Senthilkumar V, Vice President – Nidec Drives, India & Asia.

India is surging ahead in automation – how is Nidec Drives uniquely positioned to power this momentum?

India is at a pivotal moment in its industrial evolution. The acceleration in automation across sectors – from automotive and packaging to textiles and intralogistics – demands smart, reliable, and energy-efficient motion solutions. Nidec, as a global leader in electric motor and drives technology, is uniquely positioned with our comprehensive portfolio of drives, motors, and motion control systems. What sets us apart in the Indian market is our deep commitment to localisation. We've invested not just in sales and application engineering teams, but in building capabilities for solution development and customisation tailored to Indian operating conditions, such as power quality challenges and environmental extremes. We are not here to merely sell products – we partner with Indian manufacturers to future-proof their automation journey.

What sets Nidec Drives apart from competitors in high-performance motion control – especially when precision, reliability, and energy efficiency are non-negotiable?

Three words define our value proposition: precision, intelligence, and efficiency. Nidec Drives are built on decades of engineering excellence from our global centres of innovation in Europe, Japan, India and the US. In high-performance motion control, such as servo-based applications in robotics or CNC machining, we offer millisecond-level responsiveness and sub-micron positioning accuracy. Reliability is ingrained in our product design – whether it’s thermal management, overload handling, or long lifecycle components.

But we don’t stop at hardware. Our drives come with advanced vector control algorithms, embedded safety functions, and energy optimisation features that continuously learn and adapt. For Indian customers under pressure to improve uptime and reduce energy bills, this is a game-changer.

Can you walk us through a recent success story in India – an industry-first installation or a performance breakthrough that only Nidec could deliver?

Certainly. One of our most notable recent projects was with a niche material handling OEM in Maharashtra, where precise speed control and dynamic torque response were critical. The customer faced challenges with their existing drives, particularly during ramp-up and shutdown phases, leading to mechanical wear and hence electronic errors. This was severely unacceptable to the OEM as they operated on electronic rich IP.

We implemented our Nidec Commander C200 drive paired with a custom-tuned motor-drive algorithm that enabled ultra-smooth acceleration curves. Not only did we reduce startup time by 30%, but we also helped improve overall efficiency, cutting down on rework. This was the first such deployment in India using our proprietary adaptive PID loop tuning in a mid-size military material handling application.

The result? Improved OEE (Overall Equipment Efficiency) and the client has since standardised Nidec Drives across all their production lines.

With digitalisation driving smart factories, how are Nidec Drives enabling predictive maintenance, IoT connectivity, and seamless automation?

At Nidec, we believe that the drive is no longer a passive power converter – it’s a data node in the digital enterprise. Our drives are equipped with onboard diagnostics, vibration monitoring, and embedded sensors that feed critical operational data back to the user in real time.

Through protocols like Modbus TCP/IP, EtherNet/IP, and Profinet, our drives seamlessly integrate with PLCs, SCADA systems, and cloud-based analytics platforms. For predictive maintenance, our drives monitor key health parameters – bearing wear, motor temperature trends, torque anomalies – and trigger alerts before failure happens.

We're also partnering with Indian system integrators to build edge computing solutions, so the intelligence sits closer to the machine. That’s how we’re making Indian factories smarter, safer, and more productive.

How do Nidec’s global R&D capabilities translate into real advantages for Indian manufacturing plants?

Nidec’s global R&D network spans Japan, Germany, Italy, the US, and now increasingly India. What’s critical is the technology transfer loop. For instance, a breakthrough in motor thermal modelling developed in Japan gets integrated into the firmware used in drives we supply to Indian customers.

This global synergy enables Indian plants to access bleeding-edge technology – like our next-gen regenerative drive systems or AI-driven motor self-tuning – without having to wait years. Our India team works closely with global R&D to fine-tune these innovations for local voltage fluctuations, dust levels, and tropical climates.

Moreover, several components are now being designed in India with India in mind – not just for India – reflecting our deepening localisation strategy.

Many OEMs are looking for compact, integrated drive solutions. How is Nidec addressing this shift in design philosophy?

