Actively planning to expand our operations beyond India: Ashish Parikh, Business Head, Shiva Engineering Services

Last updated : July 26, 2025 11:14 am



Shiva Engineering Services (SES) has become a true partner in turning breakthrough formulations into scalable, operational realities


What strategic initiatives did Shiva Engineering Services (SES) undertake in FY 2024-25 to enhance its position in the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) services? 

Over the last 15 years, we have built a solid foundation at SES—not just with our clients, but also with a strong vendor network that plays a big role in smooth EPC execution. In FY 2024-25, we focused on taking that further. 

One of the big moves this year was starting collaborations with technology partners who have their own proprietary technologies. The idea is simple: while they bring the technology, we come in as the turnkey EPC partner, delivering the full project from concept to commissioning. This approach is helping us tap into new and growing sectors like biofuels, specialty chemicals, and circular economy projects. 

We also spent time strengthening our vendor systems. We have begun a formal prequalification process that uses data from past performance to help us make more informed and timely decisions. That’s been a big support in improving procurement speed and reliability. 

Alongside this, we’ve been improving our logistics and execution models so we can deliver projects faster and more efficiently. These steps are part of our larger goal to be more agile, bring added value to our clients, and continue building trust through reliable, end-to-end EPC solutions. 

SES operates across various sectors, including Process Chemicals, Flavors & Fragrances, Consumer Goods, Low Carbon Fuels, Circular Economy, Petrochemicals, Polymers, Engineering Plastics and Masterbatch, Industrial Facility, and GMP Facility. How does this diversification contribute to the company's financial stability and growth? 

When we started, our very first project was quite simple developing as-built P&IDs for a specialty chemical plant. Since then, we’ve come a long way. Today, we are handling large-scale greenfield Capex projects across multiple industries. This journey has been possible because we kept expanding our domain knowledge and project experience along the way. 

Diversifying into various sectors has been one of our core strengths. It’s given us a broader platform to operate from and helped us build cross-domain expertise, which adds a lot of value in both design and execution. From a financial standpoint, this diversification helps us maintain stability. It also shields us from sector-specific risks, which is important in today's ever-changing market landscape. 

How has the overall performance been for SES in FY 24-25 in terms of number of projects bagged and what's the total value and expectations from FY 25-26? 

FY 2024-25 has been a very successful year for SES. We kicked off the year by delivering a large-scale greenfield project for a leading specialty chemicals client, an important milestone that set the tone for the months ahead. 

Following this, we secured multiple new projects across diverse sectors, including ink manufacturing, recycling, specialty chemicals, flavors & fragrance, construction chemicals, and renewable fuels. It’s been encouraging to see strong growth not just in terms of business volume, but also in the overall maturity and capabilities of our organization. 

This year has also validated some of our strategic bets, especially our focus on long-term partnerships with technology providers. These associations are already opening new doors, and we expect them to give us a strong competitive edge in the years ahead. 

Looking forward to FY 25-26, we are aiming to further scale up, both in terms of project size and geographical reach. We are actively planning to expand our operations beyond India, using a lean execution model that allows us to remain agile and cost-effective while serving global clients. Overall, we’re optimistic and confident about continuing this growth trajectory. 

The company’s revenue performance during FY 24-25 with key growth metrics and expectations from the upcoming fiscal year i.e. FY 25-26? What factors would contribute to continuing the growth momentum? 

FY 24-25 has been one of the most promising years for SES in terms of revenue growth and business expansion. We’ve seen a healthy volume of projects, from greenfield Capex projects across sectors like recycling and renewable fuels. These sectors not only brought in new business but also strengthened our overall capability. Another key contributor to this year’s performance was our ability to take on larger, more complex projects end-to-end from basic and detailed engineering to procurement and construction. This full-scope delivery helped us create more value per project, which directly translated into better topline performance. 

Looking ahead to FY 25-26, we are expecting continued growth, supported by a well-focused initiative. First, our long-term collaborations with technology licensors will help us tap into projects where technology plus EPC delivery is expected. Second, we are investing in digital tools, lean execution models, and expanding outside India to serve global clients in a more agile way. Our team structure is also evolving to support larger-scale project delivery, and we’re building internal capabilities around cost optimization, faster execution, and quality control, all of which will play a big role in sustaining momentum. 

How does SES collaborate with clients to integrate R&D efforts into the design and development of specialty chemical plants? 

We collaborate closely with our clients from the early stages, often engaging with their R&D and pilot plant teams to understand the chemistry, process sensitivities, and desired outcomes. Our process engineering team has deep experience in scale-up projects, whether it's from lab to pilot scale or pilot to commercial production. 

We have successfully delivered multiple such projects where scale-up was a key requirement. In each case, our involvement included process simulation, scaled-up mass and energy balances, utility planning, and eventually translating those into a detailed engineering package that supports safe, efficient, and cost-effective execution. 

