Maria Engineering Works

Down here in Thoothukudi, specifically at 111 J/2 in Pole Pettai, we run a small engineering workshop that’s been around for years. It’s loud and there is always the heavy smell of metal and grease hanging in the air. We’ve got a few old machines that have been with us since the start, and they still work better than the new stuff we see these days. Our floor is usually covered in metal shavings by midday, and someone has to sweep them up before we close. We don’t spend much time on the computer; most of our work is done by hand or with the old lathes. The heat can get pretty bad in the afternoons, especially in the summer, but we just keep the fans going and carry on with the job. People bring us parts that need fixing or things they need built from scratch for their projects. It’s honest work and it keeps us busy from Monday to Saturday. Sometimes we have to stay late to finish a welding job for a customer who needs it first thing in the morning. We don’t have a receptionist or a lobby for people to wait in. You just walk into the bay and find one of us working. Usually, my hands are too dirty to shake anyway, so we just nod. We focus on the metalwork and making sure the dimensions are right. It’s a basic setup, but it has been our life for a long time.