The House Magazine of the Thermax Group Volume 49 No. 3 July - September 2019 Volume 49 No. 3 July - September 2019
About the Cover A lantern is just a paper, If not for the light it holds. So are we humans - worthless mortals, If there's no light spreading from our souls.
Photo by Sameer Karmarkar
Comment Leadership is not about the BACK COVER next election, it’s about the Exemplary next generation projects – Simon Sinek rewarded at OPEX Convention
Editor Swastika Mukherjee Correspondents: Assistant Editors Apeksha Garse Absorption Cooling Saswati Kar TOESL Akansha Choudhary Mukesh Ghodke Steam Engineering Aishwarya Mankame IR Anuja Mulay Noorjahan Khan B&H Bakhtawar Battiwalla Administration Design Anand Antarkar B&H Services Connie Fernandes Finance Sameer Karmarkar Bhushan Chitaley Power Saheblal Shaikh Corporate Safety Production & Circulation Hardik U. Patel Enviro Kirti Pitale Mumbai Anuja Mulay Kaustubh Dharmadhikari WWS Reshma Mehrotra Delhi Sriram Mylavarapu Chemical Swati Aditya Kolkata Printed at Vyoma Graphics, Pune Anubhuti Gupta Chemical Satyamanikkam M.B. Chennai Ambika Badve HR Janki Thaker Savli Pradeep Karnawat Process Cooling Sujata Deshpande Thermax Foundation Pradeep Agnani FEPL Dipti Dwivedi CBG
Copyright © Thermax Limited 2019 Fireside is the quarterly house magazine of Thermax Limited, Pune. For private circulation only. Company related news/features may be reproduced only with the permission of the Editor. Address: Thermax Limited,Thermax House, 14 Mumbai Pune Road, Wakdewadi, Pune 411 003, India. Tel: (020) 25542263 Fax: (020) 25541226. Fireside is also hosted on the website: www.thermaxglobal.com. Email: [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Contents
• Power divison commissions an 18 MW power plant in Telangana • India’s first fuel cell system unveiled on CSIR WHAT’S NEW? foundation day • Air Pollution Control wins a significant 2 FGD order • Heating introduces IoT enabled solution for performance optimisation • First chiller of Thermax in Bolivia • Inauguration of RTIC incubation centre • Largest overseas project for APC
Meher Pudumjee shares her experience at this year’s operational excellence convention and reflects on EXPRESSIONS some of the critical focus areas needed to stay relevant 6 in a complex and ever-changing business environment.
Dinesh Mandhana in a conversation with Swastika Mukherjee shares his journey from a project manager to 8 UP CLOSE the Chemical division head and his vision for the business. • Corporate Sourcing Group invites its suppliers to partner for cohesive and sustainable growth • In Touch ROUND UP programme in Indonesia • NSC certifies Thermax safety 10 officers as internal auditors • Annual shareholders’ meet • Thermax strengthens its commitment towards ‘green’; showcases energy efficient technologies and wins an award • Employees at Indonesia factory start their day on a healthy note • CBG’s customer connect series tours across India • Absorption Cooling introduces structured webinars for the sales team • Thermax chillers provide comfort cooling to guests at a Sri Lankan hotel • Heating vendors meet conducted at TLA • Thermax millennials introduced to CSR • Birdhouse for the disappearing birds
• Craft Drinks India, Bengaluru 17 EXHIBITIONS • Expo Boiler, Indonesia • Vietwater, Vietnam • Akshay completes his Ph.D. in Chemistry • Ameya strikes a perfect balance between studies and 18 LIMELIGHT passion • Captain Hrishikesh sets a National Record
Mariana Mazzucato, one of the most influential economists in 19 SIGNPOSTS the world, has a plan to fix capitalism. It's time we all listened!
• Shanitinath’s story of how his small village Majale brought the barren hills back to life • Jayant Sagade traverses VOICES down his career lane at Thermax, sharing his fond 24 memories with the company • Ganpat Masal’s arduous trek with his colleagues from B&H Materials to scale Kalsubai - the highest peak in Maharashtra
• Faking death for a better life • Even the gods can’t 28 SLICE-OF-LIFE help pollution • And a pun picture
1 What’s New?
18 MW captive power plant for a cement company in Telangana
Building a sustained partnership
ower EPC division commissioned an 18 MW they have been a regular customer of Thermax for their coal-based captive power plant for a cement air pollution control requirements. company as a part of its expansion project in The scope of the project comprised detailed Pthe state of Telangana. The power plant has a flexibility engineering, design, supply, erection and of firing both 100% Indian, as well as imported coal, commissioning for the plant including boiler, steam with 80 TPH CFBC boiler, at 110 kg/cm2 pressure and turbine generator, air cooled condenser, fuel handling 540º C temperature. plant, ash handling plant, electrostatic precipitator, Thermax has cherished a healthy relationship with the water treatment plant and electrical, mechanical & customer since 2010 when it bagged the first power instrumentation systems, except civil construction. plant order for one of their joint venture companies The project was commissioned in June 2019. which was completed as per specification. Since then,
2 Representatives from CSIR laboratories along with officials from Thermax and Reliance - unveiling India’s first fuel cell system CSIR partners with Thermax to unveil India’s first fuel cell system
eptember 26 was a proud requirement of efficient, clean and and help in reducing air pollution. day for Thermax when reliable backup power generation “This prototype delivers power Dr. Sonde, Head of for telecom towers, remote locations with about 70 percent efficiency. SResearch and Technology, Thermax, and strategic applications. It also works as a mini-heater,” shared the stage with the Hon'ble The system is developed under said Dr. Sonde at the unveiling President of India, Mr. Ram Nath Public-Private Partnership (PPP) event. “It is a silent power Kovind. On the occasion of the among CSIR’s three laboratories generating unit and has very CSIR (Council of Scientific and and two Indian industries – low carbon footprint,” he further Industrial Research, under the aegis Thermax and Reliance Industries emphasised. He added that of Ministry of Science & Technology, Limited. This 5.0 kW fuel cell the product will “displace diesel Govt. of India) foundation day at system, generating power in a generators and also reduce India’s Vigyan Bhawan, Delhi, Mr. Kovind green manner using methanol/ dependence on oil imports.” unveiled India’s first fuel cell system bio-methane, has the potential to prototype which will meet the replace diesel generating (DG) sets
Rs. 471 crore order for two Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD) systems
he Air Pollution Control (APC) business FGD systems of 500 MW capacity each at their plant. had every reason to celebrate when they “This prestigious order reinforces our capabilities concluded an order of Rs. 471 crore from an in supporting power plants to meet stringent TIndian government power company to set up two flue emission laws laid by the government in line with gas desulphurisation (FGD) systems at their thermal its commitment to the environment,” says M.S. power plant in the state of Jharkhand. This is the Unnikrishnan, MD & CEO, Thermax Limited. largest order received by the division till date. The scope of supply includes design, engineering, As a part of the customer’s drive to meet the manufacturing, civil work, construction and mandates for regulating SOx emissions from coal commissioning of the FGD systems. The delivery of fired power plants, they plan to install two units of the project is scheduled over 30 months.
3 Ultramind – a smart solution to optimise process heating he Heating division has embraced the digital Equipped with a robust MIS, it also analyses the impact wave by transforming their process equipment of changes in the boiler after the implementation of into smart equipment to consistently provide recommended parameters and proposes further fine- Toptimum and failsafe performance to customers. tuning if necessary. Ultramind is an industrial analytics and IoT enabled All put together; this new age system offers an solution that can be integrated with boilers and heaters, augmented experience to customers by bringing in the having PLC systems of any make. highest possible efficiency, highest safety standards, seamless maintenance and critical spare parts The variability in human interventions makes boiler planning. operations skill dependant. Ultramind helps identify gaps in operating parameters, analyse factors and make Ultramind is being offered with our new units and for necessary recommendations to improve combustion running installations, it is offered as a retrofit. Currently it and heat transfer process. Some of the critical factors is available for two combustors - reciprocating grate and monitored include fluctuations in fuel quality, steam to fuel fluidised bed. ratio, various losses, direct and indirect efficiency. A new pin on Thermax’s global footprint landscape hermax successfully commissioned a 345 TR double effect vapour absorption chiller at Industrias Venado in Bolivia. The company manufactures yeast and gelatine products Tunder well-known brand names, viz. Fischmann and Royal. The chiller operates on natural gas and provides chilled water at 12º C. This chilled water is used for maintaining a low temperature during the fermentation process, thus catering to the process cooling requirement. With this installation, we have commissioned our first absorption chiller in this country. Thermax's energy efficient chiller is helping the 345 TR chiller at Industrias Venado, Bolivia company increase the efficiency and productivity of its process.
