Language
You can read the magazine in one of the following languages
5-min read
Bookmark now
Copy Link
The true benefits of steel construction have yet to be enjoyed by India. That’s the opinion of Tirthankar Roy, Chief Commercial Officer of JSW Severfield Structures (JSSL), India’s leading structural steel design and build company.
“The per capita consumption of steel in construction is exceedingly low in India, which means there’s a great opportunity and potential, and that’s where India needs to grow,” Roy tells The CEO Magazine.
“We can see the market changing in India.”
It may come as a surprise to learn that India, the world’s second-largest producer of steel and widely tipped to soon outpace China in terms of steel consumption, would be wanting in this regard. Roy says it’s indicative of just how much potential exists.
“Take a look at the kind of humongous projects taking place in Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom,” he says. “If even 30 percent of what’s conceptualized in Saudi Arabia gets built, that’s colossal. But it is absolutely possible to do the same in India.”
And JSSL, he says, is the company to lead that charge. After 14 years with the company, Roy has a firm handle on its operations and capabilities.
“I started as an executive assistant to one of the board members, but as the business grew, I took on additional responsibilities, so my career grew along with it,” he says.
JSSL has grown sevenfold during that time, which gives an indication of the career progression Roy has enjoyed.
“It’s been a very fulfilling journey for me,” he says. “And now, my focus is to drive the growth of the business moving forward.”
The company itself has come a long way. A joint venture between JSW Steel, the largest private sector integrated steel manufacturer in India, and Severfield, the United Kingdom’s largest steel fabricator, JSSL’s serious pedigree makes it the ideal business to lead India’s steel construction frontier.
“Early on in JSSL’s journey, India was primarily a concrete market. Building in steel was unheard of,” Roy says.
Innovative technology was the way in. From the in-house design team’s use of 3D Tekla modeling and deck detailing to the online abrasive shot blasting machines used in the company’s state-of-the-art fabrication facility in Karnataka, JSSL has assumed pole position in the market.
The end result is an erection process using world-class precision technology for sophisticated steelwork that has pioneered a new way of building in India.
“Before us, it was largely small-timers doing a bit of fabrication here and there and somehow importing steel from the Middle East or China. Not proper end-to-end design and build,” Roy explains.
The JSSL solution is the total package: concept, design, fabrication, execution on site and the delivery of a completed structure.
“To start with, the expertise was largely driven by Severfield, but now it’s almost 100 percent localized,” he says.
It’s a point of difference that gives JSSL an edge when pitching to clients, which is why the firm is hard at work creating a larger footprint for a greater in-house team.
“Our second plant is under construction in Dahej, another 60-acre [24.2 hectare] parcel of land,” Roy says.
“We hope to start commercial production there this financial year. Once it’s ready, we’ll start looking for the next site in central or eastern India.
“In the next five years, we’re wanting to go from anywhere between three-to-five times where we are now. We can see the market changing in India, so that’s our goal.”
“In the next five years, we’re wanting to go from anywhere between three-to-five times where we are now.”
There are many challenges a company of JSSL’s size and ambition faces in the pursuit of such growth, which is why Roy is working as hard as he is to keep the business ahead of the curve – but not too far ahead.
“Our job is to minimize any variance in terms of market understanding,” he says. “If you’re late in understanding the market, you won’t have the capacity once the market arrives. If you’re too far ahead, you’ll have excess capacity and it may not arrive for some time.
“As executives, we have to keep that balance within permissible limits.”
With a gleaming portfolio on full display in what Roy calls the ‘shop window’ – the construction sites and skylines of India’s cities – and the nation’s largest steel mill in its corner, JSSL has had no trouble attracting a swathe of quality partners.
“Nobody can do this on their own,” he says. “We have to have the support from our partners on this growth journey, and many of our closest partners have been with us and grown with us since the beginning.”
From labor contractors to equipment suppliers and manufacturers, Roy makes it a personal point to keep JSSL’s partners moving at the same speed as the business itself.
“You’re only as strong as your weakest link,” he says. “So I make sure our entire portfolio of partners understands our aspirations and shares our mindset, attitude and appetite for growth.”
“We want the entire construction ecosystem to grow.”
This is done at yearly partner meets, where work plans for the year ahead are shared.
“If we’re planning to buy INR2 billion [US$23.2 million] worth of bolts, paints and welding consumables, we’ll speak to those vendors and explain everything from the planned use to delivery requirements and exact specs,” Roy says.
“That way, they can build capabilities and invest in capex based on our commitments, which not only benefits us but also benefits them in terms of landing other businesses. We’re OK with that because we want the entire construction ecosystem to grow.”
With the taste for steel in India growing and a boom on the horizon, Roy says JSSL is well placed to deliver Saudi-level projects, and in doing so, elevate company and country alike.
“We have the skill set, we have the necessary know-how, and we have the track record. There is enormous potential in this country, and we are very bullish about it, just as we are about JSSL’s growth trajectory,” he concludes.
RELATED ARTICLES 
Home
Podcasts
Covers
Be Featured
Community
