as compared to any other city in India.
Bengaluru has not let us down, I feel the location has suited us very well to date, and with the majority of the market share for our solutions coming from the South and Western part of the country (almost 70% of market share comes from this region), Bengaluru holds a geographical advantage as well. With Niedax, my dream is to have one Niedax Warehouse/ Stockist within a 100kms radius of any of our customers pan India. Adding to that, we plan to expand into a new and bigger manufacturing facility soon in Bengaluru again.
How Would You Define Niedax As An Organization And Its Position In The Market? What Is The Unique Proposition That Your Organization Offers To Its Clients?
Niedax India has set a niche for itself in the Indian market, and the journey has not been a cakewalk. A lot of groundwork and brains have worked before we initiated our “GOTO” market plan. With over 50,000 products in our basket globally, anyone would say it is easy to find a suitable market for Niedax in India. However, this is where many of the Global International brands went wrong. The number of stumbling blocks in our way were numerous, and it is important to understand that the Indian-APAC market overall is very different as compared to the more established and standardized Western market.
In the IndianAPAC zone, the standards are still open for advancements and corrections, especially considering the more apt products available in the industry at present. While, like any other industry in the World, the CMS industry has also evolved over the years, the adaptations to these changes are still a lot slower in this part of the world. Although the reasons could be many, the main reason behind this could be because the CMS solutions are not considered a very ‘Active’ component during the Electrical installations. On the contrary, we all know the grave importance of having a perfect CMS solution to ensure utmost safety during any electrical installation. This is where we are stepping in with our suitable solutions’. Niedax is bringing to the fore its expertise which we have garnered over the years in various industrial applications and the solutions that have been developed for the local markets in India. This is a unique blend of what the local market demands and our international knowledge over the years.
In all, we are ‘Redefining the solutions for the CMS Industry’ and we are taking the lead in standardizing the solutions to ensure Quality & Suitable solutions in the quickest time frame. With our XS range of products, we are set to offer Xtra-Strength, Intensive Solutions & X-Stock solutions to cater to every application need in the industry.
In Your Professional Journey So Far, Which Are The Milestones That Have Bestowed You With Utmost Satisfaction - Both Personally And Professionally?
No success can come just as an individual, there is always a team behind the successful man. Every step behind achieving this is surely a learning experience and these experiences come not by chance, but by effort. When I got selected in 2010 amongst a large number of applicants from across the World, to head the International Sales operations of a World leader in its field, I knew I had it in me to build a team that could make a difference to the industry. This role which was based out of the Headquarters in Germany taught me immensely about the various aspects of professionalism which is not taught in textbooks or academics.
Amongst other aspects, ‘Time Management’ was of paramount importance and respected. This overshadowed other qualities of an individual and impressed me the most. When I got the opportunity to return to India to establish and head the operations of Niedax India, I grabbed it with both my hands and set upon building up my team. We were here at the right time, with the
Having said that, we did a complete PESTLE analysis before we chose the city to start our operations. Bengaluru ticked most of the boxes in the analysis and this made the choice a lot easier. I strongly recommend a PESTLE analysis to be done by every company that would like to venture into a new country/city and set up a base. It gives a detailed analysis of the Pros-cons and in most cases, a very accurate analysis.
And not to forget, the pleasant weather in Namma Bengaluru, still gets the brownie points as compared to any other city in India.
Bengaluru has not let us down, I feel the location has suited us very well to date, and with the majority of the market share for our solutions coming from the South and Western part of the country (almost 70% of market share comes from this region), Bengaluru holds a geographical advantage as well. With Niedax, my dream is to have one Niedax Warehouse/ Stockist within a 100kms radius of any of our customers pan India. Adding to that, we plan to expand into a new and bigger manufacturing facility soon in Bengaluru again.
When it comes to the manufacturing segment, we have an abundance of talent that we can pick and choose from
How Would You Define Niedax As An Organization And Its Position In The Market? What Is The Unique Proposition That Your Organization Offers To Its Clients?
Niedax India has set a niche for itself in the Indian market, and the journey has not been a cakewalk. A lot of groundwork and brains have worked before we initiated our “GOTO” market plan. With over 50,000 products in our basket globally, anyone would say it is easy to find a suitable market for Niedax in India. However, this is where many of the Global International brands went wrong. The number of stumbling blocks in our way were numerous, and it is important to understand that the Indian-APAC market overall is very different as compared to the more established and standardized Western market.
