All the more remarkable then, that Arijit was encouraged to start what he terms his ‘personal entrepreneurial venture’ with the full support of Perkins Engines. “I’d just finished my degree in commerce at St Xavier’s College in Kolkata. On graduation in 2007, I had joined the family business –a small sized local firm, trading in generators and related equipment – I dived straight into exploring business opportunities around contracting and manufacturing.”
“It was just at the time when Perkins was keen to expand its footprint in India. They wanted a new GOEM (generator OEM). So, in 2010, we reached an agreement to collaborate with Perkins as our sole engine supplier for a new range of generator sets – and we’ve stayed loyal to them ever since.”
If the concept of a start-up was novel, so too was Captiva’s approach to the market. “We were by far the smallest company in the large generator business,” he explains. “How would we compete against these larger, stronger, more established companies? Most of them had been in business for more than 50 years.”
Arijit turned to the now-familiar tool in the entrepreneurial toolbox: disruption. “Once we started to look more closely at the market, it became evident that their ‘success’ in the market hinged on standardising every supposed solution. Customers were given the solution that the manufacturer wanted to give them.
“And they weren’t powered by Perkins.”
Working closely with Perkins from the very beginning, Captiva was handed a unique opportunity to align themselves and their offerings with Perkins’ vast technical expertise and industry knowledge – and the power of the brand.
So did the brand association help to legitimise a new company? “Yes,” says Arijit, “but more than that, it helped to legitimise our disruptive offering.
“Our disruptive principle was simple: offer and deliver what the customer needed, not what we thought they needed. That was the game-changer. Companies now had somewhere to go for their prime, standby and critical applications – a company that would listen to their needs and provide a bespoke solution, not an off-the-shelf offering.
“And our quality of service – engineering, support, customer – was seen as a perfect match for the perceived quality of the Perkins brand.”
The company’s come a long way since those early days in 2010. Back then, it comprised two people and one office in Kolkata. Two years later, 2012 turnover saw phenomenal growth and by 2013, Captiva had four offices across India, blossoming into a full scale national business.
Today, Captiva provides direct employment for 200 people and employs another 150 indirectly, from 13 sites throughout the country.
What Arijit regards as his defining moment came in 2019, when global energy giant Generac acquired a majority stake in Captiva.
“That was an achievement,” he says with a grin, “something that had been an objective from the very beginning, to make Captiva eternal.
“It probably also represents the biggest risk I’ve taken as an entrepreneur. There’s a lot of uncertainty involved when you pass on majority ownership, that too, to a MNC Conglomerate. But four-and-a-half years in, I’m very happy that I went ahead with it. It’s worked out for everyone.”
By everyone, Arijit’s referring not just to himself and Generac, but his team, too. “We have a fantastic team at Captiva, who have all bought into the entrepreneurial ethos we have here in the company. To get the best from people, they should feel that they’re truly a part of the business for which they work – that Captiva is as much a part of them, as they are part of it.
“I’m very lucky to have a lot of good people around me,” he enthuses. “You can’t always be sure that you’re going to get success all the time. Besides working hard, it’s important to be humble, too. But working with good people gives you the perseverance to seek success.
“I’ve enjoyed the words of several mentors over the years, people who’ve been able to show me the future in a different way. I hope one day – along with time on the beach – I’ll be able to be a mentor myself.”
Until then, there’s a business to be run. Arijit reveals that even in Captiva’s relatively short life to date, the market’s changed. “When we began trading, we were supplying customers who bought generators because they needed them. India’s power scenario was not what it is today.
“Today, even in the B towns and cities, power outages occur for less than 100 hours a year. When there are no power cuts, who would buy our product?”
But Arijit says they haven’t stopped buying generators. They’ve just got more demanding. “When you’re spending considerable sums on equipment that you’ll never use, the attention to detail and the expectation of quality and service become far more important.
“That’s ensured we’ve become much more than a transactional trading company. Even more so than a decade ago, we have to create a relationship with the customer at every point at which we interact, to give them the confidence and reassurance that they’re in the very best hands with their investment.”
