“Friction” is normally used in a negative sense. When two or more things don’t get along well, there’s friction. But what if it were to create one of the strongest bonds? This is exactly what Yatin Tambe – Founder & Director, Friction Welding Technologies Pvt. Ltd. – does – build strong bonds. FWT manufactures world-class machines that bring about friction amongst two non-distinct metals to create a weld that is far more superior to any welded joints created by conventional welding technologies.
Coming from a small village of Kurduwadi, Yatin had a very humble economic background. But his family ensured that the right values of integrity and discipline are inculcated in him. Very early on he realized that brutal hard-work is the only way to achieve success. He hit probably the lowest point of his life in school, when he failed to secure good percentage. But that incident triggered a never-give-up attitude within him, and he bounced back by securing top score. An attitude, you can still witness in him.
While pursuing engineering, when his family needed an urgent financial support, Yatin doubled-up his efforts by attending college on weekdays in one town and working on his father’s watch-repair business over the weekends in his hometown.
During final years of his graduation, when the subject matter experts weren’t available in the college, Yatin and his friends would study the subject themselves, and deliver lectures to their juniors. Today, he is considered as the subject matter expert in friction welding industry around the world.
In early days of his career, he would travel several miles over cycle, work as a trainee in an engineering firm, work at a local shop repairing watches, skip meals, and save it for his family. At LevelTech Process Controllers, Yatin scripted a spectacular success story, by multiplying the company’s production four times within a month. Phillips witnessed its first-ever small-sized speaker, which was developed and marketed by Yatin.
He relentlessly pursued new disciplines that established a research methodology distinctly different from the beaten path. Friction welding was new in India back then and Yatin saw an opportunity. He bought an old non-functional friction welding machine that was being sold in scrap, and disassembled the machine to its last bit. He started building it up, chipping-out non-functional materials, and fitting newer top quality components. In fact the MD of the German firm commended Yatin’s work by saying “You are Mercedes in India”; a testimonial that most entrepreneurs yearn for.
“My passion has always been to make things better than they are. This attitude has helped me to innovate.”
FWT currently manufactures friction welding machines & components, across different industries: Automotive, Nuclear, Defence (Brahmos), Electrical, Aircraft, Military, Oil Refineries, etc. It’s FWT-50 is one of the most versatile & advanced friction welding machines, that world leaders in the industry had earlier said was an Ethiopian dream. Taking this challenge head-on, he built it in record time, and delivered it to client’s satisfaction. FWT-50 develops key adapters that are currently flying with BrahMos missiles. This feat by an Indian, has helped India build missiles indigenously. Noting this success, one of the top friction welding machine manufacturers in the world – MTI – has collaborated with FWT to design sophisticated range of SPARTAN machines for the international market. But it’s also his equally capable team that has helped FWT reach places.
ADVENTUREDOM
Adventurous, resilient and humble, Yatin believes in living his life to the fullest. He has already completed Pune – Kanyakumari Cycling Expedition, Kanyakumari – Kashmir, and Pune – Singapore Biking Expeditions, Scuba diving and Paragliding.
Entrepreneurship is beyond just Business.