A compact AI-driven weighing machine sits pretty on the table. Nearby, a colourful pile, replicas of dragon fruit, corn, and lettuce vie for attention. I pick up a dragon fruit and place it on the machine. It detects the weight as 10 grams, identifies the product, and prints a label.

“Imagine a supermarket with minimal human intervention. It is one of our standout innovations, an AI-enabled label printing machine designed for modern retail stores,” says Raghavendran Hari, managing director of Venkatachalam &Co that specialises in a range of electronic weighing machines including weigh bridges. “It is designed for supermarkets and hypermarkets, and does not require manual input in any form,” he adds as we walk past the displays at their facility in Town Hall with as many as 200 models of weighing machines, complete with live demonstrations.

One popular exhibit features waterproof weighing machines submerged in water, working flawlessly, an innovation particularly valued by fish market vendors. For over eight decades, the family-run business has stood witness to the changing facets of Town Hall where narrow lanes teem with cloth merchants, jewellers, and textile shops.

Recalling the 86-year-old weighing legacy, Raghavendran says, “In the 1940s, my grandfather Venkatachalam laid the foundation for a business. He found a niche in weighing machines as the simple tool is indispensable for traders. Every month, at least two or three customers walk in and tell us how their grandfathers and fathers bought weighing machines from us. They continue the tradition. That kind of trust is our biggest strength.”

When he took over in 2018, he reimagined the retail experience. He transformed the space into a modern, experiential showroom, a touch-and-feel experience for customers. . “It is almost like a divine product,” says Anusha Raghavendran, his wife and joint managing director.

Embracing change

“Like a mangal sutra for businesses. During Ayudha Pooja, people keep their weighing machines and pray,” she adds, drawing attention to the fact that a weighing scale determines a business. “No matter the industry, there will always be one.” While manual weighing scales dominated the early decades, in the 2000s, the company moved entirely into electronic machines. Now, the focus is automation with added features like billing, label printing, and app-connected smart machines, that redefine what a weighing scale could do.

Their app, Yes Weigh, that works alongside their brand PLUS91, named after India’s international dialing code, is a case in point. “Prices of vegetables, tomatoes, and onions fluctuate daily. Traders can update prices through this app connected to the weighing scale. There’s no loss, no confusion. With remote access through the app, the business owners can update or monitor machines from anywhere in the world,” explains Anusha.

Over time, they have ventured into specialised sectors like jewellery. “With gold prices soaring past ₹15,000 per gram, even the smallest discrepancy can mean significant loss. Government norms have tightened accuracy requirements from 10 mg to 1 mg, pushing manufacturers to innovate. We are competing with German players in this segment,” he says adding that their innovations include self-calibrating systems and mono-block technology that enhance accuracy.

An essential presence

They are also working on weighbridges that automatically record truck weights, moisture analysers for the food processing industry, advanced body weighing machines, and customisable platform scales for industrial use. “India is a price-sensitive market,” he says. “Businesses want to reduce manpower but also minimise errors. Technology helps achieve both.”

Over the years, the company has installed more than five lakh machines in Coimbatore alone. “If a street vendor’s weighing machine stops working, his entire business collapses. We focus on quick service. Word-of-mouth continues to drive our growth.”

A weighing machine, they add, is a constant in everyday life. “From the first moment a newborn is weighed to the precision of gold, from street vendors to industrial giants, it remains an essential presence,” they say, adding, “Our role touches every stage of life.”