Along with mechanisation and automation, the woodworking industry in India is shifting from a labour-intensive to a labour-centric approach in sanding, finishing, painting and polishing. Sandeep Sarup, Country Head of Mirka India for 7 years, is a seasoned engineering management professional with 27 years of experience in diverse businesses. He tells Dhananjay Sardeshpande about these changes and Mirka’s role in ushering innovation. Excerpts:

Can you tell us in brief about the Finnish parent, KWH Mirka? When and why was Mirka India established?

KWH Mirka Ltd. is a family-owned Finnish company and a world leader in abrasives technology and innovation. It offers a complete range of technically superior, high-quality abrasives, innovatively designed tools, environmentally safe polishing compounds – complete surface preparation systems.

These innovative solutions deliver tangible benefits to customers in terms of speed, first-class efficiency, superior surface finish quality and cost effectiveness, even when tackling the most demanding applications.

Established in 1943, Mirka is the first company in its sector to obtain the three most important quality standards:

•        ISO 9001 quality assurance system.

•        OHSAS 18001 occupational health and safety management system.

•        ISO 14001 environmental management system.

Mirka India began its journey in 2010 with its headquarters in Delhi and a strong representation across the country. We offer differentiated experience through offerings with a strong focus on enabling people to perform better.

We house a state-of-the-art Mirka Training Centre in Delhi, five Mirka tools service centres spread across the country and a global standard warehouse with a near perfect delivery record. Mirka India has conceived many industry “firsts” in the country namely:

•        A 100% dust-free sanding concept

•        State-of-the-art tools manufacturing and marketing

•        Introduction of water-borne, solvent-free polishing system

•        A wide range of environmentally conscious abrasives

•        Complete surface finishing solutions under one roof

What are Mirka’s core competencies?

Mirka has been at the forefront of innovation with an unwavering determination to enable a cleaner, healthier and better working environment in every sector it operates.

Mirka has converted the sanding business from dry sanding to dust-free sanding, which saves time, money and the environment. For more than 20 years we have continuously developed dust-free concepts, products and systems to set new industry standards.

As a company Mirka is committed to reducing its environmental footprint – there is a lot of emphasis on conserving energy and raw materials, reducing waste, increasing recycling and decreasing use of persistent chemicals.

Can you tell us more about Mirka’s advanced solutions in various other industries?

Mirka specializes in pre- and post-paint, start to finish solutions across sectors and sub-segments. Our products help customers reach quality that meets the highest demands. With our complete solutions Mirka guarantees consistent quality, time after time.

Mirka’s products are approved by global OEMs and are used in industries all over the world. Our advanced solutions and technical superiority can be inferred from our concepts of optimised surface preparation and golden finish polishing; next generation electric and cordless sanding tools and solution trolleys; robotic automation and precision in sanding and polishing.

Mirka holds more than 100 patents for its abrasives and tools. Many of its products have also won several design awards. What makes Mirka click globally?

With every project, we start by asking a simple question: ‘What is your challenge?’ From start to finish, Mirka actively collaborates to solve its customers’ problems.

Our approach starts with problem-solving but goes way beyond it. The aim is always genuine long-term relationships with our customers. We believe that this is what differentiates Mirka from any other brand in the world and makes it a customer and critic favourite alike.

What would you say is Mirka’s USP and standing in the Indian furniture industry?

Mirka as a brand doesn’t believe in selling you the product for your current need. We discuss our customers’ real issues and provide solutions that make sense today, tomorrow and thereafter.

Our solutions are an amalgamation of state-of-the-art ergonomic sanding tools and innovative sanding abrasives that provide a working environment that the future generations will be happy to step into.

Most of the Indian furniture industry is still working with hand sanding, that too in dust-laden environments that is cause for serious health hazards. We are the torch bearers of dust-free sanding, educating the markets about challenges of the VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity) world and persuading them to “make the change”.

Mirka’s arsenal comprises of a wide range of abrasives, sanders, tools and accessories (L). Its versatile work trolley (R) accommodates dust extractor, abrasives, tools, hoses and polishing bottles, all safely secured in easy-to-reach compartments.

How is Mirka serving the Indian furniture manufacturing and woodworking industry?

Mirka’s innovative solutions benefit the large woodworking industries, artisanal handicraft manufacturers and woodworking enthusiasts alike. Our ergonomical tools ensure high productivity and longer working periods with ease.

Our wide range of abrasives help our customers make a conscious and relevant choice at each sanding and finishing step. Our polishing solutions leave a deep and durable gloss that make the finished product a piece that the end users cherish for a long time.

Can you tell us more about automation and how it helps furniture manufacturers?

With skilled labour becoming scarce and a very high entry barrier due to poor working conditions for the new generation of woodworking professionals, automation is the next big thing.

Automation in woodworking is no different than any other sector. It has been designed to delegate standard work to the machines, while the work that requires a human touch, in terms of creativity and finesse, can still be taken up by the artists.

What can you tell us about Mirka’s dust-free sanding and solutions to reduce health hazards?

Almost 20 years ago, when the Abranet was born, it was not conceived as a product or novelty. It was backed by a strong belief that “people deserve better working conditions and an outlet to perform better”.

When coupled with our high-performance, user-centric tools and professional dust extractors it creates an alignment that makes the working environment dust-free and enables a comfortable workshop where a labourer can complete his daily tasks with the consolation that in creating something new, he are not compromising his health and safety.

In what manner has the Indian furniture sector grown during your stint with Mirka India?

In my 7-plus years of working with the woodworking sector, as a representative of Mirka, I have had the pleasure of witnessing a great shift in the mindset of key woodworking giants who have shifted from a labour-intensive to a labour-centric approach.

They have become more conscious about the quality of working conditions for their workforce and the results that come from a happy and satisfied workforce. This has paved the way for industry leaders like us to share with them solutions that will take their efficiency to a new level altogether.

What is Mirka Training Academy all about? Who can benefit from it?

We introduced Mirka Academy, which is a focused approach to ensure skill upgradation across the industry. It is associated with various skill development councils where it extends support on training technicians and workers.

We provide the facility to choose between basic and advanced modules to both external and internal customers. Be it our sales force, our technical executives, our channel partners or our end customers, everyone is welcome to learn at the Mirka Academy.

Here you can learn about Mirka’s total solutions and best practices through hands-on experience in a real-time work environment. Every year we train over 1,500 surface preparation enthusiasts at the Academy.

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