Balaji Brass

Our shop is at Plot No. 3540 in Phase-3 of the GIDC. It is one of those places where every building looks a bit like the next one, so you have to look for the number on the gate. The air always has that heavy, metallic smell to it, which you get used to after a few days, but visitors always seem to notice it right away. We have been in this spot for a while, and the floor is stained from all the years of working with different metals. It is noisy, too, with the sounds of machines and the occasional heavy thud of something being dropped. We don't have a big office or a lobby; it's mostly just the work floor and a small desk where we keep the books. The windows are high up and a bit small, so we rely on the overhead lights most of the time. It gets quite warm in the summer, especially near the back where the air doesn't move as much, so we keep a few fans running to try and stay cool. Most of us have been working together for years, so we don't need to say much to know what the other person is doing. We just show up, do what needs to be done, and head home when the shift is over. It’s a simple way to spend the day in this busy industrial estate.