Global Mumbai

It's loud here in Kandivali Industrial Estate. We are at Plot No. 3, tucked away in Charkop. Being in Mumbai means there is always noise and movement. Our place at unit 115 isn't huge, but we make it work. We've been in this spot for years. The neighbors are mostly other small factories and workshops. We share the same street and the same traffic problems. Usually, we start early before the heat gets too bad. It's an honest living. We handle whatever jobs come through the door. Some days the machines run all day long. Other days we are just cleaning up or fixing things. We don't have a receptionist or anything like that. If the phone rings, whoever is closest picks it up. Usually, our hands are a bit dirty from the work. That's just how it is. We buy our lunch from the stalls nearby. The chai man comes around twice a day, which is the highlight for most of us. We aren't trying to be the biggest company in Mumbai. We just want to do the work and go home to our families. The stairs to the office are a bit steep and the paint is peeling in some corners. But it’s ours. We know where everything is kept. It works for us and the people who come to see us at Charkop. We sometimes have to shout over the machines to talk, but we've all gotten used to that over time. It gets easier when the sun goes down.