Celebrating with Hexagon

 

One fateful day in October 2009 I met the senior management of Hexagon, Norway. That was the first time in my life I had even heard that name. My ONLY task was to escort them from their hotel to our office because my boss Vasudev Avadhani was out of town.

Their meeting didn't go as well as planned, they left post lunch & Dev was not happy when he heard about it. He called me to go meet them in their hotel and say sorry for the failed meeting & reluctantly I did so.

On that same day I had quit my job and honestly wasn't in a good mood. But I went, apologised & spoke for a while & said that I had quit my job & wanted to leave.

Next thing - Hans Henrik Oyvind Hamre Erik Espeset huddled speaking in Norwegian & then Hans called up somebody (it was Dev) & I stood around feeling stupid and "ignored". Few minutes later Oyvind asks me if I was joining elsewhere & I say nothing decided yet. He said give us a chance to talk to you before you decide because we would like you to join us. Taken aback I said yes & left.

On 1st February 2010 encouraged by Dev, I joined Hexagon Composites . 10 yrs 7 months 14 days & what a glorious journey it has been. Hexagon gave me the opportunity to travel the world, backed me almost every single time, trusted & supported me personally & officially & I know one thing for sure - this will be my last professional/ formal job before I hang up my boots.

Oslo, Paris, Rome, Madrid, Doha, Lagos, Melbourne, Auckland, Dubai were some of the places amongst many others I visited promoting the Hexagon Composites name. Its been a roller coaster ride but more than anything else I have met and made so many wonderful friends, well wishers.

I take a few names only because I have known them the longest. Kim Henning Frank Haberli Jack Schimenti Norm Newhouse John Eihusen Irene Saeboe Brock Petersen Chet Dawes Marc Meyer Irene actually made me ski as seen above. 

Friends, colleagues who have been a source of support, caring for you and these have been enduring relationships. David Bandele Jon Erik Engeset Eric Bippus Seung Baik Alfred Walberer are some current colleagues.

There are so many more names that it will cover a whole page to even list them. So you are still a friend, cherished, remembered even if your name is missing in this list.

No story about Hexagon and India is complete without this trademark ubiquitous photo of its global leadership driving in a 3 wheeler -typical Indian style. 

Above all Hexagon has been a company that has understood, accepted that there will be failures & every time I have failed I have yet gotten support, encouragement & motivated not to give up.

Officially the Indian business is now being driven under Agility Fuel Solutions a Hexagon company. 2020 saw Agility being recognized in the Indian automotive Industry with the "Auto Component of the Year" award by the Auto Components Magazine a part of NextGen Publishing & in front of the industry senior leadership.

These 10 years have seen many changes ranging from Re-branding to Acquisitions to Mergers to JV's to break ups & somewhere along the line I created 4 ambitious obsessive dreams for myself.

(1) To popularise and obtain acceptance for the composite high pressure technology offered by Hexagon/Agility in India

(2) To create and make Hexagon/ Agility a respected brand in Indian industry, widely known and accepted as a pioneering leader

(3) To build a large market and business for the group(2) To create and make Hexagon/ Agility a respected brand in Indian industry, widely known and accepted as a pioneering leader

(4) To establish a world class manufacturing organisation in India.

Mr. Dharmendra Pradhan India's Minister for Petroleum & Natural gas inaugurated the FIRST bus in India with Agility technology on 24th December 2019

For the first time in Indian history a bus that could run as long as 1000 Kms on CNG was launched by the minister. 2020 was to see the take off phase for Agility till the pandemic put a brake. 

Hexagon in 2020 saw success even in the field of bulk transportation of Natural gas with an order for its product for use in 40 modules which will be built in India for a Mobile pipeline application.

My obsessive dreams - Work in progress, glass half full/ half empty, how successful, when, how and what would be the finish line only time will tell.

But I am immensely proud, happy and privileged to have shared 50% of the journey that Hexagon has taken so far as the group celebrates its 20th Anniversary. I may or may not be around for its 25th, 50th anniversaries but wherever I am, I am sure I will be looking at it happy to have been a part of its journey.