Testimonials

  ORIENT CEMENT APPRECIATES A YOUNG EMPLOYEE’S CONTRARIAN
PERSPECTIVE  

I was a virtual novice when I was asked to oversee the formulation and execution of a mission-critical project: end-to-end implementation of an algorithmic plant-to-market allocation solution. The aim was two-fold: optimise distribution costs and empower the logistics team to place sourcing supply orders using the optimisation engine. Being a complex task, we engaged the sales, logistics as well as accounts and control functions. We worked together, assessed plant running and logistics costs, formulated an optimal plant-market mix and improved the servicing quotients of our plants. The exercise brought costs down significantly. I am proud of our achievement, realising that Orient Cement strives for inclusive growth and even appreciates the contrarian perspective that a young employee can bring in.

 MY JOURNEY WITH ORIENT HAS TRANSFORMED ME AS AN INDIVIDUAL AND CONTRIBUTED IMMENSELY TO MY PERSONAL GROWTH. 

I began my journey with Orient in 2010 as Management Trainee. In most companies, growth from this point would have taken years. At Orient Cement, one encountered a different culture. My progress was catalysed by a crossfunctional exposure. I engaged with a wide range of professionals. I kept learning something new. My big moment came in 2013-14 when we exceeded our targeted Jalgaon market share owing to my team’s collaborative approach. The result was that I was selected for the CEO Circle programme. I underwent a two-year training course where I was sent to the Management Development Institute (Gurgaon) to attend an Executive Programme – all this within three years of joining the Company! And now I am a Regional Head. My rapid growth in the last few years has transformed me as an individual. I am more confident now. The folks at home notice the difference too. They call it the ‘Orient Cement Effect’!

 AFTER ALL THESE YEARS I CAN ONLY SAY ONE THING –THANK YOU ORIENT  

I joined Orient Cement as a trainee in 1991 and promoted to ‘B’ Grade Technician in 1992. This could have been just another humdrum job. It wasn’t because of the various challenges the Company presented in the form of projects. Once the first project had been successfully addressed, I realised I had grown in confidence. Thereafter, I looked forward to new projects and each time I finished one, it was clear that I had become a stronger professional. The result is that I now embrace professional challenges. This is true for a range of employees at our Company, and indeed for the Company as a whole. One specific challenge that comes to my mind is the time I protected ‘solint balls’ in the conveyor belt from getting damaged due to the high temperature in the kilns. Acting on my advice, Orient Cement developed heat-resistant ‘solint balls’. This protection was the result of an active collaboration with the plant’s Mechanical Department, which led to a result that everyone was proud of. The best thing at Orient Cement is the opportunity to enhance one’s crossfunctional exposure. Though I worked in the mechanical department, I was exposed to a project involving storage of the final product in silos and even better, I was recognised and appreciated for this effort. Orient Cement has been a ‘life-changer’ in many ways. On the professional front I am now working as Senior Technician (Instrumentation) while on the personal front, my children are well educated and doing well in life. There is no fitting way in which I can thank the Company so let me only say a sincere ‘Dhanyavadelu Orient!’

  I AM FROM INTERNAL AUDIT AND WAS ENGAGED IN A NEW BRAND LAUNCH!  

I joined the organization four years ago in the Internal Audit function. My work profile required me to make various business processes more robust, interact and build strong relationships with stakeholders across locations and build awareness in the areas of processes, risks and compliances. Anyone in my position could have said ‘What is so special about this role?’ The surprise was when I was selected for the Chairman’s Circle Leadership program, which provided me with the opportunity to work on a breakthrough project involving the launch of a new premium cement product. Consider the opportunity – I’m from internal audit and was engaged in a new brand launch! What this surely did for me was to grow me as a professional: provide exposure to varied areas like manufacture of cement, supply chain, market dynamics and brand management. More than anything, it helped me learn the art and the science of making friends and influencing people.

  PLENTY OF GROWTH AND LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES DEFINITELY MAKE ORIENT
CEMENT A GREAT PLACE TO WORK!  

I have been associated with Orient Cement from the last eleven years. Being a part of C K Birla Group, integrity and commitment towards the organization is the essence of work culture here. People are treated fairly regardless of their religion or gender. There are several opportunities for those who believe in themselves and the organization. With diverse opportunities in various functions, I got the platform which stands to provide me with not only functional expertise but also an insight onto cross functional collaboration. Being associated with Orient Cement confers a sense of belonging along with job security and plenty of growth and learning opportunities. This definitely makes it a great place to work!

