The Gold Standard

Geba Cables India Managing Director Dr. Girish Rao (GR) shares details of the company’s origins, evolution and growth with your author (SSP).

SSP: How does the scope for training in European plants and continuous knowhow exchange with the parent company give Geba Cables and Wires India Pvt. Ltd. (Geba Cables India) an edge in the market?

GR: Given that Geba Cables India was earlier part of Austrian cable manufacturing giant Gebauer and Griller, Geba Cables India and its European plant share a strong DNA of cable-related knowledge. Geba Cables India and the Geba European plant follow similar shop floor production practices, which are completely digital with 100% traceability. There is a regular exchange of best practices between both plants with a focus on fast, reliable and high-quality production. We strive to uphold a gold standard to which our competitors aspire.

SSP: Which unique selling propositions (USPs) make Geba Cables India stand out? For instance, the Geba Cables India team designed systems and processes to deliver superior products and solutions to Indian customers. What feedback has the company received for these endeavors? 

GR: Our USPs are top-quality and mistake-proof production processes that are very flexible to accommodate ever-changing customer demands. We are a top supplier of elevator subsystems and cable assembly systems for elevator OEMs. In fact, our plant and processes are always appreciated by visiting dignitaries during customer audits. Our quality/supply chain team is always applauded by customers.

SSP: When did Geba Cables decide to set up operations in India? What is the significance of the India operations and the domestic elevator and escalator market for Geba Cables? How does it feature in the company’s global strategy?

GR: Geba Cables’ India operations were established in 2010 to provide local products with the same high European quality to global elevator/escalator OEMs in India. Since then, Geba Cables India has grown significantly in line with the growth of our OEMs. The Geba Cables India plant is very strategic to its investors, as it provides them a unique opportunity to expand operations in Southeast Asia.

SSP: How does the Bangalore plant (established in 2010 and certified under ISO 9001:2015) give Geba Cables India an advantage in terms of geographical location, etc.? What has been the response to its products?

GR: Geba Cables India is not only ISO 9000 certified, but also has ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 certification. This means that Geba Cables India is a very responsible company in regard to the environment, and cares about its employees’ health and safety. Our products are delivered to 55 locations across India, and we have a market-leading position in our field of business.

SSP: What are your plans for fiscal year 2024-25 and vision for Geba Cables India? 

GR: Geba Cables India is investing in its engineering resources to develop more products for our customers. To reduce cycle time, we plan to incorporate more automation on our shop floor with state-of-the-art cable cut/strip and crimp machines with integrated crimp quality testing. This will give us a lot of flexibility in terms of production. We are also creating a center of excellence lab to have a complete in-house test facility that will be National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (or NABL)-accredited.

About Geba Cables

With a rich legacy of innovative minds and four decades of expertise inherited from Gebauer & Griller, Geba Cables is a leading producer of cables and cable harnesses for elevators, escalators and PV (photovoltaic) ribbons. Based on complex knowhow, it transfers reliable and safe processes — along with its competencies — to diverse industries. Geba Cables has manufactured products for the elevator and escalator industry for more than 40 years. Its products are used in high-performance elevators worldwide. Although the company started by developing, manufacturing and selling flat elevator control cables, today all international providers rely on complete system solutions from Geba Cables. As a leading manufacturer, it provides custom solutions in accordance with international standards, making customer satisfaction its highest priority.

About Dr. Girish Rao

Dr. Girish Rao has been the managing director (MD) of Geba Cables and Wires India Pvt. Ltd. since March 2023. Prior to this, he was CEO and MD for German MNC HARTING India for more than 10 years. Before that, he worked for US MNC’s TE Connectivity, first as a country manager for the Energy business unit for India for five years, and later as India director for its Aerospace, Defense and Marine business unit for two years. He also worked for French MNC Schneider Electric for 10 years in various leadership roles. Rao is a passionate and highly motivated leader with a relentless focus on business, customers and developing a winning team. His expertise lies in setting up new businesses from scratch and making them profitable. Throughout his career, he has been rated a top performer by his employers. He is an electrical engineering graduate who holds an MBA and a PhD in business management.