Sanjay Gupta, CMD, APL Apollo, Kaushambi, Delhi NCR, is the visionary inspiration behind the company’s pioneering work that is far ahead in its league of structural steel tubes with 50 per cent of the market share. Currently, APL Apollo is working on high diameter, high thickness steel tubes, which will replace concrete RCC, metal plates, long steel products, etc. In addition, it plans to make the products cost-effective, more robust, and very environment-friendly. In the future, APL Apollo may explore various diversified segments in the building material category as well.

The company has embarked on a programme to train fabricators, who form an essential part of its value chain to channel India’s large workforce.

“At present, fabricators work with our tubes and install them at the sites. Therefore, APL Apollo has launched the initiative to educate these ironsmiths to become highly skilled fabricators,” said Gupta.

APL Apollo follows a typical B2C franchise model, similar to paints, tiles, plywood or cement industries. The company is present at the top as a brand and a manufacturer. It sells to around 800 distributors in India. They, in turn, sell to 50,000 retailers. These retailers sell to 200,000 fabricators. Beneath the fabricators lie the end-customers — a house owner, a real estate developer, a contractor or an engineer. Many of these distributors are exclusive to APL Apollo, while others are multi-brand.

According to Gupta, for APL Apollo, the structural steel tube segment has not been exploited to its fullest. Still, since it’s a niche for the company, it aims to continue exploring and expanding in this space.

The company is presently working on high diameter, high thickness steel tubes, which will replace concrete RCC, metal plates and long steel products, etc. The company is looking to make the products not only cost-effective and more robust but also eco-friendly.

“Our focus will continue to be on structural steel in which we foresee ten years of growth for APL Apollo Group,” says Gupta.

Alongside its rapid turnover of steel tubes and pipes, the company is also reducing the usage of wood in various industries. This was achieved by bringing out alternate products that are durable and eco-friendly.

No wonder that the firm has been successfully replacing five conventional structural products with its unique products in this segment – which gives it an edge over its counterparts.

APL Apollo has been a pioneer in contemplating, researching, producing and then taking the lead in the market by launching a wide range of futuristic products and surpassing the competition. As a result, APL Apollo is ruling the market as the single most prominent company capturing a significant market share in the structural steel tubes industry.

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