Facilities management firm Krystal keen on hiring Agniveers post-term

Krystal, a listed facilities management company, will be keen on hiring Agniveers after their short-term engagement with defence services comes to an end, a top company official has said.

Some of the talented Agniveers, who are trained as a part of their induction into the armed forces, can get very good remuneration, Krystal Integrated Services' chief executive Sanjay Dighe told PTI.

Firms like Krystal can be a "good bridge" between the exiting Agniveers and the corporate sector looking for right candidates to protect premises in which high amounts have been invested, he said.

Stating that the Agniveers will be gainfully employed if they transition into the private sector, Dighe said there is high demand for such talent and added, "They do not have to sit idle even for a week."

Moreover, the Agniveers will also be able to get other advantages like being with families and may not be migrating anywhere at all, the CEO of the company, promoted by BJP leader Prasad Lad, said.

The company, which started as a security provider at office and residential complexes 24 years ago, currently employs over 5,800 security personnel, Dighe said, adding that the number could be higher because in some cases a facility manager also double up as a security person.

Dighe said the company has hired a senior army officer with an experience of handling the Agniveers scheme during his stint with the Indian Army.

Seeking to convey career opportunities, Dighe said that in some cases, security guards working for the company earn better than back office personnel working for call centres.

Dighe said the company is aiming to accelerate its revenue growth to up to 30 per cent per year between FY25-FY28, up from the 23 per cent that it has had in the last three years.

It will focus on using more technology in its processes, and newer areas like waste and sewerage management in cities, he said.

With the apex court judgement speaking out against manual scavenging, there is more need to use technology and automation in getting the same work done, which can be a good business opportunity, he said.

It is already doing similar projects for the civic bodies in Thane and Ambernath, he said, adding that technology and engineering is a new vertical on the anvil.

The company is also aiming to widen its pretax profit margins beyond the current levels of over 6 per cent, and the use of technology will help in the endeavour.

It operates in a predominantly unorganised sector, and is not looking at acquisitions at present, Dighe said, adding that the focus has been on organic growth till now.