Man Industries, renowned global manufacturer in the line pipe industry, aims to become a one-stop solution for welded pipe requirements with successful commissioning of a state-of-the-art brand new 1,00,000 MTPA Electric Resistance Welded (ERW) pipes unit and a hot induction bending plant at their Gujarat manufacturing unit. They are also in the process of setting up a greenfield stainless steel seamless pipe plant in Jammu & Kashmir & expect commercial production from the same within the next two years. This was revealed by Mr. Nikhil Mansukhani, Managing Director, Man Industries, during his interaction with Tube & Pipe India.

Tube & Pipe India: Briefly introduce Man Industries’ history, journey, and milestones in the tube and pipe industry.

Nikhil Mansukhani: Man Industries (India) Limited is an ISO 9001, ISO 14001 & OHSAS 18001 certified company pioneering in manufacturing large-diameter line pipes. Man Industries is one of the major manufacturers and exporters of line pipes from India having representation in the UAE and the USA. Man Industries is the flagship company of Man Group, having a turnover of approximately USD 1 billion. Man Group is a well-diversified industrial conglomerate by virtue of the vision and dynamic leadership of its management. With a trading background of more than 32 years, senior members of the Mansukhani family ventured into manufacturing in 1988 with the aluminum extrusion division. With the establishment of the SAW pipe division in 1994, the Group has come a long way by consistently scaling new heights and building up an impressive track record showcasing exponential growth. Recently, the company successfully commissioned a state-of-the-art brand new Electric Resistance Welded (ERW) pipes unit (API and non-API grade steel pipes and tubes with a capacity of 1,00,000 MTPA) and a hot induction bending plant at their Gujarat manufacturing unit. In addition to the existing LSAW and HSAW plants, this has made Man Industries a one-stop solution to all the welded pipe requirements of the customers. In the research and development front also, Man Industries has bagged many accolades, with the recent one being the successful testing of our pipes for transportation of Hydrogen by one of Europe’s leading laboratories.

TPI: Kindly walk us through your manufacturing setup and production capacity.

NM: Man Industries has two manufacturing facilities in India. One in Anjar, Gujarat, and the other in Pithampur, Madhya Pradesh. Both facilities are strategically located to cater to both domestic and international customers.

The Anjar facility consists of :

• 2 LSAW mills with a combined capacity of 1 million tons per annum capacity capable of producing pipes from 16” OD to 56” OD.
• 2 HSAW mills with a combined capacity of 1.7 lakh tons per annum capacity capable of producing pipes from 18” OD to 130” OD.
• A brand new 1 lakh ton per annum ERW (API and Non API) plant capable of producing pipes ranging from 6” OD to 18” OD including square and rectangular hollow sections.
• A hot induction bend plant capable of producing bends ranging from 6”OD to 52” OD.

TPI: What is your USP that gives you an edge over your competitors?

NM: Man Industries has carved a unique spot for itself in this highly competitive market by capitalizing on its vast and rich experience of more than 35 years and through various planned strategic investments. Man Industries offers a wide range of product portfolios addressing all major welded pipe requirements of our customers. The strategic location of both our manufacturing facilities ensures that we are well-connected with both domestic as well as international markets. Our close association and exclusive tie-ups with major steel manufacturing companies around the globe help us fetch the best prices for our raw materials. Man Industries has been financially stable with minimum long-term loans and has a proven track record of on-time disbursement of dividends to its shareholders. With the trust of our valued customers and stakeholders, Man Industries has distinguished itself as a brand representing reliability and excellence in quality.

“Man Industries has a current order book (under execution) of approximately INR 900 crore and new orders worth INR 400 crore. With a combined order book of INR 1300 crore, Man Industries has had a steady start in 2024.”

TPI: Please tell us about your market footprint, key clientele, and product portfolio.

NM: Man Industries is a popular brand both domestically and internationally. Man Industries has executed various prestigious projects in more than 90 countries since its inception in 1988. To cater to the Middle East and African countries, the oil and gas hub of the world, Man Industries has set up a dedicated sales office in Dubai to attend to the customers in the region. Man Industries is an approved vendor in most of the major oil & gas companies in the world.

Our key clientele includes Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), Gas Equipment and Service Company Limited (GASCO), Kuwait Oil Company, Petroleum Development Oman, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC), Bharat Petroleum, Gas Transmission Company Limited (GTCL), South Oil Company (SOC), Petrofac, Petrobras, QatarEnergy, National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC), Maire, Bechtel India Private Limited, etc.

