Venkatesh Silicones

Out here in Waluj, the days start quite early for us. Plot No. C-170 is situated right in the middle of the MIDC area in Aurangabad. It is an industrial kind of life, really. You eventually get used to the sound of big machines and the heavy trucks moving in and out of the gates all day. We handle silicones here, which means there is always something being weighed, mixed, or packed up for a client. The office part of the building is just a small corner where we keep the ledger and the old computer we use for billing. It gets pretty dusty because of all the construction and factory work nearby, so we are always having to wipe down our desks. Most of us have been working at this spot for years. We know the neighbors at the other plots, and we usually share a cup of tea during the afternoon break when the sun is at its peak. It is a long way from the main part of the city, so once you are here, you are basically here for the whole day. We focus on getting the silicone batches exactly right for the orders. The floor is just plain concrete and the roof is high to help keep the place a bit cooler in the summer months. We do not spend much time on fancy talk; we just look at the orders and see what needs to go out on the evening truck. That is the basic rhythm of the place. Work starts at nine and goes until the last crate is loaded up.