LIZIndia: “Our strength lies in turning scale, safety and a culture of ownership into real value for the client
LizIndia, is a wholly owned subsidiary of groupLTT established in December 2010. Since its creation, the company has grown as a reference industrial platform in India, with activity in refractory EPC services, industrial maintenance, engineered composite repair solutions and KPI-based operational assistance and maintenance contracts.
Leading the operation is Sanjeev Prabhu, Managing Director of LizIndia since its foundation. A Chemical Engineer by background, Sanjeev has 38 years of experience in the field of industrial furnaces and has led the company on a path that combines operational growth, safety, low turnover, talent development and diversification into critical industrial sectors.
| LIZIndia | Key data |
| Company | Lizmontagens India Pvt Ltd |
| Group | Wholly owned subsidiary of LTT Group |
| Foundation | December 2010 |
| Leadership | Sanjeev Prabhu, Managing Director |
| Sanjeev’s experience | 38 years in industrial furnaces |
| Current team | 1200 permanent employees + (aprox) 6000 skilled technicians |
| Sectors | Oil & Gas, Refinery & Petrochem, Glass, Cement, Primary Aluminium, Iron & Steel, among others |
| Services | Refractory EPC, KPI-based O&M, engineered composite repairs, asset integrity, industrial maintenance and operational support solutions |
| Operational principles | Safety, ownership, transparency, training, performance and collaboration within LTT Group |
groupLTT: Sanjeev, to begin, how would you summarise your career path and LIZIndia’s journey since 2010?
Sanjeev Prabhu: I am a Chemical Engineer by background and have been working in the field of industrial furnaces for 38 years. Since December 2010, when Lizmontagens India Pvt Ltd was created, I have had the responsibility of leading this operation as Managing Director. LIZIndia was established as a wholly owned subsidiary of GroupLTT and, over the years, has built a very strong presence across several industrial segments.
Today, the company operates in Oil & Gas, Refinery & Petrochem, Glass, Cement, Primary Aluminium, Iron & Steel and other sectors where industrial assets require high technical competence, mobilisation capability and operational discipline. We provide refractory EPC services for different types of industrial furnaces and, in recent years, we have also expanded our activity into engineered composite repair solutions, operational assistance and KPI-based maintenance.
groupLTT: What makes LIZIndia such a relevant operation within GroupLTT?
Sanjeev Prabhu: LIZIndia is particularly relevant because it operates in practically all the industrial segments where GroupLTT has the capacity to create value. This diversity gives us a very broad view of the Indian market and of clients’ needs in highly demanding sectors.
At the same time, we rely heavily on collaboration with the other companies in the group. An important part of our work is to bring to India the best practices and innovative solutions already used in Europe and in other geographies where GroupLTT operates. This helps clients see us as a partner capable of executing complex projects, critical shutdowns and maintenance contracts with high requirements.
groupLTT: LIZIndia has been recognised for its low turnover and employee satisfaction. What is the key to that result?
Sanjeev Prabhu: The key lies in creating an ownership mindset. We try to ensure that every employee feels that this company also belongs to them. That is only possible with an open and transparent work culture, with closeness between leadership and teams, and with continuous interaction at all levels of the organisation.
We have monthly recognition programmes for employees who excel in safety, because safety is our number one priority. We invest in continuous training, with specific programmes for trainee engineers, high-potential engineers and leadership roles. We also have reward and recognition programmes across several categories, and our Human Resources team maintains a 360-degree feedback mechanism every quarter to collect suggestions and address employee concerns.
Once a year, we also organise our Annual Sports Day and Family Day, where families join the company in an environment of participation and celebration. All this creates connection, motivation and a sense of belonging. That is why LIZ India has become a preferred choice for many professionals.
“We try to ensure that every employee feels that this company also belongs to them. That is only possible with an open and transparent work culture.”
groupLTT: Which leadership principles have helped you build such a committed and high-performing team?
Sanjeev Prabhu: The first principle is commitment. We must be committed to performing at our best level and to continuously improving the services we provide to clients. This idea must exist at every level of the company, from management to the teams on the ground.
The second principle is listening. We maintain regular feedback mechanisms with clients because we want to understand where we can improve. That feedback forces us to look within, correct processes and continuously raise our standards.
The third principle is people development. The leadership team is committed to the growth of employees. When people understand that the company invests in them, recognises their performance and gives them real opportunities, motivation levels remain high.
groupLTT: Safety appears repeatedly in your answers and in articles published about the company. How does this principle translate into daily operations?
Sanjeev Prabhu: Safety must be practical, daily and measurable. It is not merely an institutional message. In critical industrial projects, especially in units such as FCC, Ethylene Cracker, SRU, Hydrogen Reformer, glass furnaces, primary aluminium, steel or cement, the margin for error is limited. Therefore, safety is embedded in planning, execution, supervision and team recognition.
LIZIndia has been building its reputation with a focus on performance, meeting deadlines and high safety standards. In previous publications, I referred to the importance of maintaining a critical focus on “Zero Accident Tolerance in Safety”, because this discipline has been a hallmark of our services and of the company’s growth.