4 Largest overseas order Thermax ESP at the Sarangani Energy for ESP Corporation in the Philippines n recent years, the Air Pollution Control business has established several strong references in South East Asia, thanks to its expertise in project execution complemented with Iincreased enforcement of air pollution norms by the Government. A recent feat in this journey was the commissioning of an Electrostatic Precipitator (ESP) for the Sarangani Energy Corporation in the Philippines - a power producing major in South East Asia. This project is the largest overseas installation by Thermax, where the ESP treats flue gas with volumes as high as 0.7 million Am3/hr emanating from a 410 TPH CFBC boiler to meet the required emission norms. The high point of the project was supplying precisely engineered ESP structure along with a 75 meter tall stack by way of sub assemblies and commissioning the entire edifice at the customer end on time and with no errors while complying with all safety norms. Seamless and cohesive planning, right from engineering to logistics, resulted in appreciation from a delighted customer and proved our capabilities in providing customised solution. Seeding innovation for the future TIC Incubation Manufacturing Centre The centre is built over 1,500 square meter and set up in the Thermax Energy House equipped with state-of-the-art manufacturing premise at Pune, was inaugurated by infrastructure. This facility will be utilised for RM.S. Unnikrishnan on 2nd August 2019. The event technological product development of RTIC started with ribbon-cutting followed by lighting and will enhance their in-house manufacturing of the ceremonial lamp and puja. In his keynote capabilities. speech, Unny congratulated Dr. R. R. Sonde and "The primary objective of the incubation centre team for creating this facility. will be to bridge the gap between prototype development and commercialisation. Once the technology prototypes are complete, this facility will support us in manufacturing pilot units for various tests, certifications and customers trials. This will help us assess the manufacturability of our innovation without risks associated with mass production and considerable investments in the teething stages," says Dr. Sonde. Leveraging this facility, the RTIC team is working on some exciting unconventional technologies, primarily in the areas of energy storage and waste heat recovery.
Unny inaugurates the RTIC incubation centre
5 Expressions
few months ago, we We now have a number of celebrated our Operational platforms, viz. Divisional A Excellence (OPEX) Apex Review Team (DART), convention and awards. I had Customer Interaction Centre given a short talk which I thought (CIC), Salesforce Service Cloud, of sharing with a wider audience Orders Lost and our Customer through ‘Expressions’ in this issue Satisfaction Survey (CSS) that of Fireside. should feed inputs to trigger OPEX projects through the year. ‘Excellence is nothing but the The question we need to keep pursuit of perfection. It has asking ourselves is how do we no end’, is my belief about our become faster, better, cheaper, quest for OPEX; a journey that sustainable, more efficient and we formally initiated 15 years effective in the market. I am sure ago and continues today with that will give a cue for a plethora increased levels of enthusiasm of opportunities to improve. and participation. In today’s fast pace and ever- Being at the Thermax OPEX changing world, one major convention this year was a sheer distinction between companies delight. I could feel the air of who enjoy a market dominance pride when more than 30 teams and the ones who struggle to stay presented their projects and afloat is the speed of response concluded by explaining how they and turnaround time to customer had solved a customer challenge, needs. We have many projects addressed a need in the market, with a long completion time; made us far more agile in over a year in many cases. OPEX reaching out to customers, projects to my mind need to reduced cycle time or increased be purposeful, brainstormed, uptime. Some of the projects monitored carefully, and have been taken to reduce costs completed within weeks, after The more ‘cognitive or carbon footprint and some to which it needs to be tracked improve productivity. I am glad to diligently, such that we have truly diversity’ we seek notice a welcome shift over the accomplished what we set out to years, in the quality of projects do. Then move to the next one. – looking at the chosen. They intend to fulfil a strong need and that’s what’s ‘Awareness’ is the first trigger to problem from various important. getting something done; which dimensions, the can be augmented through I’d also like to share a few a lot more communication better the outcome. reflections after going through the and collaboration between various projects. Firstly, OPEX is departments and divisions. a journey and not a destination. The more ‘cognitive diversity’ And hence, Thermax should have we seek – looking at the problem many improvement projects going from various dimensions, the on at any given time. better the outcome. For example,
6 a psychologist can add value operation), but I am happy to in product design, since they see, that is not the case this year. understand customer behaviour. However, we need to ‘up’ the Finally, it all boils So, collaborating with seemingly game after 15 years – we can’t disparate departments, even afford incrementalism. We need to down to an attitude divisions could work wonders. benchmark ourselves with the very How often have we invited our best, rather, be the benchmark for of ‘I Care’ and vendor partners or Thermax others to follow. Channel Associates (TCAs) to be ‘I will be the change part of the solution? Do try it out – Finally, it all boils down to an you may be pleasantly surprised! attitude of ‘I Care’ and ‘I will I want to see’. be the change I want to see’. I’ve seen some great ideas that I remember reading my father’s have worked in one division – how book wherein he mentions that do we make sure it is replicated ‘quality is indivisible’. We can’t say across Thermax? Here, if you that we make great pressure parts; companies, in global teams, with involved people from another we need to remember that we a genuine passion to achieve what division as part of the team, it make an entire boiler that needs we set out to accomplish. would get replicated seamlessly. to last 25 years. Today we also sell The whole idea of Operational steam; we sell uptime; we sell the Congratulations to the winning Excellence is to bring a sense lowest life cycle cost – so we’re teams as also all those who of efficiency, effectiveness and constantly having to move up participated in the Thermax excellence in the way we carry the value chain, interacting and OPEX Convention award. I want out our business, creating a transacting with customers that to thank Hitendra and the team world class organisation. In are far more demanding. for their efforts and enthusiasm projects, B&H has shown the in organising this event and in way – they have set the tone for Going ahead, manufacturing driving forward the Operational modularisation. Can we replicate companies like Thermax will face Excellence agenda at Thermax. multiple challenges. What was this mindset of modularisation Let me conclude with this relevant across Thermax? Can all our relevant yesterday may not be relevant today. The world around quote from Peter Drucker: businesses start thinking and “The greatest danger in times of planning modular? If we want to us is reshaping at great speed. My plea to all of you would be turbulence is not the turbulence— be a global company, this is the it is to act with yesterday’s logic.” only way to go! to think about excellence as a habit. If so, you will practise it Let’s move forward with It would also be great to see whether at the workplace or at tomorrow’s logic and “make a more application of IoT in future home, with our vendors or our difference”! projects, which would enable us TCAs. It is certainly a mindset; but to reduce time and human errors it’s also a heart set – if we truly substantially. Moreover, it will help want to ‘make a difference’ to our us deliver a lot more value to our customers, if we genuinely want customers. to attain our vision of becoming With warm regards, ‘world class’ and therefore Earlier, not many projects were ‘globally respected’, we must Meher on the critical path (i.e. the learn to take initiatives, work minimum time needed for any across departments, divisions,
