MKK Metal Sections Private Limited was set up in 2008 for production of high quality ERW pipes and tubes. With a product range spanning over a thousand varieties of circular, square, rectangle and octagonal MS black pipe & hollow sections, galvanized tubes and structures, solar module mounting structures, shutters, purlins, colour coated roofing sheets, and various other cold roll formed sections, MKK is the largest steel product manufacturer in South India. Currently having an annual production capacity of 2.5 lakh MT per annum, the company is set to launch a new line with DFT (Direct Forming Technology) by 2024, which will exponentially increase its production capabilities to 5 lakh MT per annum in the next three years. In a recent interaction with Tube & Pipe India, Mr. Nishant Garg and Mrs. Srishti Garg, Directors, MKK Metal Sections Private Limited, shared about the company’s journey, manufacturing and production capabilities, key trends in the Indian tubes industry, company’s recent and upcoming developments and many more topics.
Tube & Pipe India: Please share MKK Metal’s journey, major milestones, and crucial achievements.
NG & SG: The only most extensively used material which is completely reusable and recyclable in the world is steel. Steel has continued to evolve, becoming smarter and more sustainable – Setup in 2008 by the late Mr. Mahesh Khandelwal, MKK is the epitome of the same. Having started with the capacity of manufacturing 1 lakh MT per annum, we are almost on the verge of tripling our capacity. We were the first company in Southern India to manufacture tube sizes of CHS up to 406.4mm OD, SHS 300mmx300mm and RHS 400mmx200mm. Over the years with constant R&D and keeping up with emerging market trends we have expanded our product portfolio to include solar mounting structures, warehouse racking systems and crash barriers for highways. Today we are the only manufacturers in this industry with SKUs going over 2200 products. We are very proud of the quality standards that we have set over the years and the value that our customers place on our brand – METPRO.
TPI: What is the manufacturing set-up and production capacity of your plant?
NG & SG: Both of our manufacturing set-ups are located in Ranipet, Tamil Nadu with currently an annual production capacity of 2.5 lakh MT per annum. Our production lines include 8 tube mills, 16 cold forming mills, and a state-of-the-art 9-meter semi-automatic galvanizing plant. We are very pleased to inform, that we will be adding a new line with DFT (Direct Forming Technology) by 2024, which will increase our production capabilities massively.
TPI: Please tell us about your product portfolio and its applications.
NG & SG: With an annual production capacity of 2.5 lakh metric tons and a product range spanning over a thousand varieties of circular, square, rectangle and octagonal MS black pipe & hollow sections, galvanized tubes and structures, solar module mounting structures, shutters, purlins, colour coated roofing sheets, and various other cold roll formed sections. We have further expanded into warehouse racking systems and W beams for highways. Speaking of applications, nearly every industry requires steel. From airport terminals to metro stations, industrial and commercial shed structures, lifting and excavation industries, bus body and automobile industries to highway cantilever structures, MKK is silently building the backbone of the country.
TPI: Can you share with us your observations on key market trends in the Indian tubes and pipes market?
NG & SG: Infrastructure is currently on a boom in India, and after India reaching the 4th highest GDP, there is no stopping us anytime soon. Steel tubes and pipes are the backbone of all our infrastructure projects from highways to metro stations to aerobridges, so domestic consumption is at an all-time high. Moreover, with many European countries looking for manufacturing partners outside of China, exports from our country have also been on the rise. Overall, the market looks very promising for at least the next decade with demand and consumption continuously on the rise.
Also Read: TI Machine Building: Forming the Future by Enabling Ideasinto Reality
TPI: Please shed light on your market footprint and USP.
NG & SG: Our USP has always been sizes that aren’t easily manufactured and customizations for OEMs that other manufacturers aren’t able to provide. Being a service provider in a heavy manufacturing industry is unheard of and that is where we leave our mark. Logistically, our market base mainly covers Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, but due to the specialized sizes and services we can cater across the country. Being situated next to a port works to our advantage and we are working on increasing our share in the export market.
TPI: What is your company’s technological and business roadmap?
NG & SG: The only way to stay relevant in any market today is by keeping up with the technology. All our machines are always being updated which helps us in increasing our productivity and enhancing the quality of our products. We have a niche market for bigger sizes of square and rectangular hollow sections which we plan to grow with our new DFT machine. Apart from that, METPRO GUARD is making its mark as we are the only manufacturers in Southern India currently who are manufacturing guard rails for the highways. On the galvanizing front, we are one of the few plants that are about to galvanize structures larger than 6 meters and are constantly working to increase our market share, especially in the coastal regions.
TPI: Have there been any recent developments at your company, if so kindly share them with us.
NG & SG: The most noticeable development that we are looking forward to is going to be the launch of our DFT machine by 2024 which will manufacture sizes up to 350mmx350mm and thicknesses of up to 16mm. Apart from that, we have been increasing the productivity of our existing tube lines by reducing breakdowns and constant upgrades.
TPI: What are your vision and plans for your company’s future?
NG & SG: Our vision is to play a pivotal role in building a strong infrastructural backbone for India while continuously building a community of strongly knit partners both within and outside the company. Working together with both our consumers and suppliers to build a seamless supply chain is our constant endeavor. The company is now on a growth trajectory and we aim to reach a production capacity of 5 lakh MT per annum in the next three years, plans for which are already underway.
