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Tell me the Simplex growth story? What have been your recent achievements/ high points?
During last two years the company has witnessed tremendous growth of 65 percent. In fact, our growth has come on a quarter to quarter basis. Throughout the downturn situation we’ve been heading upwards- that in itself is an achievement.
Incorporated in 1924, as a British owned piling firm, Simplex was acquired by the Mundhra family in 1947. The company became Simplex Concrete Piles (I) Ltd in 1996, when it went public. In November 2005, the company was re-christened as Simplex Infrastructures Ltd. It is one of the oldest private sector infrastructure development companies in India, with more than eight decades of successful operations. The company has completed more than 2200 successful projects in India as well as overseas. The company has experience in more than 100 power plants, 15 steel plants, 24 petrochemical and chemical plants, and 100 flyovers and bridges in India.
The expertise in construction activities, along-with relevant
experience in piling and civil engineering assignments make Simplex well equipped
to provide end-to-end infrastructure solutions.
How has the infrastructure industry been hit by the slump?
Do you see a different recession pattern in India in comparison with the Middle-East?
The infrastructure industry is showing signs of revival. The bad phase experienced by infrastructure industry was during the second, third and last quarter of previous year. I see indicators of an upward trend and from September ’09 things should be back to normal.
In the Middle-East the recession was mainly driven by a slump in oil and gas prices. The real estate situation in Dubai had been badly hit. But their government has been very proactive and extremely supportive of the industry, thus helping them tide through.
What is your assessment of the infrastructure industry in India-
Scope:
The scope is tremendous. The government focus, right from the President’s speech to the last announcement has been on the infrastructure industry. Enough funds have been allocated, which will definitely boost the infrastructure of the country.
Limitations:
The limitations are the ones that already exist- we need to resolve certain issues like the roadways and rail etc.
Your views on:
Manpower - Not an issue. Sometimes it is difficult to find skilled people, but as projects progress, the personnel get hands-on experience. So we develop our manpower and train them as per our requirements.
Finance - Finance is never a problem for any viable project.
Equipment - It is easily available today.
Government - If we see the big picture, everything is positive. For instance, the government policy is very supportive of our industry. But when we come down to the grass root level, multiple governing bodies divide the turf amongst themselves, so some grey areas creep in. The hassles arise more at the grass root levels.
Tendering process - The process needs to be standardised and streamlined. India is quite transparent as far the actual tendering is concerned. But the documents are just too many across the various levels and that makes the process too tedious. It should be simplified
Competition - With the size of the market, competition may look intimidating, but eventually it will fade away at the rate we are progressing.
Tell me about your Joint Ventures/ Foreign Collaborations.
Our JVs and collaboration depend on project-to-project basis, depending on our requirements.
What are your future plans? Any dream project that you really want to do?
I would definitely not like to disclose my plans for all my competitors to read! Let that remain my business secret.
One business mantra that makes you a winner.
There are so many! Simplex started in 1924, and since then, every single balance sheet has been in black. We have made profits every year. We want to continue this legacy, which certainly is a challenge.
What are the R&D activities undertaken by the company?
Simplex has several prominent innovations in the sector to its credit. First to introduce cast-in-situ piles in Asia, development of the Computer Aided Modular Soil Testing and Reporting System, a ‘jointing’ system of pre-cast piles, a driven type stone column technique for soil densification are just amongst the few.
Name some projects you’re proud to have done.
Currently we’re working on the Metro projects in various cities like Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai. We’ve also done 70% of India’s thermal plants- these are proud achievements. Some of our earlier work like India’s first private sector steel plants (Jamshedpur and Burnpur), The Howrah Bridge , Supreme Court, Reliance- Jamnagar, Golden Quadrilateral and Dubai Metro - we’re honoured to be associated with them.
What are the major awards bagged by the company?
The company has bagged International Quality Summit Award in the Gold Category – in International B I D Quality Summit New York - 2009 in recognition of Commitment to Quality, Leadership, Technology and Innovation. The company is also ranked among Top 5 India’s Fastest Growing Large Companies by Business Today, June 15, 2008. The company was also nominated twice as “Most Admired Infrastructure Company” by NDTV Profit in 2006 & 2008.
