Mr. B. Muthuraman

The dramatic change that Tata Steel has seen in the last year was very evident in the Managing Director, Mr B Muthuraman’s webcast marking the end of FY 2004-05. At the same time growth and further growth was the mantra that was conveyed to all by him. The year “proved to be a very good one for the Company,” the Managing Director said, congratulating “all employees of the Company - in the collieries, mines as well as departments in the Works, Marketing and Sales Division, all profit centres, Wire Division, FAMD, TGS, Tubes Division, Rings and Agrico, Tata Growth Shop” - for having done very well.

However, the high value that the Company places on the safety of its workers, was once again apparent in Mr Muthuraman’s interaction with the employees on a day traditionally reserved for celebrating the success of the financial year just completed. Mr Muthuraman cited the example of BlueScope, Australia, which shut all its plants across the world for four hours inflicting financial loss upon itself, to allow people to stop and think about the loss to human life as well as to highlight the importance of safety.

Important changes in the organisational structure arising out of its growth plans were shared by Mr Muthuraman during the webcast. Sharing the growth plans of the Tata Group, Mr Muthuraman said that it was carrying out a feasibility study in Bangladesh for one steel project, one chemical fertiliser project and one power project. Mr Manzer Hussain will be the head of these projects, he announced. “We should be proud that the chief of the projects has been selected from Tata Steel,” he averred.

With growth and performance the focus of attention, questions raised by the employees during MD Online ranged from prospects for individual growth and the evaluation of the expanding role of each employee in the organisation, to issues such as health care and civic facilities within the steel city.

Mr J P N Singh, Chief, Civil Management drew the attention of the Managing Director to the opportunities which existed in the area of waste heat recovery, especially in connection with the 2.4 million tonne expansion programme. Mr Muthuraman immediately requested him to share this learning with Mr Dipankar Sengupta, Vice President, Shared Services while stressing that every action in the Company must offer a return on investment.

In response to a question from Sukinda by Mr Ajit Mahapatra, who urged the Managing Director that the Company should offer customers total solution advice for their construction needs, Mr Muthuraman announced, “progress has been made by Tata Steel in its tie up with BlueScope as well as its decision to create a design office with architects and engineers to offer this very service.”