Rajeev Kumar, CEO, Friends Equipment in an interview with B2B Purchase.

Please brief about your product range?

Friends Equipment – CRCHI is now a comprehensive solution provider for the Underground construction and rail transit industries. The main products include TBM (tunnel boring machine), shaft-boring machine, drilling jumbo, shot crete machine, tunnel vehicle for lifting and installation work, railway turnout, clip and fastener etc. Furthermore, we offer full lifecycle services tailored to client’s needs that cover design, fabrication, training, on-site service, refurbishment, spare parts supply, etc. At present, FE-CRCHI is actively getting into new fields of business like new railway transit system, agricultural machine, green building equipment, coal mine equipment and construction materials.

How did you successfully manage your business in the COVID times?

Due to the Pandemic, we had met a lot of difficulties such as no flight and visa termination. But we took actions quickly actions and organized local service team supporting the project for assembling, commissioning, test drive and troubleshooting etc., and then the entire CRCHI expats reached to strength the backup. Since last 2 years, we are contentiously providing service to our clients. And thanks to the quick recovery from Covid-19, our business was also quickly boosted and achieved a 40 percent increase than last year, in the same period.

What were the key drivers for your growth?

In the age of globalisation, our aims to be a India’s –leading and world-class company, with “technology innovates the world and service leads the future” as the corporate philosophy. Innovation is the key driver to ensure success in a growing market and meanwhile, we always cherish the relationship with our clients, quality assurance, service foremost.

How do you evaluate the demand for tunnel boring machines in Infraprojects in India so far?

In India’s rapidly growing large cities- more than 30 of which have a population of a million or more – as well as in remote regions, tunneling technology is heavily involved in the expansion of both metro systems and water supply. The growth of the tunnel construction in the country has been driven by a robust pipeline of projects and investments in setting up hydropower projects, developing urban mass rapid transit systems, improving road and rail connectivity, constructing underground crude oil storage, and upgrading water supply and sewerage systems. TBM will be a huge demand in near future as the economic growth of India.

Please brief about the features of equipments deployed for Metro Projects and for coastal projects. How these equipments are helping to reduce project development duration?

The Mavala TBM manufactured by CRCHI for Mumbai Coastal Road Project is the largest TBM till the date in India, with 12.2m diameters, 80m length and 2700 tons in weight. In order to overcome the challenges, this giant was customized with high water pressure bearing ability, telescopic cutter head + passive articulation, slurry circulation system helps to stabilise excavation face and high-strength structural design and high-quality welding technology greatly improved the reliability of the cutter head.

Comparing with traditional method, TBM can reduce the size of the work force that companies have to maintain, and the work environment is better for labourers, it also offers all of the advantages of mechanical