Expanding the growth realm in Fire-ELV-IBMS

On May 2, 2016

Mr. Nimit Sheth, Managing Director, Ramana Safety & Systems (I) Pvt. Ltd.

Q1. Ramana Safety has been operational for long time in Fire Protection, Security Surveillance and Extra Low Voltage industry, please share some of your milestones & achievements?

Ramana Safety & Systems (I) Pvt. Ltd. is an MSME registered company established in the year 2000 with a Vision to become most trusted Company to provide our clients the best solution, system &services to protect & enhance people, property & assets and make this world a better place to live for.

We are into the Life Safety & Security arena comprising of Fire Protection, Security Surveillance & ELV – IBMS technology, systems& serviceswhich is intricately looped around our firm belief of values in Indian tradition& culture. With our head office at Ahmedabad we have our branch offices at Baroda, Surat, Indore&Jamsedhpur.

We have worked & provided our services to varied institutions ranging from important government organizations like ISRO, ONGC, GAIL, BHEL, IPR, PRL, GSECL, GSPHC, GSPC, GMB, GMDC, AMC, R&B, MES, SBI Bank, BOB, BSNL, Airport Authority of India to prestigious Corporates & MNC’s like Dupont, Sabic, General Motors, FAG, FORD, Coca-Cola, Vodafone, Essar, Adani, GFL, Asian Paints, UNICEF etcto major pharmaceuticals companies like Torrent, Zydus, Claris, Fisher Scientific, Sun Pharma, Intas, Bayer etc.to leading hospitals like Steerling Hospitals, CIMS hospital, Shalby, Medisurge, Zydus Hospital, Asian Bariatric, PIU Hospitals, LG Hospital, VS Hospital. Our clientele also consists of institutions, hotels &organizations such as IIM-A, NID, Godrej City,Times Group, Taj Hotel, Fern Hotel, ITC, Hyatt, Marriot, Ramada, Cambay Spa & Resort, 1000 Island, Bharat hotels, Comfort Inn etc. and the recently bagged the prestigious order of SE TransStadia which is India’s First Multipurpose Convertible Stadium& Integrated Sports & Entertainment Center.

Q2. Could you brief us about overall business activities of your company (tie-ups, associations, network) ?

We are an ISO-9001 Government Registered Class ‘A” Contracting Companyduly registered with various State / Central GovernmentOrganization& PSU’s providing end to end solutions in the arena of Fire Protection System, Security Surveillance, Extra Low Voltage System and Integrated Building Management System.We strive to achieve customer satisfaction in its entirety through advanced and innovative technologies through our vast portfolio of solutions and services. It is our aim to enhance and protect people, properties, environment and the world at large because of our belief in VasudhaivaKutumbkam,which means that the whole world is our family.

We assist our clients through audit, survey, consultancy, solutions, project engineering, drawing-design, risk assessment, selection of appropriate technology platforms, product specification, budgetary cost estimate, supply-installation-testing-commissioning (SITC) & maintenance as per requirement & need of projects & clients.

We share our knowledge and get enriched through participating as Corporate Member / Chartered Members of Fire & Security Association of India (FSAI), National Safety Council (NSC), Gujarat Safety Council (GSC), National Fire Protection Association (NFPA, US), Gujarat Chamber of Commerce & Industry (GCCI).

We are Engineering System Distributor / Business Associates / Authorized Partner of various MNC’s & OEM’s for their best in class systems & technologies in the field of ELV-IBMS since more than one decade. We also have business arrangement with most of the global OEM’s for sales and after sales support of their product, systems & technology as per required in our projects.

Q3. Can you elaborate more about the product portfolio &systems offered?

