Kiswok by Khozaima Motiwala

“You can’t KISWOK Industries Pvt. Ltd.

How we have proved pessimists wrong across five decades

Head Office: 11, Brabourne Road Kolkata 700 001 WB India T: + 91 33 2242 7920 / 21 F: + 91 33 2242 5487 E: info@kiswok.com www.kiswok.com

Unit I 62/1 Bhattanagar Liluah Howrah 711 203 West Bengal T: + 91 33 2651 9107

Unit III 1 Kundan Lane, Liluah Howrah 711 204 West Bengal T: + 91 33 2645 6892

Unit II (Foundry & Machine Shop) Unit IV Biparana Para Via Begri (Both Units inside Jalan Complax Gate No.1) Domjur,Howrah 711 411 West Bengal T: + 91 33 2669 6658 F: + 91 33 2669 6661

KISWOK Industries Pvt. Ltd.

Personality Document

Manhole Covers

Manhole Frame and Cover with customised inscription

Pipe fitiings and valves

Agriculture

All Socket Tee

Ringer Wheel

“YOU CAN’T DO IT.” Recessed Cover

>> At Kiswok, nothing has provoked our pride more than these four words.

Flanged Reducer

Strengthening ourand resolve to make Dismantling impossible Lock Type Frame Cover Joint things happen.

Channel Grating

Sluice Valve

Cambridge Roll

Press Roll

Profile wheel

The story of Kiswok (earlier Kejriwal Iron & Steel Works) is the story of going from buyer to buyer marketing our capabilities. Some in India, a number of them abroad. Going without references, making cold calls. Well before liberalization and globalization. On most occasions, we were not given time to present our case. On the few occasions that we were, we were told that it would be a waste of time trusting us even with a trial order. The usual pronouncement: “You can’t do it.”

“You mean to say that a small Indian company like yours will be able to match our international standards?”

No four words have inspired us more. Each time we heard this, we resolved to achieve an international quality standard and professionalism that would be nationally and internationally respected. We are already there.

Kiswok fact sheet • Went into business in 1957 as Kejriwal Iron & Steel Works. • Group commissioned by Mr. S. S. Kejriwal and Mr. P. R. Kejriwal • Extended from one plant at Girish Ghosh Road, Howrah to four manufacturing facilities (two at Liluah and two at Domjur, Howrah) all around Kolkata • Services the growing needs of the automotive, engineered casting, agriculture casting, municipal infrastructure and other industries.

Vision To become one of the most respected and valuable brands in the castings industry in India.

Mission At KISWOK, our mission is to use innovation in engineering products to address the complex and dynamic demands of customers without creating an environmental payload. Manufacturing high quality products at optimal price points is the result of an integrated long-term strategy.

“No company has evolved from the manufacture of rolling mill spares to high grade automotive castings.”

Most companies within the castings sector are born into one product and live with it till their time is done. From a spares manufacturer for rolling mills. To the manufacture of heavy rollers. To a fly wheel manufacturer for rolling mills. To a manufacturer of cast iron pipe fittings. To manhole covers. To ductile iron pipe fittings. To automotive castings. Each time we intended to graduate into a higher product, there was always someone at hand to motivate us. By simply saying “You can’t do it.” At Kiswok, we made the impossible a reality. Today, our product mix comprises offerings for the Automotive, Pipe fittings, Sanitary castings, Industrial and Agricultural casting industries.

Kiswok fact sheet • Invested a very small amount in plant and machinery until 1991; invested Rs. 35 crore ($7 million) in the following decade & went on to invest Rs. 50 crore ($10 million) between 2001 and 2011. We also have plan to invest further Rs. 100 crore ($20 million) with in 2013. • Specializes in automobile castings, machined cast iron and ductile iron casting products

>> Manufacturing milestones • Heavy rollers in 1957 • Fly wheels in 1960 • Cast Iron Pipe Fittings in 1970 • Cast Iron Manhole covers in 1973 • Ductile Iron Pipe Fittings and Manhole Covers in 2000 • Automotive castings in 2003

The story of

has been the opposite.

“It would be unrealistic for a conventional casting company to develop a customized automotive product in a month.”

The significant evolution of Kiswok from

We understood our client’s demanding

a general castings manufacturer into a

needs. We pooled our engineering

specialized automotive castings producer

capabilities. We created a prototype. We

was the result of a convergence of man,

submitted to the client.

material and mindset.

After carefully studying the prototype,

This is how: when we were approached

the client pronounced: “Starting order

by India’s largest commercial vehicle

500 pieces a month.”

manufacturer to develop a brake drum in only a month – most people would have taken three to six months - the logical voice inside us said ‘You can’t do it.’ But

Kiswok now supplies India’s largest commercial vehicle manufacturer 50,000 brake drums a month.

the risk taker inside us said ‘You can pull

Kiswok fact sheet

it off.’

