Overcoming Challenges

The heavy engineering industry has been facing various disruptions for last few years – the biggest one being Covid-19 and the lockdown.

- Swati Deshpande

The whole manufacturing industry is affected by the outbreak of COVID-19. The heavy engineering industry is no exception to it. Speaking about adapting new ways of working, Allen Antao, EVP and Business Head, Godrej Process Equipment said, “Manufacturing of process equipment is an exercise that integrates Design, Procurement, Project Management and the physical activity of actual manufacturing. The lockdown has had an impact on each of these areas. Technical clarifications at the design stage, release of materials take-offs, approval of drawings for further manufacturing- all require client approvals. As the whole world is in lockdown mode, offices have switched to working from home. As this is a completely new environment for most industries like ours that operate in the physical space, it has had some initial challenges relating to hardware and bandwidth availability. That said, it is a tribute to how people have adapted to the new way of working. Obviously, there are delays but work has not come to a standstill.”

He further added, “On the procurement side, factories around the world have borne the brunt of stay-at-home orders. While some are still operating, they are doing so with limited manpower availability resulting in lengthened supply timelines. Logistics is another area which has come under severe strain in the COVID-19 affected world. Availability of ships, closure of ports, the skeletal working staff at Customs offices and then the restrictions on local transport movement have posed hitherto unknown challenges for both inbound and outbound movement.”