  IT’S TRULY INSPIRING TO WORK FOR A VALUE DRIVEN ORGANIZATION  

The last six years of my professional career have indeed been an enriching experience I’m looking forward for much more. I love to build! And my work at Orient as a project engineer involves being a part of construction and developmental activities. It’s inspiring to work for a company that encourages growth and offers opportunities for developing technical and leadership skills by trusting you with responsibilities and creating a positive work environment. Orient Cement is driven by its values, high standard of work culture and a clear strategic vision that makes me feel empowered as an individual- professionally, personally and socially. I feel proud to be a member of Team Orient.

  THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK IN DIFFERENT DOMAINS HAS ENRICHED MY
PROFESSIONAL WORK EXPERIENCE  

During my tenure, I’ve had the opportunity to work in different areas like P&D, Projects (Hyderabad & Devapur), Maintenance, TPM, Sustainability, Management certifications, MIS, CDM, PAT. The work culture at Orient is very encouraging and energetic. The company provides you with opportunities to explore different domains and showcase your skills. This facilitates innovation, knowledge sharing and motivates one to work with passion. Moreover, the company follows strict business ethics and a transparent work culture.

  I WAS THE FIRST WOMAN EMPLOYEE AT THE DEVAPUR PLANT  

I was brought up in Devapur and I grew up watching my father work for Orient Cement. Soon after, I completed my B.Tech in Computer Science and was looking for employment. During some difficult times, the Company provided me with employment – I became the first woman employee at the Devapur plant, working there just like my father! Later, I was nominated as a core team member for SAP implementation and transferred to Hyderabad. There I became a key member in the implementation of Qlik Sense, an analytical tool providing easy access to comprehensive data used by the sales and operations teams. What has been special about my journey from a young girl to today is my connection with Orient Cement and the way it has empowered me to work across locations and enabled interactions with executives from various functions. There are truly no silos here!

  I AM REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE NEXT FEW PROJECTS  

As a management trainee, I was tasked with the development of corporate presentations that captured audience attention while conveying product characteristics. This was a challenge. I was the sole woman member to attend influencer meets with my colleagues in remote locations and smaller towns, understand the flow of presentations and observe audience responses. Based on their feedback, the presentations were structured around pictorial/audio-visual content. We engaged extensively with the technical team. The branding team provided their observations. The result was when the presentations were used, they flew. I am really excited about the next few projects

  THE SYNERGY WITHIN TEAMS TO ACHIEVE GOALS MOTIVATES ONE TO WORK TO
PASSION  

It was a conscious decision for me in 2010 to join ‘Orient Cement’, one of the best companies in the Industry with a reputation of great people culture and work environment. Initially, I started working in the sales department but due to my interest in Brand Management, I was easily able to change my role, thanks to the support from the management. My current role provides me with hands on learning experience and helps broaden my skills and area of expertise, be it Brand Management, Budgeting or Vendor Management. There’s synergy within teams at Orient Cement to achieve goals which makes it a great workplace.

  I’VE GAINED TECHNICAL SKILLS AND DEVELOPED PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES
DURING MY TENURE  

I joined Orient Cement as a Management Trainee and now, it’s been more than six years. Every day of my job has been a positive learning experience. It’s truly inspiring to work with a company where your colleagues and seniors are supportive, encouraging and offer you opportunities for advancement. This has helped me whet my skills and competencies and develop personally as well as professionally. Orient Cement focuses on bringing out the best in an employee by creating a drive that is fuelled by willingness to contribute and passion to excel. I’m happy to be a part of the journey and look forward as we stride new pathways.

  THERE IS A GREATER FEELING OF ‘I AM ORIENT CEMENT’ THAN EVER BEFORE  

I was a newcomer involved in marketing communication, when I was suddenly asked by the management: ‘Help the Company to talk with itself.’ This was initially terrifying. We had never attempted to address internal communication so directly before. In the beginning, I grappled with the confusion. But gradually, I began to trust my instinct. While being relatively inexperienced; I ensured we did not follow a template. The combination of empowerment and instinct showed the way: I helped establish novel communication channels like Large Format Displays (LFD), Workplace at Facebook and leadership connect programmes. Gradually, something fascinating began to emerge: Team members across locations started being more expressive, various topics from social to professional began to get communicated more, recognition from within teams and external organizations started to get shared online, the perceived hierarchies started disappearing and an even stronger culture of coherent cross-functional conversations emerged. Not surprisingly, what started out as a small experiment has led to a greater feeling of ‘I am Orient Cement’ than ever before– and all because the Company told a few freshers to ‘go out and explore’.

