You don't develop courage just by being happy but by surviving difficult times and challenging adversity. And Volker Grasse Wilde, Managing Director, Voith Turbo India is one of those corporate leaders who has not only survived through the rough weather but has left his indelible mark wherever he worked. And his track record at Voith Turbo India is no different. When Volker Grasse Wilde came to Hyderabad in 2003 as Managing Director of Voith Turbo India, Andhra Pradesh was going through one of its worst summers. Since then, however, the 48-year-old German has taken to his Indian assignment like a fish to water. Leading the India operations of the leading manufacturer of sophisticated drive technology is no easy job, but Wilde has managed to streamline the operations within two years of his tenure with all his experience coming handy to new challenges.

A business economics graduate, the Indian assignment was the first one outside Germany for Wilde. Before this assignment, he was the commercial director, Voith Kuesel. He was in the German army before getting into the corporate world. And this reflects in his straight-talking manner and disciplined approach. And maybe this has also helped him to acclimatize to alien conditions easily. In fact, Voith Turbo's Hyderabad facility went on stream in 1985 and today, it employs more than 170 people. The company, which also looks after the sales and service of products of other Voith Turbo subsidiaries in India, manufactures power transmission equipment - constant and variable speed couplings - and aluminium castings.

The company imports and sells automatic transmissions for buses, hydrodynamic retarders, universal joint shafts, flexible couplings and other products. Wilde, after joining the Voith, has been successful in giving a new dimension to its growth. And today, Wilde is a happy man as the demand for his products from the power sector is surging ahead. In fact, Bharat Heavy Electricals (BHEL) recently becomes a big customer of Voith products. But a tough competition in the constant speed fluid couplings and smaller power rating scoop coupling (used by power, cement and mining industries) market has put Voith Turbo at a slightly disadvantageous position as a result of its premium pricing.

But with Wilde at the helm, Voith India's trading income is set to rise. "The road network is also seeing good improvement and this should result in increased demand for automatic transmissions for buses," hopes Wilde. Though it is currently selling only imported products, the company plans to undertake manufacture of hydraulic transmissions, axle drivers, carden shafts and coding systems as per the Foreign Investment Promotion Board sanction. Nevertheless, Wilde, who lives in Hyderabad with his wife is loving every moment of his stay in India, embracing fresh challenges with open arms. And with an enthusiasm and energy like his, there is no target that would remain far from his reach.