What sets us apart is that we don’t just stop at design. We support clients all the way—from process design to equipment sizing, material compatibility reviews, HAZOP studies, layout development, and even procurement support and construction planning. This end-to-end involvement ensures that the transition from R&D to commercial production is seamless and future ready. In short, SES becomes a true partner in turning breakthrough formulations into scalable, operational realities. 

Could you elaborate on the major capital investments SES made in FY 24-25 and their anticipated impact on the company's growth? 

In FY 24-25, we made some focused capital investments that are aligned with our long-term vision. A large part of that went into strengthening our core engineering capabilities investing in advanced design software, simulation tools, and improving our digital infrastructure to ensure faster, more accurate project delivery. 

We also put significant effort into building our in-house capabilities to take on full-scope EPC projects. This includes enhancing our construction management tools, procurement systems, and project tracking mechanisms, so we’re well-equipped to deliver turnkey projects with greater control and efficiency. 

Another key area of investment was talent. We have brought in experienced professionals in critical areas and initiated specialized training programs to align our team with the evolving demands of EPC projects. Additionally, as we prepare to expand our footprint outside India, we have started developing a lean execution model and building strategic partnerships in target regions. These steps are setting the foundation for global operations in the near future. 

All these investments are aimed at one goal: positioning SES for sustainable growth. We want to be a future-ready EPC partner, known not just for engineering excellence but also for agility, global reach, and long-term value creation. 

Could you share insights into SES's upcoming projects and strategic focus areas in the near future? 

In the near future, we are focusing on growing the number of EPC projects we take on, while continuing to support our clients with EPCM services. We have seen how delivering complete, end-to-end solutions from basic engineering all the way to construction and commissioning can really make a difference, and we’re building on that momentum. 

A big part of our strategy is moving towards greener and more sustainable sectors. We are already involved in several projects related to renewable fuels, biogas, chemical recycling, and other circular economy initiatives. These projects often involve both technical complexity and careful execution, and that’s where our experience and integrated approach come in handy. Right now, we are working on multiple renewable fuel and recycling projects. We are also seeing growing interest in areas like sustainable chemical manufacturing and solvent recovery systems. 

The company was awarded an EPCM contract for a specialty chemicals multipurpose plant near Bharuch, involving operations like hydrogenation, bromination, chlorination, and nitration, with an investment of approximately Rs. 230 crore. Could you provide details on SES's specific contributions to this project? 

Our involvement began at the concept development stage, where we created a detailed site master plan. This included planning for process areas, utility blocks, tank farms, ETP, storage facilities, admin buildings, and internal road networks—designed to optimize space, ensure safe man and material movement, and enable future scalability. Early-stage planning like this not only supports operational efficiency but also helps reduce overall Capex. 

Once the concept was locked, we delivered the Basic Engineering Package along with cost estimation to help the client firm up their investment decision. From there, we moved into full-scope detailed engineering covering civil & structural, equipment design, piping, electrical, instrumentation & controls, fire & safety systems, and more. Our team also supported the client with procurement assistance, vendor integration, and on-ground construction management, acting as a single-point EPCM partner. Overall, SES acted as a one-stop solution for the entire project from concept to construction with a strong focus on safety, timelines, and smooth execution. 

How has the company contributed to advancing the circular economy, and what specific sustainability projects were implemented in 2024?  

At SES, we have been actively aligning ourselves with the global shift towards sustainability and the circular economy. In 2024, we took concrete steps by expanding our project portfolio in this space. We’ve been awarded several recycling projects covering areas like batteries, textiles, and other critical waste streams. These are emerging markets, and our aim is to become a leading EPC partner for clients in these sectors. 

Alongside recycling, we’re also focusing strongly on renewable fuels. We’ve delivered engineering solutions for multiple projects in Compressed Biogas (CBG), green ethanol, and green methanol—both in India and internationally. Our scope in these projects varies from FEED package development to detailed engineering and modular designs for ease of execution. 

How does Engineering Services help with advanced tech integration in greenfield chemical projects? 

We have had the opportunity to work on several greenfield projects where integrating client-owned or partner-provided technologies was a key requirement. Whether the technology is developed in-house or licensed from a third party, our role is to ensure it can be successfully scaled and implemented into a commercially viable plant. 

We typically start with thorough understanding of the process and, wherever needed, running simulations to validate its performance under various operational parameters. When the technology is at a lab or pilot stage, our team supports the scale-up through detailed mass and energy balances, equipment sizing, and utility requirement estimation. Over the years, we have delivered multiple such projects taking processes from lab to pilot, and pilot to commercial scale, which has given us valuable insight into the complexities and nuances of such transitions.