Atul Punj, Chairman – Punj Lloyd Group

Atul Punj, Punj Lloyd Group




"Quality and safety is Punj Lloyd's USP. Our initial road projects for the Golden Quadrilateral are reflective of this commitment to safety and quality."



Studies of successful large enterprises will often reveal their humble beginnings. Guided by an overarching desire to achieve a simple goal, organisations set off unknowingly into a larger expanding market, their vision and mission undergoing rapid transformation with the unprecedented growth they witness. Punj Lloyd has been no exception.

Old timers recall the days of 'Punj Sons', when the company took the challenge of bidding for the Bombay Pune Pipeline, as the company then lacked any experience or expertise in pipeline construction. Engineers got to work with German partners on the detailed planning of the pipeline, the company's first mega order.

The family business later split to leave Atul Punj with the construction business which he christened 'Punj Lloyd'. It was not easy to be saddled with a business with revenues of $2 million and debts of over $3 million. But Atul Punj was determined to turn this around and prove his mettle.

Today Atul recalls, "As a young budding entrepreneur, there is a time when either luck or someone's goodness rescues you at a critical time. And that becomes your turning point. In our case, it was the trust that Mr. Vagul of ICICI Bank placed in us that decided our future."

His early exposure to foreign projects exposed Atul to the international standards of construction, something that inspired him to adopt similar practices to his own country. "Quality and safety is Punj Lloyd's USP. Our initial road projects for the Golden Quadrilateral are reflective of this commitment to safety and quality." Even today Belgaum – Maharashtra Highway and the Dharmavaram Tuni on NH 4 & 5 are hailed for their well maintained, superior construction.

Not content with projects in India and Asia Pacific, Atul decided to bid for projects in the Caspian region. The Pipeline of the Century - The BTC pipeline in the mountains of Georgia and Turkey, positioned Punj Lloyd among the league of global pipeline constructors, giving it the name of 'All terrain experts.'

The company's projects through daunting terrain and geographies are reflective of the spirit and perseverance of Atul Punj as a go-getter. As many as 5 projects were delivered in the Tunu fields of the Mahakam Delta of Indonesia. Not wanting to limit his company's delivery to pipelines, Atul simultaneously ventured into offshore, tankage, refineries, mass transit systems, buildings and highways and recently Defence, building a strong base of illustrious clients in each of these verticals. Today, on a hilltop, the group is constructing the greenfield airport of Sikkim employing innovative construction methodologies for this challenging assignment. This will open the remote north-eastern region to the rest of India.

Representing India Inc at various forums internationally, Atul - a proud Indian at heart, invested in a state-of-art manufacturing facility at Malanpur to cater to the requirements of land systems for the Indian Army; aero structures and components for the Indian Air Force, and precision machined systems for the Indian Navy.

Today, a $1.80 billion Group, Punj Lloyd is globally recognised and ranked as one of the leading EPC contractors, building projects in 23 countries.
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