Safety is also a way of creating value for the client. A safe project is a more predictable, more controlled project, with lower risk of additional shutdowns, incidents or losses. For us, safety and productivity are not separate issues; they are part of the same way of working.
groupLTT: LIZIndia operates in very different sectors. How does this breadth translate into concrete value for clients?
Sanjeev Prabhu: Sector diversity allows us to transfer knowledge between industries. What we learn in a refinery shutdown can improve the way we plan an intervention in petrochemicals. Experience in industrial furnaces helps us in glass, cement, steel and aluminium. The ability to mobilise large and qualified teams helps us in long-term maintenance contracts.
The client benefits because they find a partner that does not look only at an isolated activity. We look at operational continuity, risk, performance, safety and asset life. In Oil & Gas and in offshore and onshore assets, for example, engineered composite repair solutions make it possible to rehabilitate corroded assets, restore operational integrity and extend service life without necessarily interrupting operations.
groupLTT: Engineered composites and asset integrity solutions seem to be an important area. What role do they play in LIZIndia’s future?
Sanjeev Prabhu: They play a very important role because they respond to a clear market need: extending asset life, reducing replacements, minimising shutdowns and maintaining operational safety. In pipelines, offshore structures, industrial piping, jetties, ports and naval infrastructure, many assets are subject to corrosion, ageing and severe operating conditions.
Our proposal is to help clients keep those assets in service with technically validated, less intrusive and performance-oriented solutions. We already work with engineered composite repairs for corroded assets and are at an advanced stage of launching new Asset Integrity & Management solutions for concrete jetties in ports and naval docks.
groupLTT: In recent years, LIZIndia has also entered into KPI-based Operations & Maintenance contracts. What does this evolution represent?
Sanjeev Prabhu: It represents an important change in the company’s positioning. After Covid, many clients began looking for outsourcing models that were more performance-oriented. LIZIndia responded to this opportunity with operational assistance and maintenance contracts in which results are measured by clear KPIs.
We have been working for seven years in KPI-based O&M contracts for primary aluminium smelters. This experience has shown that we can go beyond project execution or shutdowns and take continuous responsibility for operational performance, efficiency, maintenance and asset availability.
groupLTT: Is there a recent milestone that you consider especially important in demonstrating LIZIndia’s capabilities and ambitions?
Sanjeev Prabhu: Yes. For three years we tried to enter into an O&M contract for a Coke Oven Battery at a major steel plant, but we were not successful, mainly because of price levels. This year, the client had a very open and transparent discussion with us and we ended up winning a five-year contract against a very large multinational competitor.
We believe this contract can transform the way the Iron & Steel industry looks at LIZIndia in the future. We are confident that we can improve performance through our operational experience and through active collaboration with HeatTeQ, from the Netherlands. This project is important because it shows that the market is beginning to recognise not only our cost, but the technical and operational value we can deliver.
groupLTT: What role does collaboration within GroupLTT play in delivering that value?
Sanjeev Prabhu: It plays a central role. LIZIndia benefits greatly from collaboration with GroupLTT companies. Our goal is to bring innovative practices, technical methods and international experience into the Indian context, adapting them to local needs.
The recent creation of the Innovation Committee is a good example. It is a platform for sharing ideas, best practices and solutions that can be implemented across group companies. When we collaborate better, we create better business opportunities, reduce duplication and increase our ability to respond to global clients.
groupLTT: LIZIndia recently went through a rebranding process. What did this change represent?
Sanjeev Prabhu: For me, it was one of the best things to have happened to LIZIndia and to GroupLTT. At a time when global changes are evident, it is highly strategic for us to present ourselves with a common brand, one that is more visible and stronger before the international industrial community.
The rebranding helps us show that we are part of a larger force. Internally, it reinforces the sense of belonging to the group. Externally, it gives the market greater clarity about the scale, capability and ambition of GroupLTT. I believe this decision will bring significant benefits in the coming years.
groupLTT: Looking ahead, where do you see the biggest opportunities for LIZIndia to support more sustainable and efficient industrial operations?
Sanjeev Prabhu: We see very strong opportunities in technology applied to maintenance and asset integrity. The use of drones for inspection, surveillance and logistics will gain importance. Artificial intelligence-based predictive maintenance solutions will also have a relevant impact in India, because they can help clients anticipate failures, reduce shutdowns and improve the efficiency of their assets.
We are also moving forward with Asset Integrity & Management solutions for concrete jetties in ports and naval docks. These are critical infrastructures, often exposed to aggressive environments and with growing needs for monitoring, repair and life extension. Our ambition is to be present in these areas with robust, technically solid solutions aligned with clients’ priorities.
groupLTT: What message would you like to leave for partners who will meet GroupLTT at upcoming international events?
Sanjeev Prabhu: The message is that the potential within GroupLTT is very strong. We have companies with deep knowledge, experienced teams and presence in different geographies. What we need is to collaborate more and more, share best practices, align strategies and transform this collective knowledge into concrete opportunities.
LIZIndia is ready to actively contribute to that vision. We have scale, experience in critical sectors, a safety culture, execution capability and openness to innovation. Our objective is simple: to be a preferred partner for clients, employees, the community and shareholders, creating value consistently and sustainably.
