Working at SRF

It is all about relationships at SRF!

I love working for SRF. We have such great employees here, and everyone treats it as one huge family with the same common goal, which is to care for the well-being of each other.

Management is amazing, and from top to bottom, the adage that “relationships are all there is” has been our mainstay.

It was February 27, 2018, my marriage date and perhaps the most special day of my life, which was made even more special by SRF!

The arrangements were modest and the food was simple with friends and relatives chipping in to decorate the venue. As my colleagues, friends and seniors started arriving at the venue, I became very conscious with several mixed emotions running through my mind. ‘Will I be a good host’, ‘Will everyone have a nice time’, and so on.

To my surprise and cheer delight, our Plant Head, Rajendra Singh Chauhan and my supervisor, P’ Ning also joined in the celebrations. I introduced them to my mother. Everyone danced and had a gala time. There was not a dull moment and I was enthralled by the bonhomie and vitality that the SRF team brought to my wedding. Their presence made me feel valued and I want to continue working with SRF for many, many more years. I am a proud SRFite.

Helping me grow

Subbaiah joined SRF Viralimalai plant in 1986 with a humble qualification. The work environment at the plant exposed him to various technical operations and instilled in him an interest in the field of engineering.

With much encouragement from his seniors and the availability of a competitive learning environment in the organization, Subbaiah completed a diploma in Electrical, Electronics and Communication. Further, he went on to pursue B. Tech from Anna University in Electrical and Electronics Communication at the age of fifty and earned the degree in 2014. As observed in the past, it is mostly supervisors who pursue engineering, and for Subbaiah, employed as a shop floor operator at the plant, this achievement is commendable and deserves special recognition.

As a proud SRFite today, Subbaiah says, “I was able to pursue higher studies due to the constant motivation I received from my Company. My supervisors were very helpful in accommodating my shift changes and have been instrumental in whatever I have achieved. With my qualification, I am now able to adapt to the changing requirements of my organization more easily.”

Subbaiah is a keen participant in all the development initiatives that the plant undertakes from time-to-time and credits SRF for his continuous progress in life.

The Way We Won. Breakthrough Business Solution

Since its establishment in 1989, the Bhiwadi Plant has been evolving rapidly in terms of its product offerings, technological capabilities and operational excellence. R32, a refrigerant gas with low Global Warming Potential is manufactured at Bhiwadi and is sold either as a stand-alone product or as a component to make blends. Recently, the Fluorochemicals production team spearheaded by Manoj Mishra was able to improve the production process of R32 and, in doing so, reduced its variable cost by 33%.

Here’s how.

When the production of R134a shifted to Dahej, it was decided that the Bhiwadi Plant will be converted to produce R32. The plant required complete re-engineering and process optimization to manufacture R32. While the technology and the technical know-how was available, the challenge to increase capacity, improve raw material and utility norms and reduce by-product generation had to be addressed.

Through process re-design and re-engineering, the production team was able to eliminate certain process steps, which resulted in better yields and increased throughput. The simplified process also led to a reduction in by-product generation. Further, an alternate cheaper fuel was used to bring the operating cost down.

By implementing these solutions, R32 is today manufactured at a 33% lower variable cost vis-à-vis the original technical qualifications. With a significant reduction in cost, the end-product has now become more competitive, leading to optimal plant utilization. This has led the organization to make an investment into a bigger capacity Greenfield plant to manufacture R32 at Dahej, Gujarat.

A CULTURE OF CARE

Pregnancy and the upcoming parenthood can be an intimidating time, but I can say with utmost pride that I never felt alone at SRF, which made a huge difference!

“All thanks to my company for taking care of the world around me!”

Last year, when I got pregnant and started sharing the news with my colleagues, the outpouring of help overwhelmed me. The HR team took me through the company’s maternity policy and politely resolved my queries. At that point, I felt, “Wow, this is a lot easier than I thought.”

“Cesarean (C-section) delivery is not a dream birthing experience, no matter whether it’s planned or an emergency surgery as it is both costly and risky.”

