‘We’re Innovating To Bring ELGi’s Reliability, Efficiency And Smarter Solutions To Textile Customers’
In this exclusive interview, Anvar Jay Varadaraj speaks with Henry Dsouza, Associate Editor, Textile Insights, about ELGi’s vision for the textile industry from tackling rising energy costs to offering smarter, more sustainable compressed air solutions. He is joined by Premendra (Chief Strategy Officer, Elgi Equipments) and Bhavesh Karia (President – ISAAME and SEA, Elgi Equipments), who share insights on ELGi’s latest innovations, including Super Premium compressors, Stabilizer technology, and Air ~Alert.
With rising energy costs and an increasing focus on sustainability, what key factors should textile manufacturers consider when selecting air compressors to ensure operational efficiency and cost-effectiveness?
Anvar Jay Varadaraj: Before selecting an air compressor, textile manufacturers must first assess their actual compressed air requirements, both in terms of volume and pressure. This involves evaluating how compressed air is currently used across all equipment and identifying inefficiencies such as leaks or excessive pressure settings.
Many facilities operate oversized compressors that often run below optimal capacity. Since screw compressors are most efficient at full load, oversizing leads to significant energy waste. We recommend starting with an objective audit of current air demand and forecasting future needs for the next 3–4 years.
Based on demand patterns, manufacturers should decide between a fixed-speed and a variable frequency drive (VFD) compressor. VFD compressors are more energy-efficient when air demand fluctuates. Also, compare specific power ratings (energy consumed per unit of air output) across brands for efficiency benchmarking.
Crucially, consider the total cost of ownership (TCO) and not just the upfront cost. TCO includes energy consumption, maintenance, spares, and especially the cost of downtime. Review past maintenance records to estimate downtime related costs and assess service reliability.
After-sales support is vital. For example, ELGi offers technician dispatch within 8 hours and air restoration within 48 hours, helping minimize production losses. Fast, reliable service should be a key factor in the selection factor.
Air audits are increasingly recognized as vital tools for energy optimization. How can textile plants leverage ELGi’s expertise in this area to identify inefficiencies and reduce energy waste?
Anvar Jay Varadaraj: While ELGi offers air audit services, the most effective audits are independent and objective, free from any brand or product bias. This ensures that the assessment stays focused on identifying real efficiency gaps.
For energy-intensive operations like textile manufacturing, especially in spinning, comprehensive air audits are recommended every 18 to 24 months. These audits typically cover three core areas: demand, production and distribution or usage of compressed air.
Auditors pinpoint inefficiencies such as leaks, excessive system pressure, or poor piping layouts, and recommend both cost-saving operational changes and strategic investments like backup compressors to reduce downtime risk.
Equally important is developing basic in-house expertise. Compressed air systems are dynamic, and regular monitoring by plant personnel helps sustain improvements between audits. The combination of expert audits and ongoing internal vigilance is essential to minimizing energy waste and maximizing long-term efficiency.
Could you tell us more about ELGi’s Super Premium Compressors and how they are redefining performance standards in energy-intensive industries like textiles?
Anvar Jay Varadaraj: Energy efficiency is paramount in the textile industry, where compressed air is a major energy consumer. It’s worth noting that we are approaching the physical limits of how energy-efficient compressed air systems can be. That’s precisely where our Super Premium range of compressors makes a difference.
These compressors use two-stage compression technology, which compresses air in two phases. This approach improves flow and pressure efficiency, resulting in significant energy savings. The addition of the second stage allows for better thermodynamic performance, pushing the boundaries of what’s achievable in terms of efficiency.
Premendra: Our Super Premium range starts at 90 kW and extends through 110 kW, 130 kW, and 160 kW, with ongoing development to expand both below and above these capacities.
What truly sets this range apart is its industry-best Specific Power Consumption (SPC), a critical metric for energy performance. Customers focused on total cost of ownership will find these compressors especially compelling. Over the lifetime of the machine, the energy savings can be substantial, especially in energy-intensive environments like textiles.
Given that electricity is one of the largest operational costs in textile production, adopting Super Premium compressors can lead to significant cost optimization and long-term performance gains.