7 Up Close My objective is to build a customer-centric performance-driven culture.
ncidentally, I am he said, “While investments the first employee are a prerequisite, the key is to of Thermax to be understand and define a purpose “Ihired in Gujarat for setting up a and align efforts accordingly. Our greenfield chemical manufacturing setups in Dahej and Jhagadia plant,” recalls Dinesh Mandhana emanated from the fact that we with pride. When the Thermax are competing with the world’s management decided to diversify largest chemical players. In addition its chemical manufacturing base to great products, we needed to Gujarat in order to leverage a sophisticated and automated the infrastructural benefits of the facility that can be showcased to chemicals cluster in the state, they customers from the US and Europe. were looking for someone having But the bigger challenge was to sell Dinesh Mandhana in an expertise in setting up greenfield this concept of automation to my a conversation with chemical facilities at par with global existing team at Paudh who had an standards. empirical knowledge of our systems Swastika Mukherjee and processes and gear them to “I was on my way back from transition from a manual plant. I did shares his journey from Singapore, where I had just not want to impose the change, a project manager to completed transferring the rather garner their acceptance and production base of my previous the Chemical division support, so they become a part of company. That’s when Thermax the journey. After all, it’s the people head and his vision for happened to me.” who make it possible.” Dinesh the business. A graduate in Chemical engineering, acknowledges that Thermax’s Dinesh joined Thermax in 2008 culture and value system ingrained after working for 13 years with Ion in its people helped him to a great Exchange Ltd. and BASF/CIBA, extent. operating from Ankleshwar, Gujarat. In 2017, Dinesh assumed the He joined as a Project Manager position as the Business Head for and steered the establishment of the Chemical division. He confessed the Jhagadia plant for specialty that it wasn’t a career move that chemicals in 2011. Soon after the he envisaged. “My ultimate career facility commenced its commercial goal was to become the Operations production, he moved to Pune Head of a large multinational. I am as the Operations Head for the thankful to Thermax for grooming overall Chemical business. The me through LDPs (Leadership next project at hand was the need Development Programmes) and to expand the ion exchange resins various other learning interventions.” capacity and diversify from the existing base at Paudh (Khopoli) He had to acquire new leadership in Maharashtra. Subsequently, and personality traits to move from a After all, it’s the Thermax commissioned its world- back end production role to leading class resins facility at Dahej by the an entire business. He says, “For end of 2017. the first time in my career I was people who exposed to customers and realised When asked what it takes to make the importance of customer- such turnkey projects a success, make it possible. centricity. Entire efforts put in a
8 My objective is to build a customer-centric performance-driven culture.
factory can be soiled if it does not growth. Our primary objective is on radical innovation to develop address the need or challenge of to reach the 1000 crore mark to technologies of the future that are customers. As I was used to being be able to position ourselves as a sustainable, not just in terms of in control of the outcome and see significant player in the Chemicals products but also our manufacturing immediate results, I had to develop arena and attract the best talent in processes, to stay relevant beyond a lot of patience and perseverance the industry. We need to develop a the next five years. Being a chemical when working with customers where global mindset – think ‘globally’ and company, we have a higher the results could take a long time or act locally. Our key focus market obligation than other industries not necessarily be as expected. My outside India would be the US,” to join the circular economy biggest achievement has been my says Dinesh who is also the Director bandwagon,” concludes Dinesh. acceptance as a leader by a team of Thermax Inc. He sees a lot of Dinesh is settled in Pune with who has worked with the company potential for oil field chemicals in the his wife Jyoti and son, Yash for over two decades.” US and plans to leverage their base who is pursuing his mechanical location of Houston, the oil capital of But one thing Dinesh carried engineering from the prestigious the world. with him in this transition is the Indian Institute Technology (IIT), approach of honesty and simplicity So, what are the drivers? He says, Mumbai. in articulation. He cited an incident “We have laid a strong foundation when a huge consignment supplied with world-class manufacturing to an American customer was capabilities and a great team. But rejected and Thermax agreed it is also important to identify and to resupply it by air, incurring a address the present shortcomings massive cost to regain the trust in systems and processes while of the customer. “Rather than sustaining growth before we camouflaging the situation to our move to the next level. Leaping advantage, I admitted our mistake without preparedness could mean which was primarily a fault in the multiplying inefficacies that could packaging. When I presented the be catastrophic. We also need to case to our management, they detach ourselves from Thermax's appreciated my intent and stood by aura as an engineering company me. Today this American customer and strengthen our identity as a is one of the biggest accounts for chemical major.” Thermax.” He further adds, “The whole He admires Thermax for business of chemicals has empowering him with a lot of transitioned from product-based freedom to make decisions and selling to a solution-based model. It allow for mistakes if they are with is imperative to build an ecosystem honest intent and do not breach the of processes and people that value system of the company. orbits around customer needs. My objective is to build a customer- Speaking on the way forward he centric performance-driven culture.” said, “Today we are a 400-crore He believes Thermax has a great business; addressing a potential culture but needs to strike a balance market of over 30 billion dollars with between people centricity and thrust only a handful of biggies of the likes on performance to stay competitive. of Dow Chemicals and Lanxess. So there is enough headroom for “We need to invest and focus
9 The team behind putting together the Round up ‘Business Partner Meet 2019’
Strong partnership for success et’s grow together’ was the theme of the Business Partner Meet organised by the Corporate Sourcing and Materials Group ‘Lon 28th and 29th August 2019, in Pune. Around 300 key vendors were invited to join Thermax’s journey of becoming smarter and digitised, spreading to new geographies and taking the next stride towards Thermax 3.0. The first day was hosted for the fabrication, steel and raw materials vendors while Day 2 was reserved for suppliers of electrical and mechanical bought-outs. Prior to the event, Thermax proactively collated expectations from its business partners and all the queries were addressed in a focussed manner during the course of the event. From the senior management, Pravin Karve - CEO, TBWES; Bill Shukla - Business Unit Head, Environment; Anant Kshirsagar - Corporate HSE Head and Mangesh Patil - Corporate Sourcing Head addressed the gathering where they emphasised on a cohesive and sustainable growth together and the need to innovate in the fast- changing business environment. Besides, the Corporate Sourcing team also shared insights and improvement actions emerging from the vendor satisfaction survey and introduced the business partners to the broader Thermax portfolio, emphasising on multidivisional business opportunities. The programme was well-received by the business partners with encouraging feedback on the insights gained, expectations met and allied networking opportunities; setting the stage for a renewed partnership.
In Touch with Indonesia id you know? More than 75% of canned fish supplies in Indonesia come from Banyuwangi in East Java, apart from Dbeing exported overseas. Leveraging the potential of the region to promote its offerings, Thermax recently organised the In Touch programme. About 10 key customers from the area attended the seminar, where the sales team from Indonesia presented Thermax offerings spanning heating, cooling, air pollution control, and water & waste solutions. The event witnessed interactive and engaging discussions on how our solutions can help customers increase their productivity, improve efficiency and meet the local environmental regulations; besides generating enquiries, mainly for water Seminar in Banyuwangi: the fishing hub of Indonesia and waste solutions.