It was in May 2019 when my doctor told me that I have to go through the cesarean surgery. I was petrified as I was aware of the high costs and the risks associated with it. I consider myself fortunate that during those days SRF upped its maternity policy. As per the revamped policy, it was decided that salary for the 6-month maternity period will be credited in advance. I am thankful to SRF for this decision as it prepared me for the operation and a comfortable delivery of my child.

The supportive policies, such as the revamped maternity policy allow women employees the flexibility and financial certainty that is required to meet the needs of the newborn and their growing families.

A move in the right direction

This International Women’s Day, SRF Management won hearts with the newest initiative of installing sanitary pad vending machines at our manufacturing facility in Manali.

Women employees at the site welcomed this progressive move. Upon being asked, all of them said, “An initiative like this shows that the management empathises with us and does not shy away from addressing the basic yet vital needs of women, including menstruation.” Most women believed that the installation of cotton pad vending machines will increase their productivity as it takes a bother off their minds so that they can concentrate on work.

We are proud to be a part of the SRF family and grateful to the organisation for their consistent efforts in making the workplace more inclusive

Lifeline during a time of crisis

We believe in caring about our employees, recognizing when someone on the team is suffering. We then try to identify the problem, assist in finding a solution, and provide support to help employees in crisis find their way back on the right career and personal track.

As an employee of a world-class global organization with manufacturing plants across various locations, travel and deputation to different locations is a regular process. Jitendra, who worked at PFB Indore moved to the Company’s plant in South Africa on one such assignment.

It was while he was in South Africa that he received an emergency phone call from his family back home that his father had suffered multiple organ failure due to a paralytic attack. He was very critical and the doctors treating him were losing hope.

Jitendra had to return home fast.

It was then that he realized that his passport was submitted to the embassy for visa renewal. To make matters worse, it was a Saturday with the offices closed for two days. In his desperate state, he reached out to his fellow colleagues for intervention and help.

SRF team was on a mission now – to get Jitendra home as soon as possible.

Important personnel at the High Commission were contacted and despite being a holiday, Jitendra’s passport was returned to him. The Company went a step ahead and arranged for his travel ticket overnight, expenses of which were borne by the Company.

Jitendra looks back on that day and says, “I will forever remain indebted to SRF. It was because of the efforts of my Company that I was able to meet my father in his last days.”

Gaining Valuable Experience

I joined SRF as an ELO in July ‘17. In the past two years, my company has given me several opportunities to learn and grow.

My first stint was with the Belting Fabrics Business in the marketing and sales department, where I was responsible for business development, digital marketing and branding of the value-added products. Within a short span, I was given a chance to interact and engage with customers independently and represent my company on external platforms and at industry exhibitions.

After having proved myself in the role, another exciting opportunity knocked on my door. I was overjoyed to move to a different city and handle sales of Polyester Yarn. It was a challenge and I was ready for it! 

Along the way, my efforts were also recognized with an award. It was a moment of pride for me when I was adjudged the best debutant at the Protsahan Awards ceremony, which motivated me to work harder and contribute to the growth of my organization.

SRF inspires me every day to achieve my goals and never give up.

We are the CHANGE MAKERS

From the start, community has been at the core of who we are and what we do. Our commitment to helping children reach their greatest potential and creating more opportunities for all children is the inspiration behind some of the community work being done by the SRF Gummidipoondi CSR Council.

Rahul volunteered to join the Gummidipoondi CSR Council in 2013 and since then has been involved in conducting and monitoring special coaching classes for the academically weaker students of the Gummidipoondi Government Boys Higher Sec. School. One morning, as Rahul was walking in the market along with his parents, one of the students of the School ran up to him and introduced him to his father. The student said that Rahul has been regularly helping him with his studies and it was due to Rahul’s efforts that he scored a good grade in his Class XII exams. The student’s father was extremely grateful to Rahul and thanked him for his contribution. At that moment, Rahul felt very proud to work for SRF as his Company provided him with a platform to do something meaningful.