Stabilizer technology is emerging as a key innovation in compressed air systems. What specific challenges does it address, and how does it contribute to maintaining consistent pressure and improving operational efficiency?
Anvar Jay Varadaraj: We are very excited about our stabilizer technology because it addresses a fundamental issue in how compressors are used. For example, a 500 CFM compressor might only be required to run at full capacity for a few hours a day. The rest of the time, it operates under varying loads, causing frequent load-unload cycles.
This leads to two major challenges: first, increased mechanical stress on components like intake valves, reducing reliability and, second, higher energy consumption during unload conditions, as compressors are least efficient when not running at full load.
Traditionally, Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) are used to manage fluctuating demand. While effective, VFDs are costly, often adding 25–30% to the compressor’s price and introduce electronic complexity many users don’t need or can’t justify.
Stabilizer technology solves this elegantly and affordably. Using a mechanical design, it smooths power consumption and air output, reducing both mechanical wear and energy usage. Customers can achieve up to 8% annual energy savings, without the added cost of a VFD.
For industries like textiles, where energy is a major expense, this innovation offers reliable performance, lower operating costs and exceptional value, true to our philosophy of delivering high-impact innovation at minimal cost.
Air~Alert appears to be ELGi’s next step in intelligent monitoring. How does this technology empower customers to take a more proactive approach to compressor maintenance and performance?
Anvar Jay Varadaraj: At ELGi, we believe that information about a customer’s compressor performance should be fully accessible, not a profit centre. With Air~Alert, our goal is to give customers complete visibility into how their machines are operating.
In energy-intensive industries like textiles, where energy costs heavily impact the P&L, it’s crucial to ensure compressors are operating close to their rated Specific Power Consumption (SPC). Air~Alert continuously tracks key parameters such as compressed air volume, pressure and temperature, and sends alerts when readings exceed predefined thresholds.
These indicators often signal potential failures. By identifying issues early, customers can avoid catastrophic breakdowns and unplanned downtime, resulting in better reliability and lower maintenance costs.
From ELGi’s side, Air~Alert also plays a vital role in improving our products. By analyzing real-time usage data across different applications, we can refine machine design, enhance product quality and offer more intelligent, preventive service strategies.
Premendra: Monitoring overall compressor utilization enables us to recommend energy optimization opportunities to customers. It also strengthens our product development by providing insights into how our compressors perform in diverse, real-world applications.
This technology is already integrated into our new units, making Air~Alert a standard feature for smarter, data-driven operations.
Aftermarket support often determines the long-term value of equipment. How is ELGi reimagining service and support to provide greater peace of mind and long-term reliability to its customers?
Anvar Jay Varadaraj: This is a critical area. With many new brands entering the compressed air market, customers now have more choices, but it’s important to remember that a compressor is a 10-year investment. Over that time, customers often spend up to 10 times the initial cost on service, parts, energy, and downtime. That’s why aftermarket support is key to long-term value.
At ELGi, we start with product design, engineering compressors for reliability, easy maintenance, and minimal downtime. Even routine servicing like oil changes, is designed to be quick and efficient. We back this with a 48-hour uptime guarantee; if air isn’t restored within 48 hours, we cover the downtime costs. In practice, most issues are resolved in under 8 hours.
Bhavesh Karia: ELGi’s fully backward-integrated manufacturing gives us a major service advantage. We design and produce all core components in-house, ensuring faster turnaround and higher reliability. Compressors are capex item, and while the initial cost is low compared to production budgets, a breakdown can halt operations, so time to restore is critical.
Our compressors include IoT-based monitoring for predictive and preventive maintenance. A nationwide network of trained technicians ensures a fast response. And uniquely, ELGi offers refurbishment of compressor elements after 30,000–50,000 hours, saving up to 70% of the cost of replacing core components.
Our uptime warranty reflects our confidence. It’s not a fallback, it’s a proactive promise. And as IoT and AI adoption grow, we’re committed to leveraging them to deliver even greater reliability and peace of mind to our customers.
As the textile industry increasingly demands high air purity and sustainable solutions, how is ELGi integrating oil-free and energy-efficient technologies into its product roadmap?
