Private Sector on Everlasting aluminium / “Every year we recruit around 800 employees” / “We are adding around 100-150 people every year”

Everlasting aluminium

Vikram Sharma,
DGM - Marketing,
Jindal Aluminium.

Kushal Bajaj,
Executive Director,
Geeta Aluminium.

“Nearly 2,500 employees are working with us”
Jindal Aluminium Ltd, established in 1968, is a major manufacturer of Aluminium Extruded Profiles in India, located in outskirts of Bangalore city. It is largest Aluminium Extrusion Company in India having 11 Aluminium extrusion presses under one roof and achieving highest production in the country year after year. During the year 2017-18, Jindal Aluminium Ltd has produced 85,490 tonne. This is more than 25 per cent of India's total production.
Jindal Aluminium has taken a step forward by diversifying into Aluminium rolled products. We have commissioned state-of-the-art aluminium sheet and foil manufacturing facility in the year 2012 at Dabaspet, Bangalore, 35 kms from the existing extrusion plant. This rolled products division has achieved production of 33,400 tonne during the year 2017-18. “With installed capacity of producing 40,000 MTPA, we are progressing to touch new heights,” says Vikram Sharma, DGM - Marketing, Jindal Aluminium.

Around 2,500 employees
Briefing on the employee generation Sharma says, “We being almost five decade old company, grown multifold from one extrusion press to 11 extrusion presses apart from setting rolled products division and other institutions wherein we continuously give employment to new talent depending upon our requirements. At present nearly 2,500 employees are working with us.”

Women employment
Being hard core mechanised industry though most of the employees are males towards factory side but few areas where females can work during the day time are given fair employment. Towards office side, the company has almost equal ratio of females and males. Apart from manufacturing facilities, we have world class naturopathy hospital also where maximum workforce is female only.

Payroll on direct/indirect basis
“We have direct manpower for critical areas like, production, tool shop, quality etc whereas we also have indirect employment (outsourced) for some other activities like packing, loading / unloading etc,” informs Sharma.

Continuously emphasis on trainings
Sharing on the training activity Sharma said, “Continuous improvement is our mantra. We strongly believe that we can be a delight of customers if we have competent workforce as then only we will be able to supply them material as per their designs/needs. We continuously emphasis on trainings and provide in house as well as outdoor trainings by sending our team to attend seminars/workshops etc, for sharpening their skills frequently.”

Special bond with people around
The company has a very strong and special bond with people around them. It has three charitable hospitals wherein almost 3000 number of poor patients get free treatment every day. Apart from charitable hospitals, we have charitable school and college for girls where students of weaker segment get quality education at very nominal fees. Further, the company is giving scholarships to more than 10,000 poor and needy students for pursuing higher education.

Unique technologies adoption
The company is the largest manufacture of Aluminium Extrusions in the country and is having 4000 USMT extrusion press (largest in the country) wherein it can extrude
profile up to 390 mm CCD, widest in the country.

What are the changing trends in the roofing segment?
From the conventional roof of asbestos, roofing industry has come miles ahead. First came the era of Galvanised sheets which were taken over shortly by Galvalume sheets due to better resistance against rust. Now the world is looking up to Aluminium sheets which are complete corrosion resistance and very light in weight. Available in various colours also which basically does not get corroded for minimum 25-30 years against the life of Galvalume which is approx 8-10 years only. Awareness of Aluminium roofing sheet in India is very less whereas Galvalume (PPGL)/Iron (PPGI) roofing is very demanding because they are in the market from long time. But now awareness about usage of Aluminium roofing is increasing in the country.

Creating a blend of old and new employees
It all began in 1964 when Late Girdharilal Bajaj laid the foundation of Geeta Group of Companies by setting up Geeta Aluminium Co. Pvt. Ltd. Its professional expertise has been built over 50 years in the industry. Since then it has established itself as a major provider of aluminum doors and windows. “From distribution and marketing to full scale retailing, we have become a one stop source for premium aluminum architectural sections across the Indian sub-continent! Today, we provide a vast variety of products and services in the construction and building materials business. We specialise in the marketing, distribution and retail of aluminium windows and doors,” says Kushal Bajaj, Executive Director, Geeta Aluminium Co. Pvt. Ltd.