Man Industries offers longitudinal/helical submerged arc welded pipes, electric resistance welded (ERW) pipes, and hot induction bends augmented with both external and internal coating. Man Industries is also in the process of setting up a greenfield stainless steel seamless pipe plant in Jammu & Kashmir.

“Man Industries has set its short-term goal of setting up wind and solar power units in its manufacturing facilities and has invested substantial capital in realizing the same.”

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TPI: Man Industries recently established a new unit for the production of ERW pipes. What are the key features and capabilities of this new unit? How will it enhance Man Industries’ overall production capacity and product portfolio?

NM: Man Industries inaugurated its brand new ERW pipe plant in March 2023. The new ERW plant is a significant addition to our manufacturing capabilities, which expands our production range from 6” OD to 130” OD. The ERW pipe plant is capable of manufacturing pipes from 6” OD to 18” OD in API 5L grades up to X80 in maximum wall thickness up to 14 mm. Our ERW plant is installed with the latest and advanced technological features with automation.

The entry section is designed to handle 32-ton coil weight and an accumulator is also installed that enables the mill to run continuously while making the coil joint. The strip ultrasonic ensures 100 percent coverage with 10 percent overlap followed by strip edge milling to get precise strip width and better quality edges for welding. The FFX forming and the latest technology enable the quality supply of pipes. The facilities employ the state-of-the-art “FFX Roll Forming” with automation and high frequency (1000 KW) welding with induction or contact method.

Online weld bead monitoring system for continuous feedback to the operator for internal bead scarfing and intermediate quality checks have also been installed, just after high-frequency welding.

Two 600 KW online seam normalizers to re-establish the mechanical properties of the weld seam equal to those of base metal are also installed. Sizing and pipe milling saw section ensure precise dimensions and ovality control with a close length tolerance of pipe length. Milling SAW is capable of cutting the square and hollow rectangular sections in close length tolerance. Finishing facilities have been supported with end facing, hydro tester, offline ultrasonic welding, magnetic particle inspection, weighing, and visual inspection to deliver high-quality pipes to the customer.

“We are also looking forward to tapping the City Gas Distribution (CGD) sector. Currently, we forecast around 70,000-80,000 MT of oil and gas pipeline requirements in the country.”

TPI: What have been the recent developments at your company? Discuss about your recent orders won.

NM: Man Industries has a current order book (under execution) of approximately INR 900 crore and new orders worth INR 400 crore. With a combined order book of INR 1300 crore, Man Industries has had a steady start in 2024. The orders are from both domestic and international markets. Last year, Man Industries successfully executed one of the single largest orders recently for the supply of around 150,000 tons of coated LSAW and HSAW pipes in the MENA region.

TPI: Can you share with us your observations on key market trends in the Indian tubes and pipes market?

NM: At Man Industries, we are proud and gifted to have a highly qualified team. Based on the market research and analysis of our team, we expect a 10 percent increase in demand in the structural pipe market. With our API audit for the ERW plant being completed, we are also looking forward to tapping the City Gas Distribution (CGD) sector. Currently, we forecast around 70,000-80,000 MT of oil and gas pipeline requirements in the country.

TPI: What is your company’s technological and business roadmap for the coming years?

NM: At Man Industries, we believe in sustainable growth and hence, have designed our businesses as per “The Triple Bottom Line” approach, wherein we commit ourselves to focusing on social and environmental well-being as much as we do on making profits. Based on this approach, Man Industries has set its short-term goal of setting up wind and solar power units in its manufacturing facilities and has invested substantial capital in realizing the same. This is in line with the company’s Target2030, wherein we plan to become carbon neutral.

Apart from these, the company has planned multiple upgrade projects to increase the size range offerings of its pipes. The work on a new greenfield stainless steel seamless pipe plant is also fully underway and we expect commercial production from the same within the next two years. The hot finish & cold-drawn pipes and tubes will cater to the niche segments of hydrocarbon, chemical, marine, dairy & food processing, heat exchangers, automotive, aeronautical, defense & high-end engineering.

“Man Industries is also in the process of setting up a greenfield stainless steel seamless pipe plant in Jammu & Kashmir whose commercial production is expected to start within 2 years.”