For manufacturers, getting the right steel at the right time can make all the difference. A delayed delivery or the wrong grade of material can hold up production and affect customer orders. Dhananjay Goel and Vedant Goel saw this problem up close—and in 2024, they set out to make steel procurement easier with Enlight Metals.
The idea grew out of the founders’ different experiences. Dhananjay began his entrepreneurial journey in 2007, co-founding IT company AS Alpha Logic. He helped grow it to more than 500 people, and the company was listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange in 2019. Vedant, meanwhile, brought 12 years of experience in the steel industry and now looks after sales and delivery at Enlight Metals.
Together, they saw how much time manufacturers spent finding suppliers, comparing prices and coordinating deliveries. Enlight Metals was built to bring those steps together through technology and a network of suppliers.
Bringing Steel Closer to Customers
Enlight Metals follows a satellite sourcing model, supported by regional dark stores that keep frequently needed materials closer to customers. The company currently has locations in Pune, Mumbai and Raipur, with Indore and Hyderabad planned.
The aim is straightforward: help manufacturers get the right material, in the right specification, without having to wait through a long procurement process. The company’s 24-hour delivery model is designed around that need.
Dhananjay said Enlight Metals closed the previous year with around ₹400 crore in annual revenue and has raised $1.5 million from a US-based investor.
Using Technology to Understand What Customers Need
Steel procurement is not one-size-fits-all. Different manufacturers need different grades and specifications depending on what they make. Enlight Metals uses customer patterns and requirements to help identify the right material and plan stock accordingly.
Customers can submit their requirements through one platform, where the company matches them with suitable suppliers. The aim is to cut down the time spent collecting quotations and coordinating with multiple vendors.
The company supplies a range of products, including steel, ferro products, slotted angles, cable trays and GI products. According to the founders, Enlight Metals has served more than 500 customers in around a year and a half, including businesses in the automotive and industrial sectors.
Earning Trust in a Traditional Industry
Moving procurement onto a technology platform has not been an overnight change. Many customers were used to handling orders through phone calls, email and WhatsApp. The founders said the team worked closely with customers as they got familiar with the platform and saw the time and cost savings it could offer.
The business also has to manage the financial demands of steel, a high-value product category with thin margins. And because delivery is central to its promise, supplier reliability matters just as much as speed. Enlight Metals said it introduced supplier checks and verification processes before confirming orders.
The founders reported that 95–96% of deliveries are completed within 24 hours.
Growing Across Customers, Regions and Products
Enlight Metals wants to increase its OEM customer base from more than 500 to around 1,500 in the current financial year. It has expanded beyond Maharashtra into Chhattisgarh, Gujarat and Karnataka, and is adding more products to its portfolio.
The company has started value-added manufacturing for products such as cable trays, slotted angles and GI strips. It is also exploring categories including alloy steel, copper and aluminium.
Vedant said the company is looking at backward integration as well, with the aim of supplying raw materials to steel manufacturers. The founders see this as another way to build on their existing customer and supplier relationships.
Building an AI-Driven Trade House
For Dhananjay and Vedant, the long-term goal is to make Enlight Metals an AI-driven trade house for India. They believe technology can help the company understand what customers need, connect those requirements with suppliers and distribute products more efficiently.
The vision is to expand across the country and work toward delivering materials nationwide within 24 hours—bringing a faster, more organised procurement experience to an industry that has traditionally relied on manual coordination and multiple vendor relationships.
Interview By : Palak
