Kirby India has always been in the forefront of innovation by investing in new production technologies and evaluating the performance through continuous product development.
Kirby Building Systems introduced the PEB technology in India in 1999. Kirby has evolved its own PEB concepts based on its long experience through execution of thousands of successful projects worldwide and R&D which have lent prime support to company’s global acceptance. Apart from investing heavily in advancement of design and manufacturing technologies, Kirby continues to spend on its human resource to match the most innovative demands of the time. Kirby has constantly worked toward extending its product lines and widening product mix to provide the most economical approach to construction of infrastructure in India. These products enable Kirby to design and offer a unique package for every customer, thus meeting his every need anywhere yet providing cost economics.
Kirby’s steel buildings are customised to meet the unique demands of the customers. They are designed to render speed in delivery and erection, overall savings on the project cost, hassle-free single source of supply, flexibility in expansion and resistance against the severest combinations of wind and seismic loads. Most optimised design with structural soundness and reliability, on time delivery, high-quality products, top-of-the-class customer service and continuous R&D with new aesthetics are some of the advantages of PEB offered by Kirby India. Main factors in Kirby’s technological success include huge capacities, world-class manufacturing and engineering facilities, vast experience over the last 13 years in India coupled with over 37 years of global experience, and execution of various projects across diverse applications.
Over the years, Kirby India has evolved from a mere manufacturer of PEB to a total solution provider for customer needs. Like a true leader, it has constantly tried to set new standards in the PEB industry. The company has demonstrated its capability to design and manufacture complex and heavy structures. The company in the past few years has executed mega projects in the automobile, shipyard, general engineering, infrastructure, logistics and various other sectors. Kirby India has successfully ventured into many unexplored territories like power plant structures, bridge girders and shipyard structures. It also became the role model for other PEB players by making inroads into these areas and laying the foundation for similar type of projects in near future. This showcases that there is no size limitation for any type of PEB project that Kirby cannot handle.
Kirby is the only PEB manufacturer in India that is capable of supplying a packaged solution for all building requirements, maintaining international standards. Almost all the big names in Indian corporate and multinational companies that have set up facilities in India have joined hands with Kirby in some way or the other. Its buildings have stood the test of time and again against all odds – manmade and natural.
Shift toward advanced technologies Kirby India has always been in the forefront of innovation by investing in new production technologies and evaluating the performance through continuous product development. The changing market environment in India has led to an increase in shift toward more advanced technologies with one of them being PEB. This is due to increasing demand from customers for faster project completion which in turn will give faster returns on their investments. This led Kirby to introduce this technology in the Indian market and provide continuous innovations within PEB itself. Integrating the company’s strength and expertise along with innovation has helped the company lead the Indian PEB market. Apart from the functional requirements, the company has incorporated curved roof panels, wall claddings, flashings, aluco-bond panels or other such features to improve the aesthetics of the building as the industry is witnessing a new trend with demand for structures that are unique and eco-friendly.
Indian construction industry has evolved from its initial preference toward conventional and RCC structures to the PEB in low-rise industrial buildings in the last decade. If we compare with the developed markets, PEB has already made inroads not only in the industrial segment but is also very popular for low-rise structures (G+5) such as offices, hospitals, retail malls, housing, resorts etc. As far as commercial building segment is considered, PEB has still not yet ventured into that area with its presence being very miniscule, but Kirby has supplied some buildings to this sector and is planning to venture into this segment in near future. Thus, PEB will emerge as one of the preferred building solutions for both residential and commercial segments over the next few years.
The heightened emphasis on green building construction is also poised to push market expansion and more innovation. Kirby provides high-efficiency windows and insulation for roofs, walls, ceilings and floors to increase the energy efficiency along with its buildings. The use of skylights and solar panels on rooftops meet daylight and captive power requirements, while, at the same time, reducing emissions and gaining carbon credits under clean development mechanism. Effective usage of insulation material, louvers and other materials also help in making Kirby buildings as green buildings. All the materials in Kirby buildings are recyclable and not harmful to the environment. Kirby is always looking forward to be a part of eco-friendly products and the ongoing green revolution in the construction industry which further adds to the product innovation.
