Interview with Mr. R K Aggarwal, Chairman, Nirmal Overseas Limited

WE DON’T HAVE ANY COMPETITION WITH CHINA

Nirmal Overseas Limited is a premier engineering company that is based in New Delhi, India. Started in 1983, it pioneered the manufacturing of a wide range of HF/ RF Tube Welders and Induction Heaters and entered in technical collaboration with M/s ALIENTECH LTD. UK. The Welders are available in output powers from 60 kW to 1000 kW at a standard frequency of 250-500 kHz. Becoming one of the top-10 exporters from India in 1997, the company’s contributions were duly acknowledged even by the Former President of India Mr C. Venkataraman. Having delivered prestigious turnkey projects to numerous countries in Africa, today Nirmal Overseas Limited is looking forward to increasing its contribution in bolstering the manufacturing sector in Africa across borders.

Q. Kindly elaborate about NIRMAL OVERSEAS LIMITED.

A. Nirmal Overseas Limited is a premier engineering company that started in 1983. It is based in New Delhi, India. In the beginning, we had started to manufacture high-frequency induction welder, which is used for continuous welding of steel tubes and pipe. At that time there was no manufacture in this country to make these high-frequency welders. Everybody was importing from the United Kingdom (UK), the United States of America (USA) and Russia.

Our company was the first company in India that started to manufacture the high-frequency welders. We cater to 90% of the tube-makers in the country.

During our initial years, we had collaborated for technical assistance from Alientech Limited, UK and Mannesmann Demag, Germany.

We have developed an in-house Research and Development department. Few years after our inception, we had started to manufacture steel tubes and pipes and began supplying complete turnkey projects. We manufacture pipes for use in the oil and gas sector, furniture industry, agriculture, and fabrication.

Our basic market is the Middle East and Africa. We have worked in countries such as Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Yemen, Egypt, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Nepal and Malaysia.

Currently, we are working on a project for Angola.

Q. Your focus countries are in the middle east and Africa. How has the experience been working in different African countries and what are the challenges that you overcame during this process?

A. We generally deal with large companies, so there are no hurdles as such. We recently completed a project in Sudan, where we delivered APA pipes. For our work over the years, we have been given four awards. We received our first award in 1997 for the import substitute for the high-frequency welder. We were among the top-ten exporters in MSME and we received an award from former Prime Minister of India, Late Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee. We also got a brand excellence award from a company in Hong Kong. In 2018, we received the top exporter industrial award by the Engineering Export Promotion Council.

Q. As far as MSME is concerned, what are the policy reforms that you would want to see from the government for the ease of doing business?

A. The Indian Government is providing facilities for the growth of MSME sector. For a project in the Jhajjar district of Haryana state, we were given subsidy on the electricity bill. The Government has also started several schemes.

When we participate in sector-related exhibitions overseas such as in Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Kazakhstan or Sudan, the Government provides financial assistance such as reimbursements of air-tickets and accommodation.

Q. You have already worked in so many countries. What are your expansion plans for the next five years?

A. We always keep adding new countries in our clientele list. Every year we complete a project in two or three countries.

Q. Who is your biggest competitor in the market?

A. People say that we have competition from China. We don’t think so, at least in our engineering line. No doubt, China is supplying all these machines in these areas but our price is very competitive and our machines have more life than the Chinese machinery.

Our maintenance is very less and that is why we can export our products even in middle-east countries such as Saudi Arabia that are particular about high-quality standards.