Whether on the global stage or from its dedicated Australian business, Thejo Engineering is taking its commitment to its customers to a new level.
It was 50 years ago that two childhood friends in India had a vision to partner together and develop a specialised engineering business.
After years of hard work, K.J. Joseph and Thomas John brought their dream to life and launched their jointly owned company: Thejo Engineering. Today, their vision has moved beyond India and onto the global stage.
Thejo Engineering specialises in conveyor belt splicing through a cold vulcanising process, in-situ pulley lagging and in-situ recapping of conveyor belts. The company is also recognised as a leading industrial solutions provider for belt conveyor-based bulk material handling systems, mining and mineral processing and corrosion protection applications.
As Thejo Engineering chair, Joseph believes one of the company’s major strengths is that it has maintained a consistent set of clients from the beginning.
“We might be a small company compared to the global giants, but even though we are small, the unique feature we offer to clients is our sensitivity to their needs,” Joseph told Australian Mining. “One of the key areas where we have made a difference globally is by virtue of being a one-stop shop for services and manufacturing.”
Through the support of its clients, Thejo Engineering has taken the opportunity to grow, expanding its business across India, Australia, the Middle East and South America.
Committed to meeting the needs of its clients, Thejo Engineering works to innovate as new challenges arise.
The company’s chief operating officer Manoj Joseph Kallarackal is confident this approach has ensured a lower cost for its clients.
“We initially had a client who called us and said ‘I have a problem with this, can you make something to fix it’,” Kallarackal told Australian Mining. “As a result, Thejo Engineering now has eight product verticals.
“Every step Thejo has taken and every single product we have made, Thejo has developed the technology and manufactured it in-house.”
Image: Thejo Engineering
Headquartered in Chennai, India, the company has five manufacturing plants and a research and development (R&D) centre, which has been approved by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Ministry of Science and Technology of India.
Thejo Engineering managing director V.A. George, who has more than four decades of experience in the industry, has been instrumental in transforming the company from a family-owned business to a global name.
When looking at ways to increase Thejo’s global presence, George found strong demand for its product offering in Australia’s mining industry.
“We are still expanding our presence, though Australia has become our prime focus,” George told Australian Mining.
This focus has led to Thejo Engineering launching a subsidiary in Perth: Thejo Australia. The business has quickly taken off, with branches in Kalgoorlie, Bunbury and the Pilbara joining the family and supporting the local mining industry.
Thejo Australia’s focus is on belt splicing and pulley lagging, rubber lining, the supply of belting, splicing machines, belt winders, tool kits, splice kits, adhesives, pulley lagging products, belt conveyor accessory products and the supply of belt maintenance equipment for the mining industry.
Following the success of Thejo Australia, Thejo Engineering established its own branch in Perth, offering abrasion and wear, filtration, screening and customised product related solutions for the mining, mineral processing and corrosion protection sectors.
Today, the companies work together to deliver a complete conveyor care and engineered manufactured parts and solutions offering to its clients.
Looking to the future, the Thejo group plans to triple or even quadruple its business, with Australian expansion a key part of these plans.
“All these years, it was about developing products and getting the team ready,” Kallarackal said.
“Now, we’re ready to launch into a new era.
“One of the biggest factors in our growth has been our people and we definitely want to expand that.
“The products, technology and services are all important, but without the people we wouldn’t be where we are today.”
With almost two decades of supply to various clients, ranging from mineral processing, aggregates, power, metal, cement, ports, chemical and fertilisers, the company’s focus is on the growing demand for specialised and customised solutions.
Thejo Engineering vice chair Thomas John said the company’s state-of-the-art manufacturing plants offer a wide range of engineered products, equipment and customised solutions to its clients, no matter where they are in the world.
John said he takes pride in knowing that the company’s range of machinery, technical competency and human resources allows it to deliver top-quality products.
“It is also one of the main reasons why today many international original equipment manufacturers outsource their requirements to Thejo Engineering,” John said.
“By continuing to increase a global presence that is backed by high-quality products and service, Thejo Engineering is dedicated to becoming a niche player for engineering and manufacturing solutions across a range of mining disciplines.”
This feature appeared in the December 2024 issue of Australian Mining.
