India Is A Huge Market for Rebar Processing
Tell us the brief history of Schnell as a group, and the journey of the thirty people’s dream to turn a dirty, hard and difficult job of rebar processing, into a modern, organized and technology-driven activity.
Schnell was founded in 1962, as an engineering company. Main activities at that time involved designing and manufacturing of machines suitable for rebar cutting and bending on the job sites (that was prevalent in that period). From 80's to 90’s Schnell has been involved in solving the problem concerning cage–assembling, creating the first machine suitable for the automatic assembling of stirrups, and using this method, achieved 60% of cost reduction in assembling.
2002 decreed Schnell’s technology leadership, due to the conception of solutions absolutely new and patented, far more innovative than anyone’s expectations.
Tell us about your products in brief and their applications.
Concerning our role, first of all we prefer to speak about solutions rather than products. Actually our definition is Consultants rather than Sellers: The customer shows us his needs, we analyse them, value and speak with the customer and once we get all the information, we provide the proposal, as we are the customer.
Are you into any other by-product of steel besides rebar processing?
We are a group of 14 companies, 7 in production, 1 in software development, and 6 are service providers all over the world.
Our dream is to have a fully automated factory to reduce manpower, and increase production with the same heads.
Tell us the advantages and disadvantages in manual cutting and bending of bars vs. automated cutting and bending.
There are clear advantages in the automated system of cutting and bending. It ensures high volume of production in minimum time. Since the machinery is fully automated and fast, execution time can be saved, and the Inventory holding time, can be reduced considerably. Wastage of steel is minimum, as steel in coils are used for Stirrups and for Cutting and bending rods below 12mm, an optimizing software is used to reduce the wastage in straight bars. With space constraints everywhere, the process will help execution of steel work in minimum time and Bar bending labor at site, would be required, only for tying. There is no necessity to provide large working and storing area, labor camp and security for materials. Expenditure on all these areas is eliminated. Creates centralized activity for multiple locations. This can improve costing and productivity.
Give us an account of your software areas, brief highlights of each module, and its application.
With reference to the raw material worked by our customers, according to its structure, it has two problems: scraps and certification. Several years ago, in order to help our customers solve this problem, Schnell Software had been set up, and its main product was a managing software to be used by companies which belong to the reinforced concrete steel sector. The base modules, called Graphico and Optimo, allow the managing of the equipment directly from offices. In real time, this system controls everything that is connected with the rebar processing activity.
Furthermore, there are modules which can interface with the company–managing software, structural–calculation software, and a third module, which allows the Technical Production Manager/owner to control the situation from his computer, enabling him to monitor the processing of the orders, according to the machine or the operator.
Give us a peek into Schnell’s R & D division, quality norms and training, what is its current emphasis on?
Schnell’s current thrust is in process coiling and assembly processing. Schnell is a UNI ISO 9001:2000 certified company, besides that there are a lot of certified procedures pertaining to each department in the company, which are continually updated with its development.
We impart training to our workmen on a regular basis, twice or thrice a year.
Who are your prestigious customers globally, and in India?
The list regarding our important customers, on a worldwide scale, is too long to be provided, we’ll risk to forget some important customers, however to list a few, the following are our prestigious customers worldwide, but we are the global leaders in this sector. Gerdau Group (Latin America, USA) Miniera Group (Latin America, USA) Murray & Roberts (South Africa), Al Faisal (Saudi Arabia), G2 International (UAE), Toami (Japan), Onesteel (Australia), Smorgon (Australia), NatSteel (Singapore), Armacentro (Spagna), Snaam (France), G&J Ferreterias (Colombia), Gruppo Improm (Russian federation), to name a few In India, we have served Larsen & Toubro (3 plants), GKS, Indu Project, Krushi Rebars, and so on.
What is the Indian position and the global position of Schnell on the map of rebar processing. What's Schnell’s Corporate ‘Vision’?
Our dream is to turn rebar processing–a dirty, hard and difficult job–into a modern, organized, clean and technological industrial activity, something for the businessmen and workers of our times.
We are Number one in the world. We have 50% market share in India, and 25% globally.
Future plans for Schnell global, and the India office.
Global plans for Schnell, is to set up an office at Teijin near Beijing, China. A production unit to be set up in India, most likely in Hyderabad or Mumbai, to produce ten machines per month.
Any other comments you wish to share with us?
In India, there is a huge potential, all areas of rebar processing have a great demand. The trend of processed steel will be changed, from Job site to Service centers, in the years to come. Indians are more open to Innovation and technology.
NBMCW October 2008
