ZChem Specialities Pvt. Ltd.

It is anticipated that the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China & South Africa) are projected to lead the non-destructive testing market in this decade. Resulting from massive and large-scale automation in the industrial manufacturing and infrastructure sectors, there has been a substantial increase in the demand for flaw detection related to cracks, porosity, and manufacturing disorders. It is here that the significance of investigating the integrity of equipment and assets has given rise to the growth of the Non Destructive Testing (NDT) segment. With India stealing the spotlight for housing a colossal platform for manufacturing and construction, companies such as ZChem Specialities Pvt. Ltd. have been working towards uplifting the NDT sector in our country, and increasing the awareness around this field.

Established in the year 2013, ZChem Specialities came a long way to become a full Range NDT company in the areas of Liquid Penetrant Inspection (LPI) and Magnetic Particle Inspection (MPI). Promoted by two experienced Technocrats turned Entrepreneurs ( Sajeev Kale and Hari Prasad Varda), it is one of the few companies in the world offering a complete range of products in consumables and equipment. With a manufacturing facility in Bangalore, India, ZChem currently operates Pan India, Middle East ,ASEAN, Australia and African countries.

To help our readers get a better understanding of what ZChem really stands for, and what it looks forward to achieving in the years to come, we interviewed Sajeev Kale, the Managing Director.

How has the journey been so far at ZChem?

We actually started like any other Indian Startup, but we wanted to stand out when compared to our competitors. So we started benchmarking ourselves against the best in the world in terms of business processes, product quality, Customer approvals, marketing network, etc. With our constant perseverance we could successfully get over our initial difficult phase with respect to convincing our customers and making inroads in the marketplace. Another rewarding strategy of ours was to look at the markets beyond India right from the beginning, which was and is still our biggest USP and it helped us get clients from countries such as UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Singapore and many others. I am glad to say that we have reaped benefits out of these strategies.

Why should customers choose ZChem over other NDT companies?

We are a one stop shop for our customers in the space we operate in terms of product range we offer. Additionally our products quality and industry segment approvals match the best in the world at the price and service that our customers find it worth considering buying from us. Overall value that we deliver makes it a unique choice for customers.

Specifically speaking, we have obtained approvals from almost all industry segment leaders, so this has clearly put our company on par with selected few in the world. Also, one of the most distinguishing factors of ZChem is our strong professional team consisting of trained individuals, who help our company maintain its brand value, by developing and offering customized products and solutions for various industrial applications.

What are the various products/services offered at ZChem?

We are in the space of Non Destructive Testing, in the areas of Magnetic Particle Inspection and Liquid Penetrant Inspection. Our products find applications in various industries like Automotive, Auto component industries, Oil & Gas, Aerospace, Ship building, Heavy engineering and many others.

Below is a detailed description of the various products/services which ZChem offers under different delivery areas:

Automotive Industry: NDT testing professionals and quality experts in the Automotive Industry rely on ZChem to ensure their products deliver the quality and safety their customers expect. In addition to speeding up the development of new products and enabling the rapid optimization of production processes. Various Automotive Products like stands and brackets, shifters, rocker arms, mono blocks and engine heads, gearboxes, exhaust systems, crank shafts, brake drums, brake disc, axle shafts, automotive mounts are Manufactured.
Oil & Gas: ZChem has played a Major role in the Field of Oil & gas for Magnetic Particle Inspection & Liquid Penetrant Inspection solutions. Non Destructive Professionals Trust ZChem for testing Tubular Goods, Pipes , Casings, Couplings, Rotary Shoulder Connection , Button Role Assembly, End Area and more.
Engineering: Critical process equipment such as Pressure vessels, Heat exchangers, Valves & Pipelines need to be inspected for defects during manufacturing using Magnetic Particle Inspection and Liquid Penetrant Inspection techniques, this is where ZChem imparts its expertise.
Aerospace: ZChem has worked side-by-side with aircraft engine manufacturers, aerostructure makers, airlines and other aviation professionals to continually help our customers improve quality, increase production capabilities and lower costs.
How was the whole pandemic phase handled at ZChem?

Pandemic phase definitely was not smooth. Like every company we too suffered because of the lockdown and the restrictions. In the initial phase of the Pandemic, we had to shut our operations, both marketing as well as manufacturing – for six weeks impacting the 2020 – 2021 financial year. And in the second wave too, our growth was hindered. However, as we consider safety of our employees very critical to our organization, we took good care of our employees in terms of their regular salaries and employability. I must say that we have come out of it now, but the effect on our long term growth is still felt because of the pandemic.

Biggest achievement of ZChem?

I would actually single out two biggest achievements. One, of course, our ability to move to international markets compared to other Indian companies. Another noteworthy achievement of ours is the approvals from prestigious organizations like the U.S Air Force and Saudi Aramco. As these were very large organizations and tough to get approvals, I feel our whole team gave it their best to make our company feel proud.

How do you ensure repeat customers?

Client relationship is critical to our business and our strategy to retain and ensure repeat business is ‘ Customer Connect ‘ . On an average our marketing team visits about 500 customers a month all over the world. This process helps us identify potential customer concerns and instantly address them. These include new products introduction, Value increasing propositions or any other operational issues.