We offer below systems, solutions and technologies:

Fire Protection:

Fire Hydrant and Sprinkler System
Water Mist Fire Fighting and Sprinkler System
HVWS/LVWS System
Foam based Fire Fighting System
Clean agent Gas based Fire Suppression System (NOVEC/ FM200/ IG/ CO2)
Fire Trace / Fire Detect Tubing Fire Suppression System (Panel Protection)
Passive Fire Systems, Fire Doors, Emergency Evacuation Signage’s & Plan

ELV – IBMS

Addressable Fire Detection and Alarm System with Voice Evacuation.
Public Address System (PA)
Building Management System (BMS)
IP CCTV Surveillance System
Access Control System with automated boom barriers and turnstiles
IP-EPBX System
Nurse Calling System
IT and LAN Infrastructure System
DC Live Wire Security Surveillance Perimeter Fencing System
Professional Audio Visual System
Emergency Lighting & Egress Route System

Q4. Which are the some of your pioneering system or technology you have introduced in the market recently or Is there any plans to launch the new products?

Ramana Safety is pioneer &firstin India to offer indigenous Water-Mist Fire Protection System as a turnkey solution for various projects &premises. Water Mist…. A Green Revolution is a high velocity water spray firefighting& fire suppression system which is energy efficient with optimum water conservation. It is employed to bring about a fundamental change in the nature of suppressing fire. This system consists of high velocity water spray gun, nozzles, sprinklers, pumps, valves, SS piping’s etc. It ensures that fires, majorly of all class &especially electrical which is an major cause of fire &oil fires which are one of the toughest to eradicate, are contained within the lowest amount of time through using as less water as possible. In a country where drought is a regular bane and waters a precious commodity, this innovative system is not only cost efficient but also benefits the environment, nature& world at-large.

Q5. Brief us about the quality policy & R&D activity in your Company ?

We have an in house R&D, design & development team working on various innovative energy & water conservation Fire Protection and Security Surveillance technology.

We have in-house quality and detailing department for materials, drawings and designs which are of par excellence and have been appreciated by many a client, consultant and accredited agencies. The sub-vendors selected by us to supply the material or our systems are approved by various Authorities, Consultants and Government Bodies and generally have a very good track record. The Quality Assurance Plans drawn by us are stringent and take care that the materials used in our systems are the best available ones. We also conduct thorough inspection during and after manufacture, which includes testing as per concern parameters & chemical composition testing of the material used. These stringent steps are taken in a strife to completely protect our clients and their projects / premises, so that we may take a step forwards towards our larger aim of a Safe& Secure India.

Q6. How do you foresee “India” as a potential market, what are the prospects?

Life Safety & Security is a major priority in India today. Today India is under immense threat from various multi-ethnic terrorist groups & crime rates have also substantially increased. Due to rapid urbanization & constructions of high-rise towers / multi-usage premises and sudden surge in industrialization in last one decade in India, there has been large installation of unplanned heavy electrical load & other hazards & due to that there is sudden surge of fire accidents in recent past which is causing huge loss to the human life & property. Also due to major thrust been given to Oil, Gas & Power Sector the risk of fire incidents & accidents has increased manifold. Life Safety &Security is therefore a major priority for government and private businesses alike. With the flourishing economy boosting the coffers of both government & private sector, Life Safety & Security has become of immense importance & inevitable.

India is investing big in ‘safe cities’ infrastructure. India has committed to massive infrastructure development to the construction of 100 ‘smart’ cities. Buoyed by his thumping electoral victory Honorable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has promised to build 100 satellite towns surrounding existing metropolises & such grand projects promise contracts galore to Life Safety & Security Companies from across the spectrum.

The Indian government has clearly declared its intentions to revamp the country’s ailing infrastructure by building 100 Smart Cities across the nation. This has led to a revolution among the leading companies from various sectors that are now looking to partner Indian Government for building smart infrastructure. With the ever rising fire-risk & terrorist threats, one of the key areas which is a must for any new age smart city is ‘ life safety &security surveillance’. A city first needs to be safe for becoming smart. Some of the market leaders in Life Safety & Security Surveillance have started seeing smart city as a new business vertical.

Q7. What are the distinguishing facts of global market as against the Indian marketin terms of Standards-Codes in the field of fire-protection & security-surveillance?