In the IndianAPAC zone, the standards are still open for advancements and corrections, especially considering the more apt products available in the industry at present. While, like any other industry in the World, the CMS industry has also evolved over the years, the adaptations to these changes are still a lot slower in this part of the world. Although the reasons could be many, the main reason behind this could be because the CMS solutions are not considered a very ‘Active’ component during the Electrical installations. On the contrary, we all know the grave importance of having a perfect CMS solution to ensure utmost safety during any electrical installation. This is where we are stepping in with our suitable solutions’. Niedax is bringing to the fore its expertise which we have garnered over the years in various industrial applications and the solutions that have been developed for the local markets in India. This is a unique blend of what the local market demands and our international knowledge over the years.
In all, we are ‘Redefining the solutions for the CMS Industry’ and we are taking the lead in standardizing the solutions to ensure Quality & Suitable solutions in the quickest time frame. With our XS range of products, we are set to offer Xtra-Strength, Intensive Solutions & X-Stock solutions to cater to every application need in the industry.
In Your Professional Journey So Far, Which Are The Milestones That Have Bestowed You With Utmost Satisfaction - Both Personally And Professionally?
No success can come just as an individual, there is always a team behind the successful man. Every step behind achieving this is surely a learning experience and these experiences come not by chance, but by effort. When I got selected in 2010 amongst a large number of applicants from across the World, to head the International Sales operations of a World leader in its field, I knew I had it in me to build a team that could make a difference to the industry. This role which was based out of the Headquarters in Germany taught me immensely about the various aspects of professionalism which is not taught in textbooks or academics.
Amongst other aspects, ‘Time Management’ was of paramount importance and respected. This overshadowed other qualities of an individual and impressed me the most. When I got the opportunity to return to India to establish and head the operations of Niedax India, I grabbed it with both my hands and set upon building up my team. We were here at the right time, with the
right product and the right team to promote it. It's 9 years since and there is no looking back. We, now at Niedax India, are a 120 member strong team with multi talented individuals, who strive together to redefine the Cable Management industry, as our goal stands for.
It is immensely satisfying to see this, both personally and professionally.
What Do You Do To You Strike The Perfect Balance Between Your Personal And Professional Life? What Is Your Success Mantra?
It is very important to understand that ‘Time Management’ is the key. You must have a fixed time for yourself and divide the 24 hours you get in a day systematically. I have fixed a dedicated 10 hours in a day for work in which I take all calls, attend to emails, meetings, and others in those 10 hours. No doubt, there can be a few cheat hours as well depending on the urgency and importance of the work, since these are unavoidable. However, I don’t encourage late hours of work unless something extremely important pops up. For me, any person who works late nights or evenings regularly has not been doing his work well in the specified hours of the day. Weekends are strictly for family and friends. They need your time as much as your colleagues need you, so I generally don’t carry my work home.
For my success mantra, well, three most important things which I have learned in my work experience till now are -
a) When someone comes to you with a problem or an issue, ask the same person, what he/she would do in this situation. Never trust your opinion instantly. That way you are curbing his/ her ability to think beyond their capacity. In most cases, the person with the problem will have a better solution than you as he/she is at ground zero and knows the situation better.
b) When you designate and name a person with a Responsibility, also give him the Authority to function. You can’t give him responsibility and be a “helicopter parent” and monitor his every step. Let that person take the onus and he will perform better than you expect.
c) Be with your team. My success lies with the Team. Most of my colleagues have worked with me for years, some of them for decades. They are your family away from home and they will always stand by you and you by them. That’s how you build a team. The majority of people leave their jobs because of their immediate leaders, not because of the company. This will never happen in Niedax. That’s the culture within the organization.
What Are The Transformations That You Foresee In The Current Market Behavior? What Advice Would You Give To Future Entrepreneurs?
With the CMS industry transforming at a rapid pace, we take pride in initiating this change with our understanding of the market and developing customized solutions that are a blend of design demands and manufacturing feasibility. At Niedax, we are leaving no stone unturned when it comes to trying to uplift the standards of the CMS industry to ensure the Organised sector is focused on standardized solutions, as ‘TIME’ is the key factor for any Project Management and we want to provide solutions which are easy to DPI (Design the layout, procure ex-stock and Install in quick timelines). This will make any Project Manager happy during the installation, Pan industry.
Our main USP is our Brand legacy as it is associated with more than 100 years of market presence in the World. Niedax GmbH was established in 1920 with over 19 productions sites across the world and with over 5000+ employees globally. Our brand is registered with all major project houses across the Globe. Niedax India was established in 2013 with a manufacturing set started in 2018 and has a state of art manufacturing setup which can cater to almost 15 km of cable management solutions per day. So consistency and volumes are our other main USP.
