GROWTH ENTERPRISE

catering to changing customer lifestyles of construction called Precast concrete alone retail formats, convenience retail, and expectations, growing in vision technology in our township of hotels in 4/5 star and 3-star categories, and capability, adhering to international Orchards which optimises the use of serviced apartments, recreational trends in architecture and design, resources such as labour, material and clubs, convention centres and recently facing and overcoming environmental other auxiliary works,” he adds. introduced catering services and event challenges and adopting technological Appropriate clear-title land availability management and a world class lounge advancement relevant to the construction and the cost of land acquisition is bar. The core business of residential industry have all contributed to Brigade’s increasingly making development development has expanded to include growth. activity more challenging. “In many villas, luxury apartments, mid-market of our projects, we partner with land homes, affordable housing and homes “Continuous research has ensured that owners through a joint development to for the retired along with an office space we have a real understanding of changing develop new and large projects,” explains business which now comprises SEZ worldwide trends in architecture, design Mirchandani. and non-SEZ developments for large and construction. We have travelled to companies and for small entrepreneurial the U.S., Europe, South-east Asia and Leapfrogging Over Years ventures. Brigade Foundation runs three the Middle-East to study the changing From a team of five people in 1986, Brigade Schools in Bengaluru and has face of urban architecture on a first-hand Brigade, which is listed on the NSE and around 2,000 students in its fold. basis. We have visited different cities BSE, currently employs over a 1,000. The has strategic relations with in to become familiar with our It has delivered more than 20 million international hospitality groups like own environment as well. Customer square feet of developed space across Starwood Group, IHG and Accor. surveys and feedback analysis put us business verticals. It is present in seven Many of the Fortune 500 companies in touch with customer aspirations cities in south India. like Amazon, , ABB and more and preferences. These are the main are its customers in the office space ingredients which we engineer to deliver From residential and office spaces, business apart from knowledge leaders benchmark developments” he adds. Brigade now has shopping malls, stand like Mckinsey, Ernst & Young, PwC and Over the 27 years, Brigade has taken KPMG. many initiatives to contribute to society such as planting over 25,000 trees, WHAT NEXT FOR BRIGADE “Our retail business enjoys a strong constructing roads and re-developing association with important international GROUP parks and playgrounds in the vicinity of and national retailers like Zara, its properties. It is now in the process of Debenhams, Mango, McDonalds and we starting India’s first experiential music The Group aims to strengthen are poised for healthy expansion in this museum in . its leadership status in its various space,” says Mirchandani. business verticals and further Overcoming challenges enhance the quality of life for its Brigade group follows the principle of A dip in business sentiments and customers. “profitable growth” and at the same time inflationary pressures on commodities it believes in being a quality-conscious and finance are two great challenges • It plans to deliver 40 million . “Hence while we are now on plaguing the economy today. There is square feet in 5-7 years, which the threshold of crossing revenues of a crying need to scale up the available is under various stages of Rs. 1,000 crore, we continue to create infrastructure to keep pace with the execution across residential, benchmark development across our growing population and the demands office space, hospitality and verticals and have lined up more than of a developing economy. Statutory retail businesses. 40 million square feet of development approvals get delayed and processes need • The Group’s retail and over the next five to seven years which simplification for improved efficiency in commercial business will we believe will place us in a dominant project management. contribute around 8 to 10 position in each of our business million square feet of space verticals,” he says. “Consistent availability of a reliable across the various cities of and skilled work force remains a South India From “For a better quality of life”, the challenge and we need to work towards • Its hospitality business has Brigade Group has changed its motto implementing alternative construction already signed an MoU with to “Upgrade to Brigade”, reflecting methods to reduce our dependence the world renowned IHG to the group’s direction and focus on on an expanded work force,” points set up ten Holiday Inn Express connecting with the changing needs of out Mirchandani. “To that effect, we hotels across south India the market and maintaining its strong have implemented a new technology focus on quality.

38 • The Smart CEO | March 2014 thesmartCEO.in SHOWCASE

Sanjay Randive (Senior General Manager – SCM), Rajesh Shidore Vertical) & Bela Gajjar (National Manager - Customer Relations), Thomas Friedli (Professor, Production Management, University of Future Supply Chains). MAHINDRA LOGISTICS WINS FIVE-YEAR CONTRACT WITH VOLKSWAGEN GROUP MLL will handle in-plant logistics for the Volkswagen Group’s Pune plant, and support manufacturing operations for its domestic and export market

This February, Mahindra Logistics Limited (MLL), part of the US $16.7 billion Mahindra Group, won a five- year contract with Volkswagen India Pvt.Ltd, to handle in-plant logistics for its Pune plant. MLL is a fully integrated third party logistics service provider specialising in supply chain management and people transport solutions. This is the first time in the Volkswagen Group history that in-plant logistics has been outsourced to an external provider.

The Volkswagen Pune plant, which manufactures the Polo, Vento and Skoda, has an annual manufacturing capacity of 1, 50, 000 and caters to domestic Indian market, and exports to 32 other countries across Asia, Africa and North America. MLL commenced operations at the plant on 15th February 2014, and the work involves supporting manufacturing operations for both domestic and export markets. The solution also incorporates various other value added and ancillary services such as information technology integration, HR, training, quality, and process audits. MLL has made significant capital investment to service this project; one of the largest in-plant solutions it provides to date.

Prior to signing this contract, Mahindra Logistics Limited won the ‘Manufacturing 3PL Service Provider of the Year 2014’ at the 3rd Asia Manufacturing Supply Chain Summit organised by Kamikaze B2B Media. This award followed MLL receiving the ‘Best 3PL Company of the Year’ award in September 2013.

March 2014 | The Smart CEO • 39