M Subhabharathy Company profile Introduction ESAB India Limited started its operations in 1987 by acquiring the welding business

of Peico Electronics & Electricals Limited (now Philips India Limited). The Company continued its expansion in the Indian market with the purchase of Indian Oxygen Limited's welding business in 1991 and Flotech Welding & Cutting Systems Limited in 1992, followed by the merger of Maharashtra Weld aids Limited in 1994. ESAB India Limited is owned 55.56% by the ESAB Group. The remainder of its shares is held widely. The company is listed on the stock exchanges of Mumbai and the National Stock Exchange. Today, ESAB India has established itself as one of the leading suppliers of welding and cutting products in the country. ESAB products are now an integral part of industries like Shipbuilding, Petrochemical, Construction, Transport, Offshore, Energy and Repair and Maintenance. ESAB India's initiative on Total Quality Management has resulted in ISO 9000 and ISO 14000 certifications for four of its principal manufacturing facilities located at Kolkata, Chennai and Nagpur. Further, the skills, know-how and resources at its Research and Development Departments, have helped the Company to offer a wide range of world-class products for diverse applications, cost effectively. With operations in a large number of countries, ESAB is a world leader in production of welding consumables and equipment. The brand is synonymous with world leading expertise in the following key areas: Manual welding and cutting equipment Welding consumables Welding automation Cutting systems

For each discipline, continuous development of methods, materials and know-how is being directed to meet the challenges posed by a diversity of industry sectors. ESAB is organised to deliver efficient, high-productivity solutions to meet their requirements in a manner that exceeds their expectations. Our customers are found in industries like automotive, energy, shipbuilding and offshore, general fabrication, construction, pipelines, process industry, etc. The ESAB group is owned by Charter International plc. In 2010, total sales were 1,157 million and we employed more than 8,400 persons worldwide Over 100 years after the company was founded, ESAB serves a global market worth around ten billion dollars each year. The group is organised in the regions Europe, North America*, South America, Asia/Pacific and India. ESAB is represented in almost every country by subsidiaries or agents. Sales and support is established in 80 countries and there are 26 manufacturing plants across four continents. Visit the web site of your nearest ESAB office to find out more. ESAB North America is a subsidiary of Anderson Group Inc. Mission What we do Our mission is to provide our customers with the most cost-effective solutions for their welding and cutting applications. Through technological leadership, the most reliable products and deliveries, and continuous improvement of our processes, we will delight our customers, employees, shareholders and community. Specialties Welding and cutting equipment Welding consumables Welding automation Cutting systems Welding accessories Cutting accessories Personal protective equipment.

History The company was founded by Oscar Kjellberg, who pioneered the development of manual metal arc welding electrodes, in Gothenburg in 1904. The company is an industry leader in production and development of equipment used in welding and cutting, and the world's largest manufacturer of welding and cutting equipment and materials. ESAB has 30 manufacturing facilities, strategically located near to end users. In addition ESABs associates have two manufacturing facilities. ESAB sells its products in most countries of the world. The ESAB group is owned by Charter International plc. 1904-1920 1904 Elektriska Svetsnings Aktie Bolaget (ESAB) is founded in Gteborg. In the beginning, operations focused very clearly on the shipyards' repair requirements. 1906 The first patent is granted. The real breakthrough is the patent for overhead welding with covered electrodes. 1912 The Anglo-Swedish Electric Welding Co Ltd, London, is founded. 1914 The Belgian-Swedish Electric Welding Co Ltd (BSEW), Antwerp, is founded. 1919 La Soudure Autogne Franaise uses Kjellberg's method to build the ship "SAF no. 4". It is 20 metres long, 4 metres wide and 2.3 metres deep. 1920 The all-welded workshop boat "ESAB IV", 16 metres long and 4 metres wide, is launched. 1920 Lloyd's Register of Shipping approves Kjellberg's welding method. 1921-1940 1921 Kjellberg Elektroden & Maschinen GmbH, Berlin (later Kjellberg Elektroden & Maschinen GmbH, Finsterwalde) is set up. 1932 ESAB-Iberica S.A., Madrid, Spain, is founded. 1932 ESAB S.A., Brussels, Belgium, and PEAS in Prague in Czechoslovakia are established. 1933 Welding Supplies Ltd., England, and ESAB-Denmark are set up. 1935 ESAB-Elettrodi Rivestiti S.A., Milan, Italy is established. 1936 The first issue of ESAB's publication Svetsaren is published. 1937 The Submerged Arc Welding method is invented.

