India’s 150-Hour Factory Build: A Game Changer for Construction Industry

As I was casually scrolling through my daily dose of morning news, an interesting headline made me pause and click. It was about India’s fastest built structure—a factory unit completed in a jaw-dropping 150 hours. Spanning 1.51 lakh square feet and built at a cost of Rs 19 million (Rs 1.9 crore), this feat is nothing short of revolutionary. Just think about it: first, we had instant noodles, then came instant grocery deliveries. Now, it’s high time we brought that same urgency to building projects. Imagine a future where customized homes are ordered online and delivered just as quickly.

Thanks to modular construction technology—encompassing precast, prefabricated, and pre-engineered structures—construction timelines are being slashed from months or years to mere hours or days. In the precast model, concrete structures are produced in factories, then transported to the site for assembly. Prefab technology takes it a step further, allowing entire modules to be factory-made and delivered as fully built or semi-knocked-down units. Pre-engineered buildings, primarily made of steel, are also fabricated in factories and assembled on-site.

While these technologies have been making waves in advanced economies like China for years, their adoption in India has been relatively slow. However, with urbanization surging and investments pouring into infrastructure, housing, e-commerce, and manufacturing, this is poised to change. The benefits are clear: faster construction, reduced labor costs, scalability through automation, and environmental sustainability. This isn’t just a trend; it’s a paradigm shift that could redefine how we think about construction.

The hub-and-spoke model for warehousing is already driving demand for pre-engineered buildings (PEB). As investments in manufacturing, metro rail projects, warehousing, cold storage, data centers, housing, and healthcare ramp up, the market for these technologies is expected to grow at an impressive 11-12% over the next five years. Companies like Interarch Building Products Ltd are leading the charge. They are not just a player in the pre-engineered construction space; they are a heavyweight, boasting a manufacturing capacity of 161,000 MT per annum. Their client roster includes giants like Amazon, Tata Group, and Flipkart, and they are eyeing a revenue doubling in the next 3 to 4 years.

Pennar Industries and Everest Industries are also noteworthy contenders in the PEB arena, with pre-engineered buildings making up 49% and 27% of their revenue, respectively. Pennar is diversifying its engineering solutions, while Everest is rooted in conventional building products. Both companies are targeting high-margin segments and international markets, aiming for 20-25% CAGR growth.

In the precast segment, PSP Projects is making headlines with its collaboration with the Adani Group, while Ganesh Housing Corporation is showcasing precast technology in its developments. Purvankara is also making strides with its technology-enabled solutions. Other firms worth keeping an eye on include NBCC (India), J Kumar Infraprojects, APL Apollo Tubes, Beardsell Ltd, and Hi Tech Pipes.

The tech transition across various sectors in India has already led to massive wealth creation. With the construction industry on the brink of this technological evolution, we can expect a similar phenomenon here. It’s a thrilling time to be involved in construction, as we stand at the precipice of a new era. The question isn’t whether this shift will happen; it’s how quickly we can adapt to it and harness its potential.

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