In a candid discussion with Machine Edge Global, Subbu Venkatachalam, the newly appointed Head of Marketing at Carborundum Universal Limited (CUMI), deep dives into his remarkable journey from steering the iconic Royal Enfield brand to joining a 120-year-old legacy in materials science. Subbu reflects on the deep personal and professional motivations behind his move, the parallels between consumer branding and industrial marketing, and his vision for amplifying CUMI’s global presence. From pioneering advanced materials for defence and aerospace to shaping the next breakthroughs in materials science, Subbu shares how CUMI is redefining the boundaries of innovation while staying rooted in its heritage.
You’ve recently joined Carborundum Universal Limited (CUMI) after an impressive tenure at Royal Enfield. What inspired your transition, and how does your experience at Royal Enfield influence your approach to marketing at CUMI?
Joining CUMI was a deeply personal decision for me. It’s a family business with a legacy spanning over 120 years, and the opportunity to contribute to its growth while honouring that heritage was truly inspiring. CUMI operates at the intersection of cutting-edge materials science and innovation, and I was drawn to the challenge of bringing that story to life on a global stage.
At Royal Enfield, I learned the power of building a strong, authentic brand that resonates with its audience. It’s about creating a narrative that goes beyond products and connects with the values and aspirations of people. I see a similar opportunity at CUMI—to showcase how our advanced solutions, whether in defence, industrial ceramics, or abrasives, empower industries and improve lives.
Moreover, the experience of working with a consumer-facing brand taught me the importance of customer-centricity and agility. I aim to bring that perspective to CUMI, ensuring our marketing strategies are not just innovative but also deeply aligned with our customers’ evolving needs. In a dynamic and technical industry like ours, this balance of legacy, innovation, and customer focus will be key to driving growth and sustaining our leadership in the market.
CUMI has been a key contributor to India’s defence ecosystem for over seven decades. How do you see the role of advanced materials science evolving in the defence sector, and what part does CUMI play in driving this evolution?
The role of materials science has never been more important or significant for the critical sectors of defence and aerospace. It is no surprise then that the best and latest in cutting-edge tech can only find the most advantageous application through the use of innovative materials. Take the example of armour for military vehicles. For a light battle tank to navigate through mountainous terrain in high altitudes, the armour would have to be extremely lightweight and easily manoeuvrable while being combat-ready to defeat projectiles. This brings to the fore advanced ceramics such as Reaction Bonded Silicon Carbide (RBSiC) and Zirconia Toughened Alumina (ZTA).
Unlike earlier where a traditional material was chosen for exhibiting one or two fundamental advantages, like either high hardness or good wear resistance, advanced materials such as ceramic composites come with all-round benefits. One-third lighter than their traditional counterparts yet possessing hardness close to a diamond’s on the Mohs scale, they are preferred for their immense flexural and compressive strength, high fracture toughness, low density, heat-, wear-, and corrosion resistance.
As per a recent EY report, the advanced materials market in India is expected to grow to USD 10 billion by 2028. Research suggests that the penetration rate of advanced materials in the aerospace and defense industry in India stood at 55% in 2021. By 2028, this number is predicted to rise to around 65%.
The greatest contribution to this shift towards greater involvement of advanced materials can be attributed to a host of factors. From domestic manufacturers stepping up thanks to positive indigenisation and import embargos, the demand for globally benchmarked materials and products, and large-scale defence modernisation – materials science leaders have made sure the gaps are being ably fulfilled by the latest in innovation and ground-breaking tech.
With our decades-long expertise in materials science, CUMI is well-positioned to drive this evolution as a pioneer. With our state-of-the-art in-house R&D labs, investment in capacity addition for premium advanced ceramics, complete backward integration from raw material sourcing to component production, bridging supply gaps for critical, import-dependent materials, collaborative innovations with government organisations such as DRDO-DMRL, industry partners such as ideaForge, and academia partnerships with premier institutes such as IIT Delhi and IIT Patna, we are at the forefront of ushering in a new era in materials science innovation for advanced protection of man and machine.
CUMI collaborates with DRDO on several innovative projects. Can you elaborate on the significance of this partnership and the impact of CUMI’s new-age materials on the defence and aerospace sectors?
