Arup Chaudhary | Director | Sotefin Parking
In the highly mobilized world today, the world vehicle population raises by around 4 per cent per year. This brings us to the requirement that this growing needs presents – that of parking. Parking solutions are a necessity for the growing urban cities and Sotefin Parking Private Limited, the Indian Branch Of Sotefin SA seems to have the required answers.
The following interviews with Arup Chaudhary, the Director, sheds light on the various technological solutions that the company is doling out.
- Kindly brief us about the company.
The journey towards this Success Story in India started in the Year 2014, after successful completion of 900 cars fully underground Automatic parking at Kamlanagar by Sotefin S.A., Switzerland.
Sotefin S.A., Switzerland, is one of the market leader in mechanized parking, founded in 1956. Sotefin SA began its activity by patenting (1959) and developing a trolley for the automated parking transfer of vehicles which proved to be extremely reliable and accurate over time, to the extent that some systems are still operational today. For more than 60 years the company designs, and builds parking systems, bringing an extraordinary baggage of experience to the field, together with passion, commitment and professionalism.
Since the 60s, many of the company‘ s realizations in the field of automated parking systems have shone out for their originality and reliability. The innovation and technological evolution of its products for automatic car parking systems are aimed at achieving maximum quality and reliability for which Sotefin SA holds numerous patents and trademarks. The technological solutions developed by Sotefin SA have always proved to be winners to such an extent that other companies, making an appearance in the automatic parking market in the meantime have availed of such solutions in the past and continue to do so.
Over the last 25 years, Sotefin SA has designed and installed an increasing number of automatic parking systems overseas and currently there are corporate installations in over 20 countries.
Sotefin Parking Private Limited, India is the perfect blend of such Technology operated by the Specialized Technocrats of India, thus designing and manufacturing the Best Customized Mechanized Car Parking Solutions of every possible types.
- What are the company’s different products and services?
Sotefin Parking Private Limited, India is the perfect blend of the finest Swiss Technology operated by the Specialized Technocrats of India, thus designing and manufacturing the Best Customized Mechanized Car Parking Solutions of every possible types: like for e.g.
Fully Automatic Silomat Car Parking
Tower Parking system: Pallet and comb type
Puzzle type Car Parking system
Stack Parking System
After Installation, Sotefin Parking Offers One Year Product Maintenance Services with no extra cost.
Also we undertake Turnkey solution including civil construction of parking structure as we have done for Ministry of Surface Transport and doing the same for Pune Cantonment Board.
- What is the USP of the company that serves as an advantage over competitors and benefits clients/customers?
- High product Versatility allowing it to be customs/tailor made to meet customers requirement
- Maximum number of project reaslisation. In public parking garage where “zero” down time is allowed. This is achieved by greater redundancy and superior quality of the product
- 360 degree assistance including turkey project execution.
- Post warranty, Annual Maintenance contract (AMC) entered with the customer for providing round the clock service at a very nominal cost.
- Share with us the challenges faced by companies in the Smart City Solutions sector.
Our experience with SCS is not too much. However from couple of Tender Documents we gathered following limitations:
- Awareness of selection of technology/system with respect to applications
- Awareness of quality and operational parameters
Mechanised Parking needs Capital Investment like any infrastructure project. Hence, financial support from Government as initial funding is a must for public parking.
In our country, automated parking is still restricted to Metro Cities only though there is a shortage of space and parking problem in Second tier cities also. Advantage of mechanised parking should be made aware to the planners. Also the absence of a regular body for monitoring the quality of such systems, limit market growth.
In Offering Solutions from Planning, Designing, Constructing and Implementing the same in Operation and Maintenance, as the Best Part of Our Turnkey Projects. “Our Technology enabled with Thought” sets us further apart from our Competitors.
Such Specialised Technology thus needs a Specialised Understanding Among Customers in order to adopt the same. We face challenge in creating such awareness of necessity of our Design Criteria to the desirable Customers.
- Smart City is synonymous to technology. What core technologies are being used by the company to design these solutions?
We are operating on Highly Specialised Time-tested technologies working on different types of sensors. Combining of sensory data derived from a variety of sensors and then processing the same through modern PLC is our core subject.
- How closely is the company attached with the Government’s Smart City Initiative?
We have joined hands in the execution and completion of some projects floated by the Government of India. The Seven Level Automated Car Parking Solutions of 112 cars for National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) at 1 Parliament Street, Transport Bhavan is a must to be mentioned under this criteria. Our Parking Structure has provided total solution to the immense Parking crisis of the Parliament Street, New Delhi
- How does the firm intend to increase social awareness about the benefits of a Smart City?
We are already into the process of designing various Marketing Solutions and Strategies and shortlisting a Consultant to execute our proposals in creating social awareness about our Unique Technology and Design.
- What would be your advice for the budding start-ups?
For any budding entrepreneur, our advice would be “Generate Your Focus and Practice Ultimate Passion to Achieve it!!”
- Brief us about the company’s future perspective
We are looking to the future of Our Specialized Parking Solutions by:
- Providing Induction Based Wireless Charging of Electric Cars when they are parked in our parking system
- Providing Parking Solutions for heavy vehicle or buses
- Export to USA and Europe. We have already taken our first step towards it by undertaking the process of installation of Automated Parking System in USA.