“It is a great way to build new skills and take on more responsibility. It also gives you a sense of purpose, pride and ownership”.

We always find a better way!

Chloromethanes (C2, C3 and C4) finds application in refrigerants, solvents and feedstock for agro. As the demand for solvents is growing, C2 demand is also increasing.

Hence, the obvious question emerged.

How do we optimize the production process to attain 70% C2 mix? Due to technical limitations, the team was not able to increase the production of C2 and maintain the quality of the by-product produced.

Aspen simulation (software) was done with 70% C2 mix and the existing plant was configured. A trial run was carried out to prove this concept. Through process improvements, the team re-designed some sections of the plant and changed the process conditions in order to overcome the potential problems. Higher-level statistical tools like FMEA were applied to get the trial run right in the first go. Finally, a new technology was developed to make 70% C2 mix.

This is one amongst many examples when SRF provided me with an opportunity to take up challenging goals and explore the unknown.

Removing Barriers

Education is a child’s ticket out of poverty. At SRF Gummidipoondi, we are taking small yet meaningful steps at levelling the playing field, giving children less fortunate than others an opportunity to learn as anyone else.

As a part of the individual social responsibility, the Gummidipoondi CSR Council launched the ‘Support a Student – sponsor annual school fees’ program for children studying at the Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Gummidipoondi.

Through regular engagement with the school authorities, the CSR Council learnt that many students belonging to weaker sections are unable to pay their school fees, thereby increasing the dropout numbers considerably. The Gummidipoondi team came forward in large numbers and collected rupees thirty six thousand eight hundred to support the education of twenty-seven girls.

Thank you to all the generous SRFites for providing children in hardship with the basics they need to get through the school gates every day. 

It is our moment of pride!

Learning & Growing with SRF!

I became a part of the SRF family in the year 2016, soon after I stepped out of the environs of Delhi University with a Master’s of Science in Chemistry. I joined the organization as a Research trainee and in these past two and a half years, I have been given innumerable opportunities to learn from the best in the industry, chisel my own skills, expand my knowledge base and work on exciting and insightful projects. However, the time I have spent here would not have been so meaningful, had I not got the opportunity to work under the leadership team, which inspired me to put my best foot forward and molded me into a conscientious worker.

I felt my first moment of achievement and pride when Mr. Kapil Kumar, Chief Scientific Officer, took note of our team’s efforts on the MYK project. His appreciation and valuable observations were especially encouraging since the MYK project was my first assignment at SRF. The MYK project was a challenging project as no prior literature was available and a novel route was designed by our team. I will always look back and see my contribution and involvement in the MYK project as a milestone in my career.

My work on this project also led me to file my first patent. As someone who has always been fascinated by the reach and potential of chemistry, filing my first patent under the guidance of Mr. Sunil Sharma, Senior Research Scientist was yet another moment of pride for me.

My journey here has been full of learnings and has enabled me to widen my world view of a myriad things and I hope to experience many such moments with my team and the larger organization.

My All Time Pride Story

When one of my colleagues asked, “When is the big night?”

All I could reply was, “Don’t remind me of it”.

Why do I say so? There hasn’t been a single day in my journey of more than three decades at SRF when I dreaded coming to work. Working at SRF has fulfilled as many of my career and life ambitions as any other job I could imagine.

It is an undeniable fact that every one of us will have our time to part ways. Now is my time to bid farewell to all. As I am heading towards the end of my 35–year journey at SRF, mine is an All-Time Pride story! 

I am thankful to God for giving me the opportunity to work in THE BEST COMPANY where values are lived every day right from the top management to the new joiners. I am proud to say that I have not only been working in a company, which is business-savvy but at the same time is responsible and kind.

Every day, I feel that my hard work and perseverance has been well recognised and rewarded. My reporting manager and team leaders always gave me the freedom to put forth my views. I have spent each day at SRF with the will and energy to learn new things, stabilising the system, suggesting improvements and hand-holding juniors on how to work with ease and earn respect. 

