“Serio 4000 will grow dynamically, in sync with customers’ needs”

Wednesday, February 19, 2014: Immediately after the Serio 4000 was unveiled at Productronica 2013 in Munich, Germany, the ASYS Group chose to launch this new printer platform in India. On November 27, it was launched in Delhi and will be ready for sale nationwide in Q2 2014. In a conversation with Srabani Sen of Electronics Bazaar, Wolfgang Heinecke, director, sales and service, the ASYS Group, highlighted the suitability of the new printer for the Indian market. “The machine has been developed keeping the price sensitive factor of the Asian market in mind,” he says.

EB: Last month, you launched Serio 4000 in India. What is the feedback you are getting from the Indian market?

The immediate feedback from customers is encouraging. The technical competency of Serio 4000 is being appreciated. Customers have agreed that the many features offered by Serio 4000 is what they wanted to experience. Most customers we contacted for feedback said they are waiting for the sales release in 2014. We are extremely grateful to them for being so forthright in their responses.

EB: What is the demand like for SMT printers in India? Where is this demand coming from? Do you feel that manufacturing is increasing in India?

The demand exists and is growing. We hope 2014 will lead us forward into a more productive next few years. With the brief interactions I have had in India, I understand that the industry is poised to grow, and this growth is mostly going to come from sectors like automotive, EMS, lighting and a few other industry verticals which are showing positive signs.

EB: Why has the ASYS Group chosen India to launch its new printer platform, Serio 4000?

The existing XPRT 3 and 5 print platforms have reached the end of their lives, having been six to eight years in production and, hence, users are looking for a new printer platform. So a new platform was certainly required. Serio 4000, by its very nature, is a unique scalable printing platform for those who want no compromises in terms of flexibility and performance. It will grow with the tasks required of it, and can be adapted with absolute ease to customers’ changing needs.

With the Indian government initiatives, India today is poised for growth and the ASYS Group expects manufacturing to increase, making India an important destination for the company. Since manufacturing companies will grow dynamically, they will also be happy to have equipment that grows with them. That is why Serio 4000 will be a success in India, as far as the product is concerned.

For service excellence, over the years, we have established a strong foundation in the Indian market by establishing an India office, allocating 50 per cent of our personnel resources to service support, and setting up an active direct sales and channel partner network. The customer will, therefore, get an excellent experience both on product and service support.

EB: How is this machine suitable for the Indian market?

As I said, the unique features and the flexibility that the machine offers are particularly suitable for the Indian market. Today, India is a market with high demand for electronics across different verticals. And this 100 per cent scalable platform will help our Indian customers to adapt their machine for whatever challenges they are facing or could face in the future. For example, the entry level Serio 4000 platform offers two very important features. The first is called SIMPLEX, which is already established with our DIVISO depanelling platform as well as with our high end printing solution, X5 Professional. SIMPLEX is our language neutral icon-based user interface. The second, called ‘iQuess’, enables the fastest product changeover in a flexible environment. So these two features are excellent starting points for customers. Further, they can build the machine as they like.

EB: In what way is the Serio 4000 printer unique?

Besides the 100 per cent scalability issue and SIMPLEX, the printer, along with a selection of VEGO handling modules, can be monitored via a tablet which also controls the handling modules. The new operating concept means the handling modules no longer require individual operating panels, resulting in a simpler and yet more functional machine design. The Serio 4000 is equipped with the Simplex user interface. The multi-touch interface facilitates the interaction between man and machine, and contains numerous features that make the Serio 4000 systems even more efficient.

EB: For which sectors will the Serio 4000 be suitable?

We expect the demand for this machine to come from sectors like automotive, telecom and EMS. But since this machine is suitable for very simple as well as very complex applications, we can cater to all industry verticals.

EB: What will be the price of Serio 4000 in India?

This machine was developed keeping the price sensitive factor of the Asian market in mind. China, India, S Korea and Singapore are all price sensitive markets; hence, this machine will suit these markets. We just did the pricing for Germany and now we are developing the pricing for the Asian markets, particularly India.

EB: What is the marketing strategy planned for this machine?

ASYS will launch Serio 4000 in Pune and Hyderabad, after its launch in New Delhi. The company will also organise training for its customers and staff to spread the word among potential buyers. NEPCON Korea will be the first show in Asia where we will present this new printing platform. There will be hands-on training, information packages and useful tools to get across all the knowledge to our sales force.

We already have done the sneak preview in New Delhi, and have followed it up with customer newsletters and, finally with exhibitions. We are confident that once the customers use Serio 4000, they will be happy to share their joy and success with other customers.

EB: What technical challenges or issues are driving the developments in your machines?

Customers are increasingly working in a very flexible environment. With Serio 4000, we offer real flexibility with 100 per cent scalability. This scalability allows our customers to use Serio 4000 as an entry level machine, but with the potential to go up in performance as well as in complexity.

EB: DEK has now been taken over by ASMPT. Do you think that will impact ASYS’ business in Asia, particularly in India?

We do not see ASYS experiencing any big impact due to this development. With Serio 4000, we have the right machine for the Asian market, which is independent of any action our competitors might take.