10 Thermax safety team at TLA NABET accredited training to check safety hazards ational Safety Council (NSC) conducted and health, various hazard identification as well as an Internal Auditor Course on SHE risk management; which were delivered by way of (Safety Health and Environment) Statutory theoretical sessions, exercises and tests. Various NCompliance at Thermax Learning Academy from legislative compliance queries raised by Thermax 26-28 June, 2019. Through this specialised attendees were suitably addressed by the NSC programme recognised by NABET (National faculties. Accreditation Board for Education and Training), Participants received certification at the end of the 24 safety officers and divisional safety coordinators programme, qualifying them to conduct audits within from Thermax were trained as internal auditors. the organisation as per SHE statutory requirement. The three-day training comprised topics such as The event was inaugurated by Sharad Gangal, EVP, overview of safety audit requirements, policies and People Processes. procedures associated with occupational safety Shareholders’ meet 2019
he 38th Annual General Meeting witnessed exuberance with Meher announcing an all-time high revenue to Tshareholders and at the same time, there was an air of uncertainty due to the prevailing global and domestic economic challenges. Updates Thermax Board of Directors, CFO and on overall company performance, Q1 results Company Secretary and milestones of FY 2018-19 were shared with on the stage the gathering involving shareholders, Board members, senior management and media. While highlighting some of the major projects Shareholders at executed during the year, a short audio-visual the Yashwantrao film on our largest export order for the biggest Chavan Academy in African refinery was played. Pune on 8th August for the AGM
11 Living up to the energy A display of energy efficient efficiency cause solutions at the Thermax booth
latest green technologies across industries under one roof. At the 19th edition of the summit held from September 16 to 19 in Hyderabad, Thermax was a platinum sponsor and showcased its energy-efficient offerings from the water & waste solutions, heating and solar portfolio. The event was attended by about 470 visitors and generated enquiries for our businesses. Thermax’s team receiving the ‘Most Innovative Concurrent to this show was the 20th National Energy Saving Product’ award Award for Excellence in Energy Management 2019 ceremony. Thermax’s innovative and energy efficient eing a forerunner in the energy and ‘Hybrid Heat Pump’ developed by the Absorption environment space, Thermax supports Cooling division, received the prestigious ‘Most several sustainability driven initiatives by Innovative Energy Saving Product’, competing with Bindustrial bodies. One such forum is the ‘Energy over 100 entries in this category. Kudos to the team Efficiency Summit’ organised by CII-Godrej GBC for living up to Thermax’s vision of sustainability! (Green Building Council) which brings together the
Striking a work- life balance oing by the adage, ‘A healthy mind lives in a healthy body’, the team at PT. Thermax International Indonesia GCilegon factory has initiated morning exercises every Friday for all the employees before they start their workday. The team rightly believes that this initiative will help them stay healthy, active and contribute better to the organisation.
The day begins with fitness for employees from Cilegon factory
12 ‘Customer Connect’ series tours all corners he Channel Business Group (CBG) has was inaugurated by Mr. K. M. Pratham, Joint Director embarked on a ‘Customer Connect’ series to of Boilers, Government of Karnataka and attended by reach out to customers spread across diverse over 68 customers from all major industries; while the Tgeographies; gain insights into their business needs Hyderabad seminar was specific to sharing information and present solutions from Thermax to improve their on heat pumps and hybrid chillers with a footfall of processes. During the quarter, several such meets 80 customers from 48 companies. were organised in strategic clusters across the country. Addressing the fishing, packaging and hospitality A customised session on product from the Absorption sectors in the eastern region, the Customer Connect Cooling and Heating business was conducted in series traversed to Bhubaneswar where we presented Delhi at the India Habitat Centre for industries situated our indigenously manufactured evaporative in the northern belt of the country. Rudrapur’s seminar condensers and closed loop cooling towers to over 50 had the highest gathering of 150 customers who customers. learnt more about our solutions from heating, steam This series is a welcome initiative, reflecting customer engineering and solar PV. centricity and increasing market reach with a ‘One The customers in the South were invited for seminars Thermax’ approach. at Bengaluru and Hyderabad. In Bengaluru, the event
Customers in Bhubaneswar Mr. K.M. learning about Pratham Thermax’s lighting the process cooling ceremonial solutions lamp
e are stronger when we listen and smarter when we share'. In the perspective of continuous Know-how series learning, sharing and enriching the knowledge of 'Wour sales teams across the globe, the Absorption Cooling and Heating marketing team has introduced the Know-How webinar series since June 2019. Through these monthly webinars, subject experts from the division share knowledge on various topics spanning products, technology, competition, etc. and build engagement. At the end of each webinar, a poll is conducted to gather suggestions for the next session, which helped in developing tailored modules.
13 Thermax’s 300 TR chiller
IoT brings comfort to guests at Cultural Heritage Resorts
ultural Heritage Resorts, comfort cooling to hotel a part of a reputed Sri rooms through AHU/FCU Lankan hotel chain, units. required limit, resulting in the Crecently partnered with Thermax VAM outlet temperature not being Understanding the criticality of to adopt an energy-efficient and maintained at the set point. Our comfort in the hospitality industry, sustainable approach for providing smart service ‘ROSS’ proactively Thermax is also supporting the air conditioning. The resort is captured data, detected the root chiller with its IoT based service, using Thermax’s double effect cause and avoided breakdown ‘ROSS’ (Remote Online Support steam-driven vapour absorption in air conditioning which would Service), which monitors and chiller of 300 TR capacity, helping have caused discomfort to guests. controls performance of absorption them save 4,92,000 units of Thermax’s experienced service chillers across the globe. electricity and reduce carbon engineer highlighted the issue to emissions by 318 tons annually; An abnormality was observed the customer and resolved it online equal to planting 31,885 trees or in the chiller installed at the by assisting the team to perform taking 63 cars off the road. The Cultural Heritage Resorts due to blowdown in the vacuum. This has chiller utilises steam generated operational issues. It was detected resulted in significant cost savings from biomass boiler to provide that vacuum was not within the to the hotel with no downtime.
Vendor connect: aligning expectations and communicating needs
over 120 top vendors of the division who gathered for a meet on 3rd and 5th July 2019 in Pune. The theme of the event was ‘Together We Win for Sustainable and Profitable Growth’, where Thermax and its supplier partners engaged in a structured discussion to understand each other's concerns and expectations; and analyse the current market situation to be able to compete in local as well as global markets. The focus of the event was to work together in Together offering high-quality products and quick service support to customers; increase manufacturing we win capacity and reduce non-value added cost/waste ith the heating products’ global from day-to-day work. footprint expanding continually, The programme concluded with vendors sharing it is more important than ever to their feedback about Thermax, and many of them “Wkeep introspecting, upgrading and offering the best- appreciating their partnership with the company for in-class solutions to our customers,” said Rakesh over two decades. Some of the suppliers have also Tripathi, Business Head - Heating, while addressing started supporting our Indonesia facility.
14 GETs engaged in making paper bags
Starting Thermax journey on a social note ocial responsibility has GAs were assigned a unique activity flawlessly and swiftly, displaying always been an integral part of preparing handmade study their determination despite their of Thermax culture and what material sheets for slow learners, limitations. Scould be a better way to pass on designed originally by experts GETs were given the task to make the baton to the millennials of the based on multiple intelligence theory paper bags from newspapers, company than an exposure to the of Howard Gardner. The group calendars or used chart papers as same during their induction. completed as many as 350 sheets an alternative to polythene bags which were dispatched to the NGO The new batch of Graduate and sell the bags to the employees the same day. Engineer Trainees (GETs), Graduate present at the Thermax Learning Apprentices (GAs) and Diploma DETs visited Shree Shirdi Sai Baba Academy (TLA) for promoting both Engineer Trainees (DETs) were given Home for Blind Women. They environmental and social cause. an experiential orientation towards spent quality time with the ladies, The proceeds from this unique sale corporate social responsibility served them food and were inspired were given to an NGO. during their induction programme in to see them making bags with the month of July and September. multiple coloured plastic strings, Birdhouse to bring back the disappearing birds long with the NGO, ‘Give me Trees’, Thermax Delhi office participated in a CSR initiative of making birdhouses from unused bottles, boxes and Aballoons, supporting the NGO’s mission of reviving the flora and fauna. During the process, a lot of questions related to the ecosystem, birds and plants were answered, and learnings were acquired by the team while interacting with the experts. The volunteers agreed to build a few more similar ones, with the help of family and friends and hang them on trees in their vicinity during the next phase of the activity.
15
AWARDS &ACCOLADES
Lifetime Achievement Award – for Best Anu honoured with the Power Brands: Supply Chain Management Practices BMVP Award Thermax was honoured with the ‘Lifetime “Apart from good results, we also inculcate good Achievement Award – for Best Supply Chain values which to me are very important than any Management Practices’ by Indian Institute of academic results so that the students become Materials Management at its 6th Annual Awards responsible, caring and honest citizens. We also for Supply Chain Management, Pune. Though ensure that they look at each other as human the award selection is done after evaluating the beings and not be prejudiced by looking through nominees through rounds of interviews followed by the lens of gender, caste, religion or region,” said site visits, Thermax was conferred this recognition Anu Aga on her association with the two NGOs without filing a nomination. The positive feedback – Akanksha Foundation and Teach for India at received by the panel of juries about Thermax from the ‘Power Brands: Bharatiya Manavata Vikas the industry and peers led to this decision. Puraskar (BMVP) – Edition 2019’ held on August 30, 2019 at New Delhi. At the event, she was Mangesh Patil, Jaydeep Datye and Prashant honoured with the Power Brands: BMVP award by Kulkarni from Corporate Sourcing received the Shri Pranab Mukherjee (former President of India) award on behalf of Thermax. for her business leadership and philanthropy.