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E
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Simplex
Infrastructures Limited - Some of the major orders in hand
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S.No.
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Working
for
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Description
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Sectors
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Location
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1
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Mumbai Metropolitan Region
Authority
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flyover from prince of Wales
museum to anik panjarapole area in Mumbai
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Bridges
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India
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2
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Galadari Invest. Office
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Residential 56 storey building
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Bld & Hsg
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Dubai
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3
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Gulf Cement Company,
Qatar
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Electro Mechanical erection, Civil works & commissioning assistance of CIF contract
items & Onshore Supply items for 5000 TPD cement plant
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Industrial
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Qatar
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4
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Saud Bahwan
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Employee Housing Colony
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Industrial
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Qatar
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5
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Maithon Power Limited
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2 x 525 MW thermal Power
Plant at Maithon - Jharkhand
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Power
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India
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6
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India Gateway Terminal Pvt
Ltd
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Civil work for ICTT
kochi
Phase 1A
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Marine
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India
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7
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Mumbai Metro One Pvt. Ltd
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Civil work for construction
of Via Duct VA & VB (excluding Bridges) - VAG corridor
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Urban
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India
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8
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Muscat
Municipality, Oman
(Towell)
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6 Flyovers over Seab Chronic
road in
Muscat
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Bridges
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Oman
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9
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Doosan Heavy Industries
& Construction Co. Ltd
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Civil & Building work
for Qatalum power plant Project
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Power
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Qatar
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10
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Jindal Power
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6 X 135 MW , Angul - Orissa
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Power
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India
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11
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Al Tajir Real estate LLC
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Construction of 3 Residential
Buildings with amenities
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Bld & Hsg
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Dubai
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12
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Areva T&D Sa
France
&
india
Ltd
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Substation for
Qatar
power transmission expansion
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Power
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Qatar
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13
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Bilaspur Municipal
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Sewerage Pipelines - Chattisgarh
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Urban
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India
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14
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Executive Engg, Commonwealth
Games
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Bridge from Salimgarh Fort
to
Velodrome
Road
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Delhi
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Bridges
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India
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15
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Goa Shipyard Ltd
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Modernization of GSL Phase
2 Plan
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Marine
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India
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16
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Bangalore
Metro Rail
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Metro Rail in
Bangalore
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Urban
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India
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17
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Executive Engg, Commonwealth
Project Division
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Const. of Ring road Bypass
from Salimgarh fort to Veldrome road
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Bridges
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India
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18
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Executive Engineer, Public
Works Dept., Govt. of Manipur
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Design & Construction of
Capital Complex (Assembly Component) at Chingmeirong, Imphal, Manipur
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Urban
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India
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19
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Keppel Magus dev. Pvt. Ltd
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Civil & structural work
of
Elita Garden
, Rajarhat, Kolkata
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Bld & Hsg
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India
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20
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Indore Municipality
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Sewerage System & allied Works in
Indore
under JNNURM
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urban
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India
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21
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Keppel Puravankara Development
Pvt. Ltd.
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Construction of High rise
residential development at Kanakapura-Elita Horizon
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Bld & Hsg
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India
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22
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Coastal Gujarat Power Limited
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Civil work for 4000MW UMPP
at Mundra
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power
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India
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23
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National Highways Authority
of
India
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Construction of Four Laning from KM 319.80 to 360.57 of Gorakhpur-Gopalganj Section
of NH 28 in Uttar Pradesh.
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Roads
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India
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24
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Chief Engineer,
Hyderabad
Urban Development Authority, Govt. of AP
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Construction of elevated expressway corridor in
Hyderabad
on Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) basis.
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Bridges
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India
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26
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Nitesh Residency Hotels
( P) Ltd
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Construction of Ritz Carlton
Hotel
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Bld & Hsg
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India
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27
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Steel Authority of India
ltd
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Civil work for BOF &
CCP at SMS II of Rourkela Steel Plant
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Industrial
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India
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28
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Qatar
Petroleum
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Construction of Fire Stations
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Industrial
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Qatar
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29
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Sh.Mohammed Ahmed Jassim
Al Thnai
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B+G+21+P Residential Building
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Bld & Hsg
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Qatar
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