While Captiva continues to nurture those relationships with the conventional generator set customers – construction, hotels, factories, healthcare, retail – the big area of growth, Arijit reveals, is data centres. “Data has become so important in everyday life that these data centres are of similar importance – at a critical infrastructure level – to healthcare. It’s a very challenging environment to work in, but we’re getting good results – evidenced by the fact that HP is one of our key partners.”
Despite grid power improving every year, Arijit is excited about what the future holds. “It’s not going to make our industry redundant, far from it. More challenging, yes – and we’ll be pushed harder to improve our products, our solutions.
“But this is an industry that will grow at a higher rate than other sectors, thanks to the requirements of ‘new’ customers like data centres, 5G telecoms and so on.
“Captiva has been, particularly a domestic producer, leveraging on Perkins’ manufacturing facilities in India, at Aurangabad and Hosur, since 2015. We have been India-focused, with both in our supply chain and our customer base being primarily indigenous.”
That innate knowledge of the Indian market is likely to prove valuable when tough emission standards come into force later this year. “Government is taking an active role in ensuring India has a good energy transition,” observes Arijit. “Clean power is their goal.”
Currently, India has had three generator set emission regimes enforced, according to fuel type. These will be replaced with a single regime – Central Pollution Control Board IV+ (CPCB-IV+) – to cover all available fuels, as well as those on the horizon such as hydrogen.
“These are tough new standards, some of the highest in the world,” remarks Arijit. “India’s really taking the lead, and of course we want to step up to the challenge.”
The scale of the challenge doesn’t faze Arijit. “This is another opportunity to showcase our ability to work with new tech, to demonstrate our skills and expertise. We’re nimble and resilience is in our DNA, besides we have Perkins, by our side, like always.”
Arijit explains how ‘everything we know’ at Captiva – product, service, the value proposition – comes from Perkins’ exemplary training. All this makes the difference, he says.
“With that kind of support from Perkins, we’re always on an upward curve for quality and maintaining, improving our team’s skills.
“Working with a global company like Perkins means we get access to world-leading technology. But crucially they also understand the market here in India, which means together we can develop strategies and tactics that can deliver success for us, together.
“For Perkins, that success translates into continually increasing sales growth in India’s EP market,” says Arijit.
“And for Captiva, it’s giving me the chance to write a new history – as seen by me."
Available in the second half of 2025, the 2600 Series offers excellent load acceptance, fuel efficiency and versatility.
Read moreHow our Customer Solutions and Engineering teams are actively helping customers reduce fuel consumption.
Read moreThe state’s farmers grow more than 400 commodity crops, 19 of them unique to the Golden State.
Read moreMore than 280,000 visitors from across the world attended this year’s four-day long Bauma China exhibition in Shanghai.
Read moreWe follow the journey from a Perkins facility in the UK to installation on a passenger ferry in Singapore.
Read morePowernews caught up with Sylvia to learn more about her responsibilities, motivations, and leadership journey.
Read moreA new range of auxiliary marine engines were shown at METS.
Read moreAdrian Bell dives into the history of Californian agriculture.
Read moreThe importance of thermal fluids simulation.
Read moreHow ‘noise chambers’ help Perkins build quieter engines.
Read moreThe global voice for agricultural equipment manufacturers.
Read moreMeet our Vice President of facility operations.
Read moreThe customer benefits achieved through Perkins’ new connectivity solutions.
Read moreThe new Perkins global marketing and channel development director.
Read moreThings are different when it’s very, very cold.
Read moreEngineering manager Graham Hill explains the importance of structural simulation when designing a new engine.
Read moreThe platform will cover two key power nodes.
Read moreInterview with Susterre CEO Michael Cully on the latest no-till soil solutions.
Read moreA compact 12 cylinder powerhouse.
Read moreFor 60 years Lindner has chosen Perkins engines to power its machines.