For Future entrepreneurs, I would say, irrespective of the kind of Industry, according to me every entrepreneur needs to follow these key mantras - COMMUNICATION -both ways, from the market and to the market. Secondly, DISCIPLINE - Be dedicated and disciplined in your approach towards everything in life. Be it your physical health or your professional health. This will ease out surprises and direct a lot of things for the better.
Arshad Hussain, Managing Director, Niedax
A Management Post Graduate with a Mechanical Engineering background and a flair for Marketing, Arshad Hussain always had his heart for Production since he specialized in Production Management. With 27+ years of rich experience in various fields which includes Designing, Sales, Marketing, Product Management, Business development and Top Management roles in the Industrial Engineering industry, Arshad is presently, heading the operations of NIEDAX INDIA CABLE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS PVT.LTD.
Quick Facts:
• Favorite Cuisine: Ind-Chinese, Continental
• Favorite Book: The Firm by John Grisham
• Favorite Travel Destination: Maldives….I love Beaches
• Awards & Recognition: “Employee of the year” award in 2012 RittalGmbH, Germany.
It is immensely satisfying to see this, both personally and professionally.
What Do You Do To You Strike The Perfect Balance Between Your Personal And Professional Life? What Is Your Success Mantra?
It is very important to understand that ‘Time Management’ is the key. You must have a fixed time for yourself and divide the 24 hours you get in a day systematically. I have fixed a dedicated 10 hours in a day for work in which I take all calls, attend to emails, meetings, and others in those 10 hours. No doubt, there can be a few cheat hours as well depending on the urgency and importance of the work, since these are unavoidable. However, I don’t encourage late hours of work unless something extremely important pops up. For me, any person who works late nights or evenings regularly has not been doing his work well in the specified hours of the day. Weekends are strictly for family and friends. They need your time as much as your colleagues need you, so I generally don’t carry my work home.
For my success mantra, well, three most important things which I have learned in my work experience till now are -
a) When someone comes to you with a problem or an issue, ask the same person, what he/she would do in this situation. Never trust your opinion instantly. That way you are curbing his/ her ability to think beyond their capacity. In most cases, the person with the problem will have a better solution than you as he/she is at ground zero and knows the situation better.
b) When you designate and name a person with a Responsibility, also give him the Authority to function. You can’t give him responsibility and be a “helicopter parent” and monitor his every step. Let that person take the onus and he will perform better than you expect.
c) Be with your team. My success lies with the Team. Most of my colleagues have worked with me for years, some of them for decades. They are your family away from home and they will always stand by you and you by them. That’s how you build a team. The majority of people leave their jobs because of their immediate leaders, not because of the company. This will never happen in Niedax. That’s the culture within the organization.
What Are The Transformations That You Foresee In The Current Market Behavior? What Advice Would You Give To Future Entrepreneurs?
With the CMS industry transforming at a rapid pace, we take pride in initiating this change with our understanding of the market and developing customized solutions that are a blend of design demands and manufacturing feasibility. At Niedax, we are leaving no stone unturned when it comes to trying to uplift the standards of the CMS industry to ensure the Organised sector is focused on standardized solutions, as ‘TIME’ is the key factor for any Project Management and we want to provide solutions which are easy to DPI (Design the layout, procure ex-stock and Install in quick timelines). This will make any Project Manager happy during the installation, Pan industry.
Our main USP is our Brand legacy as it is associated with more than 100 years of market presence in the World. Niedax GmbH was established in 1920 with over 19 productions sites across the world and with over 5000+ employees globally. Our brand is registered with all major project houses across the Globe. Niedax India was established in 2013 with a manufacturing set started in 2018 and has a state of art manufacturing setup which can cater to almost 15 km of cable management solutions per day. So consistency and volumes are our other main USP.
For Future entrepreneurs, I would say, irrespective of the kind of Industry, according to me every entrepreneur needs to follow these key mantras - COMMUNICATION -both ways, from the market and to the market. Secondly, DISCIPLINE - Be dedicated and disciplined in your approach towards everything in life. Be it your physical health or your professional health. This will ease out surprises and direct a lot of things for the better.
Arshad Hussain, Managing Director, Niedax
A Management Post Graduate with a Mechanical Engineering background and a flair for Marketing, Arshad Hussain always had his heart for Production since he specialized in Production Management. With 27+ years of rich experience in various fields which includes Designing, Sales, Marketing, Product Management, Business development and Top Management roles in the Industrial Engineering industry, Arshad is presently, heading the operations of NIEDAX INDIA CABLE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS PVT.LTD.
Quick Facts:
• Favorite Cuisine: Ind-Chinese, Continental
• Favorite Book: The Firm by John Grisham
• Favorite Travel Destination: Maldives….I love Beaches
• Awards & Recognition: “Employee of the year” award in 2012 RittalGmbH, Germany.