WCA September 2014

Industry news

An impressive past and a very bright future

further expansion is at the forefront of the company’s strategy, especially in the North American market. The company’s training complements the cultivation of industrial skills with valuable personal devel- opment opportunities, whilst also integrating numerous means of environmental consideration into its lead- ing manufacturing facilities.

The wire division was established in 2001, and the addition of a second smelting shop increased the aggregate melting capacity to 18,000 tons per month. Viraj also joined the Federation of Indian Export Organisations. A fastener and wire rod division followed in 2006 and four years later managing director Mrs Renu Kochhar received an MSLA (Madhavrao Scindia Leadership Award).

FROM a new company in 1990 to one that employs 9,000 people and is the second largest stainless steel long producer in the world, the growth of Viraj Profiles is as impressive as its plans for the future. In 1991 the first melting shop started operations, although the production of stainless steel began four years later. The year 2000 saw the addition of a profiling division, from which 99 per cent of products were exported.

❍ Managing director Mrs Renu Kochhar

It is also highly active in corporate social responsibility with many programmes in place to uplift community education, healthcare, infrastructural development and overcome gender discrimination. It employs several incentives, including granting scholarships and providing writing materials to educational institutions, arranging for e-classes in the nearby schools. Viraj’s commitment to enhancing Indian education has led to the realisation of Viraj Shri Ram Centennial School, an institution that operates to internationally acclaimed standards. Further to this, the company has also developed drives such as adult literacy programmes and infrastructural development to rural, remote and poverty-stricken communities. Healthcare is also high on the company’s agenda – Viraj is actively participating in the development of a medical facility in Tarapur in Maharashtra. Looking ahead, the recent implementation of Viraj’s fully automatic section rolling mill – the first industrial-scale facility of its kind in India – demonstrates a firm commitment to the future. Increasing capacity has been further enhanced by Viraj’s newly implemented rolling mill, which has a capacity of 180,000 tons per annum. “It is the most significant such investment made in the entire global stainless steel sector in the last five years,” Mrs Kochhar said. Viraj Profiles Limited – India Website : www.viraj.com

The company now produces 180,000 tons of bright bars a year, in addition to 50,000 tons of wire. Around 18,000 tons of flanges, complemented by 60,000 tons of fasteners and 78,000 tons of stainless steel profiles are made each year, as well as 300,000 tons of stainless steel wire rods. Viraj’s sites incorporate the latest technology to generate the broad range of stainless steel solutions. 2012 saw the inauguration of a new production unit in Viraj’s wires division, whilst a fully automatic rolling mill commenced operations this year. Viraj continuously introduces new technologies to its fabrication plant, having recently installed three high power induction furnaces from ABP Induction Systems in Germany – the first of their kind in the industry. Viraj’s stainless steel products see applications in boilers, pressure vessels, shipbuilding, oil pipelines, petrochemical facilities, construction projects and surgical instruments, among others. It also functions as one of the world’s largest stainless steel flange manufacturers. The company emphasises a zero-defect approach to quality control, employing a specialist team of quality control analysts who safeguard every single element of the production process. It is fully ISO 9001 certified, with equipment in place that allows all products to be tested for external and internal defects. Viraj’s export footprint factors in Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Australia and the Americas – although

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Wire & Cable ASIA – September/October 2014