• Automotive product mix: Brake

Even though Kiswok had no prior

Drum, Hub, Differential Case and Cover,

experience of having commercialized any

Flywheel, Gear Box and Gear Housing,

automotive casting product ever in its

Carrier Housing, Bracket, Spacer, Clutch

existence, we accepted the challenge.

Housing, Bell Housing, Intermediate Housing.

Valuable clients Tata Motors

>> Customer testimonial “What sets KISWOK apart from most of others is its attentiveness and genuine concern to understand the needs of the customer. KISWOK has fulfilled all our requirements of Brake Drums for the last several years and now has successfully ventured into supplies of machined SG Iron Axle Components. The timely delivery of products and the response we receive from them in coping with our fluctuating schedules of existing components is one of the best in the casting industry.” - Sudhanshu Mohanty AGM (Materials & ADD) TML Drivelines, Tata Motors

“It would be almost impossible exporting cast products from India.”

When we began to visit potential

and capability. We established a brand

international customers of casting

around dependability.

products in the mid Seventies, the concept of an export-driven business model in our sector was largely unknown.

This is the result: we have shipped casting products regularly to USA, United Kingdom, Germany, New Zealand,

Most companies were local. At best, they

France, Italy, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain and

were regional. Even a national outlook

UAE.

was rare. It was at that time that Kiswok dared to go international. The journey was challenging. India was not on the map for most buyers. Those who had worked with Indian manufacturers had no intention of doing so again. The broad complaint: no commitment, no quality, no timeliness, no competitiveness. In one sentence: “You can’t do it.” Kiswok persisted. We took trial orders. We delivered successfully. We bid for larger contracts. We delivered yet again. We invested in our capacity

Kiswok fact sheet • Manhole product mix: Gully Grating, Channel Grating, Single Seal and Double Seal cover, Lock type cover, Surface Box, Extra Heavy duty cover for airport, Covers with customized inscription, Air tight – Water tight cover & frame, Recessed cover, Step Iron • Agricultural product mix: Press Roll and Cambridge Roll, Spacer Ring, Ringer wheel, Breaker Ring • Kiswok is the only company to have won the National Trophy for Best Export performance twice from the President of India

Valuable clients • Aljabor Trading, Qatar • Ensor Building Products, UK • Big Bolt, UK • Kramp UK Limited, UK

>> Customer testimonial “We received unflinching support even under most adverse conditions.” - Shk. Nawaf Jabor Mohammed J.Al-Thani, member of the Qatar ruling family

“Our alliance with KISWOK Industries Pvt. Ltd has spanned more than 25 years and is still going strong. We have been involved with the sale of agricultural castings, produced by KISWOK, in the UK for decades. The products are sold all through the UK to farm machinery manufacturers and as spare parts directly to farmers. A large range of castings is carried in stock by our company to service the business. The success of our partnership lies in sound technical knowledge of the various applications.” - Mr. James Robinson, Big Bolt

When everyone in India was making pipe fittings of cast iron, Kiswok introduced 1,000 varieties of 80 mm - 1000 mm push-on ductile iron pipe fittings for the first time in the country. Although the cost per kg of ductile iron pipe fittings was relatively higher, on a total cost

• Side lugs: Each socket fitting is provided with two side lugs, which enables the fastening of wire rope and offers a firm grip for pulling machines

basis it was significantly cheaper than

while laying and joining

alternatives, helping the product establish

• Lifting loops: Lifting loops have been

itself in the Indian market.

provided on fittings from size DN 400

Over time, we became the largest

and above, which enables the easy lifting

manufacturer of ductile iron pipe fittings in India. Today, we manufacture an

“It would be next to impossible to replace cast iron pipe fittings.”

Innovative features of Kiswok’s range of Fast Fix pipe fittings

of heavy fittings from trucks and lowering into the trench while keeping the fittings

entire range of ductile iron pipe fittings,

in a horizontal position

Sluice valves and cast iron pipe fittings

• Thrust pad: Thrust pad has been

comprising socketed and Flanged pipe

provided on bends of 90 and 45 degrees

fittings.

for sizes 80 mm and 100 mm. Bends face

A new range of Fast Fix fittings were

the maximum surge pressure in any pipe

developed by us keeping in view the requirements for a faster laying of pushon joints and overcome the cumbersome handling of the fitting due to its odd

line and tend to turn when pressure is applied. The thrust pad provides more surface area for the thrust block (made of concrete) to grip the fitting.

shape. The Fast Fix range of fittings helps save time and manpower required to fit conventional push-on type fittings.