Clarivate Analytics India Innovation Awards 2019 Thermax won the ‘Clarivate Analytics India Innovation Awards 2019’ in the ‘Heavy Industries’ category. The impressive performance of its growing patent portfolio across all judging criteria, especially its success in acquiring patents and globalisation, resulted in this win for Thermax. This recognition is based on extensive patent portfolio analysis of almost 250 organisations that are headquartered in India and have more than 25 India priority patent publications across 2016-2018.
16 Craft Drinks India 2019 raft Drinks India is India’s first and comprehensive trade show and conference conceived to cater to the production needs of the alcohol industry. Debuted Cin 2018, this year the event was held on 3rd and 4th July at Bengaluru. Thermax showcased its offering from the Heating, Cooling, Water & Waste Solutions and Process Cooling divisions for the brewery industry. The event had a footfall of around 70 customers across India and generated business opportunities. Vedvati Raje, Marketing Head, Thermax gave a presentation on our solutions and benefits during the conference, organised in parallel with the event.
Expo Boiler 2019 Vietwater - Hanoi, T. Thermax International, Indonesia Vietnam participated in the Expo Boiler from July 11 to 13, 2019. It is Indonesia's first hermax’s Chemical division along with its Pinternational trade show focusing on industrial business associate participated in one of boilers, right from showcasing components and the leading trade exhibitions in the water Tindustry, Vietwater from July 24-26, 2019 in Hanoi, accessories to services. The key attraction of the Thermax booth was the TEON 1000 boiler which Vietnam to showcase its products in industrial water grabbed attention of visitors from diverse sectors applications. Thermax booth saw visitors from various and generated enquiries. parts of Asia, and our forte in energy and environment solutions drew appreciation from industry experts. The second day of the expo saw presentations from industry experts where Pardamean Siahaan from the International Business Group (IBG) presented on the topic 'TEON Mini Boiler for SME: Value for Money'.
17 Limelight Akshay completes his Ph.D. in Chemistry Akshay Raut, son of Hemant Raut from the Quality Assurance department of Thermax Cooling Solutions has completed his Ph.D. in Chemistry from Ruhr University Bochum, Germany in July 2019.
The topic of Akshay’s thesis was ‘Matrix Isolation Study of Reactive Intermediates at Cryogenic Temperatures’. While pursuing his Ph.D., he has published several articles in scientific journals. One of his recent works on 'Reactions of Arylcarbenes with Lewis Acids' has been featured in ChemistryViews, a chemistry magazine published by Wiley-VCH’s, a well-known German publisher.
Akshay has been selected for fully funded post-doctoral studies at ETH Zurich in Akshay Raut Switzerland. His hobbies include reading, acting and cooking.
Ameya strikes a perfect balance between studies and passion Ameya Ranade, son of Abhay Ranade from the Legal & Taxation department has completed his B.E. in the Chemical stream, securing a ‘First Class with Distinction’ with a CGPA of 8.67 from the University of Pune. Simultaneously, he has also completed his ‘Tabla Visharad Poorna’ (Bachelors Degree in percussion instrument, Tabla) with a First Grade from Akhil Bhartiya Gandharv Mahavidyalya, Mumbai Region in June 2019. Ameya will now pursue his Master's in Process Engineering from the Delft University in Netherlands. Ameya Ranade
Captain Hrishikesh sets a National Record A white water rafting expedition was conducted by Parashu Brigade in the Ladakh Region to commemorate 20th Kargil Vijay Diwas, named after the successful ‘Operation Vijay’ or Kargil War when India successfully recaptured the high outposts in Kargil from Pakistan. A 27 member team of rafters from Three Medium Regiment was led by Captain Hrishikesh Ghogare, who is presently serving in the high altitude area of the Ladakh region since June 2017. He is the son of Sujit Ghogare from B&H Materials department, working with Thermax for 12 years. The team set a National Record for 'Longest White Water Rafting’ in Indus River at an altitude of 13,000 feet+ covering a distance of 210 km in sub-zero temperatures of the river. This record was validated by a team of adjudicators from India Book of Records. The expedition team displayed the undeterred spirit of the Indian Army as a mark of Captain Hrishikesh Ghogare tribute to the heroes of the Kargil war.
18 Signposts
This economist has a plan to fix Mariana Mazzucato has demonstrated that the real driver of innovation isn't lone capitalism. geniuses but state investment. Now she's working with the UK government, EU and It's time we UN to apply her moonshot approach to all listened! the world's biggest challenges The idea that made Mariana What particularly infuriated new technology cluster called Mazzucato one of the most Mazzucato was the prevailing Tech City. “They were hyping up influential economists in the narrative that such cuts entrepreneurs and dismissing world came to her in early 2011. were necessary to boost everyone else,” Mazzucato says. It had been three years since the competitiveness and innovation. “There was this belief that we financial crisis of 2008 and, in In March 2011, Prime Minister didn’t have European Googles the UK, the coalition government David Cameron gave a speech and Facebooks because we of Conservatives and Liberal excoriating civil servants working didn’t subscribe to Silicon Valley’s Democrats had chosen to pursue in government, labelling them free market approach. It was just a fiscal policy of austerity that was “enemies of enterprise”. Later that ideology: there was no free market forcing councils to cut back public year, in November, he visited the in Silicon Valley.” services and leading to a rise of Truman Brewery in east London It was then that Mazzucato, an homelessness and crime. to announce his plans for a Italian-American economist who
19 had spent decades researching struggled to secure investment of policymakers, and received the economics of innovation and until it received a $465 million coverage in daily newspapers. “It the high tech industry, decided (£380 million) loan from the US was obvious that it had touched to look deeper into the early Department of Energy. In fact, a nerve,” she says. “The more history of some of the world’s three companies founded by I thought about it, the more I most innovative companies. The Elon Musk — Tesla, SolarCity and wanted to go straight to the core development of Google’s search SpaceX — had jointly benefited of the myths about innovation.” algorithm, for instance, had been from nearly $4.9 billion (£3.9bn) She decided to dissect the supported by a grant from the in public support of various product that symbolised Silicon National Science Foundation, a kinds. Many other well-known Valley’s engineering prowess: US public grant-awarding body. US startups had been funded by the iPhone. Electric car company Tesla initially the Small Business Innovation Mazzucato traced the provenance Research of every technology that made programme, a the iPhone. The HTTP protocol, public venture of course, had been developed capital fund. “It by British scientist Tim Berners- wasn’t just early Lee and implemented on the research, it was computers at CERN, in Geneva. RETHINK NG also applied The internet began as a network research, early of computers called Arpanet, stage finance, funded by the US Department strategic SM of Defense (DoD) in the 60s to procurement,” i solve the problem of satellite she says. “The communication. The DoD was more I looked, the also behind the development more I realised: of GPS during the 70s, initially state investment is AL to determine the location of everywhere.” military equipment. The hard disk Mazzucato drive, microprocessors, memory included her chips and LCD display had also findings in a 150- been funded by the DoD. Siri page pamphlet was the outcome of a Stanford she submitted to Research Institute project to UK policy think develop a virtual assistant for tank Demos. It military staff, commissioned by was distributed the Defense Advanced Research CAPIT to thousands Projects Agency (DARPA). The
20 Without the massive amount of public investment behind the computer and internet revolutions, such attributes might have led only to the invention of a new toy.
