Ratnesh Infra not only provides structures, but solutions too

Ratnesh Infra not only provides structures, but solutions too“We look ourselves as a solution provider of tomorrow and not merely a construction company,” –  Ratnesh Parekh, Director, Ratnesh InfraRatnesh Infra, which has been in the industry from not very long, has made a significant impact on the PEB market. Ratnesh Parekh shares how we can use PEB concept for constructing industrial structures, warehouses, residential complexes, bridges, subways, airport hangers, train stations and so on.Ratnesh Infra is an established name in the PEB business; what is your overview on the sector?Ratnesh Infra specialises in delivering PEB projects from ideation to completion. Supported by an in-house high capacity of coil processing unit, procurement of raw material for all grades of steel is easier, faster and economical. With unmatched pricing and faster delivery, our PEBs score heavily over traditionally built factory sheds.Ratnesh Infra has been in the industry from not very long but has made a significant impact on the PEB market. The demand for construction through PEB is growing by the day. We have observed tremendous growth in the last couple of years. Though it has slumped a bit this year, it is expected to grow further in recent future. The best thing about PEB as a concept for construction is that it can be applied over the widest range of buildings. We can use this concept for constructing industrial structures, warehouses, residential complexes, bridges, subways, airport hangers, train stations and the list can go on.What are your products and solutions?We take up turnkey projects for developing industrial spaces. We not only sell buildings, but also offer solutions. We undertake a project from the stage of design and conception and complete it up to commissioning and handing it over to the client. Timely completion and thoroughly thought out solutions, keeping future requirements in mind, are some of our USPs, which we take, pride in.What is the current size of PEB market in India, and what is your market share?The PEB market in our view is no more restricted to Tier-1 cities. This concept has been widely accepted in the Tier-2 and -3 cities as well. So the acceptance of this concept across the industry has reached a point from where it can only grow. New analysis from Frost & Sullivan finds that the market earned revenues of more than Rs.50,000 million in 2012 and estimates this to reach more than Rs.136,000 million in 2016, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of more than 25 per cent. The structural steel buildings market in India was around 5 million tonnes in 2011, of which around 10 per cent accounted for the PEB market in India. It is expected that the market in terms of volumes will reach 900,000 tonnes by 2016, growing at a CAGR of 11.1 percent.Though we, being a relatively new company, just 3 years old, we have managed to cover more than 7 lakh sq. feet of area by our solutions. We believe in growth, which is fast but sustainable.With the proposed capacity addition of 50,000 MW during the 12th Plan, what sort of growth opportunity do you foresee for PEB in this sector?With the 12th Five-Year Plan, we expect tremendous need for faster development in the power sector. PEB concept is the ultimate solution for ensuring quick, cost-effective, lightweight but strong and long-lasting construction. So the growth potential in power sector and the applicability of PEB concept seems to be limitless. Backed by the massive investments from the government, growth in the power sector will propel the PEB concept further.What are the other areas where PEB has tremendous potential?The industrial structure, warehouses, aircraft hangers and airports are some of the areas where PEB concept is presently being utilised. The future growth potential lies in construction of commercial spaces, high-rise buildings, complicated designs of shopping malls, residential apartments, low-cost row houses etc. The commercial building sector in India is estimated to reach a target of about 20 billion sq. feet by 2030 from around 7 billion sq. feet in 2010. It is expected that nearly 34 per cent of 2030 target had already been constructed and about 66 per cent of the building stock is yet to be constructed.We foresee that this sector has humongous growth potential for PEB concept. Some of the leading PEB designers, contractors and companies have started work in these fronts and made significant progress as well. But it should take another 2 to 5 years for PEB concept to overpower other methods of construction in these sectors.How do you see the scope of PEB in metro rail sector?The scope is very clear and evident. Metro rail project used the PEB concept quite well, and we would see the results of the same soon. It has been proven beyond doubt that PEB concept not only saves time, cost, and material but at the same time ensures stability of structures, aesthetic appeal and a lot more in any given construction project.How do you maintain the structural quality of PEB?This question has become very relevant in the times of tremendous competition in the PEB market. The competitive nature of the market tempts the players in the market to compromise structural quality in order to bag maximum orders and increase not only revenue but also market share. This phenomenon has a potential risk and should be avoided at all times and by all means.Design, raw material and installation procedure are three stages where structural quality can be altered and compromised. We at our end ensure that all the materials are purchased from reliable steel manufacturers directly. We make sure that the Test Certificate sent along with the material is valid by crosschecking the sample material in an NABL-certified laboratory. We also make sure that we design our structures as per the design codes available in the American as well as Indian codes as applicable. Rest of the parameters like quality checks at every stage of manufacturing process, controlled painting procedures, and following the installation procedures strictly are some of the areas where we do not compromise on quality of the structure.What are the steps being taken at your end to reduce the weight of PEB?The standard of ASTM Grade 50 for structural material is something which we religiously follow to reduce the steel consumption by keeping the structural quality constant. Another area is in the secondary members like the purlins of ‘Z’ and ‘C’ sections provide enough weight saving opportunity, and thereby making the structure lightweight and strong at the same time.These are some of the ways in which we reduce weight of the structure. But as I have mentioned earlier, reducing weight by compromising on structural quality is something we never do. Because we believe that we do not sell only structures, we provide solutions. We look ourselves as a solution provider of tomorrow and not merely a construction company. Our solutions are backed by research, analysis, creativity, clear thought processes and zeal to engage with the customers to make sure they get the best of what we can offer.

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