LINDE INDIA'S LIFELINE

Abhijit Banerjee's focus on healthcare sector and high-growth markets reaps dividends.

- URVASHI MISHRA

AS THE SECOND WAVE of Covid caught the country unawares and triggered a massive shortage of medical oxygen, industrial and medical gases manufacturer Linde India’s newly appointed managing director, Abhijit Banerjee, marshalled all the resources at his command to scale up production. At a time when the only difference between life and death was a few milligrams of oxygen, Banerjee ensured whatever oxygen was available with the company in any part of the country was efficiently mobilised and delivered to those in need. During the first wave of Covid, the company supplied around 300 tonnes of liquid oxygen per day across India. The cylinder business grew 25% in volume and 32% in revenue terms by year-end. During the second wave of Covid, liquid medical oxygen supply was ramped up to 1,700 tonnes per day. In fact, Linde, the leader in oxygen production in India, stopped making industrial gases such as nitrogen and argon, and dedicated all its resources to the critical task of producing medical oxygen. Since the oxygen needed to be transported near users, Linde India deployed its entire truck fleet, including vehicles that were temporarily out of commission. These deliveries weren’t limited to urban centres but extended deep into the hinterland, where healthcare facilities with limited storage capacity depended on Linde’s efforts to supply on time. “I tried my level best to ensure all our resources reached someone in need. That’s how I define success and contentment. They are both interchangeable to me,” says Banerjee, recalling his career’s toughest years.