ICONS a rising star-A reliable partner

ICONS a rising star-A reliable partner

For ages, engineering has turned imagination and fantasy into something that is tangible and useful. For instance, consider the invention of the wheel as one of the oldest examples of how engineering has transformed our lives. Since the dawn of the industrial age, the importance and influence of Engineering has grown exponentially.

The modern world, we live in, wouldn't have been possible without the marvels of engineering – microprocessors, high-speed motors, cellular networks, power grids, automated assembly lines, the list is endless. Today, the application of engineering spans the spectrum from deep sea exploration to space travel and beyond.

In the modern era, it would be extremely difficult to find an avenue where engineering hasn't left its footprint. From construction to aeronautics, medicine to environment, and even the chair you are sitting in, engineering is everywhere! The basic tenet of engineering has always been about solving complex issues and making our lives simple, safe, and productive.

A group of professionals imbibed with the power of knowledge through many years of experience in various industry sectors, having worked both in India and abroad,  joined together to form ICONS (Industrial Consulting, Orientation Needs and Services) to provide the quality engineering services at optimum cost in the space where big engineering companies are either not willing or are very expensive.

ICONS offers services in Engineering, Project Management, Procurement, technical services and supervisory services during construction and plant turn arounds. ICONS moto is to exceed customer expectations with its broad knowledge base and customer centric approach. The company strives to provide services of world class quality adhering to the Safety standards in the design, procurement and implementation phase.

ICONS has made a place for itself and has completed more than 70 assignments of very diverse nature in the last 8 years. The senior team of consultants provide the mentorship and guidance to fresh and budding engineers in process, piping & pressure vessels, instrumentation & controls and civil engineering functions.

Our editorial team had a brief discussion with P C Jain and D K M Rao to understand their journey from 2 people to 50 plus man power, what drives them and how they are able to build a senior team of cumulative experience of 600 plus man years. We also tried to find out how did they build an impressive portfolio of clients both from India and abroad.

Provide an overview of your personal and professional journey

P C Jain

Director-Operations

Completed Masters in Thermal Engineering and has 40 plus year experience working with public and private sector companies. He has worked with PDIL, NFCL, MCF, Tata Chemicals and Tata projects before becoming entrepreneur himself.

He has handled projects from concept to commissioning and is well known in the industry as project management professional. He is driven by desire to be amongst young engineers and mentor them. He believes that extraordinary work can be done with ordinary people with enabling environment and required support from leadership.

D K M Rao

Mechanical Engineer with 30 years of experience in project and engineering management. Managed international projects as engineering manager, project manager and construction manager, giving   the courage to venture as an entrepreneur.

Area of expertise includes pre-FEED, FEED, Piping & Static Equipment Design, Project Management, Construction and Pre-Commissioning management. Trust and delegation are main ingredients of his leadership style.

What problem does your company resolve and how it is different from others in the Consulting Industry?

Our USP is that for us every job is important irrespective of size and we don't shy away from helping client requiring only 500-man hours or less. In our journey of 8 year we have completed 70 plus assignments requiring man hours ranging from 500 to 25000.

We bring in wealth of operation and maintenance experience into engineering solutions. It is one of the main factors in clients giving assignments to ICONS.

We also get enquiries of diverse nature including feasibility studies, DPRs, stress analysis, CFD and FEA analysis, process simulation models and detailed engineering for plant modification jobs, brown field and green field projects. We have built relationship with specialists who do special assignments for us on job to job basis.

We invest both time and money in developing and training people and providing them necessary software tools. We add young engineers regularly to take care of people leaving for other companies. However, attrition has not been a serious issue with the company.

Who are your clients? How do you work on your long-term relationship with your clients?

We have clients both from India and abroad. The client list includes DEEPAK FERTILIZERS and PETROCHEMICALS LTD, ATEC Mumbai, GRASIM Chemical Division, ADVENTZ (Zuari Group), COROMANDEL INTERENATIONAL, Indo Rama Haldia and Nigeria, HITACHI-JAPAN, Sipchem, ADVANCED PETEROCHEM-SAUDI ARABIA, TASNEE PETROCHEM-SAUDI ARABIA.

Adaptability, Sensitivity towards customer requirements and going beyond contract are the key strengths of ICONS. We have been able to build long-term relationships based on trust and transparency in our dealings with the clients.

Throw some light on your team and area of expansion.

The senior members of ICONS team are industry professionals with 30 to 40 year of experience in managing large size projects and plant operations both in India and abroad. Mr G.Kameswara Rao, Mr SG Kare, Mr Nagabhushanam, Mr Iqbal, Mr Anil Mahajan, Mr Ajay Bakde and Mr Sunil Kulkarni are such functional experts supporting the cause of the Company.

They have passion to share their knowledge and experience and treat ICONS as their own company. With their presence our young team feels that they are still in university getting undivided attention of people who are authority in their functions.

We have plans to increase our business volume in supply of man power during plant turn arounds. We are also working in building alliances with similar companies for mutual benefit and improve offerings to customers.

What are the milestones and awards earned by your company?

Company was founded in Feb 2011 and first assignment came in April 11. followed by assignments one after the other. Major breakthrough came with Hitachi japan giving long term engineering services contract for compressor packages in 2014 followed by major detailed engineering jobs from ATEC, Mumbai, Coromandel international and Grasim Chemical division of Aditya Birla group in 2015 and 2016.

The latest feather in the cap is being selected as PMC for 1500 MTPD ammonia project of PCPL in Aug 2018.

We have also entered into long term General Engineering Services contracts with Advance Petrochem in 2017 and with Tasnee Petrochemical company in KSA

What advice can you give entrepreneurs who want to venture into the same domain in the future?

People are the most important resource in this business. One should know to manage their aspirations and balance it with company needs and resources.

Invest in their continual development and get senior people who are mentors not managers and who will work as partner with you. Stay focussed, build long term relationships and remember that Rome was not built in a day.

Kindly share your favourite quote that motivates you.

Ordinary people can be made to do extraordinary jobs.