Basking in the glory of more than a hundred years of existence, Braithwaite & Company Limited has climbed the ladder of extraordinary success, especially in the last decade. Established in 1913, the company is one of the chief contributors to the construction of the monumental Rabindra Setu, also known as Howrah Bridge. When the company established its base in India, its prime function was steel fabrication. However, as time progressed, the U.K born business enterprise added invaluable feathers to its cap. One of its most monumental feats is its registration and incorporation as a government of India undertaking in 1976 despite being a foreign-born company.
The company, which notes its humble beginnings in steel fabrication, has transformed into one of the most influential railway wagon manufacturing companies in India. Braithwaite's success is a testament to its consistent efforts and active engagement in delivering pre-eminent results. In addition to having established a firm foot in the wagon manufacturing industry, Braithwaite & Company Limited has diversified its area of operations and added a variety of verticals to its product basket. At present, it has committed its efficiency in the operations and management of new-generation wagons, Renewable Energy & Waste Management projects, repair and rehabilitation of wagons, Camping Coaches, foundry products, Manufacturing of cranes, containers, and loco engines, construction of bridges, development of energy-efficient buildings and prefabricated homes, and more.
The identification and recognition of this robust company led it to secure a coveted status of a Public Sector Undertaking under the Ministry of Railways. Moreover, the reputed business enterprise was conferred with the distinguished Miniratna-I category in 2022. The company's focus on new verticals escalated its business profits to Rs. 609 crores in the financial year 20-21. The evidence of this prospering company's immaculate success is the fact that despite being under the purview of the Board for Industrial and Financial Reconstruction from 1992 to 2006, it maintained its operations and witnessed a massive increase in net profits.
It registered a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 46.90 percent in FY 2019-20 and 85.93 percent in FY 2020-21. The company comprises three units- Clive works, Victoria works, and Angus Works. The catapult in the profits of Braithwaite & Company Limited is the result of steady improvements in operations, management, and change in leadership.
Witnessing the progress it made over the years, it would not be wrong to say that Braithwaite is one of the pioneering engineering marvels of India.
A figurehead in the wagon industry, Braithwaite & Company Limited finds its core competence in manufacturing conventional and special wagons. It received conferment as Wagon Prototype-HUB from the government of India. Moreover, it is in partnership with Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO), a railway company, for designing and developing new-generation freight cars. In addition, Braithwaite has expanded its operations to diverse verticals, such as Fabrication of steel, Crane Manufacturing & AMC, Wagon Manufacturing, Repair & Rebuilding, Wagon components, Sub-assemblies, Coach Rehabilitation and Reconditioning, Civil & Infrastructure, Container Manufacturing, Operation & Maintenance of Railway Workshop, Renewal Energy Project & Waste Management, and more.
At present, Mr. Yatish Kumar (Chairman and Managing Director) heads the reputed company. As per the dynamic leader, the bestowal of the Miniratna-I category has landed the company at an advantageous front. It has paved the way for adequate business opportunities, gratifying corporate relationships, and desired cost of construction commodities and materials. He believes that an ethical code of conduct and heuristic approach codifies the value system of Braithwaite. Moreover, the establishment and infusion of core values, such as customer orientation, respect, social commitment, integrity, unity, diversity, etc., has landed the company where it is. Mr. Yatish Kumar never fails to vocalize his acknowledgment of talented professionals for their ethics and valuable efforts in assisting the company in achieving new heights. Evidently, over the years, the company has built a name for itself and enhanced its accomplishments, creditworthiness, brand identity, reliability, and more.
Following are a few significant policies implemented and enhanced by Mr. Kumar to elevate the working experience of Braithwaite's employees.
- Employee motivations, such as wage revisions and fringe benefits, to facilitate employees' achievement of personal goals.
- Medical insurance (under DPE guidelines) for the staff members to boost employee satisfaction and provide support during hard times.
- Diverse career advancement opportunities due to the expansion of the company's business and foray into new verticals, such as shipbuilding, coach refurbishment works, car loading & unloading facilities, and more.
- State-of-the-art infrastructure and well-equipped design department for effective operations.
- Regular bursts of recruitment for providing talented fresh minds an opportunity to learn with the professionals and share their ideas.
- Performance Related Pay (PRP) and pay hikes for honoring the employees who work hard for the organization's growth.
A reputed name in the engineering industry, Braithwaite aims to build a culture of trust for its employees and customers. Its objective is to accommodate an environment where the employees can make the best of their abilities and contribute to the company and country's growth.
Besides manufacturing quality railway products for the home country, the manufacturing mogul also exports railway rolling stocks. Different countries, such as Korea, Taiwan, Zambia, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Philippines, etc., are a few of the valuable customers of Braithwaite & Company Limited. Moreover, a few countries, such as Malaysia and New Zealand, find Braithwaite as their trustworthy source of structural steel works.
Without a doubt, the future of Braithwaite is bright. The pace of growth and progress is impeccable. At a time when inflation is hitting well-established businesses hard, Braithwaite is going strong. With massive and lucrative opportunities, a technology-oriented approach, and employee-supportive policies, Braithwaite is India's India's best engineering company to apply for in 2023.