Nothing succeeds like success and SRF has been a wonderful success story to tell. Every company has its highs and lows. However, to remain stable in a difficult environment and staying true to the values is not easy for any company. At SRF, I have never seen retrenchment when the economy was down, delayed salary when there was a cash crunch, disrespect to junior staff, hasty implementation of projects to meet deadlines, such kind of things never happen in our company.

I am sure that all of you will experience the same sense of gratitude and respect that I enjoyed in this company. I will be reminiscing each day of my retired life about the wonderful time I have spent at SRF.

I believe SRF will continue to grow and prosper and I trust that all of you will be happy and fulfilled here.

Winning in the Moments that Matter

On July 19, 2018, one of our key customers, ADITYA FLEXIPACK LLP, Kanpur made an urgent request to expedite the delivery of their consignment. Due to a critical situation, the product was required by the customer in Kanpur the very next day.

Several challenges existed. First, the consignment was still under-production. Second, the usual transit time from Kashipur to Kanpur is two days. Over-and-above these, the All India Transporter Union had called for an indefinite strike from the next day. As a result of the announcement, there was massive traffic congestion on the route.

It was a mammoth task to deliver the consignment in Kanpur on July 20th. But, the PFB Kashipur Delivery Material (DMAT) team took it up as a challenge. As soon as the consignment was ready, we dispatched it late evening. Through continuous follow-ups and tracking of the vehicle, we were able to deliver the material to the customer on-time.

Our moment of pride came when the MD of Aditya Flexipack LLP visited our plant and met and appreciated the DMAT team for our good work.

We believe that our success lies in the strength of the relationships we build with our customers. It is experiences like these that create and sustain long-term value.

The Right Advise at the Right Time

I experienced my first moment of pride even before I officially joined SRF. Just like most newcomers, I had doubts about the work culture and my growth prospects in the new company.

As I was leaving the building after my second round of interview, the security guard at the gate,
a complete stranger who I consider my friend and advisor today, enquired about my interview. He seemed to have read my mind and advised me that if selected, I should join the organization without any apprehension as SRF is a wonderful organization that takes care of the well-being of all employees.

A positive reinforcement from a company worker gave me the confidence that this was the right career move for me. Eight months on, I still feel indebted to him. As they say, employees are the
biggest brand ambassadors for an organization and Mr. Sunil at the SRF security office is one amongst many such brand ambassadors at SRF!

Rewarding talent and hard work

Very few have ever failed with the hard work approach to making it in life. You may rise slowly, but you are sure to rise.

After being unemployed for years, Dheeraj found a job as a learner at SRF’s PFB plant in Indore. It took his supervisor a very short time to recognize his hard work and determination to complete tasks on time and think out-of-the-box. As they say, ‘The harder you work, the luckier you get’. Two years into his role, he reassured his Manager of his ability to work hard, grasp skills and try new things.

Today, Dheeraj holds an important role in the purchase and receiving department at the plant. He feels very proud of his accomplishment and immense gratitude towards SRF for recognizing and rewarding his talent.

“All my life, I looked for daily wage jobs wherever possible. My family experienced the stresses and disadvantages of economic insufficiency and nobody wanted to give their daughter to me in marriage. Thanks to my Company, all the missing pieces of my life are in place now.”

A million thanks; blessed to work here!

It was in July 2014 when my 19 year old son was diagnosed with a chronic disease in both his kidneys, and required immediate kidney transplant. It was a nightmarish experience for me, as I feared losing my child. There was no way that I could gather ` 12-15 lacs required for the transplant. Finding a donor was another big challenge as time was running out. To see my child alive, I needed divine help.

I saw hope when my organization, my SRF, stood by me during my hour of crisis. SRF Welfare Trust ensured speedy treatment by helping me meet the hospital expenses. The timely payment of hospital bills and six months leave with pay to allow me to be by my son’s side, helped me bring my son back to health. Today, he is happily married and pursuing his career as an accountant.

