Mac Steelage

Mac Steelage is over at 30 Badrikashram on 2nd Khetwadi Lane. If you know Mumbai, you know how these lanes are. They are narrow and there is always someone moving something. We have been operating out of this building for a long time. It’s an old structure with a lot of character, though the stairs can be a bit of a climb if you’re carrying anything. Down here, we deal with steel mostly. It’s heavy work and the space is tight, so we have to be organized. You’ll see stacks of material everywhere. The morning starts with a lot of noise as the shutters go up. Our neighbors are mostly doing similar things, so there’s a sense of community in the lane. We know the tea seller and the guys at the corner shop by name. There isn’t much room for a big office, so we just have a small corner for the books and the phone. It gets quite humid in the afternoons, but we just keep the fans running and stay busy. Getting deliveries in and out is like a puzzle every day with the bikes and carts blocking the way. We don't mind it much because it’s just how things are in Khetwadi. We stay focused on the metal and making sure the counts are right before anything leaves the building. It’s simple work, done by hand mostly. We have a small crew and we just get on with it, day after day.