How KND Steel navigates geopolitical challenges for global success
KND Steel capitalises on EV and renewable energy opportunities, maintaining a competitive edge with innovation.
The steel industry is navigating a challenging landscape, with fluctuating raw material costs, increasing competition, and ever-evolving customer demands. As global markets continue to shift, industry leaders are finding innovative ways to stay ahead.
For over four decades, KND Steel has established itself as a leader in the carbon steel industry, serving some of the most prominent OEMs worldwide. With a strong commitment to quality, service, and innovation, KND Steel has become a trusted supplier to industries ranging from automotive to aerospace.
Panckaj N Umrania, Executive Director of KND Steel, shares his valuable insights on the key challenges facing the steel sector. He also discusses the role of technological advancements in shaping future opportunities and how companies are embracing sustainability and customisation to maintain a competitive edge. In this conversation, he also highlights the strategies his company is implementing to ensure long-term success in both domestic and international markets.
What are the key challenges currently facing the Indian and global steel markets, particularly in the carbon steel segment? The Indian and global steel markets are navigating a highly volatile environment. Key challenges include fluctuating raw material costs, energy price surges, supply chain disruptions and increasing competition from low-cost producers. In the carbon steel segment, increasing demand from sectors like automotive, electrical and infrastructure is driving intense competition. Regulatory requirements for quality and sustainability are further raising the bar for manufacturers.
Additionally, stringent quality standards across sectors such as automotive and defence demand constant innovation. At KND Steel, we see these challenges as opportunities to push boundaries and deliver superior products with enhanced value.
How do fluctuating raw material prices and geopolitical factors impact the steel industry, and how are you navigating these challenges? The steel industry is heavily dependent on raw materials like iron ore and coking coal, both of which are subject to global price swings. Geopolitical events, such as trade wars and tariffs, exacerbate these fluctuations.
To counter these challenges, we have adopted a dual-pronged approach: long-term supplier partnerships that ensure stable procurement and strategic inventory management to buffer against short-term price shocks. Moreover, our focus on process efficiency and waste reduction helps mitigate cost pressures.
Could you highlight emerging opportunities in the steel market that KND Steel is keen to explore? One of the most promising opportunities lies in high-strength, lightweight steel for electric vehicles (EVs) and renewable energy sectors. With EVs gaining momentum globally, demand for specialised steel is expected to surge.
Additionally, sectors like defence and aerospace require custom-engineered carbon steel products with stringent specifications. KND Steel is keen on expanding its footprint in these emerging markets by leveraging our expertise in precision-engineered steel strips.
How has KND Steel managed to maintain its competitive edge while low-cost imports have continued to challenge domestic manufacturers? Maintaining a competitive edge in the face of low-cost imports requires a multi-faceted strategy. We focus on delivering unmatched quality, reliability and customisation. We continuously focus on improving efficiency and reducing production costs.
Our customer-centric approach where we actively collaborate with clients to develop tailored solutions, ensures long-term partnerships. Additionally, our service and adherence to global standards further differentiate us from lower-cost imports.
What measures has KND Steel implemented to ensure quality and innovation while staying cost-competitive? Could you share any recent policy recommendations or industry partnerships KND Steel has supported to address this issue? Quality and innovation are the cornerstones of our operations. Over the years, we have continuously innovated to remain at the forefront of the industry, enabling our customers to maintain a competitive edge. Most of the material we produce is manufactured using world-class Japanese and German equipment, ensuring our customers consistently outperform their competitors.
Our rigorous quality control measures guarantee precise dimensional stability and close tolerances, delivering exceptional forming properties, a consistent range of tensile strengths, and high precision.
Recently, we collaborated with a leading OEM to develop a specialised material for their crucial deep drawing application, a critical requirement where most other suppliers had failed to help develop that component.
Could you elaborate on the cutting-edge technologies and processes that set KND Steel apart in the carbon steel industry? We utilize cutting-edge equipment and technologies, including 6-high and 20-high mills, automated rolling mills and hydrogen furnaces for annealing, to deliver superior product quality. Our rigorous processes enhance the durability and performance of steel strips, making them perfectly suited for essential applications.
Furthermore, our advanced quality management system ensures rapid traceability and guarantees zero defects.
How do you approach customisation for its clients, and what role does customer feedback play in this process? Can you provide an example of a recent innovative project or solution KND Steel developed for a major client? Customisation and tackling challenging requirements are our key strengths and defining differentiators, recognised and valued by our customers. We collaborate closely with our clients to deeply understand their specific needs, getting into the details of their products, applications, long-term usage and associated critical risks.
This approach enables us to co-create tailored solutions that effectively address their challenges. Transparency, trust and customer feedback play vital roles in this process, driving continuous improvement.
For example, we recently partnered with an automotive giant to develop carbon steel strips with exceptionally tight tolerances for one of our export customers. This innovation empowered them to produce products that had previously been unattainable due to the stringent tolerance demands of their end customer.
What initiatives do you undertake to consistently deliver quality, service, and customisation rated 10/10 by its clients? To consistently deliver excellence, we follow a rigorous quality assurance protocol and maintain open lines of communication with our clients. We have a dedicated team that focuses solely on client feedback and implements necessary improvements. Our Net Promoter Score (NPS) consistently ranks above 85, reflecting the trust our clients place in us.
How do you ensure alignment with the evolving needs of OEMs across diverse sectors like Automotive, Electrical and Aerospace? Our alignment with OEMs stems from a deep understanding of their industries and proactive engagement. We invest a lot of time to stay abreast of market trends and regulatory changes. By co-developing solutions with our OEM partners, we not only meet but often exceed their expectations.
Your organisation has a growing global presence with offices in Sydney, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and California. How does this global footprint enhance your operations and service capabilities? Our global presence allows us to serve clients across different time zones with speed and efficiency. It also helps us stay close to our customers, understand local market dynamics, and provide tailored solutions. Additionally, having offices in strategic locations enhances our logistical capabilities, ensuring timely deliveries.
This global footprint is a testament to our commitment to being a reliable partner for our clients worldwide.
What regions or markets are you targeting for future expansion, and what strategies are in place to achieve this growth? We are actively exploring opportunities in Southeast Asia and in some neighbouring countries where regions witnessing rapid industrial growth. Our strategy involves setting up regional partnerships and offering products which caters to challenging requirements to specific market needs.
Furthermore, we plan to enhance our overall presence to better serve our global clientele.
Could you outline the company’s vision for the next five years, particularly in terms of innovation, sustainability and market leadership? While we cannot disclose specific details due to confidentiality, our vision for the next five years is firmly rooted in innovation, sustainability and market leadership. We are making significant investments in advanced equipment designed to Japanese standards, enabling us to produce high-precision materials that exceed our client’s expectations.
Additionally, we are strategically expanding our presence both domestically and internationally to strengthen our position as one of the most trusted and capable organisations in the industry. Our commitment to excellence, continuous improvement and sustainable growth will drive our efforts to remain at the forefront of our sector.
