FORGING A LEGACY

From a pioneering steel manufacturer to a diversified infrastructure powerhouse, Man Structurals has evolved over generations—expanding into telecom, renewables, and global markets under Gaurav Rungta's leadership while staying rooted in engineering excellence and sustainability.

- By Amit Shanbaug

For Gaurav Rungta, Managing Director of MAN Structurals, manufacturing is not just an industry but a generational legacy. The company’s journey is deeply intertwined with India’s industrialisation, tracing back to the late 1800s when the Rungta family migrated from Rajasthan’s Shekhawati region to Mumbai. Over time, they ventured into diverse industries, including sugar, textiles, and steel manufacturing.

In the early 1940s, Sir Mirza Ismail, then Prime Minister of Jaipur, invited the family back to Rajasthan to spearhead industrialisation. “That’s how this area became an industrial hub,” recalls Rungta. Their foray into steel manufacturing led to a natural progression—forward integration into transmission tower manufacturing in 1960. By 1970, it had evolved into an independent business, cementing its place as a key player in India’s power infrastructure.

OVERCOMING CHALLENGES AND SCALING NEW HEIGHTS

The early years were fraught with challenges. “We had very few designers in the country, specifications were unclear, and even though steel was available, it wasn’t always of the required grade,” Rungta shares. To Everyone thought we were making a mistake, but we believed in thinking ahead of the curve bridge these gaps, MAN Structurals brought in international experts to train their workforce and collaborated with rolling mills to develop specialised steel.

Technological evolution played a significant role in the company's growth. “A typical 220 kVA tower that once weighed 30-35 tons has now come down to just 12 tons,” he says, attributing this transformation to better aerodynamics, high-tensile steel, and advancements in conductor technology.