As a global leader in corrosion resistant alloy cladding solutions provider and mechanically lined pipe, Christopher Kamalaraj, COO, provides us with insights into Cladtek’s 20 years of success and its future goals.
DELIVERING MULTIFACETED ADDITIVE SOLUTIONS
The energy sector supports diverse industries, making it vital to the global economy and modern society. It presents companies with both a challenge and opportunities to promote innovation, sustainability, and operational excellence.
Cladtek was established in 2003 with a focus on providing reliable service and developing processes and technologies that are value adding and low carbon intensity for the energy sector.
Chris Kamalaraj, COO of Cladtek, has over 25 years of experience leading operations, planning, quality, and project management, allowing him a deep understanding of the challenges facing the energy sector supply chain.
“As a company, we aim to promote excellence, innovation, and safety. We aspire to lead continuous improvement, adopt new technologies, and form partnerships to improve operations and benefit stakeholders using our knowledge and expertise,” he insights.
“The energy sector is dynamic. Despite changing laws, market demands, and now with the energy transition in mind, the sector is ready for growth and an innovative approach that focuses on efficiency and sustainability.” With a mission of delivering innovative, sustainable, and additive manufacturing solutions that extend the lifetime and value of clients’ assets, Cladtek has earned a reputation for pioneering new technologies in the energy industry which are deployed in challenging applications globally. The company is committed to applying and improving processes and procedures, allowing it to expand internationally while drawing on its twenty years of experience.
20 YEARS OF ADDITIVE SOLUTIONS
As the global leader in CRA weld overlay cladding and CRA Mechanically Lined Pipe (MLP), Cladtek operates three manufacturing facilities in Indonesia, Brazil, and Saudi Arabia and an expansion to Qatar for production from 2025.
With headquarters in Singapore, the company functions globally, serving clients across Asia Pacific (APAC), Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), and the Americas.
“Our strategically located manufacturing facilities and sales offices enable us to deliver on local content requirements and to serve our diverse client base, which includes major oil and gas operators, engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractors, and fabricators,” expands Kamalaraj.
The company offers a range of standalone services, such as the cladding of products, including pipes, fittings, flanges, pressure vessels, valves, hot induction bends, spool fabrication services, connected reusable flowline and riser systems. All of which are designed to meet the demands of corrosive service environments.
Recently, Cladtek celebrated its 20th anniversary, showcasing its resilience through multiple cycles and ongoing capacity to meet the evolving needs of the energy industry and adapt to new market conditions through the energy transition.
“Celebrating this anniversary is a significant milestone that demonstrates our resilience, dedication, and commitment to excellence in the CRA cladding and MLP market. Our team’s hard work, as well as the trust of our clients and partners over the years, have made this possible,” enthuses Kamalaraj.
As the company looks towards the next 20 years, it will continue to dedicate itself to new ideas, high quality, and satisfied customers.
Cladtek intends to focus on retaining flexibility, staying responsive to market trends, investing in R&D, and expanding its global footprint even further.
“In the end, our anniversary isn’t just a time to remember the past; it’s also a chance to start planning for the future. We’re excited about the opportunities that lie ahead, and we’re still dedicated to providing value to our clients and stakeholders, driving innovation, and going above and beyond expectations,” reflects Kamalaraj.
A TRUE MARKET LEADER
Recently, Cladtek has been working hard on many projects that not only showcase its innovations but also highlight its strategic positioning in several different markets.
“Some of our significant milestones to date have been consistently pushing the boundaries for the largest diameter and complexity of MLP, establishing new industry standards along the way,“ discloses Kalamaraj.
Over the years, Cladtek has consistently delivered quality MLP products with zero failures in service. Their ongoing and future projects in the pipeline showcased the company’s commitment to supporting infrastructure development in emerging markets and fostering long-term growth.
Additionally, the company has secured a second contract for the ultra-deepwater Mero oil field, situated approximately 180km offshore Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which is the third-largest pre-salt oil field globally and the third-largest producing field in the country.
“This achievement solidifies Cladtek’s position as a market leader in producing high-specification MLP suitable for dynamic service and the Brazilian pre-salt market. Cladtek is the only local manufacturer of MLP in Brazil, contributing to the country’s economy, local employment and community-based initiatives, as well as increasing local content for our partners,” elaborates Kamalaraj.
The Cladtek group has already secured multiple major projects for delivery during 2024-25, proving its reputation as a trustworthy and reliable provider. With such steady and consistent growth, Cladtek is on a clear trajectory to consolidate its position as the number one supplier of MLP and CRA cladding solutions worldwide.
All of this consistent progression is driven by the company’s seven pillars, which enables Cladtek to achieve its vision of becoming the foremost supplier of additive manufacturing solutions worldwide.
These pillars consist of business and product development, finance, people and culture, operations, the APAC region, the EMEA region, and the Americas.
“These are the foundations which govern our purpose, approach, and conduct. Each pillar represents a fundamental aspect of our business and includes both strategic and operational matters,” elaborates Kamalaraj. Ultimately, by implementing these fundamental principles, Cladtek is able to track and win orders, execute projects safely and profitably, and deliver innovative, sustainable additive manufacturing solutions that extend the lifetime and value of clients’ assets.
“With more than two decades of industry experience, we bring unparalleled expertise, advanced technology, and tailored solutions to each project. Our global presence, flexibility, and commitment to sustainability make us stand out as the reliable leader in the market in terms of both output and quality”
Christopher Kamalaraj, COO, Cladtek
BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
Currently, one of the most positive and evident changes within the energy sector is the emphasis on sustainability and environmental protection. With cleaner and more efficient processes, lower carbon emissions, and the exploration of other feedstocks, this push supports global environmental goals and offers new opportunities for technologies and businesses to innovate.
Cladtek is not only tackling these initiatives head-on but also leading the way when it comes to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices.
“Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a core value for us, and we’re committed to making a positive impact in our communities. Our CSR initiatives comprise various programmes aimed at education, environmental sustainability, and social welfare,” expands Kamalaraj.
These programmes include the company’s Net Zero Emission Project, which aims to reduce CO2 emissions by 30 percent by 2030; the Cladtek Academy, where educational opportunities and vocational training are provided to individuals within the community; eco-friendly practices such as beach clean-ups and the establishment of vegetable gardens; a community development initiative where 1,000 food supply packages were delivered to the community; and supporting orphanages in Batam.
“Overall, our ESG practices reflect our dedication to making a positive difference in the world beyond our business operations. Through these initiatives, we remain committed to being responsible corporate citizens and agents of positive change,” Kamalaraj continues.
In addition to its CSR initiatives, as Cladtek looks toward the future, the upcoming year revolves around driving growth and creating customer and stakeholder value.
Specifically, this will manifest through the company’s commitment to expanding its market presence both regionally and internationally, prioritising innovation and product development, and optimising operational efficiency and effectiveness through fresh initiatives such as Cladtek’s newly developed iN-Shield programme, which is based on a lean manufacturing philosophy that aims to accelerate improvement processes, resulting in lower costs and higher customer satisfaction.
“Cladtek’s consistent performance over the past 20 years has established us as a reliable partner for major energy companies and their contractors. Our ongoing growth and capacity augmentation reflects our dedication to fulfilling escalating needs, thereby aiding in the sustainability of the worldwide energy sector,” proudly concludes Kamalaraj.
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