Agaram Industries | Solution partner of measurements in interfacial chemistry: Kyowa Interface Science

Agaram / India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal

Introduction of Agaram Industries

Sekine/Kyowa: Dear Mr. Kumar, please give us an insight into your company, Agaram Industries (Agaram).

Mr. Kumar/Agaram: Our company is an import trading company headquartered in Chennai, with branches in Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Delhi and a sales and service network extending to major cities in India.

Our company was originally established in 1959 as a glass product manufacturing company. Later, around 1970, we began handling UV-visible spectrophotometers manufactured by Canada's Bausch + Lomb, and entered the field of analytical instruments.

In the 1990s, we entered into an agency agreement with the American company Rudolph Research Analytical, which is still one of our main products. We began selling polarimeters, refractometers, and density meters.

As a trading company that handles measurement and analysis equipment, food processing equipment, and other supplies for pharmaceutical manufacturers and research institutions, we handle products from countries worldwide, including the United States, Japan, France, Italy, Turkey, and the United Kingdom.

Agaram is a trading company that focuses not only on sales but also on after-sales service.

Yes. We are proud that one of the reasons why our company is chosen is that we not only handle the highest quality equipment from around the world but also provide first-class after-sales service. For example, it has become part of our corporate culture to bring demo machines to customers before they are introduced, and to exhibit at trade shows to maintain constant contact with customers. These activities also help us select high-quality analytical instruments and manufacturers that meet market needs.

Providing high-quality analytical instruments in India

How did you come to know about Kyowa Interface Science?

We were considering manufacturers of contact angle meters and surface tension meters. We were already doing business with a French manufacturer of contact angle and surface tension meters, but there was little support, so we were looking for other good manufacturers. During this time, I learned that Kyowa Interface Science exists in Japan. Kyowa Interface Science had a good reputation among other Japanese manufacturers we were doing business with, so we approached Kyowa Interface Science immediately.

However, our company already had two distributors in India, so we turned them down.

Yes. I heard that we could not sign an agency contract. However, we couldn't give up on providing top-notch after-sales service to our customers. After that, we continued to approach Kyowa Interface Science by providing information that would be useful to Kyowa Interface Science, such as stories about the Indian market. This situation continued for about 3 to 4 months until we convinced Kyowa Interface Science and reached an agency agreement.

I was impressed by Agaram's passion and drive. Even within the relationship between an agent and a manufacturer, Agaram provides very good follow-up.

We are satisfied with the speedy and high quality of information, such as setting sales targets, feedback on customer requests, competitive trends, and regular sales reports. They also make great efforts to collaborate and share information between branches and sales staff, and I feel that they have become a good partner for our company.

Detailed support expands sales channels

There are many manufacturers of contact angle meters and other scientific measurement devices, mainly in Europe. Were there any aspects of European manufacturers that you were not satisfied with?

We didn't choose a competing European manufacturer because they had already built a distributor network in India and were well-known in the Indian market. Also, as I mentioned earlier, we were worried about support, such as specialized knowledge and technical follow-up.

It must have been difficult to sell our equipment in the Indian market, where European manufacturers are famous.

Kyowa Interface Science was virtually unknown in India, and it wasn't easy to sell it initially. Potential customers will probably buy it if it's a well-known manufacturer, even if you don't make detailed suggestions. However, there is no doubt that Kyowa Interface Science is a manufacturer that provides excellent equipment. Therefore, we purchased a demo device from Agaram and brought it to the sites of customers we had inquiries about and had customers come to our office to demonstrate and promote Kyowa Interface Science's products. Many customers have accepted this, leading to the expansion of sales channels. Kyowa Interface Science's generous and prompt support is also helpful when making customer proposals. In particular, we are very grateful for the useful information we received regarding application introductions and technical problem-solving methods. It also helps keep the sales staff motivated.

Thank you. How would you like to suggest our equipment?

Compared to other devices handled by Agaram, the contact angle meter is a device that is difficult to propose to customers because its usage and data evaluation methods are not conventional. However, even in such situations, we have strong support from Kyowa Interface Science, which makes it easy to make proposals and helps with sales. At our company, we place great importance on presenting proposals face-to-face with customers, and we strive to differentiate ourselves from competing agencies by holding frequent demonstrations. Thanks to the support from Kyowa Interface Science, we can maintain this system, and the sale of contact angle meters has also helped us build deep relationships of trust with our customers. In addition, we have more opportunities to learn new technical information. In addition to the pharmaceutical industry, our main target, we have acquired new customers in the oil, agrochemical, and textile industries and universities. We hope that KYOWA will be on par with the rest of the world.

 

We hope that KYOWA will be on par with the rest of the world.

I hope to continue supporting you in various ways. Please let us know if you have any future prospects or requests for our company.

Our immediate goal is to increase sales by 2.5 times the current level in five years. We believe that developing new customers and repeat sales will be important to achieve this. Additionally, to expand the market, Kyowa Interface Science's products must become more well-known. We hope that Kyowa Interface Science will also develop products on par with famous manufacturers in Western countries.

What do you feel our company lacks compared to other companies' equipment?

While Kyowa's equipment is practical, European manufacturers have a variety of functions. Kyowa Interface Science can offer products to customers if they request them, even if the functionality is unnecessary. There are cases like this, and it can be frustrating. I hope that Kyowa Interface Science will realize a development strategy that includes diverse products.

To meet those expectations, our company will continue to explore measures to increase our competitiveness. Thank you very much for speaking with me today.