KIRBY: Spearheading the PEB Era

Kirby Building Systems, an affiliate of Kuwait based Alghanim Industries, is one of the largest PEB producers in the world. With its vast experience of serving more than 50,000 customers across the globe since 1976, the company has 5 plants with total annual capacity of 425,000 MT. Kirby Building Systems started the revolution in the construction industry with the introduction of PEB concept in India in 1999. With a rapid growth in just few years of its inception in India, PEB is tot the construction industry and Kirby is leading this revolution form the front with its constant innovation in products and applications.

Kirby India has served over 4,000 customers with more than 12,000 buildings spread over an area of 18 million sqm since it started its operations in the country.

It has recently completed the expansion of its Haridwar facility which will be able to produce additional 25,000 MT thereby taking the total plant capacity to 100,000 MT and overall Kirby India capacity to 225,000 MT per annum with the addition of its Hyderabad facility having an annual capacity of 125,000 MT. This expansion will allow it to cater to the customers in the Northern, Eastern and parts of Western regions of India with faster deliveries. With this combined capacity of 225,000 MT, it is the leading player in the PEB industry with a market share of over 35%. The company has been awarded with ISO 9001:2008 Certificate. Kirby's internal processes and operations, strengthened by implementation of SAP, is well integrated thereby ensuring better customer service.

The company uses specifically developed software packages for design and detailing of PEB structures, in addition to the standard packages. This proprietary software ensures that the designing & detailing activity is totally computerized and customers can get an accurate & speedy response. Kirby's steel buildings are customized to meet the unique demands of the customers. They are designed to render speed in delivery and erection, overall savings on the project cost, hassle-free single source of supply, flexibility in expansion, and resistance against the severest combinations of wind and seismic loads.

Kirby India has developed a huge network of over 100 builders across the country to cater to the erection requirements of its buildings anywhere in India. All these builders are trained and certified to meet the company's international standards in erection procedures. This facilitates fast, easy and economical installation of buildings with varied complexities under any site conditions.

Additions of new products backed by its intense research and development activities gel well with its motto to create even better solutions for the Indian market, Kirby India introduced Standing Seam Roofing system, named as KSS-600 in India. Kirby Standing Seam Panel systems (KSS-600) with double lock standing seam ends, eliminates the risk of roof leakage at fasteners and side and end laps due to the concealed fastening system and provides excellent protection in all weather conditions. Kirby is the first PEB manufacturer in India to achieve FM Global accreditation for its Standing Seam Roofing System (KSS 600). Similarly, it has setup the production of Heavy Duty Industrial racking to complement its offering to the warehousing segment.

Over the years, the company has evolved from a mere manufacturer of PEB to a total solution provider for customer needs. Like a true leader, it has constantly tried to set new standards in the PEB industry. The company has demonstrated its capability to design and manufacture complex & heavy structures. The company in the past few years, has executed mega projects in the Automobile, Shipyard, General Engineering, Infrastructure, Logistics, and various other sectors. Kirby India has also successfully ventured into many unexplored territories like Power Plant Structures, Bridge Girders and Shipyard structures and became the role model for other PEB players by making inroads into these areas and laying the foundation for similar type of projects in near future.


Application of PEB concept has still long way to go in the construction sector in India. But the usage of steel and especially PEB is growing very rapidly in the industrial segment. Currently, the industry is growing at an average of 15% per annum with the market demand pegged at 500,000 MT per annum. Some of the new trends Kirby India sees are huge potential application areas for PEB in the coming decade include Power Plant Structures, Commercial Buildings, Oil & Gas, Infrastructure, etc. driven by the new initiatives by both the Government and Private sector. These new investments provide the company the opportunity to leverage their experience in these segments. Also, the company is planning to come out with standard products for the Logistics sector that can be offered in quicker and lesser timeframe.

To conclude, Kirby is capable of supplying a packaged solution for all building requirements maintaining international quality standards. Almost all the big names in Indian corporate & multinational companies that have set up facilities in India have joined hands with Kirby in some way or the other. Its buildings have stood the test of time, time and again against all odds – manmade and natural.

This was well recognized by the recognitions and accolades in various forums that the company received in 2011. Some of these include CNBC-TV18 Infrastructure Excellence Award 2011 as PEB Project of the Year for building World's Single Largest Pre-Engineered Steel Building of Renault-Nissan Automotive India Pvt Ltd in Chennai, Greentech Environment Award 2011, Greentech Safety Award 2011 and EPC World Awards 2011 for Outstanding Company in Pre-engineered buildings.