Read moreTwo new auxiliary engines powering the marine sector.
Read morePerkins kicks off Project Coeus to demonstrate leading-edge hydrogen hybrid power solutions.
Read moreDependable electric power generation drives sales of Perkins® 4000 Series in India.
Read morePerkins launches the next generation 2600 Series engine.
Read moreAdding to the product range with an 18-litre engine.
Read moreFind out how this vast country approaches agriculture and food production.
Read moreBy re-examining, reimagining, and re-engineering what is expected.
Read moreA clear demonstration of what's possible when a passion for innovation meets a commitment to excellence.
Read moreWith local resources and global support.
Read moreAdvance power solutions from Perkins.
Read morePart three of our series with Dave Robinson.
Read moreJaz Gill talks Perkins new brand strategy.
Read moreThe Perkins® 5000 Series engines generating reliable power for critical applications.
Read moreRental expert Dave Stollery gives his view on the opportunities around rolling out EU Stage V equipment.
Read moreIf you want to get back to engineering, this programme can be the key to making it happen.
Read moreConstantly innovating to meet the changing electric power marketplace.
Read moreAn appropriate environmental, social and governance (ESG) proposition really matters.
Read moreManufacturing industrial engines at our Curitiba facility since 2003.
Read morePerkins Aurangabad celebrates the production of its 10,000th 4000 Series engine.
Read moreThe heart of sustainable power.
Read moreWacker Neuson’s new EW100 10-ton mobile excavator
Read moreOffering a complete solution for off-highway engines in Latin America.
Read moreFifty years of support for the written word in agriculture.
Read morePerkins rental industry commitment continues to grow.
Read moreRenewable and low carbon intensity fuels in Perkins engines.
Read moreSupporting the STEM development of future generations.
Learn MorePart 2 of our three part interview series with Perkins’ Dave Robinson.
Read moreThe launch of the complete range of 5000 Series full authority electronic engines.
Read morePerkins is actively supporting the rental industry's transition to the latest EU Stage V technologies.
Read morePowered by the compact and powerful Perkins® 904 Series.
Read morePerkins EAME business development director Dave Robinson writes on 'power on the farm'.
Read moreThe Perkins Rental Support Programme has already been adopted in some form by virtually every significant rental business in the world.
Read moreDid you know that Türkiye is the world’s fourth-biggest tractor market? Take a closer look – from an agricultural perspective – at this fascinating country.
Read moreThe Perkins® 904 Series family of Industrial Open Power Units provide customers with ‘plug-and-play’ engines that often can be fitted to a broad range of equipment.
Read moreThe Curitiba plant has delivered more than 300,000 engines since 2003 including engines meeting MAR-1 emission standards.
Read moreWhy the popularity of telehandlers is reaching new heights.
Read moreWhy data has become a priceless commodity in modern construction.
Read moreTalk of reaching ‘net zero’ is frequently discussed, but what does net zero look like for agriculture?
Read moreWhy the rental industry is so well placed to support sustainability goals.
Read moreWould you buy a diesel-powered mobile phone?
Read moreDiscover more about the benefits of moving to Stage V power.
Read moreWho will be the farmer of tomorrow and what skills will they have?
Read moreWhat role will this industry icon play in tomorrow's industrial world?
Read moreLow noise, vibration and harshness is important to both OEMs and the end user.
Read moreInsatiable demand for data in South Africa is driving a huge growth in data centres.
Read moreWhat does urban construction look like over the next decade?
Read moreThe electric charge: how access to reliable power is fuelling prosperity across the globe.
Read morePutting the shine on sustainability.
Read morePutting people into plant.
Read moreRevolution through evolution.
Read moreCollaboration: in search of excellence.
Read moreThe future of diesel-driven power generation keeps getting brighter.
Read moreWhat are the key benefits of downsizing engine capacity in the materials handling.
Read moreHow can manufacturing businesses move stock like clockwork?
Read moreImportant information and tips to make the best decision for your next job.
Read more