1938 Kjellberg-Eberle GmbH, Germany, is founded. 1938 ESAB Norway is set up. 1940 ESAB Welding Corporation in the USA is established. 1941-1960 1942 The machine plant in Lax is opened. 1943 ESAB-Finland is founded. 1944 TIG welding (called Heliarc) is invented. 1945 A new production plant for cutting machines is set up in Frankfurt. 1950 ESAB-France is set up. 1951 Electrode production begins in Perstorp, Sweden. 1953 ESAB-Brazil is established. 1956 ESAB-Austria is founded. 1958 ESAB Arc Rods Ltd. in Montreal is established. 1958 Mquinas ESAB Lta in Rio de Janerio is set up. 1961-1980 1962 A branch factory for cutting equipment is set up in Rodheim, Germany. 1971 Leading KEBE employees part from the company and found HANCOCK GmbH in Drnigheim, Germany. 1972 ESAB Inc in the USA is founded. 1972 A new electrode plant is built in Perstorp. 1973 The black-and-yellow logotype is introduced. 1974 ESAB-Ekman Welding pte in Singapore, ESAB-Iran Co, ESAB-Roman, Portugal, and ESAB Manufacturing Inc, USA, are set up. 1975 The cutting division of ESAB moves to new production plant in Karben. ESAB Australia Pty ltd, Australia, is established. 1977 ESAB acquires Sarazin Soudure in France. 1977 New electrode plant in Milan opens. 1977 KEBE-Ersatzteile is founded to guarantee delivery of spare parts for outdated flame cutting machinery.

1981-2000 1981 ESAB takes over Varios Fabrieken B.V., The Netherlands. 1981 ESAB acquires HANCOCK GmbH, one of British Oxygen's gas-cutting companies. 1987 Siderotermica s.p.a. in Italy is acquired. 1989 The production of electrodes in Gteborg is transferred to Perstorp.

1989 The new corporate symbol for The ESAB Group is introduced. 1991 Takeover of Indian Oxygen Limited's (IOL) welding operation 1991 AB Ph Nederman & Co is acquired and the Working Environment Equipment business area is set up. 1992 Flo-tech Welding & Cutting Systems Limited 1982 The merger of ESAB GmbH and HANCOCK GmbH, as ESAB-HANCOCK GmbH, Karben, takes place. 1984 ESAB Canada Inc. is founded. 1986 Filarc Welding Industries B.V., The Netherlands, is acquired. 1987 ESAB India is formally incorporated. 1987 Siderotermica s.p.a. in Italy is acquired. 1989 The production of electrodes in Gteborg is transferred to Perstorp.

1989 The new corporate symbol for The ESAB Group is introduced. 1991 Takeover of Indian Oxygen Limited's (IOL) welding operation 1991 AB Ph Nederman & Co is acquired and the Working Environment Equipment business area is set up. 1992 Flo-tech Welding & Cutting Systems Limited 1992 The Friction Stir Welding process is invented by The Welding Institute (TWI) where ESAB participates as the only welding equipment manufacturer. 1993 ESAB Vamberk in the Czech Republic is set up following the acquisition of the leading producer of consumables. 1993 ESAB introduces Marathon Pac, a bulk pack for solid or flux-cored welding wire. 1994 Takeover of Maharashtra Weldaids Limited 1994 ESAB is purchased by Charter plc of the U.K. 1994 Nederman leaves the ESAB Group but is still a member of the Charter group of companies. 1996 ESAB's first Friction Stir Welding machine, SuperStir, is supplied to Marine Aluminium of Norway.

