Hats off as Gurdev Clocks 25
Kenyan Construction and Engineering Firm marks Silver Jubilee
When Mr Gurdev Singh Virdee and his sons set up a small engineering workshop in the Gikomba area of Nairobi in the early 1980s, little did they know that the family business would grow into a multimillion shilling company in just under two decades. “We would do small jobs involving machine repairs, grills and roller shutters”, recalls Balbir Singh Virdee, the company’s Finance Director.
Persistence, commitment to customer satisfaction and innovation eventually saw Gurdev Engineering & Construction Works evolve into a formidable player in the highly competitive construction industry. Today, the company is housed in two spacious premises in the heart of Nairobi’s Industrial Area.
The Busia Road premises houses the fabrication workshop where all kinds of aluminium fabrication takes place while the newer Road “A” offices accommodate administration staff and various equipment. In addition, Gurdev has opened an office in Kampala, Uganda, to be able to effectively serve Ugandan clients.
Gurdev Engineering & Construction Works Limited is a fabrication, general engineering and construction company based in Nairobi, Kenya. From humble beginnings, the company has grown into a major player in the construction industry. This year, the company is marking 25 years of existence. Construction Review sought to find out what has kept them running.
The company specializes in steel roller shutter doors, windows, grill doors, collapsible gates, aluminium partitions, steel structures, security grills and suspended acoustic ceilings. Others include banking counters, cash scoop trays and floor tiles. Gurdev also undertakes plumbing works and general construction.
Over the last decade, the company, which is registered with the Ministry of Works in Kenya, has leaned more towards construction works for banks and has undertaken dozens of projects for leading banks in the country. These include Equity Bank, Barclays Bank, National Bank, Kenya Commercial Bank, K-Rep Bank and Co-operative Bank. Equity and Kenya Commercial banks have awarded Gurdev contracts to undertake construction of their branches elsewhere in the region. In Sudan, the company undertook the fit-out for the Kenya Commercial Bank’s main branch in Juba. In Uganda, Gurdev has worked on more than 15 branches for Equity Bank.
Within Kenya, Gurdev has carried out numerous projects for these banks in various parts of the country stretching from Bungoma to Mombasa. According to Managing Director Baljit Singh Virdee, the company has been able to get these jobs as a result of the high quality of its work, speedy delivery of projects, maintenance support, competitive pricing and stocking of building materials.
“One of the reasons clients come to us is because they know we can complete an entire job with in-house materials and equipment”, says Baljit, adding that this gives them an edge over competition. The fact that Gurdev can carry out various construction jobs besides fit-outs is also a big advantage. However, Baljit welcomes competition, saying that it is desirable as it keeps the company on its toes and ensures that the quality of service is never compromised.
Human Resources
As with any company, staffing is a critical consideration. Gurdev Engineering & Construction Works Limited hires staff on merit and trains them to be able to carry out work in line with the customer’s expectations. Currently, the company has a permanent workforce of 50 but regularly hires casuals depending on the jobs available.
“Some of these casuals who show promising capabilities are then trained within the company and absorbed in the various ranks”, says Baljit. He underlines the importance of proper supervision as well as motivation of staff saying the two elements are major contributors to productivity. The company exercises an informal management style that allows management and staff to mingle freely.
Support from Clients
The company recognizes that its existence is solely due to support from its clients. Besides the banks mentioned earlier, some of Gurdev’s major clients include Specialized Fibreglass, a recognised brand of excellence in the fields of boat building, vehicle bodies and architectural components. Baljit is grateful for the business Gurdev receives regularly from these organizations and says his company will strive never to let these clients down.
Support from the Industry
Gurdev works with many other players in the construction industry and values the support it receives. These include fellow contractors, architects, quantity surveyors, engineers and other consultants. Baljit is particularly appreciative of the support Gurdev has received from such firms as Neoplan Architects, Maruti Architects, Triad Architects, Adventis , Jokim Associates and Rimba Planning. Among the contractors, the company has excellent relationships with Jagat Singh, Seyani Brothers, Tulsi Construction, N.K. Brothers and Wadia Construction.
The company is also grateful to its suppliers who help ensure that materials and services are readily available for completion of jobs. Some of their major suppliers include Booth Extrusions, Impala Glass, Tile & Carpet Centre, Auto Steel & Tiles, Central Auto & Hardware, Apex Steel, Tononoka, Saj Ceramics Corrugated Sheets, Henkel Chemicals and Sai Raj.
Challenges
Typical of any business, Gurdev Engineering & Construction Works Ltd has to contend with a host of challenges in its operations. Besides stiff competition, the prices of building materials keep going up, thereby driving upwards operational costs. Baljit reckons that the effects of this could be mitigated if the government exerted more effort in infrastructural development. “Lowering of electricity cost and duty on imported materials would also help the business community immensely”, he says.
While working in far-flung places such as Kampala and Southern Sudan, Gurdev incurs extra costs since these places do not have adequate manpower. Availability of building materials is also a problem. “We have to transport materials to these places”, says Baljit.
Future
The company would like to break into property development and undertake residential and commercial projects. According to Baljit, Gurdev is already talking with architects and developers towards the realization of this goal. Expansion of the workshop is also a major priority. “We are looking at introducing new sections to make different products customized for different markets”, says Baljit.
The company would also like to import more products and varieties from overseas to suit diverse customer needs. Baljit is confident that with everyone’s support, these goals can be realized in the medium term. The company will then be in a stronger position to take on bigger projects across the region and compete in the big league.
For more information about Gurdev, please call or email Baljit or Balbir using the following contacts:
Gurdev Engineering & Construction Works Ltd
Road A/ Busia Road, Off Enterprise Road,
P.O. Box 45752 Nairobi 00100, Kenya
Tel: 650831, 558042/46, 6533914 Fax: 650832/6533393
Email: info@gurdev.co.ke
Website: www.gurdev.co.ke
In Kampala, Uganda, Gurdev may be contacted at:
Gurdev Engineering & Construction Works Ltd
P.O. Box 70418 Kampala, Uganda
Tel: +256 776518113
Email: info@gurdev.co.ke
