STEELBIRD FLIES HIGHER

In an interview, Rajeev Kapur, Managing Director, Steelbird Hi-tech India talks about why his company’s products meet the most stringent safety standards and what’s new in the auto-ancillary sector

- Kruti Bharadva

The good news is that the ban on helmets that are not ISI-certified has finally come into effect. This takes us one step closer to making two-wheeler usage safer in India.

While a lot of automobile manufacturers have shut their plants, all thanks to the on-going pandemic, a lot of related industries are affected just as much. Manufacturers of components, helmets and other automobile-related ancillaries have their business in the doldrums. We spoke with Rajeev Kapur, Managing Director, Steelbird Helmets, to find out about how the helmets and protective gear manufacturers are coping with the new normal:

Tell us about Steelbird, its origins and current product portfolios

Steelbird, one of the largest helmet manufacturing companies in Asia, was launched in 1964 and I joined the family business at quite a young age, handling all the plants single-handedly at the age of 18. Despite the years I have already put in, I still feel there is a long way to go in terms of what we want to achieve- specifically promoting helmets as a mandatory accessory. It is a life-saving device, and I have personally given numerous talks on why it is vital, in several states. Apart from helmets, we also manufacture a wide range of related accessories, such as pannier boxes and auto accessories. That said, during the pandemic, we diversified into the healthcare sector manufacturing face shields, PPE kits, gloves, oximeter and masks besides OTC immunity booster medicines for the domestic market.

Throw some light on your manufacturing plant in Baddi, Himachal Pradesh as well as your other manufacturing plants in India