When global brands demanded CE-certified industrial vacuum cleaners, India had none to offer. But Indrabanu T, Founder and CEO of Radiant Enterprises, decided to change that. From starting alone with a car full of parts to becoming a trusted original equipment manufacturer (OEM) for multinational clients, his journey reflects the resilience of Indian entrepreneurship.
The journey was anything but smooth. “When I started, I was a one-man company,” recalls Indrabanu T. “I used to load the materials myself into my car, drive to customers, and even do the packing.” Early on, suppliers did not take him seriously. They charged him more than established players, assuming he lacked experience. But his roots in quality control and project leadership at large with equipment manufacturers like Roots India meant he knew how to negotiate and how to build.
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He began with consumables — brushes, squeegees, and small replacement parts for OEM machines, importing and supplying them at half the market rate. Yet, he quickly realised that the market rewarded price over performance. “People did not value quality,” he says. “Even when we gave a better product at a better price, there was always someone ready to sell cheaper. That is when I understood — we had to move from trading to manufacturing.”
By 2017, Radiant Enterprises began to take shape. Indrabanu spent two years building relationships with component makers, convincing reluctant suppliers to work with him. “Most of them were already doing work for Roots,” he explains. “I had to design everything myself, get it fabricated, and stand at their shop floors to ensure it was done right.”
The turning point came when a European brand — impressed by his technical clarity and reliability — offered him a contract for OEM manufacturing. “They told me, ‘We cannot sell one machine, give us 40’,” he recalls. “They gave me six months to develop it, and I did.” That project led to Radiant’s first CE-certified model, making it a credible supplier to global companies like IPC and Karcher.
Certification & Credibility
Achieving CE certification — a first in India’s industrial vacuum category — was no small feat. Radiant lacked an in-house testing lab, so Indrabanu partnered with certification agencies in Pune and Bangalore to test his machines under European standards. Within six months, the company cleared the validation audit.
“The inspector told me I was the first in India to get CE certification in such a short time,” says Indrabanu. “He even asked me to guide others who were struggling with the process.”
But challenges persisted. Many components, such as blowers and wheels, still had to be imported. “We do not even have a single Indian manufacturer who can supply CE-compliant wheels,” he laments. “It is not rocket science — but people do not want to take initiative.”
Despite higher costs, he continues to import certain parts from Switzerland to maintain quality. “If I wanted to be just another manufacturer, I could cut corners,” he says. “But I want to be a solution provider, not a commodity maker.”
Quality Over Quantity, Beyond Profit
Radiant operates today as a 100% OEM manufacturer, supplying private-label machines to multiple multinational brands for their Indian market. Yet, growth for Indrabanu is measured not just in sales volumes.
Deeply committed to knowledge-sharing, Indrabanu says, “When I started, people did not want to share knowledge. Even now, everyone sells machines, but very few understand cleaning science — what to use, where and why.”
That conviction has made him more than a manufacturer; he’s also a mentor and educator. “Now I go personally to train dealers and consultants. I tell them to not quote blindly. Visit the site, understand what the customer needs, and then recommend the right machine.”
Indrabanu plans to soon reposition himself as an independent consultant for the cleaning industry. “Whatever I know, I want to share freely,” he says. “It will not reduce my business and will in fact help the industry grow.”
What began with a car full of parts is now powering global brands — that is the strength of Indian perseverance. I want every product from our factory to carry the CE mark — a mark of Indian engineering trusted worldwide.Indrabanu T
A Rooted Vision
As he looks ahead, Indrabanu’s focus remains clear — to make Radiant Enterprises a symbol of Indian engineering excellence without dependence on China. “Till today, I have never visited China,” he says. “Everything we build, we try to make here or with Indian partners.”
His next goal is to launch a flame-proof, fire-safe industrial vacuum with CE and EX certifications — a first for an Indian manufacturer. “I want every product that leaves our factory to carry the CE mark,” he says. “That is the standard I want to set — not just for Radiant, but for India.”
From a one-man operation to a globally recognised OEM, Indrabanu’s story is not just about perseverance. It’s about conviction — that Indian innovation, when rooted in integrity and skill, can match the best in the world.