I can never repay my organization for having stood by me when I needed it the most.

Chapter 58 – Life Beyond 58

People ask me why I am not worried about my retirement. I tell them that it’s been taken care of.

Technical Textiles Business, Manali has started a new initiative, namely, ‘Chapter 58 – Life Beyond 58’, exclusively for employees nearing the retirement age. The first session was conducted on July 3, 2019. Many employees and their spouses participated in the program that gave them insights on financial and time management, investment options and employment opportunities post retirement.

Retirement marks the beginning of a new chapter in people’s life. With this thought in view, the aim of Chapter 58 – Life beyond 58 is to ensure a smooth post-retirement life for the employees.

G. Krishnamurthy, who retired from the services of SRF on August 31, 2019 attended the session along with his wife. He says, “In the past, SRF has conducted many employee welfare and awareness programs. ‘Chapter 58 – Life Beyond 58’ is one such program. As I was going to retire from SRF after a very fulfilling career, the session proved to be fruitful for me. It has helped me ensure a very comfortable and stable retirement for my family and me. I recommend
all senior employees to attend this insightful session in the future.”

When the rain came down and into our house

On 4th December 2015, we got an enormous amount of rain in the wee hours of the
morning – more than three times the average amount of rainfall for the month. When my
husband heard the sound of water gurgling, it woke him up and he sprang out of bed. “I hear
water!” he shrieked. In our home. The water was rising so fast that things like the fridge, washing machine, and bed had started floating. And, it was so dark that it was impossible to see
anything inside the house.

But the water didn’t stop there, turning our usually dry, rural home into a literal watering hole.
There was an urgency to get the water out of the house. We even prayed for the rain to stop. But it didn’t and we lost everything, including basic household goods. It was the most difficult time in my life as I saw my two young children suffer, with no resources to even cook food.

As we slowly began to sift through mildewed piles of our lives, the losses felt overwhelming
and the to-do list massive. It was then that I turned to my Company for help. My Company provided me timely financial support through the SRF Welfare Trust, which helped me cover my losses and make purchases of essential goods.

Floodwater leaves its mark on everything it touches. But what remains today is the memory of the tremendous outpouring of support by my Company – imprinted on our hearts and minds forever.

An opportunity to innovate and learn!

Since the commissioning of the AHF plant at Dahej, de-risking it from 100% dependence on Chinese Spar was a challenge, as the plant was designed with parameters that permitted exclusive Chinese Spar usage only. Although we had begun operating the plant with non-Chinese Spar (in limited capacities) from sources that offered Spar with similar properties as the Chinese Spar, the bigger challenge emerged when we were given the responsibility to stabilize the plant operations with Spar from South African sources. The SA Spar had different composition and particle size when compared with Chinese Spar.

Since I love technology and revel in working on challenging assignments, I took up this project with a lot of enthusiasm. We started our journey on a positive note, with thorough groundwork and documentation. However, we did not achieve success and the yield of Spar started to decrease.

We did not give up! A different set of operating parameters was derived using TQM methodology and we were able to stabilize the plant operation with SA Spar usage. This achievement was a huge moment of pride for my team and me.

“My leadership believed in our capability and allowed us to take ownership of our work and make progress. We experimented and produced new ideas and solutions because we had the space to learn and achieve our objective.”

Helping me grow

Having returned to India after more than a decade, I was very apprehensive about the work culture here. As anticipated, I shifted a few jobs, until I found the right place for myself.

My journey with SRF began in the year 2015. I feel fortunate to have been surrounded by supportive colleagues during my initial days in the organization, which made my induction process easier. What surprised me the most was that every person I met had only good things to say about the Company. It reassured me of my decision of taking up a job here.

Since the beginning, SRF provided me a platform to grow. I believe that my credentials were taken into consideration and I was handheld into taking on greater responsibilities. What is also worth mentioning is, SRF is equally sensitive and concerned about extracurricular activities as it is for its work ethics. It is only at SRF that for the first time in my life, I performed on stage and felt very confident. Every morning I wake up feeling happy to come to work. I believe this is a very important aspect of one’s life and I would like to extend my gratitude to SRF.