touchscreen was the result in this type of financial engineering Ernesto, a nuclear fusion physicist of graduate research at the under Jobs, started doing so at Princeton University, yelling University of Delaware, funded by in 2012. By 2018, it had spent at the news. She would say, the National Science Foundation nearly one trillion dollars on share “Dad, that’s just information,” and the CIA. buybacks. “Those profits could be to which he would reply: “That’s used to fund research and training not information, that’s just “Steve Jobs has rightly been for workers,” Mazzucato says. what they’re trying to make you called a genius for the visionary “Instead they are often used on believe.” “A critical eye was the products he conceived and share buybacks and golfing.” first thing my dad instilled in me, marketed, [but] this story creates mainly just from watching him a myth about the origin of Apple’s That posed an urgent, more swear at the TV,” Mazzucato success,” Mazzucato writes in her fundamental problem. If it says. After the publication of The 2013 book The Entrepreneurial was the state, not the private Entrepreneurial State, Mazzucato, State. “Without the massive sector, which had traditionally an effervescent woman in her amount of public investment assumed the risks of uncertain late forties, became a regular on behind the computer and internet technological enterprises that led current affairs programmes, often revolutions, such attributes might to the development of aviation, delivering devastating critiques of have led only to the invention of a nuclear energy, computers, commonly held economic beliefs new toy.” nanotechnology, biotechnology with eloquence. and the internet, how were we But a narrative of innovation going to find the next wave of That the message at the core that omitted the role of the state technologies to tackle urgent of her book had resonated was exactly what corporations challenges such as catastrophic with a general audience didn’t had been deploying as they climate change, the epidemic necessarily surprise Mazzucato. lobbied for lax regulation and low of antibiotic resistance, the rise “Silicon Valley entrepreneurs taxation. According to a study by of dementia? “History tells us rarely acknowledged that they Mazzucato and economist Bill that innovation is an outcome were standing on the shoulders Lazonick, between 2003 and 2013 of a massive collective effort – of giants. It was a call to arms publicly listed companies in the not just from a narrow group of to innovators to sort of step up S&P 500 index used more than young white men in California,” and acknowledge that,” says half of their earnings to buy back Mazzucato says. “And if we Saul Klein, co-founder of venture their shares to boost stock prices, want to solve the world’s capital firm LocalGlobe. “There rather than reinvesting it back into biggest problems, we better has been a very concerted effort, further research and development. understand that.” over the past 40 years, to build Pharmaceutical company Pfizer, this intellectual construct that was for example, spent $139bn One of Mazzucato’s most sold to government and sold to (£112bn) on share buybacks. enduring memories of her society about the free market, Apple, which had never engaged childhood is watching her father supported by businessmen who
21 In the report, she illustrated what missions could look like with three hypothetical examples: a plastic-free ocean, 100 carbon-neutral cities by 2030, and cutting dementia by 50 per cent. were trying to tell a story that was mission-oriented organisations. (£21bn) to achieve precisely advantageous to them,” says The prime example was DARPA, that. More than 300 different tech mogul Tim O’Reilly. “It’s now the research agency founded by projects contributed, not only in very clear that there’s something President Eisenhower in 1958 aeronautics but in areas such wrong with the story. We need a following the Soviet Union’s as nutrition, textiles, electronics new theory to replace this, and launch of Sputnik. The agency and medicine, resulting in 1,800 Mariana is one of the economists pumped billions of dollars into spinoff products, from freeze-dried trying to build a rival narrative.” the development of prototypes food to cooling suits, spring tyres that preceded commercial and digital fly-by-wire flight control Mazzucato was surprised to find technology such as Microsoft systems used in commercial supporters inside the coalition Windows, videoconferencing, airplanes. The programme was government. “To be honest, given Google Maps, Linux and the also instrumental in kick-starting that I had mainly written academic cloud. In Israel, Yozma, a an industry for the integrated things, there was no real risk that government-backed venture circuit, an unproven technology at I sounded like a communist,” she capital fund that ran between the time, and other space projects says. That support came in the form 1993 and 1998, supported more such as the Space Shuttle and the of Business Secretary Vince Cable, than 40 companies. In the UK, International Space Station. who founded the Catapult centres the Government Digital Service, to promote partnerships between The modus operandi of these launched in 2010, was behind the scientists and entrepreneurs; and mission-oriented institutions award-winning .gov.uk domain, the “eight great technologies” provided Mazzucato with an saving the government £1.7bn in investment announced by David alternative vocabulary that told a IT procurement. “When I use the Willetts, Minister for Universities different story about the role of word ‘state’ I am talking about a and Science. “There’s been a the state. “Economics is full of decentralised network of different gap in conservatism in offering a stories,” she says. “Words like state agencies,” she says. When constructive account of the role of ‘enabling’, ‘facilitating’, ‘spending’, such agencies are mission- the state,” Willetts says. “Mariana ‘regulating’ – they create a story of oriented to solve problems and provided an account of the role the state as boring and inertial. It structured to take risks, they can of government which was neither becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. be an engine of innovation.” one of minimal government nor We need a new narrative to guide traditional socialism. I was able to To Mazzucato, the epitome of better policies.” These mission- say in government, hang on, this the mission-oriented concept oriented institutions were actively isn’t some experiment with left-wing was the Apollo programme, the creating and shaping markets, socialism. This is what happens in space programme designed to rather than merely fixing them. They Republican America.” land Americans on the Moon were ambitiously seeking high- and return them safely to Earth. risk directions for research and Mazzucato was increasingly Between 1960 and 1972, the investment, rather than outsourcing interested in what she called US government spent $26bn and avoiding uncertainty.
22 The European Commission had already polluting the oceans In May, the European Parliament traditionally framed its policies and reducing by 90 per cent the voted and approved Mazzucato’s in terms of grand challenges, quantity of plastics entering them mission-oriented proposal for but Mazzucato’s concept of before 2025, through projects the Horizon Europe programme. missions translates these into such as autonomous plastic After a lengthy consultation concrete projects: the Cold War collection stations or distributed period, five mission areas were was a challenge; landing on the nets. The solution would require chosen: adaptation to climate moon was a mission. In February inventing alternatives to plastic, change; cancer; healthy oceans, 2018, she published a report — designing novel forms of food seas, coastal and inland waters; titled Mission-Oriented Research packaging, and creating AI climate-neutral and smart cities; & Innovation in the European systems that could separate and soil health and food. The Union — that defined five criteria waste automatically. “These European Commission will now missions should obey: they must were just examples to tease appoint a mission board of be bold and inspire citizens; be out the difficulties,” Mazzucato 15 experts for each area. They will ambitious and risky; have a clear says. “When people talk about be responsible for identifying the target and deadline (you have missions, I always warn them: if first specific missions, following to be able to unambiguously this is something that makes you Mazzucato’s criteria. “Moedas answer whether the mission was feel comfortable and happy and jokingly offered me the role of accomplished to deadline or cosy, then you haven’t understood chief muse of missions,” she not, Mazzucato says); be cross- it, because it’s actually about laughs. “That report was the disciplinary and cross-sectorial fundamentally changing how we most important thing I’ve written. (eradicating cancer, for example, think about innovation.” It’s now a legal instrument, it would require innovation in can’t be undone unless another At a talk at NASA, where healthcare, nutrition, artificial vote is had.” She pauses. “I’ve Mazzucato has been working as intelligence and pharmaceuticals); influenced politicians, but having part of a group studying the low- and allow for experimentation and a parliament vote on something Earth orbit economy, she urged multiple attempts at a solution, I wrote is just fantastic,” she them to recover the ambition rather than be micromanaged top- continues. “That’s what I want: to befitting an agency of its calibre. down by a government. bring about change.” “I don’t think many people realize In the report, she illustrated what that Novartis, one of the richest missions could look like with pharmaceutical companies in By: Joao Medeiros three hypothetical examples: a the world, is working for free on Source: https://www.wired.co.uk/article/ plastic-free ocean, 100 carbon- the International Space Station,” mariana-mazzucato neutral cities by 2030, and cutting she says. “Who thought that up? dementia by 50 per cent. The Charge them. Or make sure the clean oceans mission could relationship is symbiotic, not involve removing half of the plastic parasitic.“
23 Voices
