“Aluminium is a green metal, and our efforts to make it a preferred choice in the industry is our primary effort towards positively impacting the environment,” Bharat Gite, Founder and CEO of Taural India

As the Founder and CEO of Taural India, Bharat Gite is a visionary leader in the field of metallurgy in India, known for his exceptional work ethic, dedication to innovation, and relentless drive to succeed. He is now a leading figure in the aluminium casting industry, thanks to his extensive knowledge and experience. At Taural India, Bharat leads a team that produces high-quality, made-to-order aluminium castings for a wide range of industries, including Energy, Defense, Marine, Aerospace, Mobility, and Healthcare.

Bharat is an alumnus of the prestigious College of Engineering in Pune (CoEP) and holds a Master's degree from the Technical University of Aachen in Germany and an Executive Master's from Harvard Business School. He has also gained valuable experience working with global marquee names such as Mahle GmBH and BMW in Germany. Upon returning to India, Bharat founded G&B Metalcasting and quickly established it as a leading supplier of high-quality aluminium alloy products to renowned clients worldwide.

In 2016, Bharat founded Taural India as a joint venture with Thoni Alutec, an industry leader from Germany and Poland, to invest $40 million in a new Pune plant to enable the local industry to access the best technical expertise, products, and vision for aluminium castings. Today, Taural India is a premier maker of specialized non-standardized, made-to-order aluminium castings.

AL Circle: Can you please share the journey of Taural India from its inception?

Bharat Gite: Taural India started in 2016 as a joint venture with Thoni Alutec — a leading aluminium castings manufacturer in Germany and Poland with 50 years of experience in the domain. Conceptualized and commissioned under the "Make in India" initiative, Taural India is a world-class integrated aluminium foundry based in Pune, India, that provides intricate aluminium casting solutions across diverse industries.

Taural India was entirely built in a span of only 2.5 years – from ideation to set up to a fully functional plant, including the latest automated machines and equipment. The company operated out of a leased space in the initial few years. However, today, it is spread across a sprawling 28,000 sq. mt. plant offering intricate casting solutions of up to 1000 kg.

Since inception, we aim to create unprecedented value and opportunities for all our stakeholders — from our customers and employees to our investors and other partners in the ecosystem. We constantly strive to be the world's preferred one-stop shop for comprehensive aluminium castings and solutions.

Aluminium is a versatile metal. It is lightweight, durable, and flexible, making it a strategic material for use in various industries. Driven by passion and a strong focus on quality and innovation, Taural India has successfully offered services to multiple sectors, including Energy, Defense, Marine, Aerospace, Mobility, and Healthcare. A few of our marquee clients include government entities and private players such as Power Grid Corporation of India (PGCIL), Ordnance factory (Defense), Indian Railways, ABB, General Electric, Siemens, and Hyosung, among others.

AL Circle: What are the major products or solutions offered by Taural India, and how does they differentiate themselves in these segments?

Bharat Gite: In a short span of seven years, Taural India has emerged as a leading supplier of aluminium sand casting solutions for various industries – enabling India to become self-reliant by reducing imports and focusing on exports in several regions. Our intricate aluminium casting solutions, with a strong emphasis on quality, focus on generating impact for the larger community & all relevant stakeholders.

The company offers a one-stop solution, right from product design, quality, testing, x-ray, and painting to product construction and assembly.

Below are a few of the critical projects undertaken at Taural –

• Critical components for the Defence sector: Delivered complex aluminium sand-casting solutions such as cylinder block crankcase, casings for automatic transmission, and transfer arm structures for respective tank/engine requirements. The contributions led to a reduction in lead time by 50%, import substitution of intricate aluminium castings (breaking the 34-year import cycle from Russia), and enabled significant savings for the Indian Defence Research and Development Organisation.

• Vehicle containment terminals for Indian/Global roads: In collaboration with a design partner, OBEX, Taural India managed the entire delivery with a simple installation process + aluminium components facilitating a 6+ year of service life – also tested to the American standard NCHRP 350 – tl3 & tl4 classifications. The same is being exported to Dubai as well.

As pioneers in India's heavy aluminium sand casting technology, we have the expertise to cast intricate and large-sized components with unmatched accuracy and precision. With state-of-the-art facilities and processes, we manufacture a wide range of castings without compromising quality, ensuring time and cost efficiency.

AL Circle: The aluminium industry is seriously considering a reduction in its carbon footprint. Please mention 3 initiatives Taural India has taken to reduce its carbon footprint.

Bharat Gite: Taural India's strategic prowess extends beyond growth, emphasizing long-term sustainability. Since the beginning, we have envisioned a strategy that blends innovation with environmentally conscious practices.

Aluminium is a green metal, and our efforts to make it a preferred choice in the industry is our primary effort towards positively impacting the environment.

However, besides the component itself, right from the company's factory floors to office buildings to manufacturing to waste disposal, every facet of the operation has been designed to integrate green practices. The company is committed to walking the extra mile to contribute to the planet. Key highlights include –

• Business Operations: We have transitioned to the use of natural gas for melting, employ energy- efficient motors, use battery-operated forklifts to reduce carbon footprint, and implemented rainwater harvesting for natural water availability.
• Plant Facility: The facility features cross-openings and turbo ventilation, complemented by transparent sheets. We have also invested in HVAC and LED lights to enhance workspace comfort while reducing energy use, installed VFD for AHU fans and chilled water pump, and Dust Extractor Units to maintain a healthy, dust-free work environment in the plant.
• Office Functioning: Our office spaces prioritize natural light and airflow. We have also minimized paper usage through an ERP system, aligning with our holistic approach towards sustainability.

AL Circle: What is your overall outlook of the aluminium industry?

Bharat Gite: Aluminium is an essential input to many technologies critical to the energy transition and a significant source of CO2, emitting nearly 270 Mt of direct CO2 emissions in 2022 (about 3% of the world's direct industrial CO2 emissions).