  THE MAN WHO STARTED HIS CAREER AS A HIRED MAZDOOR CAN PROUDLY SAY
THAT ALL HIS CHILDREN ARE HAPPY AND SUCCESSFUL.  

The man who started his career as a hired mazdoor can proudly say that all his children are happy and successful. I worked as a carpenter for 1.5 years before I joined Orient Cement. The first question that most people asked me was ‘What will a person with your capability do in Orient Cement?’ The credit goes to the Company that it not only found place for me as a contractual labourer but enhanced my skills to promote me to a Grade B worker. The story didn’t end there. The Company kept giving me additional responsibilities to prove myself. I worked in the stacker area for years and something remarkable transpired. My extended exposure provided me with an insight to re-design the ‘proximity switch’, which otherwise would have to be replaced every 2-3 days. I came up with something that obviated the need to replace the switch. The bonus: stacker performance has improved! It is no surprise that I have grown into a 5th grade technician at the Devapur plant. My three children were schooled at Carmel Giri School within the plant premises and did exceptionally well in their respective spheres thereafter. A man who started his career as a hired mazdoor can proudly say that thanks to learning opportunities at Orient Cement, the destiny of my family has transformed. For me, Orient Cement is not a company any longer; it is an extension of my family because it cares and allows its people to become what they truly can.

 WHEN WE INTENDED TO CARVE OUT A PRESENCE IN KARNATAKA, WE GREW SALES FROM ZERO TO A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER IN JUST TWO YEARS!  

Before joining Orient Cement as Regional Sales Manager in 1997, I had worked as a Sales Officer at a multinational corporation. I was sceptical: would the new company be able to provide me with the same freedom? I was pleasantly surprised. Orient Cement provided me with a wide berth to deliver. The result is that in 22 years with the Company, I have worked extensively across Southern India (Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Chhattisgarh). And, when one would have considered my career to have already achieved full potential, Orient Cement entrusted me with the major sales responsibility for two key Western India markets (Gujarat and Maharashtra). I now possess a deep perspective into all of the Company’s core markets – the only Orient Cement sales professional to possess this rich experience. Whatever I have received from Orient Cement I was able to pass on to my colleagues: especially the opportunity to work with freedom. The result is that we penetrated deeper into core markets and carved out an attractive market share. When we entered newer markets of Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, we grew a market from scratch to a significant quantum in a short time. And when we targeted carving out a similar presence in Karnataka, we grew sales from zero to a substantial number in just two years! The secret? Open-door policy. Responsive decision making (never beyond a couple of hours). The capacity to think big. The take-away? Think big and think empowerment at Orient Cement. Amazing things can happen thereafter!

 ORIENT CEMENT HAS PROVIDED ME A NUMBER OF GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES  

I joined Orient as a workman in 1998. The reality is that in most companies a workman does not get enough cross functional exposure to inculcate in themselves the required skills for personal development. A completely different reality awaited me at Orient Cement. The Company provided me with growth opportunities. As I worked harder; more opportunities emerged. The result is that I am now a Grade C employee overseeing locomotive maintenance. What has Orient Cement given me? One, social respect considering that I have a stable job and my wife teaches at a government-run school. Two, financial stability, considering that we both earn a good living for the family. Three, a sense of selfworth. Some years ago, we encountered a massive power shortfall; following torrential rain one of our power transmission towers collapsed in the Godavari River. I was required to keep a constant vigil to ensure that the diesel power back-up generators kept working and production remained uninterrupted – for ten days. That felt good! Four, peace of mind. Hum jab bhi koi afsar ke paas samasya le kar jaate hain, woh hamesha hamaari baat sun ke jald-seyjald suljhaane ki koshish karte hain.

