Dodsal Group: A Multi-Faceted Conglomerate Leading Across Industries

From being a small trading company in Mumbai in 1948, it has grown into a multi-level worldwide conglomerate, leading industries from construction engineering to casual dining. Hailing from Dubai, the Dodsal Group has trekked across continents and sectors under the vision of its leader, Rajen A. Kilachand. A multinational giant in engineering, procurement, construction, trading, and manufacturing among others, Dodsal Group stands as one of the greatest companies. Today, the footprint reaches in every other industry and continent. It happens to be shining as a testimony to the indestructible success of a family business that turned into a world giant.

Dodsal was originally established by the Nandlal Kilachand family, Mumbai, in partnership with British trading firm DODWEL and Karsa Salem. The concern started initially as a trading entity and diversified activities over time. Years passed by when the Kilachand family acquired the full ownership of Dodsal. From then on, the events that set off the company’s transition into a diversified conglomerate had started. This saw the events of changing into the global corporation it stands for today under the leadership of Rajen A. Kilachand who took over the reins of the company with streamlining business operations. In 2003, the very relocation of its corporate office from Mumbai to Dubai, symbolized Kilachand’s view to align Dodsal with a financial and trading hub across the globe. The move made it easier for the company to access international markets and complemented the infrastructure and construction boom in the UAE.

EPC services are one of the core competencies of Dodsal under the business umbrella of Engineering, Procurement, and Construction. Dodsal Group, however, has been playing a tremendous role in providing complex projects in the energy, oil and gas and infrastructure sectors. It has been lifting its reputation with the professional handling of large-scale EPC projects. Starting from designing industrial plants to building oil refineries and pipelines, Dodsal is a reliable name in the global energy industry. Its EPC arm has executed projects in more than 22 countries, that make the company a major player in the oil and gas industry, especially in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia. Maintaining precision, safety and sustainability efficiently, Dodsal has ensured that it gets contracts from some of the world’s biggest companies, ensuring it remains in the top list of global EPC leaders.

Dodsal Group has diversified its activities to trading and distribution, casual dining restaurants, and manufacturing. Trading and distribution can help the group in the management of a wide cross-section of products from industrial equipment to the most mundane consumer goods, thus creating a global supply chain that can complement its EPC and manufacturing businesses. The company recently forayed into food and beverage industries by managing numerous successful restaurants spread across regions. This restaurant venture is a testament to the company’s sense of openness, as it is willing to adapt to market trends and changes in consumer demand, adding to its portfolio.

Manufacturing is another significant area that Dodsal has identified. Its operations go beyond building big machines for most of the industries; it also produces specialized equipment for specific industries. The company, in association with Atomenergomash (AEM), a Russian heavy engineering company, has also ventured into the manufacturing and supply of power equipment for nuclear, thermal, and oil and gas projects in India. Such a strategic arrangement underscores the ambitions of Dodsal to be right at the forefront of critical infrastructure development worldwide.

Strategic acquisitions have been one of the growth factors for Dodsal. In 2011, the group acquired Chennai-based engineering firm I.D.E.A., which specializes in the design of industrial plants. This acquisition improved Dodsal’s position in the Indian market and enhanced its technical capabilities. Within 2011, Dodsal signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Atomenergomash, in which the two would manufacture and supply power equipment together. Along with the initial investment of $150 million, an alliance was set up as a power-boosting partnership to shore up the Indian power sector, where nuclear and thermal energy were on the priority list.

Housed at the core of Dodsal’s achievements is its high-principled leader, Rajen A. Kilachand. The group, under his leadership, has seen a chain of market challenges and opportunities, following which it has changed into a diversified multinational conglomerate. The high vision of Kilachand always placed Dodsal in the best possible position to flourish and capitalize on the emerging market as an expansion to global outreach.