Parth Steel Industries

If you come by Plot No. 31 in the Gidc, you’ll hear us before you see us. There is always the sound of metal hitting metal. We deal with steel, so everything is heavy and cold to the touch in the mornings. We have a big open space where the cutting happens. The floor is covered in small metal shavings that get stuck in the soles of your shoes. We wear heavy boots for a reason. It is a bit dark inside because the windows are high up and covered in grime. We don't really mind the shadows. It keeps the glare off the workspace. Most of our day is spent measuring and marking things out. If you make a mistake, you've wasted a good piece of steel, so we try to be careful. The tea guy comes around twice a day, and that’s when we actually sit down for a minute on some old crates. The big gates stay open all day to let the breeze through, though it doesn't help much when it's really humid in July. We have a small office in the corner made of plywood where we keep the invoices and some old blueprints. It smells like oil and iron in there. It’s just us doing what we know how to do for the people who come by.