Page 51 - April 2022

PEB & ROOFING
results in delivery delays, cost overruns, high wastages, poor quality Which are the areas which drive your business and what are the
projects, and higher operational costs. growth drivers and opportunity zones?
In addition to the Construction Technology advancements With growth in ecommerce and its demand during the pandemic, INTERACTION
mentioned above, we at Steelion are taking a leadership role we have seen an increase in demand for the warehouse space.
in integrating Information Technology for seamless project The warehousing market in India is expected to grow by ~15%
delivery and transparency between all the stakeholders. We are between 2021 and 2025 and leasing of warehousing space is
strengthening our operations support system to improve efficiency expected to reach 100m sqft. by 2023 from 32m sqft. in 2019. 3PL
in our processes by integrating our partners and internal teams to players are capitalizing on this opportunity by building logistics and
ensure easy transfer of information between them. By onboarding distribution centres to stock inventory for e-tailers. This has given
the MSME manufacturing companies on our platform, we are rise to the demand for warehouses and logistics parks in India.
also empowering them by giving access to our state-of-the-art There is a dearth of grade A warehouses and logistics parks in India
systems, procedures, regional and global best practices. Having with 64% skew towards grade B warehouses. It is more pronounced
the Regional Channel Partners in the same system will increase in South India with not a single grade A logistics park in Kerala. This
business development opportunities and provide administrative is one area that we are currently focusing on.
and after sales service to our clients. This ecosystem will be Also, the government has taken several initiatives like the Make
working with BIM to integrate 3D models to communicate, design, in India drive, as a result of which Indian conglomerates and
manufacture and complete the construction process. global giants are in the process of setting up manufacturing
We continuously take inspiration from global companies where plants in India. The Indian budget 2022 has also given a boost to
smart technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), are fast the manufacturing and construction sector. In 2021, Cushman
gaining prominence in the construction space. Architects are and Wakefield’s 2021 Global Manufacturing Risk Index showed
using big data and complex algorithms to create standardized India emerging as the second most sought after manufacturing
designs at pace, which can then be tested on a virtual platform destination across the world indicating the growing interest shown
to gauge the viability of the project and the associated costs, by manufacturers in India as a preferred manufacturing hub over
and can also ensure that the developer’s specific ideas and other countries.
requirements are met with – resulting in faster decision making. Post pandemic, there is also an increase in demand for co-
The standardized components can then be produced in factories. working spaces, elderly homes and commercial office spaces.
By integrating digital, precise, and collaborative technologies Floor extensions for hospitals and educational institutions are also in
with innovative, lightweight, and high-performance materials, demand. At Steelion, our resources, technology and expertise are
designers can achieve breakthrough results. To contribute to geared towards meeting the increasing demand for commercial
a more sustainable and creative world, it is prudent to explore offices, hospitals, factories, luxury apartments, logistics parks,
diverse and innovative offsite solutions. educational institutions, or any other critical construction project.
As a customer-first prefab construction company, Steelion always
What is your strategy in a price sensitive market like India? ascertains that clients’ requirements are met with perfection and
Our technical team with their R&D process is always looking are in strict adherence to the due diligence. Our promise is to
to make prefab more affordable and flexible. Also, there is a deliver sustainable buildings with maximum usable space, better
perception that prefab technology is expensive and beyond the design efficiency, compressed project timelines and lifetime cost
reach of many companies. That is why we see pre-engineered benefit.
building methodology being more often adopted for larger
projects. Due to this perception, the SME segment is largely Future outlook for the industry and from a company perspective
neglected, and they follow the conventional construction model. It’s heartening to see the Central Government’s continued thrust
With our better understanding of the SME segment and our legacy on bringing new-age construction practices, more so infusing a
in tier 2 and 3 markets, we see a huge opportunity here to build vigour into prefab housing with a vision to achieve projects like
awareness to this segment about Prefab and HCT including how ‘Housing For All’ by 2022. Such timely measures will only strengthen
they could benefit on cost. the scope and expanse of prefab companies in the country. The
The SME sector makes up for 33.4% of India’s output in Prefab industry currently forms less than 1% of the overall Indian
manufacturing, giving employment to around 120 million Indians, building construction market. It is expected to grow to 5% or $25B
according to CII. There are 63.4m SME units and they form 30% in volume by 2027. We are gearing up for this growth and our vision
of India’s GDP. By catering to this market segment and focusing is to be the number 1 prefab company in India.
on projects that are worth up to 100 crores we are seeing a Now is the time for construction companies to make bold
huge opportunity to increase our market share. To harness the decisions on how and where to play in this exciting era and
full potential of Prefab Technology, it should be embraced in change the way we think of prefabrication to drive sustainable
design-build construction and made equally accessible to small growth of construction in the country.
and medium sized projects in addition to the larger projects. HCT Steelion is positioned as a futuristic construction company.
methodology helps make design-build construction using prefab By introducing and adapting to newer technologies and
technology available to all business segments and categories, innovation in prefab, it is just a matter of time before Steelion
including those that are currently underserved, in a very cost- becomes synonymous with the concept of “Manufactured
efficient way. Building” in India.

APRIL 2022|CONSTRUCTION OPPORTUNITIES 51