Most of the developed nation has their own very well defined codes- standards in the field of Fire Protection & Security Surveillance System. Whenever any new project / premises comes up in that country, their Country’s National Standard & Codes in the respective field needs to be followed & is strictly implemented. There is common codes-standards for the nation based on its regional challenges which is well documented and enforced. Periodical review of technology, systems & risk perceived is being done as per the challenges of that period and necessary changes / amendments as required is updated and done regularly.

Whereas in India, we still don’t have common Indian Standard & Codes at national level, which can be enforced & implemented across India. For fire protection NBC-2005 is outdated and is only used as a guide book by various agencies, department, architects, developers & owners for their project / premises. For security surveillance still proper standards needs to be in place which can be properly implemented across the nation / region / states.

In India in most of the States in State each city & its municipality have varied norms & standards in the field of fire-protection for getting the project / premises / building NOC. Each authority follows different norms, standards, approvals as per the direction of its concern DG / Director / CFO / Approving authority. There is no standardization and its enforcement & implementation across the nation.

Q8. According to you what are the factors affecting Life Safety & Security Surveillance business?

Major factors which is of great concern and is affecting the Life Safety & Security Surveillance business today is absence of clear standards & norms across the nation, which gives ample power to the local authorities to implement the same as per their limited knowledge. Also non-standard products & systems from various countries, specially in security surveillance are dumped into India as demand of the same has surged considerably & such products and systems are used to guard the life of the people / property without any standard verification & quality checking, putting them on the greater risk during any eventuality.

Our indifference towards our national loss can be judged from the simple instance, that high tech / high rise infrastructure, premises, approvals are given by the government and same are constructed and building use permission is given, but the life-safety & security-surveillance codes-standards as per the risk perceived in that premises are not enforced and they are being protected with norms & standards as per old & substandard codes, which puts the people & its property at great risk in case of any incident / accidents.

Today also we are following & implementing NBC-2005 (in the year 2016), which was mostly drafted for the low risk & low hazard project / premises as per prevailing in those days.

Q9. What are your thoughts & views for betterment of Life-Safety & Security Surveillance arena in our Country?

There should be common INDIAN STANDARD (IS Standard) & National Building Code being drafted for strict implementationof the same across India in the field of Fire-Protection & Security Surveillance as per various risk perceived by that premises / property / projects including Industrial Projects.

IS Standard & Code should be drafted as per best of international & national standard with local & practical perspective in mind by the learned & non-biased committee members, who should be selected after due diligence & scrutiny of their knowledge & respective background.

The IS Standard & Code thus formed should be common for whole nation (all states & union territory) & all respective administrative states agencies & department should be made to implement the same.

Periodically review of the implemented Standards & Codes should be done (every 3-years) by the respective committee and amendments / changes in that Standards & Codes as per risk perceived during that period in that given region should be analyzed & technology – systems available to counter the same across the globe should be checked and proper drafting as per the same should be done, drafted & implemented.

Any new technology, standards, codes as per implemented in various developed nations should be evaluated with local perspective & its practical implementation possible and best brains should be put into services for its optimum benefit for the country at-large.

Any projects, premises being constructed in India should follow only INDIAN STANDARDS & CODES as per risk perceived &category of that respective premises / projects as per codes-standards drafted & being in force at that given period in India.

“Fire & Emergency Services” which is fore front department / agency in saving of life & property of our nation during any disaster / accident / incident should be given its due respect & honor as an Prime Service Agency / Department in accord with other agencies like Police / CISF / Military / Navy etc. Respective common guidelines / norms & infrastructure should be in place and well documented for its proper running in each states in coordination with concern national agencies. (Similar to police force). Proper power as needed should be enforced to the Services, so that, they can work with authority & do their duty. Necessary act & Central & State legislation should be in place for its proper implementation and operations.

Each State / Union Territory should have its “State Disaster Management Authority” which should be guided & work under the “National Disaster Management Authority”. Necessary well drafted act & necessary Central & State legislation should be in place for its proper implementation and operations.

Ramana Safety And Systems (I) Pvt. Ltd.