Valuable clients • Larsen & Toubro Limited, India • IVRCL, India • Degremont Limited, India • Ramky Infrastructure, India

>> Customer testimonial “KISWOK has been providing quality products to L&T for its prestigious water pipeline projects. Our relationship, spanning several years, gets stronger with every subsequent transaction. The reason behind the success of every relationship is a strong foundation and such is the case with us. Superior quality and committed delivery are benchmarks imbibed in KISWOK. Commitment towards “engineering innovation” and product development keeps KISWOK way ahead of its competition, a company to be reckoned with.” - Mr. S. Jaganathan, G.M. and Cluster Head, L&T

“It would be foolish to invest in an international quality standard even before the local market requires it.”

General business wisdom indicates that

fewer vendors (as opposed to sourcing

one should invest in a technology or

components from a large number).

capacity after a corresponding market has been established.

In view of this, Kiswok did something unprecedented: in 1997, Kiswok invested

At Kiswok, we countered this convention.

significantly in an automated high

We invested in superior casting

pressure moulding line, laempe core

technology before a market had been

shooters, automated sand plant, shot

established.

blasting machine and supporting testing

Because we were convinced that India’s large market would soon demand superior product quality and chemistry. Because an increasing number of

equipment when nobody was doing it and invested in a production capacity significantly higher than the industry average.

downstream buyers would soon

The result is a viable business model

demand fully machined products from

through all industry cycles.

>> State-of-the-art foundry equipment • HFM 70 High Pressure moulding

Shooting Center with intensive sand

line: Vacuum Squeeze flaskless

mixing plant of 40 litres, 10 litres and

moulding line with horizontal parting;

5 litres capacity and a Laempe mixture

automatic mould and flask handling

of capacity 4.2 MT

system with the speed of 90 mould per hour (820x820x280/280 mm)

• Sand Plant: Fully automated sand plant with two muller and two

• Disa Flex 70 High Pressure

mixture with the capacity of 150 MT

Moulding Line: Automatic moulding

per hour with online sand testing

line with flask and auto core setter along with the speed of 90 mould per hour (900x700x300/300 mm)

• Melting & Press pour: Equipped with Induction Furnaces which can deliver 14 MT per hour of Cast and

• Jolt Squeeze: One set of ARPA 900

Ductile Iron; ABP press pour system

Jolt Squeeze Machine for making larger

for tight process control during

castings (1000x1000x300/300 mm)

pouring

and 1 set of DEMAN 450 Jolt squeeze machine to cater to the smaller castings (650x650x200/300 mm) • Laempe Cold Box Core System: Three numbers of Automatic Core

• Shot Blasting: Two numbers of automatic shot blasting machine to cater to 7000 tonnes of castings a month

“Investing in 100 per cent machined products would be unviable.”

For decades, India’s castings sector

went ahead and used multi-head drilling

prided on its low production cost derived

machines to increase productivity.

from a high manual content.

Soon the results began to show: Kiswok

At Kiswok, we were among the first

went on to supply 50,000 brake drums

casting producers in India to study

per month with a product mix of 35

‘cost’ from a holistic perspective. And

brake drums which was made possible

this is what we found: that a one-time

due to its higher productivity and

investment in cutting-edge technology

flexibility. What was once considered

would enhance production, productivity

impossible has now emerged as an

and economy on the one hand and

industry benchmark.

provide consistent quality on the other.

The result is that Kiswok is the lowest

Earlier, machining equipment revolved

cost producer with the highest quantity

around lathes; Kiswok invested in

of brake drums as a single manufacturing

CNC machines. When other companies

unit in India today.

used pillar drilling machines, Kiswok

>> State-of-the-art machining equipment • 70 heavy duty lathe machines. • Nine CNC VTLs for machining Components of upto 600 mm diameter • Three Multi Head Drilling Units • Two sets of two plane Dynamic Balancing machines

• Investing Rs. 100 crore ($20 million) for fully automatic machining lines and all facilities for producing one lakh pieces of finished brake drums per month

“Investing in the tangible is convention. Who bothers about the intangible?”

At a time when most of the companies

generously in quality control to ensure

concentrate on increasing their output

that customers get the best quality for

to make profits, we aim to invest

the price they pay.

