National Steel Industries

National Steel Industries sits right on Periyar Pathai, near that big 100 Feet Road in Vadapalani. The address is a bit funny because it has both a New No. 39 and an Old No. 87, so we always have to tell people both just in case their map is old. It’s a busy area with a lot of traffic passing by all day and night. We work with steel, so there’s a lot of clanging and heavy lifting involved in a day's work. It gets quite warm in the shop, especially when the sun is hitting the metal sheets. We don’t wear suits here; it’s mostly just work clothes that get worn out pretty fast. The space is filled with different types of steel sections and industrial bits. We have a small corner for the accounts and paperwork, but most of the action happens out on the floor. Customers come in looking for specific lengths or types of steel, and we spend a lot of time measuring and cutting. It’s a gritty job, and you definitely end up with some scratches and soot on you by the end of the shift. The overhead lights are bright because you need to see what you’re doing with the saws. We’ve got a rhythm down now, and even though it’s noisy and crowded, we manage to keep the orders moving out the door to the construction sites nearby.