KR Steel Structure: Pioneer in constructing steel buildings in Chattogram

Steel structure buildings are not only environmentally friendly but also commercially viable due to their comparatively low cost and the reduced time required for construction. Influenced by these attributes, investors around the globe, including those in Bangladesh, have long been inclined to construct steel buildings, especially for industrial and commercial purposes.

Once, Bangladeshi investors had to depend solely on foreign companies to construct steel buildings. However, in the last two decades, a number of Bangladeshi companies have come forward with substantial investments. These companies have not only developed the steel structure building industry, but also achieved self-reliance in the process.

In 2004, a few companies in Dhaka began supplying construction materials, structural components, and pre-engineering work for steel-structure buildings in Bangladesh. 

However, there was no company in the port city of Chattogram that could build steel buildings at that time. Consequently, industrialists and government agencies in Chattogram had to depend on the companies in Dhaka to obtain quality materials and architectural techniques necessary for constructing various steel structures. This often led to higher construction costs due to transportation and logistics expenses.

When constructing an industrial building in 2016, Taslim Uddin, a young entrepreneur and managing director of KR Group, felt the necessity of starting a company that could provide all the support for constructing steel buildings in the port city.

After conducting a feasibility study, the next year, he came up with a project named "KR Steel Structure Limited" and set up the first complete steel structure manufacturing factory in Chattogram on 160,000 square feet of land at Sitakunda's Kumira area. 

This factory has the capacity to fabricate all the materials required for constructing steel buildings. Since then, the company has been playing a vital role in the development of this industry in Chattogram. Over the last five years, KR Steel Structure Limited has constructed most of the steel structure buildings in Chattogram.

Taslim Uddin said, "We started with constructing a steel structure building for KR Re-Rolling Mills of our group. Then, GPH Ispat, one of the leading steel manufacturing companies in the country, trusted KR Steel Structures to construct their new warehouse at Banshbaria, Sitakunda. The experienced engineers of KR Steel Structures have built this beautiful 65,000-square-foot warehouse in a very short time and garnered great appreciation in the steel industry.

"After that, the reputation of our company's work spread all over the country. Giant industrial groups in the country have been relying on KR Steel Structures for constructing their industrial buildings," he added.

Projects implemented by KR Steel Structures

KR Steel Structures has successfully constructed about 100 steel buildings in the last five years. 

Among them, the mentionable projects include the BSRM Welded Wire Mesh Plant in the Bayezid area of the port city, the BSRM Billet Manufacturing Plant in Baroiarhat, Mirsarai, factory plants of KDS Group, Clifdon Group, and Bartex Group, Premier Cement Plant in Dhaka and Chattogram, ACI Healthcare Factory in Narayanganj, the Alraji Chemical Complex in Chittachari of Khagrachhari, the Unilever Warehouse in Gazipur, the RPICO Tires Factory in Gazipur, RPICO Water Tank Factory, Nahar Agro Feed Factory in Sirajganj, and Haqqani Group's large tissue production factory on the bank of the Karnaphuli River.

The company has not only constructed steel buildings for private companies but also achieved the honour of working on two important government projects for the Chattogram and Sylhet City Corporations. 

The company played a role in the construction of the country's first smart bus station in Sylhet, which has been a symbol of unique modern architectural beauty built in steel. Another large project, the Chittagong Shopping Complex of the Chattogram City Corporation, has also been developed by this company. 

At present, KR Steel Structures is working with more than 50 industrial establishments in various economic zones across the country, including Bangabandhu Shilpa Nagar and KEPZ.

Engineer Al Amin, the general manager of KR Steel Structure, said, "At present, our company has reached the top of investors' choices due to our efficiency, pre-engineering skills, and use of the latest technology in constructing steel buildings."

Steel building industry needs policy support

Al Amin said, "Steel structure buildings have been contributing to the economic development of the country. The development of this industry would have been faster, especially if the government's policy support was available. The greater the investment, the faster the economy grows. This industry has yet to receive policy benefits from the government. 

"There is no VAT rate benefit on imports, which increases our costs. When our costs go up, so do the investors'. And if costs rise, industrial entrepreneurs and investors are discouraged from investing. They think the price is higher now. I will invest later. Thus, the investment potential is lost."

He suggested that the government lower the import duty on the raw materials imported for steel buildings to encourage investments.