How my little village transformed the hills
’m sure many of you may not have heard of the solution. So, we joined hands and formed a group with a village of Majale. It’s a small village near Kolhapur firm resolution to do something about this problem. in Maharashtra. That’s my home and we are a small Icommunity of around 3,500 people who live there and are The need of the hour for our group was to connect with predominantly engaged in farming. Our village is located experts who had successfully implemented such projects in the rain shadow region, with an average annual rainfall in other villages. So, we started to collect information and of around 300 to 400 mm. Sadly, this isn’t enough and arranged visits to villages like Velu and Hivre Bazaar to it never takes us all the way till the next monsoon. By witness the results of their projects first-hand. We also January, our village starts to suffer a lot of hardship as the managed to get some renowned speakers to come in lakes and bore-wells, as deep as 350 to 400 meter go and motivate people to join our work. dry. The scarcity of water persists despite the presence of three lakes in the area and the mountains are barren and The winds of change start blowing dry with only a little shrubbery in a few places. This had We started out by creating continuous counter trenches become a problem that was affecting the livelihood of my (CCT) and deep continuous counter trenches (DCCT) on people. We longed for a solution, but there seemed to be the slopes of the hills, but our greatest challenge turned none. out to be the lack of participation by villagers. Some people came forward, but it wasn’t enough. Demoralised, An idea takes seed our team members started talking about abandoning the It all started in February 2018, when an old friend visited project. But, we didn’t give up. We came up with the idea my village to attend a function. The Pimpri Chinchwad of using social media to send out messages and images Municipal Corporation had recently honoured him by of the good work that we were doing. We desperately bestowing the title of ‘Nature's Friend’ upon him. As such, needed more hands to dig the trenches with us. Slowly, he was well-known and revered in our community. During more people came forward, including a few NGOs. Our his visit, he made an observation that made a big impact project gained momentum and we managed to get on me. He simply said, “You have beautiful mountains funding to bring in machines from the NAM foundation and in this area, but they are all barren”. For me, this was a JCB India. The machine operators were hosted by families wake-up call. I started thinking about what we could do to in our village, who joyously served all the meals of the change this. I called upon some of my friends in the village day, including mid-day tea. Lodging was also arranged by and coincidentally, they too were planning on finding a the Gram Panchayat. Now, the work started progressing furiously and this created a lot of interest amongst the
24 residents of our village. Many came forward and donated Our pride and joy funds that had been kept aside for marriage anniversaries, children’s birthdays and other family occasions. It gives me great joy to share this wonderful story with all of you. We did all this by spending a few lakhs, within 4 With a little help from our friends to 5 months. Every person in my village today is proud of what we have done. But we haven’t stopped at just A huge breakthrough was achieved on 1st May - that. We are now focusing on growing grass all over the Maharashtra Day. We visited a few industries and mountain and have completely stopped the felling of trees institutes in the area and appealed for ‘Shramdan’ - and cattle grazing on the slopes. Once the grass has voluntary labour. To our surprise, one of the companies grown fully, it will stop land erosion and create an entire deployed around 400 workers and an institute sent ecosystem of insects and birds. We also expect more 800 students. As you can imagine, the work was now plants to take root through pollination and the growth progressing speedily. Within the next four months, we of several diverse species of shrubbery. We even had achieved rehabilitation of two lakes and dug out 7 km of celebrities like Nana Patekar, Makarand Anaspure and DCCT and CCT. The water holding capacity of the lakes Satyajit Bhatakale spent their valuable time championing had gone up to 4.5 and 3.9 crore litre, respectively. On the our cause. Our mountains are green again and I am other hand, the trenches were capable of holding 7 crore proud that it’s all the fruit of our own labour! litre of water. Success at last
Excitement was in the air as we waited for the pre- monsoon rains and once the monsoon set in, our area received approximately 350 mm of rain from June to August. The reservoirs we created were now full of water and we had enough agriculture and drinking water all the way till June 2019. The rain gods smiled on us once again in 2019, as we received 550 mm of rain. At last, our village had become self-sufficient. – Shanitinath Patil (TBWES) THERMAX: A GREAT COMPANY TO WORK FOR fter completing my to leave the safe ocean of a public boiler at Bhosari. It was a package engineering degree from sector giant (turnover 3,000 crore) boiler in a 5m x 5m enclosure! All IIT Bombay, I spent a very for the unchartered waters of a apprehensions of my erstwhile Ainteresting and eventful period in a relatively small private company colleagues flooded my mind, and large engineering PSU for 18 years. (TBW turnover at that time being I had serious doubts about my I was getting used to the comfort around 30 crore). But I was excited decision. But after some reflection, I zone. This is a typical state where and looking forward to this change. decided to leave the ocean behind you are bereft of challenges. Before me and plunged head-on into the lethargy sets in, I needed a change I shall never forget my first day in TBW sea. and started looking for options. TBW. After completing the joining formalities, I was asked to report to Over a period of time, I found that During my subsequent trip to Pune Mr. Oak, Head of Field Engineering. TBW was a wonderland of boilers! in early 1992, I visited TBW (the After the preliminary icebreaking There were so many types of present TBWES) and after meeting chat, I was asked to pay a visit to an boilers that I had never heard of. with the concerned people, decided ongoing site in Bhosari where an oil Each new project was unique, a to start a new innings in their field fired boiler was being erected. discovery, learning and a challenge. engineering department. This news My earlier stint instilled a specialist was received with mixed feelings My last posting in my previous culture, making you a master of by my colleagues. While some organisation was at a 3 x 500 MW only one, but in TBW I realised we congratulated me, others were power plant. You can imagine my had to be a jack of all and master apprehensive about my decision shock on seeing the TBW oil fired of some! The projects were small in
25 comparison, but the exposure was Here I got the opportunity to interact their potential. Merit and hard work tremendous! with our American B&W deputies were rewarded. There were plenty and in the process, gained valuable of opportunities for individual One more striking difference I guidance in conflict management. development through mentoring noticed was that in other companies Their management style was and technical, behavioural and no matter how senior you are, there informal and if they needed to managerial training. was always somebody above you to discuss something with you, they make decisions and it was expected would come to your workplace and After spending 13 years in TBW, that your senior would take the not summon you to their cabin. I left for another organisation but required decisions, leaving you free I realised that after working in of worries. Therefore, my first few As the days passed, I found TBW, it is extremely difficult to work months in TBW were difficult as I myself getting used to working in anywhere else. I returned back to tended to seek Mr. Oak’s intervention the informal and at times chaotic Thermax within a year. After my in most of my work as I had been environment of TBW. I experienced superannuation from Thermax indoctrinated to behave so. One the pangs of working in a growing I spent three years managing a day he called me and explained to organisation and growing along 600 MW power plant but always me that I had full powers, authority with it. The growth of TBW over the missed the Thermax culture. and responsibility to make decisions years was phenomenal and with it regarding my work and it is not came computerisation, systems and Now that I have hung up my boots, expected that I shall encroach upon procedures, ISO and ERP and along I look back fondly to the time I his time to carry out my job. with it came orderliness. spent in Thermax. I shall always remember Thermax as a company I got the message. From then on TBW was growing steadily under which is caring but firm with its working in TBW was a joy! But the able guidance of our MD, greatest asset - its employees. sometimes it was like a mad house Mr. Prakash Kulkarni. He had a A company that brings out the as the pressures and challenges very endearing style of functioning, best in you, enabling you to always were high. I was surprised to see taking all of us together, always better yourself. that there was hardly any hierarchy. engaging the HODs in shaping the All the people were on first name company’s policies and involving Even today when I see Thermax terms as against the yes sir, sure them in critical decisions. He would in the news for some feat or sir, right away sir culture. The open cajole us to experiment, to stretch, achievement, my heart swells with door policy in TBW encouraged to walk that extra mile so that we pride for once being a part of this subordinates to approach seniors remained ahead of the competition. wonderful organisation. Thermax freely. Even our MD’s cabin door It is this spirit of TBW and Thermax and its employees have a great was always open. as a whole which was so enjoyable! future indeed! Thermax is one of the very few professionally managed family businesses of India.
