An engineer who means business

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It was a long and eventful journey for Sandeep Engineer "" from an employee who drew a salary of Rs 850 in 1981 to the managing director of a Rs 26 crore company in fiscal 2003.

After completing his degree in chemical engineering from L D College in 1981, Engineer joined the project department of Cadila Pharmaceuticals at a salary of Rs 850 a month.

But Engineer wanted to do something of his own and in 1982 started trading in pharmaceutical formulations under the name Shree Trading from a rented place at Biscuit Gali in the Relief Road area with an investment of Rs 40,000.

He bagged the agency for marketing Gujarat Drugs and Chemicals Ltd's (GDCL) Isabgol preparations. But he had to close down the new venture after GDCL downed shutters in 1984.

However, he gathered considerable experience in trading in drugs during the period. Engineer started trading in bulk drugs in 1985 and in 1986 set up his own manufacturing plant at Phase four, GIDC, Vatva, under the name Shree Chemicals with an investment of Rs five lakh.

"Initially I had to invest around Rs 50,000 and the remaining was financed by the Gujarat State Finance Corporation (GSFC) under the new entrepreneur scheme for technocrats," said Engineer, now the managing director of Astral Polytechnik Pvt Ltd and Kairav Chemicals.

Engineer set up a new manufacturing unit at Santej, Kairav Chemicals, in 1991. In 1993, Shree Chemicals had to shut down due to stringent pollution control norms implemented by the state government.

The production activity of Shree Chemicals was taken over by Kairav Chemicals in 1993. Kairav Chemicals reported a turnover of Rs 10 crore in 1996. Engineer planned to do something new and visited the United States in 1997 to study production of polymers.

After one year of detailed study, he incorporated Astral Polytechnik Pvt Ltd and started commercial production of CPVC pipes and fittings in 1999.

The company reported a turnover of Rs 26 crore at the end of the financial year 2003, while the turnover of Kairav Chemicals was over Rs 14 crore at the end of the financial year 2003.

"Astral is the only manufacturer of CPVC pipes in India and we will focus on our existing business," said Engineer.

Engineer's wife, Jagrati, also looks after the accounts of the business. He has two sons "" Kairav and Saumya, both students. Engineer loves to watch TV and read books.

He practises yoga regularly to get rid of stress. Engineer attributes his success to his parents and family and says his success mantra is 'If we think we can, we will.'