Rafeek Steels

Mannady Street is one of those places where history feels very close. Our shop at 11/27 has been a part of George Town for a good while. Rafeek started this because he knew the area needed a place for steel. It’s not a fancy part of Chennai, but it’s where the real work happens. The streets are so narrow that we have to be careful about when the supplies arrive. If a truck blocks the road, the whole street gets upset. We mostly serve the local builders and people doing their own house work. The air is always a bit salty because we aren't too far from the coast. You have to watch the steel to make sure it stays in good shape. We keep a ledger by the door to track who owes what. It’s mostly regular faces we see every week. We know their names and what kind of projects they are working on. There isn't much room for a big office, so we just have a couple of wooden benches and a fan that squeaks. We spend our days measuring and cutting. It’s messy work and our clothes are usually stained with rust by the end of the shift. But it’s what we know how to do. We just keep our heads down and handle the daily orders as they come in. There is no point in complicating a simple business.