1998 ESAB acquires a majority holding in the Polish company Ozas, which manufactures welding machines and spares. 1998 A majority holding in Fersab, the leading manufacturer of agglomerated flux in Poland, is acquired. 1998 ESAB acquires AlcoTec Wire Company in U.S.A., the world's largest producer of aluminium wire. 1998 ESAB receives a large order from Boeing and supplies FSW equipment for welding fuel tanks for space rockets. 1999 ZAO ESAB-SVEL is set up in St Petersburg, Russia. 1999 SIB S.p.a in Italy, is acquired. SIB is a production unit for non-alloyed MAG wires.

1999 The ESAB Group identity is replaced with the black-and-yellow ESAB brand identity. 1999 ESAB acquires the majority of the shares in Elektrody Baildon, Poland. 2001-2020 2001 ESAB sets up a subsidiary in Moscow, Russia 2001 ESAB starts producing solid stainless steel wires in Vamberk in the Czech Republic. 2002 ESAB establishes its headquarters in London, UK.

Technological Innovations

In 1903, Oscar Kjellberg, a Swedish machine engineer was working on ships and boilers in Gteborg, Sweden. His dissatisfaction with the quality of repair jobs fueled his quest for a better solution that led to the invention of the world's first flux covered electrode. On 12th September 1904, Elektriska Svetsnings Aktie Bolaget (ESAB) was founded in Gteborg, Sweden. The major innovations in the course of ESAB's history are: 1904 - The Coated Electrode (MMA Welding) 1937 - Union melt (Submerged-Arc Welding) 1938 - Gravity Welding 1944 - Heliarc (TIG Welding) 1947 - MIG/MAG (Welding) 1955 - Plasma Cutting 1960 - Flux-cored Wire 1979 - Narrow gap Welding 1982 - LMA Electrodes (Low-moisture Absorption) 1989 - Adaptive butt Welding 1995 - High speed Cored Wire 1996 - Friction stir Welding 1997 - Laser bevel Welding 2001 - First modular platform for welding equipment 2002 - Copper - free wire - Aristorod 2005 - The Qset function

R&D and Quality Since its founding in 1904, ESAB has developed a wide range of welding and cutting products. ESAB products are now an integral part of industries like Shipbuilding, Petrochemical, Construction, Transport, Offshore, Energy and Repair and Maintenance, to name a few. This would not have been the case without an extensive R&D and quality effort. The Company's initiative on Total Quality Management has resulted in ISO 9000 and ISO 14000 certifications for all four of its principal manufacturing facilities located at Kolkata, Chennai and Nagpur. Further, the skills, know-how and resources at ESAB India's Research and Development Departments, have helped the Company to offer a wide range of world-class products for diverse applications, cost-effectively.

R & D Focus The key objective of R&D is to meet customer requirements better. This is possible through: Higher productivity Enhanced and consistent quality Improvement of the working environment Reduction of environmental impact

ESAB's research and development strategy is to continually improve its welding and cutting processes. The Company seeks to develop new, high quality product families faster, with the primary focus on long-term benefits. The constant development of welding processes is an important part of this work and goes a long way in realizing the key objective of benefiting the customer.

Quality Standards The Company has received ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certifications for its Equipment factory at Kolkata and ISO 9002 and ISO 14001 certifications for its Welding Consumables factories located at Kolkata, Chennai and Nagpur. Every unit strictly adheres to a quality manual that describes in detail how quality is to be addressed.

ISO CERTIFICATION Welding Consumables Ambattur Nagpur Kolkata - Khardah ISO 9002 / 14001 ISO 9002 / 14001 ISO 9002 / 14001

Welding Equipment Kolkata - Taratala Cutting Systems Pune ISO 9001 / 2000 ISO 9001 / 14001

In addition to ISO, ESAB has obtained certification from a number of other bodies including the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), Nuclear Safety Standards Commission (Kerntechnischer Ausschuss, KTA) and Technischer berwachungs-Verein (TV). Furthermore, all production units for welding consumables have product approvals from Verband der Technischen berwachungs-Vereine (VdTv) and many other classification societies.