Through strong supply-chain management processes namely central and regional warehouses, logistics and after sales support system, the company is committed to provide trendsetting services and leave an everlasting imprint in the world of aluminium services.

In addition to being a one-stop shop for all Architectural Aluminium profiles, the company provides a complete range of compatible hardware to match and support these products. Geeta Support System is an after sales service that has seen great success with its clientele. “In our quest to remain an outstanding brand, we are constantly innovating with the latest international technology. We are excited about the possibilities of collaborating with other excellence-driven organisations, and are constantly looking at ways to learn and grow,” he adds.

Blend of old and new employees
Informing on the employee generation Bajaj says, “We believe to provide healthy working ambience, which is the reason many of our employees are working with us since last 20 years. Creating a blend of old and new employees with time we have bought new and young talent in the company. Currently our workforce comprises of 70 staff members and 80 workers.”

Women employment
Fenestration industry is a labor enforced sector, major work share comprises of manual work. At Geeta 30 per cent of our staff are women who work in backend support and take care of our customer service department.

Payroll on direct/indirect basis
Bajaj states, “We believe in providing job security to our employees, so all our employees are on direct 100 per cent payroll.”

Geeta Support System initiative
Sharing about the skilling activities Bajaj informs, “More than 2000 fabricators are being trained till date under Geeta Support System initiative. An extensive training schedule is designed which gives thorough knowledge of system windows, starting from theoretical involvements each person is given an opportunity to assemble a window in presence of our trainers.” Post training Geeta assists these fabricators to upgrade themselves by providing technical know-how and system through a detailed literature of instruction Manual. Geeta also extends aid by providing credit facility to its associates, which motivates them to freely take more and more work in their local cities.

Window Wall Systems
“Modern concept of “Window Wall Systems” are trending these days, where windows provide large openings to connect the exterior with interior of a home or an office,” informs Bajaj.
He adds, “Integration of Windows with Curtain Walls” is another contemporary development which has been accepted by the new generation architects and developers, which offer elite appearance and a better approach to fulfill modern architectural requirements.” Currently when there is a trending high-rise with growing urban population, architects and developers are preferring aluminium to build graceful structures. Most of the modern high rises are being plated by solid aluminium sheets with various designs in contrast to aluminum composite panels. “None of our technology is patented yet, we are in the process of defining policies to streamline our products and get them registered in the near future,” he says.

What are the changing trends in the facades industry in India?
Informing about the changing trends he says, “There is a change currently observed in modern architecture past few years where use of pre-processed materials are trending due to its finishing quality and fast execution. The use of aluminium, titanium, steel, fiber cement boards, laminates, terracotta and processed stones like granite is trending being designed towards maintaining the design and colors which becomes the key factor for an architect to visualise a standard building façade without any variations.”

He adds, “The market size of construction industry in India is one of the fastest growing markets in the world. Housing sector continues to be a favoured destination for global investors. Implementation of RERA and GST have strengthened the most critical reforms of Indian Construction Industry. With economic reforms gaining momentum, long-term prospects for growth remain bright for India.” There is a future prospect for local companies manufacturing cladding materials with local raw-materials be it stone, wood, FRP, GRP, plastics and metal. He notes, “If the construction fraternity and Indian government makes laws and standards for construction it will be a boom to the building materials industry to invest on large scale production units and will help supply at affordable cost from a common citizen to a developer.”

“Every year we recruit around 800 employees”

Devendra Kumar Vyas,
CEO,
Srei.