We’re family!

On the fateful evening of 14th June, 2015, S.Venkatesan met with a serious road accident. He was immediately rushed to a Government hospital, bleeding from multiple, severe internal and external injuries. With his condition deteriorating, his family shifted him to the Apollo
hospital in Chennai.

Medical expenses mounted on an hourly basis and his family found it difficult to meet the expenses. It was in those crucial moments that the SRF management through the SRF Trust and fellow employees came forward and supported Venkatesan and his family not only by contributing financially but also helping them through the emotional distress.

Lying in the hospital bed for weeks, Venkatesan was determined to fight extremely hard to get back with that many co-employees coming out to support him. “My family members and I are grateful for the tremendous outpouring of support then and through the long road of recovery”.

Today, Venkatesan feels his organization gave him the strength to move forward and really solidified the fact that we’re family.

When there is teamwork, wonderful things can be achieved

It was a moment of pride for Avinash (Grover) and me when our fellow colleagues from
TTB – Rayong called us for technical assistance while upgrading a machine at their plant.

The TTB – Rayong team had decided to start one of the winder machines in the spinning section, which was lying idle for a long period and put it to profitable use. The machine required massive upgradation of the system. The optimization process involved replacement of old drives with Sinamics drives and also use PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) in place of the old relay logic. During the upgradation process, the team was stuck in establishing communication between the Sinamics drives and PLC.

Avinash and I were called over for help. We worked as a team and were finally able to resolve
the issue after rigorous configuration work on the machine. In the next three days, the machine was up-and-running and we started production.

It was a wonderful moment for us when we received appreciation for our hard work from the TTB – R Plant Head, who said that we exhibited excellent problem-solving skills. We were also
applauded by the management of PFB, both at Rayong and from the Head Office in India.

For us, SRF has always been a place where we could find new challenges and improve not only
our technical skills further but also our people skills. At SRF, we have a culture of teamwork and communication that encourages knowledge sharing across units and businesses.

Together we can do so much

As the news of Cyclone Nivar came in and an alert was sounded by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the Technical Textiles Business unit in Gummidipoondi sprang into action. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, it was a huge challenge to assign resources, but our preparedness and learnings from Cyclone Vardah came handy and we were well-equipped with a thorough action plan to avert any losses.

Our actions were based on our Management’s strong commitment towards the safety and well-being of the employees. We left no stone unturned in safeguarding the lives of employees.

All emergency services were activated and reviewed, and teams were formed for continuous vigilance and monitoring. We worked round-the-clock, especially during the hours when the cyclone was expected to make a landfall and with meticulous planning, our unwavering unity, resilience, and timely response, we were able to avert one of the biggest disasters.

As a member of the safety coordination team, I feel proud of the way we came together to ensure there was no physical injury to any of the staff members, and zero reported case of damage to the plant equipment and the product.

When SRF stood strong for us and our families!

When the COVID-19 pandemic reached our shores (South Africa), we were all worried about our health and our ability to provide for our families. The uncertainty was overwhelming and more so when our Government announced a lockdown and we had to carry on working. The incredible way in which our management handled the situation gave us motivation and helped us stay calm.

We did have our reservations, but having been provided with a platform to raise our concerns and not be judged, to being heard with empathy was something that made us realize that we are “one family” working towards the same goal.

I want to especially mention Mr. Dinesh Chandra Bhatt, AVP-Manufacturing at PFB-SA, who went out of his way to ensure that all of us are safe and working in a secure environment. His routine morning round of the plant has been a source of strength and continues to reassure all of us on the shop ¬oor. We get an opportunity to mingle (from safe, permissible limits), interact and share our concerns with him every day, which also get resolved in quick time.

This crisis has demonstrated to us that SRF lives and upholds its values in every situation. This, I believe is the real reason behind our company’s success. We emerge stronger each time!