INTERVIEW
Caterpillar Power Generation Embraces a Bright Future
-An Interview with Ganesh Iyer
Ganesh Iyer, Power Generation Global Director for Cat and FG Wilson, is a man on a mission. Since early 2015, he has held the reins of one of Caterpillar’s most significant power generation teams. His reach covers Cat branded generator sets up to 750 kVA and the entire FG Wilson range from 7 – 2,500 kVA. It’s a task which animates him hugely and has his undivided attention, reports UKPN.
hat makes Ganesh’s task especially interesting is that it embraces two of the generator set industry’s most iconic brands which together have an enviable global presence.
W
Caterpillar have been in the business since 1939, the first engine manufacturer to provide a complete factory-produced generator set, and globally today Cat brand generators lead the way in quality, durability and world-class support.
The FG Wilson brand was founded in 1966 and was acquired by Caterpillar in 1999. Ganesh is candid about what attracted Caterpillar to FG Wilson. “It was the modern factories, the distribution channel, the ability
to reach new customers and most important of all, the entrepreneurial spirit within the brand.”
Alongside the premium Cat brand genera- tor set range, FG Wilson allowed Caterpillar to reach a wider group of customers. Having a brand like FG Wilson inside the stable was something of a learning experience for Caterpillar, which today owns many “non- yellow” brands. In the late 1990s, however, much of this was new to the organisation. Ganesh says: “At first, little changed for the FG Wilson brand. Then gradually over time, we tried to make things more efficient, with common products, common processes and the ultimate was a common marketing team between the Cat and FG Wilson brands.”
"Engines
have become more
efficient and customers can work
remotely with generator sets but
really, the basic core product is the same.”
Ganesh Iyer, Power
Generation Global
Director for Cat and FG Wilson
28
It might have seemed efficient, but it was also diluting the essence that made the FG Wilson brand unique. Slowly, FG Wilson was losing its voice, inside and outside the organisation.
In mid-2016, Ganesh changed all that. “One thing that is abundantly clear to me is that the FG Wilson brand is critical to our future success. It was time to step back, really think about our customers, set out where we want to take our business and how we can grow while serving customers even better.”
The first step was the appointment of a new Managing Director for FG Wilson, Ann Brown. A grounded professional with 17 years in the industry, Ann hails from an operations background. She’s now surrounded by an experienced team, many of whom started their careers at FG Wilson and who were instrumental in driving FG Wilson growth. Ganesh sees that reaffirmation of FG Wilson brand values as key.
generator sets is a crowded and unforgiving place.
DECEMBER ‐ JANUARY 2017 UK POWER NEWS
The market for
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52