SREI Infrastructure Finance Ltd (SREI) a Kanoria Foundation entity, is one of India’s largest holistic infrastructure institutions, constantly and consistently delivering innovative solutions in the infrastructure sector. The company has been playing a significant role in nation building for nearly three decades, both in urban and rural India. SREI’s businesses include Infrastructure Project Finance, Advisory and Development, Infrastructure Equipment Finance, Alternative Investment Funds, Capital Markets and Insurance Broking. SREI is headquartered in Kolkata and has presence across India. SREI has around $6.6 billion of consolidated assets under its management.
Briefing on the journey Devendra Kumar Vyas, CEO, SREI says, “Our journey of nearly three decades has made us both dynamic and mature. Our experience in the sector has been an exceptional mix of moments of excellence, seconds of despair, frustrations, and thrill, yet exciting. With ‘Innovation’ as our hallmark, we have grown over the years to become the preferred partners in infrastructure financing.”
SREI believes in being the driving force for entrepreneurs. By empowering over 77,000 customers through our bouquet of services, our value proposition towards our customers and partners is much beyond finance. Our services in the infrastructure
sector include:
• Infrastructure project finance
• Advisory and development
• Infrastructure equipment finance
• Alternative investment funds
• Capital markets
• Insurance broking
He adds, “SREI has continually innovated and developed sustainable approaches to become a deserving leader in almost all stages of the infrastructure value chain.”

Employment generation
Briefing on the employment generation Vyas says, “Every year we recruit around 800 employees on an average with a ratio of 60:40 of new versus replacement positions. We can safely say every year approximately 500 new employment positions get created and provide an opportunity for talented manpower to join our workforce.”

Women employment
Economic growth is more robust and sustainable when women and men alike participate fully in the labour market. Better jobs for women—employment that leads to higher wages and greater decision-making—also have a positive influence on the ways households spend money on children's nutrition, health, and education. Meanwhile, companies that invest in women's employment gain an important competitive advantage.

Emphasising on women employment Vyas says, “At SREI we strongly believe investment in women employment is good for business and good development. One of our core goals in driving diversity across the firm is gender diversity. Keeping that goal in mind a lot of back office and support roles we aim at hiring women workforce and equally quite open and flexible if women wish to pursue front line jobs as well. Approximately 10 per cent-15 per cent of our workforce is women and we aim to increase it in coming years.”
He adds, “Payroll on direct roles is 2000 plus workforce.”

Skilling activities
In terms of skilling and building organisational capability and people development we have worked with world class faculty from institutions such as Singularity University, MIT and Stanford University, to create cutting edge workshops on disruptive technologies that are going to shape our future. “We have also worked on creating a future focused mindset with workshops on design thinking and scenario planning, apart from regular skill based training programme we run on sales, credit, finance and people management,” informs Vyas.

The company has also undertaken a senior leadership development programme working with the Korn Ferry Hay group.
In order to exponentially increase collaboration, idea sharing and engagement between employees, the company had launched SREISampark last year-an app based social media platform which also acts as a digital sensor for employee mood and engagement. This has gone from strength to strength. More than one million points have been redeemed for SREI branded products against “Shabash” received. This platform has been used for several major initiatives including engagement activities, EVP, competitions, surveys etc.

He adds, “For our Company, all employees form part of an extended family – the SREIParivar and your Company has continued in its efforts to encourage wellness in mind, body and spirit. Through SwasthSREI, the company continues to encourage wellness and healthy lifestyles of the employees.”

Service to Humanity
SREI Group has been actively involved in various CSR activities since inception.SREI Foundation, a Public Charitable Trust, was founded with a vision for a world free of struggle and poverty, filled with happiness, peace, prosperity and good health. It emphasises on its mission ‘Service to Humanity’ by nurturing mind, body and soul through medical assistance, educational support, healthy
sanitation, rehabilitation of acid attack victims and many more. SREI Foundation supports IISD, a value based educational and management institution that serves as a doorway to careers. The trust also convenes an annual World Confluence of Humanity, Power and Spirituality wherein cross sections of humanitarian and
spiritual, public and administrative leaders congregate to inspire and reflect on social, ethical and
spiritual issues.

iQuippo
Briefing on the digital market place for construction equipment Vyas informs, “As part of our contribution to the infrastructure and construction equipment financing, we recently launched iQuippo, India’s first and a one-of-its-kind digital marketplace for construction equipment machinery and services. The platform offers total solutions for all types of construction and mining equipment and also provides value added services like asset certification, valuation, parking, maintenance, logistics, spare parts and manpower. We believe that iQuippo will help in enabling wider market access, removing information asymmetry and delivering time and cost savings to customers.”

