Man Of Steel

Raju Dodle Had His Work Cut Out For Him Convincing India’s Construction Industry To Order Buildings Off The Shelf, But Persistence Paid Off. Now, The Vice President Of Kirby Building Systems Is Setting His Sights Even Higher.

- Wendy Kay

Raju Dodle never questioned the direction in which he would forge his career. A fascination in structures made from steel in his school years marked the beginning of a lifelong passion, fostered at Osmania University in India where he completed a degree in civil engineering and an MBA. In 2000, when Raju was introduced to the concept of pre-engineered buildings (PEB), he recognised a bold idea he knew would revolutionise India’s deep-rooted construction industry.

Raju had been working in the steel manufacturing and construction industry for 17 years when Kirby Building Systems arrived in India from the Middle East, armed with plans to build a production plant in Hyderabad. Naturally, Raju’s expertise was a great match for Kirby. He accepted an opportunity “too good to miss” and joined the company as Head of Engineering, Business and Product Development.

Now, as Managing Director and CEO of Kirby India, and Vice President of Kirby International, Raju reflects on those difficult early days, being beleaguered by doubts from local contractors and architects entrenched in the tradition of fabricating steel components onsite. Raju knew the idea of ordering a building literally offthe shelf would not be readily accepted. “Yes, it took a lot of convincing,” Raju remembers. “It was a huge challenge changing the mindset from sticking with conventional buildings to adopting a more mechanised and automated construction method.”