31 December 2021
Dear Colleagues,
I’m sure most of you will agree that 2021 was a rollercoaster of a year. The beginning of 2021 had brought hope that the worst of the pandemic was behind us. Then we had to face the second wave which brought misery and affected so many of our people.
The biggest takeaway for me from the year past is the spirit of the people of Hindalco – the way you showed resilience, strength and compassion at the worst of times. Across our units, sites and offices, it was heartening to see how everyone supported each other in times of need. Hindalco has recently been certified as a Great Place to WorkTM, but I believe true greatness was demonstrated by our people during those tough weeks.
I am also proud of the way our teams showed great agility in overcoming some of the stresses of Covid – procuring oxygen concentrators, distributing oxygen cylinders, setting up oxygen PSA plants, ramping up our hospitals to provide better service to our people and the community. As an organisation, we supported our people financially during Covid and covered medical costs and hospitalisation for employees, contract workers, 3rd party employees and their families. And we continue to rehabilitate the families of those who are no longer with us.
Through the pandemic, we worked smartly to improve our aluminium solutions – manufacturing the highest-grade aluminium alloys for India’s Gaganyaan mission, making lightweight aluminium sheets for use in oxygen cylinders under the PM Cares initiative, capturing the closure caps market for vaccine vials, enhancing our presence in pharma foil, and promoting our foodgrade aluminium for premium aluminium cookware to take us into India’s kitchens. Our quest for new solutions to serve new markets continues and I have no doubt our teams will produce more such success stories.
In these past months, we have witnessed new growth in the Hindalco family. Not only did we commission Utkal Alumina's expansion in the midst of the pandemic, we also added to our India footprint. We acquired Ryker’s Copper wire rod unit in Gujarat to boost our copper value-added portfolio, and we took over Hydro’s Kuppam plant in Andhra Pradesh. This unit will enhance our presence in the high-end market and serve as an archetype for the greenfield Silvassa plant. Please join me in warmly welcoming these new colleagues to the Hindalco family.
2021 stood out as the year when we delivered record-shattering financial and operational performances. This is indeed High Performance Hindalco in action and I am grateful for your effort, dedication and collective contribution which made this happen in spite of all the uncertainty in markets and supply chains.
We can also be proud of our standing as the Most Sustainable Aluminium Company second year running (DJSI 2020 and 2021). These achievements inspire and spur us to raise the bar higher. Clearly, we have the momentum and the ability to be the best workplace in the world, so let’s keep channelling the energy to take our company to newer heights.
As we turn to the new year, many of us wonder what 2022 will bring forth. I see plenty of new possibilities and opportunities. Our Silvassa plant will come onstream around year-end, the Hirakud FRP expansion is on, and projects approved under the government’s PLI scheme (AC finstock and copper tubes) will commence early in the year. Another exciting prospect is our new business aimed at lightweighting solutions for commercial vehicles. Moreover, we have hit 100 MW of renewable capacity and are on track for 250 MW by 2025. All of these moves are aligned with our purpose of helping to make a world that is Greener, Stronger and Smarter.
Even as we look at 2022 with excitement and hope, let’s keep a wary eye on the Omicron variant spreading rapidly across the world. The onus is on each one of us to take responsibility for the health and safety of ourselves and our families. A powerful lesson that the pandemic teaches us is that we need to learn to live on the edge of uncertainty – and to be there for our fellow human beings when needed.
Stay safe! Wish you and your families all the best for 2022!
Regards,
Satish Pai