  THERE IS JUST ONE WORD TO DESCRIBE ORIENT CEMENT: INCLUSIVE  

I was involved in the design and commissioning of the Chittapur cement plant along with a team of colleagues. The project would have intimidated anyone: it was a mammoth project that needed to be completed on schedule and within the budgeted cost. We worked hard, collaborated and addressed challenges. Failure was not an option. Those grueling months resulted in the Chittapur plant emerging as a showpiece. This happened only because Orient Cement provided challenging opportunities to all employees – equally. Gender and age were not disqualifications. Ability, enthusiasm and experience scored over everything else! There is just one word to describe Orient Cement: ‘inclusive’.

  ORIENT ENHANCED MY FINANCIAL STABILITY AND PROVIDED MY CHILD WITH A BETTER FUTURE 

When you come from a middle-class family where the father was a teacher at a government school and the mother a housewife, you address your career prospects with apprehension. The big objective is to find a stable job, specialise in one area and achieve workplace respect. Orient Cement transformed this apprehension into confidence through an empowering experience: being a young engineer provided me with the flexibility to work on short stints across various spaces: limestone crushing, raw mill, kiln area, cement mill, packaging plant, new projects and now I have the larger responsibility of overseeing the packaging and dispatch operations. Overseeing! The big high at Orient Cement is the experience of empowerment: a regular maintenance person like me can immediately stop production if I notice something amiss. In fact, the best part is that I can stop the machines first and then report the incident to the management. This means that the management trusts my knowledge and discretion to make important decisions. I got to this position because of Orient Cement’s culture of support and encouragement. I am grateful because the Company has given me two things that I needed most when I joined: financial stability and a better future.

  MY WIFE SAYS IT WELL: ORIENT CEMENT HAS BEEN THE FAMILY’S
GAME-CHANGER!  

I began my Orient Cement journey in 2000 as a humble mazdoor. Most companies may have baulked at the prospect of hiring me. It would have been usual for companies to recruit individuals who had completed their education. The remarkable thing about the Orient Cement opportunity was that I began pursuing a post-graduation degree in Sociology four years after I joined the Company. In fact, Orient Cement provided me with space for academic and professional growth: from mazdoor I became a Senior Officer (Dispatch) and completed my MA in Sociology, an MA in Human Resource Management and an LLB, all of it while working at the Company! These academic accomplishments were accompanied by professional achievement. I was appointed as the first Welfare Officer of the Devapur cement plant. This position enhanced my confidence and empowered me to take better care of our workers. What makes Orient Cement an outperformer is its humane approach in trusting people. The Company helped me with cash advances to sustain my education. My wife too completed her education with the Company’s support and is now a teacher at the Carmel Giri School. We often hear of an India where people were able to transform their destinies in one generation. Orient Cement helped my family transform its destiny in the matter of a few years: from a mazdoor to a knowledge worker and a wife who is a teacher! She says it well: ‘Orient Cement has been the family’s game-changer!’

  I DISCOVERED THAT I COULD PUSH LIMITS WHEN CHALLENGED  

In my early days at the Company, I was assigned to work on a case related to entry taxes. I was required to research legalities, precedent cases and probable arguments. The project was challenging on account of my being new to this space. We needed to research relevant details, find appropriate case laws and facts and meet senior officials in person to present our facts, findings and interpretations. Gradually, we resolved differences, modified processes to respond with agility and removed differences of opinion through proactive interaction. What I discovered of myself was that I could push limits when challenged. Imagine a cement company making it possible for me to realise that. Says something about this cement company!

  ORIENT CEMENT HELPED TRANSFORM MY MINDSET FOR LIFE!  

When I joined Orient Cement in 2015, I wondered what the company would be like. Bureaucratic or nimble? I soon attempted to test the company. I presented the management with a “zaraa hatke” idea on branding. Within minutes I got a reply on email: ‘When can you present this to the seniors?’ Here I was thinking I’d test the company on the basis of its response time; I soon realized that the ball was right back in my court and the company was testing me out instead!! One of the biggest transformation initiatives at Orient Cement has been in its overhauled decision making cycle: the proposal and approval procedure of a couple of months has been slashed to a couple of days. Most proposals would earlier be sent by longstanding employees; now virtually anyone can send improvement suggestions. The result of this refreshing Orient Cement spirit is reflected in my professional and personal spaces: I won the Best Performer award for branding; I was included in the internal ‘CEO Circle’ programme for career progression; I was motivated enough by the “do it now” culture to moderate my weight from 96 kgs to 72 kgs; and I’ve completed a 160 km cycling tour to Warangal now! Orient Cement has not just transformed its operating culture; it has also helped transform my mindset for life.