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has constantly reimagined the boundaries of what’s possible to harness the best of innovation and tech for Indian defence. The key to our long-standing partnership with DRDO, especially on key projects, is that we operate on much the same philosophy. This has enabled us to break new ground at a faster pace to bring in the most modern, best-in-class tech and integrate them with the best of materials for Indian defence and aerospace. What’s most significant about this association is that we bring together our production and research maturity to develop custom innovations within India that anticipate and fulfill the exclusive requirements of Indian defence.
A recent example is the Transfer of Technology awarded to CUMI by the Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory (DMRL) to manufacture add-on composite armour for the DRDO’s Wheeled Armoured Platform (WhAP) and other armoured vehicles. The lightweight composite armour will reinforce combat vehicles and provide all-round ballistic protection at STANAG 4569 Levels II and III.
Our indigenously manufactured elastomeric add-on armour composite panels with DRDO – DMRL technology have addressed several strategic priorities when it comes to armoured vehicles. This includes lightweighting, easy manoeuvrability regardless of terrain, improved ballistic protection through precision engineering, and resistance to impact and extreme weather conditions. As an example, a key feature of the WhAP is superior mobility, navigating the toughest terrains on land and water with ease. This can be attributed to CUMI’s lightweight composite armour panels, engineered with advanced ceramics for exceptional protection with minimal increase in weight.
We are also in talks with DRDO to explore deeper technology collaborations for future aerospace and defence electronics applications and to develop globally best-in-class armour materials that can provide advanced protection against increasingly higher threat levels.
How is CUMI leveraging its material science expertise to stay ahead in global markets while meeting local demands in India?
Ans: Our biggest advantage is the fact that were among the first-movers in materials science research in India. With our deep expertise and proficiency in the field, advanced made-to-order production capabilities, and globally benchmarked materials and products, we have been able to meet domestic demand while tapping into international markets.
There is sizeable global demand for armoured vehicles and bulletproof jackets. We are expanding our manufacturing capacity of ballistic protection materials to help meet domestic and international demand. With a strong manufacturing footprint across India, we have the capability to fulfil current demand with our ‘Made in India’ solutions.
Materials science and engineering is fast emerging as a critical differentiator in strategic sectors such as defence and aerospace. This has rapidly accelerated the momentum for advanced materials in the global marketplace. CUMI has a strong global presence, along with our subsidiaries and associates, with operations in India and select global markets. We are constantly identifying new opportunities and will take strategic decisions on where we supply our defence products to in the future.
Where do you see the next big breakthrough in material sciences emerging, and how is CUMI preparing to be at the forefront of this change?
We envision the big breakthroughs in materials science emerging in:
– Armour from hybrid materials – Hybrid materials are the future of armour as they combine the best of both worlds – superior performance with features such as high fatigue resistance, greater impact strength, distinctly light in weight, while being economical. Advanced materials science, engineering and nanotechnology are coming together to ensure protection gets even lighter and more convenient for soldiers and vehicles at the frontlines while addressing dynamically evolving threats.
– The potential of Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMCs) – In order to significantly enhance their performance-to-weight ratio, metal parts in critical equipment such as aircraft engines can be replaced by CMCs such as Silicon Carbide in a silicon carbide matrix.
– Nanotechnology in UAV structures: Among the focus areas for aerospace is to develop stronger yet lighter aerostructures. Graphene-reinforced nanomaterials with their exceptional strength-to-weight ratio are emerging as the ideal candidates for this purpose.
– 3D printed defence components: 3D printing has the ability to revolutionise manufacturing for defence. It finds application in precision manufacturing and customisation of parts, lower material use and wastage, concept testing and prototyping, designing light and robust parts, and to enable easy replacement of critical components and spares especially in remote regions.
– The rise of Phase Change Materials (PCMs): A sustainable, climate-focused pioneering technology, cutting-edge innovations in PCMs are ensuring their future-readiness for essential defence requirements. PCMs help ensure elevated soldier comfort and significantly improved chances of survivability in temperature extremes, fabricate portable med kits to transport essential life-saving drugs and vaccines while preserving their integrity, design sustainable accommodation for soldiers serving in remote areas, and enable non-fossil fuel-based refrigeration solutions in trucks to transport perishable food products and medicines.
Our extensive R&D capabilities and in-house experts, academia collaborations with premier research institutions to ensure active research in emerging tech areas, and expanding manufacturing capabilities enable CUMI to be at the forefront of this change.