In TBW, I saw that people did not believe that the boss is always right. The work culture encouraged healthy dissent in the interest of the job which is very rarely seen in the industry. Here I found that the guiding principle in dealing with subordinates was that every individual is taken to be sincere and honest unless proved otherwise. Trust and delegation were the hallmarks of the work culture, encouraging individuals to unleash – Jayant Sagade (Ex-Thermaxian)
26 Kalsubai – A trek in the clouds flowers. We stopped were iron ladders, but climbing them thrice to get views was unnerving as they overlooked of the Wilson Dam, the deep chasms right next to them. which was once a The higher we climbed our visibility here’s an old saying that 'health beautiful lake next to became poorer due to the thick mist. is worth its weight in gold'. the woods, and now serves as a huge But, amazingly, every time the mist This is clearly a belief that my reservoir of rainwater. The dark rocky cleared, we could see white, violet Tcolleagues from B&H Materials and hills around the lake were covered in and pink blossoms all around us. It I hold in good stead. Fitness has greenery and we could see the clouds was like being in 'wonderland'. Finally, always been close to our hearts and floating on top. It almost seemed we embarked on the climb to the over the last year, our team has taken like images from a picture postcard. summit. The heavy winds beating on concrete steps to stay fit. It’s really all We wondered if the peak of Kalsubai our faces made the climb even harder. about challenging oneself and getting was hidden somewhere up in those It took us almost 2 ½ hours from this out of the comfort zone by performing clouds and whether we would see point, but we made it! We reached the activities that are likely to improve your it. Eventually, we reached the small top and stood on the peak of Kalsubai overall fitness. This was the motivation village of Shendi, just 8 km away from - the highest peak in Maharashtra! that drove us to climb Maharashtra’s the base of Kalsubai. Here, we had to We visited the temple of goddess, highest peak – Kalsubai. At 5,400 feet stop for the night. above sea level, it is a considerable Kalsubai after whom the peak has challenge to reach the top. We arose early the next day, ready been named. Enjoying the cold and to continue with our adventure. We heavy wind there, we felt like being We started preparing for the summit traveled to the base village, called on top of the world, literally! The climb since February 2019 with weekly treks Bari, where we were joined by another down was even more dangerous, and to the Sinhagadh fort in Pune along three colleagues from our team. after slithering and falling all over the with two hours of cycling everyday. Abhijit Raskar, Ganesh Dhas and place, we made it back just in time These regular fitness activities Santosh Mane had traveled separately to have kanda bhaji, lemon juice and increased our endurance and stamina and were waiting for us at Bari. So, a refreshing shower underneath a levels. we commenced our journey on foot. natural waterfall. We had traversed a So it was that on 13th September This is what we had been waiting for. distance of 13 km on foot and it had our team – Ganpat Masal, Sagar The climb might have been easier at taken us approximately five hours but Kumbhar, Amol Bendale and Mahesh other times of the year, but we were left us with fond memories forever. Kulkarni from B&H Materials started in the middle of the monsoons. The out at eight in the morning. We were path was steep, treacherous and all quite excited to undertake the slippery. Moreover, our vision was journey and the adrenaline started obstructed by the swirling clouds of mist, making the climb even more pumping through our veins as we drove through the chilly monsoon challenging. We passed a temple winds. Around 3 pm, we reached dedicated to Kalsubai Devi and Bhandardara, 180 km from Pune. prayed for our safety. Sometimes, we The drive to Bhandardara had been sank into the mud and the loose rocks quite picturesque. The monsoons in made us slip back. As we climbed Maharashtra bring out a riot of colors higher and higher, the clouds became across the countryside. We saw lush even thicker. We had a feeling that we were out to accomplish something green fields, blue ridge mountains Ganpat Masal and fields teeming with red and gold quite amazing and the hardship was really worth it. At certain points, there (B&H Division)
27 Slice of Life Faking death for a better life
South Korean service is offering free funerals – but only to the living. More than 25,000 people have participated Amass “living funeral” services at Hyowon Healing Center since it opened in 2012, hoping to improve their lives by simulating their deaths. “Once you become conscious of death, and experience it, you undertake a new approach to life”, said 75-year-old Cho Jae-hee, who participated in a recent living funeral as part of a “dying well” programme offered by her senior welfare center. Dozens took part in the event, from teenagers to retirees, donning shroud, taking funeral potraits, penning their last testaments, and lying in a closed coffin for around 10 minutes. Even the gods can’t Source : The Economic Times help pollution ith air quality worsening by the day, devotees in the holy city of Varanasi are helping gods avoid toxic air by Wcovering the faces with anti-pollution masks. And this "Varanasi is a place of belief. We treat our idols as living deities and take pains to make them pun picture happy and comfortable. In summer, the idols are slathered with sandalwood paste to keep them cool and in winter, we cover them in woollens. Likewise, to save them from pollution, we have put masks on their faces," said Harish Mishra, a priest at the temple. "Looking at the covered faces of their deities, many devotees visiting the temple have also started wearing anti-pollution masks," Mishra added. "Bad air did not deter the people from bursting crackers on Diwali. Now there is smog everywhere. Until people come together to change their habits, the situation will never change," he said. Cartoon by Sandeep Shete Source: NDTV
28 Beat Air Pollution - #breathfree
“Environmental consciousness is not confined to a particular day but integral to the culture of the company”, said A.G. Kshirsagar on the occasion of World Environment Day on June 5, 2019. This year's global theme was ‘Beat Air Pollution’. Employees took part in several activities that included planting saplings, slogan and selfie contests, and exhibited case studies, highlighting some of the outstanding work done by divisions in reducing carbon footprint. A record number of 4,823 sapling were planted at various Thermax locations and a few customer sites. Our leaders, M.S. Unnikrishnan and Sharad Gangal delivered speeches on the prevailing climate crisis and the need for each of us to take the onus of doing our bit for the environment. The winner of selfie content, Anand Talekar, shared his success story on achieving his fitness goals through commitment and perseverance. Parthasarathy M D was adjudged winner of the Slogan Contest. The theme being closest to their business, the Enviro team leveraged the platform to launch a new initiative called 'Learning Insights', a periodic email communication to customers and employees to educate them on the catastrophes of pollution and ways to control it. Exemplary projects rewarded at OPEX Convention The second edition of ‘OPEX Convention and Awards’ held on 10th September, witnessed success stories that have led to improved efficiency and effectiveness of business processes. Over 100 entries were received from teams across SBUs and functions, showcasing first-of-a-kind as well as incremental improvements in operations.
After scrutinising the projects and one-on-one discussion with the participating teams, the jury members comprising the chief guest of the convention, Prakash Telang, Chairman - Kennametal Ind. Ltd. and TEMA Ind. Ltd., and Executive Council members - Sharad Gangal, Bill Shukla and B.C. Mahesh selected the top three winners.
During the convention, 30 case studies were exhibited at Thermax Learning Academy to facilitate cross-learning of best practices among businesses.
Apart from addresses by Meher and Unny that traced the journey of OPEX at Thermax and its relevance in shaping a high performing global organisation, Mr. Telang shared his perspective on the prevailing macroeconomic scenario, insights from his professional journey and the role of OPEX as a game-changer for organisations.
The Boiler & Heater (B&H) OEM business bagged the first position for improving the productivity of tube finning by 65% through process improvement.
B&H Services secured the second place for WWS - Standard Plant Group bagged the third prize for refurbishment and relocation of a 20-year-old 125 designing and developing skid-mounted, compact and cost- TPH Heat Recovery Steam Generator (HRSG), thus competitive Sewage Treatment Plant of varied capacities. helping the customer save high CAPEX costs.