Report on THERMEX QST for Financial Year 2007-08
- 23 Plants Commence Thermex QST Rebar Production
- India's Thermex Rebar Capacity crosses 8.0 million T as on 31 March
2008
- 24 New Orders - will raise capacity in India to 10 million T by 31.03.2009
- The 100 Orders MILESTONE on H&K for THERMEX Systems was crossed
- H&K India Chairman & MD, R. K. Markan, was conferred a "Life Time Achievement
Award" in December 2007 by The American Concrete Institute (India Chapter) for his contribution in spreading awareness
and improving quality of rebars in the country. The citation named him as "a One Man Army with mission".
We are overjoyed with introduction of the British Code BS: 4449-2005 effective from January
01, 2006. This Code has only ONE Yield Strength - 500. Further, it caters to the increasing demand for
Grade 500 rebars with high ductility - Grade 500C (suffix 'C' indicates bars with high ductility)
with uniform elongation of 7.5% and a stress ratio of 1.15 to 1.35. Exactly what we have been advocating (since past
few years at all seminars) for the complete Indian Region on account of the Very High Seismic Hazard areas that
exist here.
Thermex QST rebars are now placed at a distinct advantage in the region. This in turn is reflected in the number of plants put into operation and the spurt of orders
- average two per month - for THERMEX QST Systems placed on us over the past few years.
It may also be informed that the exclusive 'THERMEX' area for H&K has been expanded by
addition of Pakistan, Bhutan and Myanmar. We thus now truly cater to the entire Indian Region. And, the first Thermex
System in BHUTAN was commissioned.
Amazingly, the 8 million tonne Thermex QST rebar capacity milestone in India was crossed
in March 2008. And 25 more remain to be commissioned in the Indian Region - due to start by March 2009 -
adding another 2 million T!
MC Mary KOM, three-in-a-row World Women's Boxing Champion (2002, 2005 &
2006) continues as H&K India BRAND AMBASSADOR for THERMEX until November 2008.
2005 has been a remarkable year for the country, in more ways than one. A series of natural
disasters, in continuation from the tsunami of December 2004, have been witnessed in the country and these have only
highlighted the lack of any meaningful planning in the last four decades of the previous century. Earthquakes,
floods caused by the "rain Gods targeting specific cities" (Mumbai, Bangalore, Visakhapatnam & Chennai), concentrating
development only in small pockets of urban areas, pandering to aspirations of the urban citizens and neglecting infrastructure
of the vast country which could have brought upliftment of rural masses have all exposed the hollow policies of central and
state government in earlier years.
Fortunately, the policy makers changed course in early 2000 and took concrete steps to develop the neglected
infrastructure. There is hope today. Hope for a brighter India in the years ahead. But this will take about 10-15 years
before visible improvement is noticed. Until such time, natural and man-made disasters will take their toll. The common man
will suffer for the folies of the short term policies of past governments.
2005 has also been a great year for the country in as much as the quality of rebars used in civil construction
has witnessed a demand for better rebars - befitting the seismic zones of the country. H&K India has directly benefitted
from this new found demand - a staggering 22 to 25 orders for THERMEX Systems in each year viz 2005-06, 2006-07 and
2007-08. The start-up of Thermex in rolling mills has kept pace with receipt of orders - around 2 per month in
the three years.
H&K, now in its 3rd decade, has been instrumental in bringing about a marked change in the
quality of rebars produced in the Indian Region. The first seminar on Thermex Technology was held in June 1984 at
Duesseldorf, Germany for Indian visitors to the Metec Exhibition.
Today, on account of the various papers presented at international seminars and articles published in leading
magazines, there is a greater awareness amongst civil engineers in the country about the quality of rebars that need to be
specified for civil construction and the use of correct technology for producing good quality 'Quenched & Self Tempered'
(QST) as per popular international standards.
THERMEX has now become the leading rebar brand in India with a market share of over 65%.
To ensure consistent quality, a team of independent quality auditors have been commissioned to inspect, every 3 months, the
products made by each Licensee in the secondary sector. Such visits are undertaken without any prior information to the rolling
mill. We believe that we are the only Company in India that undertakes this exercise on such a large scale - important in
light of the global respect commanded by the THERMEX brand.
We are pleased to give here the paper on "Steel Reinforcement for India" presented by R. K. Markan,
Chairman & MD, H&K India at the International Seminar held in December 2004 at Mumbai by the India Chapter of American
Concrete Institute.
This paper will soon be replaced by the recently published article "Earthquakes cause Revision in
Global Rebar Codes" and subsequent papers such as "India: A Global Power-2020?".