What are the changing trends in the construction equipment?
Sharing views on changing trends in the construction equipment Vyas states, “The earth is moving! It is exciting times for Construction Equipment Industry. With emerging technologies, equipment is getting smarter. Users are demanding more versatile, durable and energy efficient machines. The biggest change which we are witnessing is a change in the customers buying behaviour. Customers are now increasingly adopting leasing as a tool to reduce cost of ownership, increase fleet efficiency, and use the latest technology. This is a sign that we are maturing as a market.”

“We are adding around 100-150 people every year”

Ashish Tandon,
MD,
Egis, India.

Egis is a France-headquartered Engineering company with presence in over a 100 countries and global turnover of a little over a billion euros. Egis is present in India for more than two decades and today the Company's list of projects includes 8 metro projects, 2 smart cities, 3 airports, a port, an AMRUT and PMAY project each and many other projects which cover the entire spectrum of infrastructure development. “One project that I am personally extremely fond of is the Chhatrapati Shivaji Memorial project where we are the Project Management Consultants in developing the tallest statue in the world, which on completion, be nearly three times the size of Statue of
Liberty, says Ashish Tandon, MD, Egis, India.

India is a cornerstone for Egis in India, with a robust y-o-y growth and offering a huge potential. India is also one of the three pole countries of Egis outside France along with Middle-East and Brazil. “Egis is the largest engineering consultancy operating in India as on today and we see continued growth for the company in the coming years as well,” he adds.

Data on employment generation
“Egis group has a team of 14,000 people globally,” states Tandon. He adds, “The Indian team is around 2,400 people strong. We are constantly adding around 100-150 people every year on an average. Last year was exceptionally good and we added around 750 people in Madhya Pradesh alone in one of the projects there.”

Women employment
“Engineering and infrastructure have been predominantly a male dominated sector due to the grind of working on site in most cases. That unfortunately continues to be the case,” observes Tandon. However he says, “There are a lot of associated sectors which are directly and indirectly related to the business where we are seeing women in a large scale. Our head of North India is a woman. Our recruitment head is a woman. We have many women architects and city planners who are women. Our Business Development team has many women. However, we still want to do a lot more in this area.”

Payroll on direct/indirect basis
Sharing information on the pay role direct and indirect basis Tandon says, “Though I will not be able share actuals. We have around 95 per cent of our employees on payroll whereas the remaining 5 per cent are the consultants who are working with us on a contractual basis.”

Skilling activities
Sharing on the skilling activities Tandon says, “Skilling is one of the fortes of the Egis group. We are continuously able to bring in technologies and experts from France, train our staff in India and then the trained staff is able to handle the project on their own. Today, all the verticals that we operate in are managed independently by India. We are also having a few projects where Indian engineers are sent for global projects and are brought back on Indian projects so that they are able to share their expertise. Egis offers excellent opportunities for developing global capabilities and having global careers.”

Main Tendue and Salaam Baalak Trust
Informing about how Egis contributes towards society Tandon says, “One of the greatest achievements of Egis I feel is that we have made civil engineering glamourous again when the whole world seems to associate engineering with only information technology or mobiles. We have worked on some of the most iconic infrastructure projects in the country which have made the engineers working on them proud about their work.”
He adds, “I personally write and share a lot of our experiences with many magazines and forums where I try to share my knowledge with the younger managers leading global teams.” Egis partners with a French NGO called Main Tendue and support one of its Indian beneficiaries - Salaam Baalak Trust. The company sponsors breakfast for hundred odd children throughout the year and also contribute its time and energies in supporting the victims of natural calamities like Tsunami or earthquakes time to time.

BAT3
Egis Geoplan, one of the subsidiaries of Egis specialising on geospatial services, has developed a technology called BAT3. It has won accolades at international forums. BAT3 helps identify the path of the bats and enables us to create designs of buildings without interfering with the travel path of these bats. It helps in protecting the bat ecosystem in the areas of construction in a big way.

What are the changing trends in the infrastructure development in India?
“The biggest change is that India is moving towards quality consciousness from being only quantity conscious
all these years. This is helping us offer global solutions as the clients are willing to pay for quality. The second biggest change I see is that there is awareness at the highest levels that to sustain the present growth of India, the infrastructure development will be the backbone. Therefore we are seeing a whole host of initiatives being aimed at developing modern all-round infrastructure development,” says Tandon.

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