>> State-of-the-art testing equipment • Equipped with two ARL Optical

• Fully equipped green sand testing

emission Spectrometer having

lab and a DISA sand multi controller

25 channels

for online sand testing

• Fully equipped chemical and

• Three hydraulic (hydro) testing

physical lab

machines for testing pipefittings of

• Leica Microscope with Image

upto 1000 mm diameter

analyser for accurate micro structure

• Two load testing machines for static

reporting

load checking on Manhole Frame/ Cover

Certification >> Quality certification • ISO /TS 16949:2009 Certified by British Standard Institution, UK • ISO 9001:2008 Certified by British Standard Institute, UK

>> Product certification • Kite Mark by British Standard Institution for Manhole Frame and Cover as per EN 124 • ISI mark for ductile iron pipe fittings as per IS 9523 • ISI mark for duct iron and cast iron sluice valves as per IS 14846

creation.

of players derive security from bank

When someone suggested “You can’t

borrowings that are serviced or repaid

do it”, Kiswok set about proving them

over time.

wrong.

When Kiswok first suggested that it

Inspired by a conviction that every

might be a better idea to do business

rupee saved in interest would inevitably

with its own capital instead, the reaction

strengthen cash flow. That every rupee

was surprising.

added to the cash flow would inevitably

For some well-meaning reasons. One,

strengthen terms of trade. That any

a growing business would always

improvement in terms of trade would

need more capital, which would be

reinforce competitive advantage.

immediately available from banks. Two,

The result is a zero-debt company and a

it would be impossible to concurrently

credible financial foundation leading to

repay debt and invest in capacity

business sustainability.

>> Outlook Going ahead, Kiswok expects to clock a turnover of Rs. 240 crore ($48 million)

240.00

in 2012 and emerge as a Rs. 1,000 crore ($200 million) company by 2015.

>> Gross turnover Inspite of the global slowdown, Kiswok managed to enhance its gross turnover each year, owing

2011 – 12(E)

2010 – 11

98.86 2009 – 10

2008 – 09

82.95

175.64

to its dependence on networth.

(Rs. crore)

“It would be dangerous running a challenging business with only net worth.”

In a capital-intensive business, a number

“It would be difficult surviving in a fast changing world.”

Kiswok has been a promoter-driven business organization for more than five decades.

When the global business environment

• Evolved working in line with the

began to change a couple of decades

demanding 5S discipline

ago, one of the whispers passing around was that our days were numbered.

• Enhanced organization wide – shopfloor to administrative staff –

Kiswok responded flexibly: the rate

transparency on monthly production and

of change within exceeded the rate

sales

of change outside as the company reinvented itself in the following ways: • Sent promoter family members abroad for advanced technology education

• Embarked on the exercise to graduate promoter-centric working to a processdriven one. The result is that a number of industry

• Enlisted in ACMA’s cluster programme

peers now refer to this business approach

to absorb industry best practices

as ‘tomorrow’s style of working.’

KISWOK’s Industry memberships • EEPC India • Indian Foundry Association • The Institute of Indian Foundermen • ACMA • Merchant Chamber of Commerce

“Business growth is on the topmost priority. Who thinks beyond the boundary walls?”

In a knowledge-driven castings industry,

• We assisted primary schools in

it is often easy to forget that we are

underprivileged West Midnapore (West

actually engaged in a people business.

Bengal) with study material, clothes and

Our primary bottom line is entirely

food for 400 students and expect to

social: taking care of our people within

reach out to more needy students.

the factory and those outside of it.

• We commissioned a homeopathy

When we first expressed the intention to

outdoor unit in Ramgarh (Rajasthan)

invest in our region’s social infrastructure,

to treat around 400 patients a day

a number of industry observers expressed

supported by a mobile van facility.

the futility behind such an exercise. It will all be wasted, they said. There is no financial payback in this, commented others. At Kiswok, we went ahead regardless because it was the right thing to do. • We created Mirzamal Chhaganlal Charity Trust in 1970 to fund initiatives in the areas of education and health-care. • We invested in educational institutions (MCKV School and MCKV Institute of

• We established a diagnostic centre in Howrah to cater to the health needs of the population. • We intend to create a vocational centre that will teach relevant skills and enhance employability. • We celebrate festivals with people • We organize an annual event for our staff, workers and their families where we felicitate the best performers.

Engineering in Howrah and Madhusthali

The result is that Kiswok employees feel

Vidyapeeth in Jharkhand); the institutions

they emotionally own the company.

now have approximately 3000 students

Product range Manhole Covers

Automotive

Pipe fitiings and valves

Agriculture

Brake drum

Castillated Brake drum

Front Hub

Manhole Frame and Cover with customised inscription

All Socket Tee

Ringer Wheel

Differential Case

Differential Cover

Gear Box Housing

Recessed Cover

Flanged Reducer

Cambridge Roll

Pinion Housing

Chamber Bracket

Dummy Hub

Lock Type Frame and Cover

Dismantling Joint