From a small city in Gujarat to leading global manufacturing ventures, Yogesh Solanki’s story is one of courage, grit, and the belief that hard work creates possibilities.
At 17, with Yogesh’s father Muljibhai's encouragement, he left Junagadh for the UK with a dream and a suitcase. He pursued a Bachelor’s in Engineering (Design & Manufacturing), graduating with First Class honors. To support himself, he worked at McDonald’s, Walmart, and Domino’s — experiences that shaped his understanding of teamwork, discipline, and the dignity of every role. A one-year internship at the world’s leading glass bottle manufacturer opened his eyes to cross-functional teamwork, innovation, and how businesses truly serve markets.
By graduation, Yogesh carried not just a degree but a toolkit of skills — operations, problem-solving, customer empathy — and the quiet confidence that leadership is earned through action.
Corporate stints with Honda and Ford UK followed, sharpening his expertise in manufacturing and project delivery. But the 2008 recession proved to be a turning point. Instead of seeing it as a setback, Yogesh saw it as a calling — to return home and build something meaningful in India.
Back in Ahmedabad, he gained further experience in business development and later at Ford India’s greenfield project, where he thrived in handling complex, multidisciplinary tasks. Around this time, Mr. Rameshbhai his father in law became his mentor — guiding him like Krishna to Arjun — encouraging Yogesh to take his entrepreneurial leap.
Building Businesses, Creating Impact
Yogesh went on to establish three ventures, each born from vision and persistence:
Textile Machinery Components – From a small unit to a thriving business where production tripled and revenue grew 5x in just a few years.
Vulcanized Fiber Sheets – Spotting a gap, he built India’s only unit producing sheets up to 25mm thick, helping industries save imports and positioning his company as a niche market leader.
Stainless Steel Wire Manufacturing – His current venture, a Make in India initiative, aims to set global benchmarks in stainless steel wire quality, efficiency, and export competitiveness.
These ventures were fast-tracked thanks to the strong ecosystem support from Startup India, the Government of Gujarat, and the Government of India’s capital and interest subsidy schemes, along with financial institutions that backed new projects with trust and funding.
Leadership Mindset
For Yogesh, leadership is not about titles — it’s about people. His style is hands-on, data-driven, and people-first. He believes in empowering teams, fostering accountability, and driving innovation with purpose. Whether in Sales, Operations, Marketing, or Finance, he ensures every function works towards one goal: sustainable growth with impact.
Today, Yogesh continues his journey of building globally competitive businesses from India, Yogesh’s journey is proof that with vision, resilience, and empathy, one can build not just businesses — but legacies.