Anvar Jay Varadaraj: At ELGi, we believe every customer should eventually have the option to go oil-free, driven by both sustainability goals and the need for high air purity, especially in industries like textiles where oil contamination can affect product quality.
The two main barriers to oil-free adoption have been high upfront costs and complexity in servicing. Our AB Series water-injected oil-free compressors address these issues by offering the reliability and simplicity of oil-lubricated designs while delivering oil-free air. We’ve significantly narrowed the gap in efficiency and reliability, and we continue to invest in R&D to improve it further.
In short, ELGi is enabling a broader, more reliable and cost-effective shift to oil-free solutions for sustainable, high-purity applications.
Premendra: Currently, our AB Series ranges from 11 kW to 110 kW, and our dry screw oil-free compressors start at 110 kW. We have seen strong adoption in markets with advanced sustainability mandates. Europe, for instance, is a leading region for our oil-free dry screw range.
Looking ahead, what are the key focus areas of ELGi’s innovation strategy, particularly around decarbonization, digitalization and global expansion in emerging markets?
Anvar Jay Varadaraj: In terms of decarbonization, our long-term vision is a world where all compressors are oil-free, and where maintenance intensity is significantly reduced. We are actively developing technologies that allow for oil refresh, rather than replacement, minimizing both environmental impact and downtime.
Additionally, we are working on longer-life spare parts, such as air and oil filters, to reduce waste and extend maintenance intervals. While many brands profit from frequent part replacements, we view this as a pain point for customers and an opportunity for sustainable innovation.
On digitalization, we’ve already launched Air~Alert and we see it as a foundation for expanded smart monitoring and predictive maintenance initiatives in the future.
As for global expansion, our focus remains on emerging markets beyond India specifically Southeast Asia, North America, select European countries and Australia. These regions present substantial opportunities for growth.
One key trend across these markets is the rise of price-sensitive segments, often dominated by low-cost imports. We are innovating to bring ELGi’s value proposition, reliability, efficiency and support, to customers who are cost-conscious, but still deserve long-lasting, high-performing machines. Our goal is to democratize quality, even in the most competitive segments.
With the influx of low-cost compressors, especially from China, how does ELGi respond to pricing competition while maintaining product value for customers?
Anvar Jay Varadaraj: There are two key aspects here. First, it’s critical to examine the technical specifications beyond just the power rating. What we have observed is that a 22 kW Chinese compressor doesn’t necessarily deliver the same output as a 22 kW ELGi machine. In fact, many of these machines deliver closer to what our 18 kW units offer. So, customers must assess the actual air delivery versus the stated figures. For instance, if a process requires 400 CFM, that’s non-negotiable; you can’t compromise there.
Second, we are currently developing a new product range aimed at addressing this segment. This upcoming line, which we plan to launch within the next year, will offer an aggressive entry-level price, while retaining ELGi’s trusted reputation for quality and after-sales service. Whether customers choose a low-cost or high-end compressor, they are investing in equipment that will be in operation for 7 to 10 years. So, consistent performance and reliability over time are paramount.
What are some of ELGi’s upcoming innovations, both in product development and customer service, that could significantly benefit industries like textiles?
Anvar Jay Varadaraj: We are innovating beyond compressors, especially in air treatment and heat recovery systems. Compressing air generates heat, and our in-house heat recovery systems enable customers to capture and reuse that energy, further optimizing overall energy consumption.
We now also produce our own refrigerant and desiccant dryers designed to work seamlessly with our compressors, offering greater system-level efficiency and integration.
On the textile-specific front, we are observing growing demand for low-pressure applications in weaving, and are currently developing solutions to meet this need.
But innovation is not limited to hardware. We are also reimagining customer experience and service delivery, particularly in how we engage with textile customers. This includes tailored air audits and compressor health checks designed specifically for textile environments.
We are exploring dedicated sales and service teams focused solely on the textile industry to better understand and address customer needs.
We are taking a consultative approach, as opposed to simply selling equipment. For example, we have helped customers reduce energy loss by fixing leaks in distribution systems rather than pushing for new equipment purchases.
Lastly, we emphasize comprehensive air audits that consider generation, distribution and system health. These provide high ROI insights with minimal investment and help customers optimize their operations holistically.