This trend is reshaping the way we design drives. OEMs today want plug-and-play modules that reduce wiring, save panel space, and offer greater design freedom. In response, Nidec has rolled out a series of integrated servo drives and decentralised motor-drive units that mount directly on the machine.

Our Control Techniques M400 and M700 series, for example, offer built-in PLC functionality, STO safety, and communication ports in one compact footprint. This modularity helps OEMs reduce cabinet size by up to 40%, accelerate commissioning, and simplify troubleshooting.

We’re also working with Indian OEMs to co-develop drive and motor, and gearbox kits tailored to their machine design, turning Nidec into a true partner in innovation.

What’s Nidec’s roadmap for scaling in sectors like intralogistics, EV manufacturing, and process automation?

These sectors are high-growth areas for India, and we’ve aligned our roadmap accordingly. In intralogistics, we’re offering low-voltage servo and gear motors with precision control for AGVs, conveyors, and robotic arms. We’re already working with Indian e-commerce warehouse automation companies to supply motion kits that are compact, fast, and fail-safe. We also offer solutions for high end Robotic Bomb Detection Units. 

In EV manufacturing, our servo and VFD solutions are used in battery assembly lines, welding applications, and paint shops, where precision and clean-room compatibility are critical.

For process automation – in food, pharma, and chemicals – we’re expanding our ATEX-certified and washdown-ready drive offerings, while supporting customers with GAMP5 and CFR-compliant documentation.

Our India team is also being scaled up, both technically and geographically, to offer deeper application engineering across these verticals.

Energy efficiency is no longer a ‘good-to-have’. How are Nidec Drives contributing to India's net-zero and energy optimisation goals?

Nidec’s core mission is ‘All for dreams’, and one of those dreams is a decarbonised industrial landscape. Our drives are designed to exceed global energy efficiency standards, such as IE5 ultra-premium motor compatibility, and feature active energy monitoring as standard.

We help customers recover braking energy in high-inertia applications and redirect it to other loads using our regenerative drive systems. This can reduce energy consumption by up to 30% in applications like cranes or elevators.

Furthermore, we have newly set mid-term targets by FY2030 and long-term targets by FY2050. These goals are aligned with the levels set by the Paris Agreement adopted at COP21 in 2015. We will actively implement renewable energy solutions and adopt energy-saving measures. Additionally, using our expertise in light, thin, short, and small technologies, we will work to reduce CO2 emissions in our supply chain by developing resource- and energy-efficient products.

Support and service can make or break drive deployments. How does Nidec ensure peace of mind for Indian customers post-installation?

We understand that even the best drive is only as good as the support behind it. That’s why Nidec India has built a nationwide network of certified partners, backed by regional warehouses for critical stocks. Our 24/7 helpline, remote diagnostics tools, and local repair centres ensure rapid response and minimal downtime.

In addition, our drives come with a long Warranty. That is the level of comfort that we offer our customers. This shifts support from reactive to proactive – precisely what Indian manufacturers need as they scale.

We also invest heavily in training and enablement, with regular webinars, hands-on workshops, and e-learning modules on Application Development and Solutions for customers and system integrators.

If you had to make a statement to Indian industry leaders reading this interview – why should Nidec Drives be their first call?

To India’s visionary industry leaders, I would say this: “If you're looking for more than just a drive – if you want a long-term partner in your automation journey – call Nidec.”

We bring the precision of Japanese engineering, the agility of European design, and the commitment of an Indian team that’s here to grow with you.

In a world where downtime costs crores and energy bills are soaring, you need a drive that doesn’t just power machines – but powers progress. Nidec Drives deliver the trifecta of performance, intelligence, and sustainability. We are not just keeping pace with India’s industrial momentum – we’re driving it forward.

Senthilkumar V has done his Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical & Electronics and MBA from Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore. He has an experience of 30+ years in multiple Industries. He has worked with organisations like MRF Tyres, ITC, Orchid chemicals & Pharmaceuticals, Saint Gobain Glass, Eurotherm, and Invensys. Before joining Control Techniques India Pvt Ltd, Senthilkumar was associated with Schneider Electric India as a Vice President – Industrial automation. He enjoys reading and spending time with family & friends.