Advantage PEBThere are many advantages of PEB. The usage of steel, especially PEB, has grown rapidly in the industrial segment. This is mainly due to cost savings, faster return on investment, quicker delivery, faster installation, single-source responsibility, low maintenance, flexibility in expansion, earthquake resistant, superior quality, larger clear spans, architecturally versatile etc. These have become vital for any type of project due to increasing different type of factors affecting smooth execution of the project. Rising labour costs, shortage of skilled labour, faster construction time etc. are some of the other factors leading to increase in demand for PEB which will become one of the construction norms in coming years. PEB is a total steel building package that is delivered to site from a single source as a completed product and ideal for fast, cost-effective growth of infrastructure in India where increasing number of sectors are looking at PEB as a viable construction solution.
Some of the current PEB application areas are factories, warehouses, metro rails, shipyards, showrooms, workshops, retail supermarkets, aircraft hangars, offices, cold storages, stadiums, schools, hospitals, fuel stations, car parks, shopping malls, exhibition centres, auditoriums, functions halls etc. Owing to its usage across different industry verticals, they provide a plethora of opportunities to boost the steel usage in the infrastructure segment as steel is a reliable material because of its strength, durability, eco-friendly properties, fire resistant etc., thereby projecting steel as one of the preferred materials for all types of construction.Possibilities in PEBStructural steel is another area which is not yet tapped completely and has very high potential due to very less number of organised players. But the scenario is expected to change over the next few years where demand for factory controlled fabrication will increase when compared to current model of site fabrication. Citing this opportunity, Kirby is planning to enter this heavy engineering applications that include offices, commercial buildings, high-rise buildings, shopping malls, multiplexes, power plants, oil and gas structures, steel plants and multilevel car parking structures to cater to growing structural steel demand in the country. This provides Kirby India the opportunity to leverage its experience over the last 13 years and develop new milestones in these upcoming areas as it has done in the PEB industry. Being the market leader, Kirby India has a legacy of scaling the possibilities and horizons of PEB applications.
Kirby standardsKirby is a leading player in the Indian PEB market with a market share of over 30 per cent. The company has over 27 sales offices and a network of more than 100 certified builders to cater to the erection procedures as per the international standards capable to handle any type of complexity under adverse site conditions. The company has served over 4,500 customers with more than 15,000 buildings, spreading over an area of 20 million sq. metres. Kirby India has the privilege of partnering who’s who of corporate both from national and international front, operating across all industry segments by setting up their facilities in India and across the globe.
Kirby India has a capacity of 200,000 tonnes per annum with Hyderabad and Haridwar each having an annual capacity of 100,000 tonnes respectively. Kirby’s Hyderabad and Haridwar factories are ISO 9001:2008 certified. Kirby is also a member of Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) and Institute for Steel Development & Growth (INSDAG). The company has also been awarded with British Safety Council membership after meeting their stringent qualifying criteria. Kirby’s buildings are designed as per relevant IS codes and also as required with international standards such as AISC, AISI, MBMA etc.
Challenges faced by PEB industry One of the main challenges faced by the PEB industry in India include acceptance among the Indian corporate which is still moderate when compared to developed economies. PEB industry is currently growing at an average of 10-15 per cent per annum with the market demand pegged at over 600,000 tonnes per annum. But the current economic conditions has changed the dynamics of the industry with new investments or capex being virtually on hold due to demand slump in the domestics market, weak exports, low business and consumer confidence, rising current account deficit and weakening rupee.
The PEB industry in India has experienced tremendous growth over the past 13 years which has increased the awareness among consultants and customers. In current scenario, anyone planning to put up a factory or a warehouse immediately thinks of a PEB. The industry is yet to achieve its true potential as increasing consumption of different products is creating demand-supply gap and leading to set up more industries which in turn is increasing the PEB market size.