From the farm to factory

The year was 1968 and a young Farrokh Cooper was looking forward to an exciting future in farming. After all, this was his passion and he had just graduated with a degree in agriculture.

This was when tragedy struck. His brother was involved in a terrible road accident and young Farrokh had to take charge of his family enterprise in Satara near Pune.

Nearly five decades have passed since but the Chairman and Managing Director of Cooper Corporation has no regrets about his professional detour.

“I have been baptised by fire. My mother was widowed before I was born and after my brother’s accident, I looked after him , his son and my mother,” Cooper says.

It was at this time that help came from two towering industrialists, SL Kirloskar and Lalchand Hirachand. They taught the young lad how to cope in the new world of engines.

“In life, you have to count your blessings but carry your cross. The more you count your blessings, the lighter your cross will be. ,” Cooper says.

The company’s key products are diesel engines and cylinder liners as well as other engine parts like crankshafts, cylinder heads/blocks and flywheels.

The automotive space contributes to nearly 50 per cent of Cooper Engineering’s business while generator sets form another critical user base. In addition, the engines are used for marine and farm applications. The domestic client list includes Bajaj Auto, Ford India, Yamaha, Renault-Nissan, Tata Motors and a host of others while the overseas base comprises the likes of General Electric, KTM, Jaguar Land Rover, Wartsila Finland etc. There are also global tractor manufacturers keen on buying the engines.

Satara was the starting point for the Cooper Corp story way back in 1922 and Farrokh is the third generation in the family. His grandfather was the first Prime Minister of Bombay Presidency well before the Congress entered the picture.

“In the old days, we had Cooper Engines which was well known for diesel engines. This company was sold to Walchand and then to Premier. In my generation, we started making diesel engines all over again in a tie-up with Ricardo,” Cooper says.

Over 30 different engines have been developed in four years thanks largely to the fact that the company makes its own crankshafts, blocks and liners. These engines are ideal for gensets which are in huge demand both here and overseas. The fact they meet the latest emission norms worldwide makes exports a cinch. Cooper Corp’s overseas markets include Africa, the Middle-East, Ukraine, Vietnam, South America and Europe. North America is also on the radar. “You will be surprised to see how keen and alert people in Africa are. The country wants people to come there and do business. Look at the Chinese doing business in Africa,” Cooper says.

Yet, he does not believe there is any point investing in facilities overseas as Satara offers everything. And customers can always access the company from any part of the world thanks to the Net.

Cooper narrates the story of a man who bought engines from the old Cooper (that went to Walchand). “He wanted a change, went online and spotted our name. He then sent us a mail and asked us to prove that we were the Cooper and we sure did,” he recalls. The deal was struck subsequently.

“I do not see anything as a challenge provided you do not limit your thinking. If you challenge your own assumptions, you always find new opportunities,” he says.

Cooper Corp’s eight factories have over 2,000 people on its rolls making it the largest employer in Satara. “The attrition levels are insignificant because my people cannot find another mad manager like me,” the 69-year-old Cooper says good naturedly.

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