Rama Krishnan

Postgraduate in Chemistry with 17 years of experience across Research & Development, Quality Assurance & Quality Control, colour coatings, AAC/building materials, calcium silicate boards and asbestos/fiber-cement products. Experienced in QA/QC leadership, product and process development, laboratory setup, BIS/ISO documentation, raw-material and finished-product testing, cost-reduction trials, customer technical support, vendor development, Gemba, 6S and 8D problem solving. Strong track record of leading cross-functional teams, stabilizing processes, developing products and supporting audits and certification requirements.

Lead Quality Manager – QA/QC - BirlaNU Limited - Chennai

(2025-08)

Lead overall QA/QC activities and coordinate with R&D for new plant trials. Monitor product quality and batches, collect quality data, and implement/monitor quality plans. Lead team building and day-to-day quality activities; coordinate third-party AAC block testing as per IS and ITP requirements. Develop laboratory setup in line with BIS standards and ITP requirements, including incoming raw-material controls. Manage BIS & ISO documentation for new and modified production processes.

• Reduced binder consumption (cement and lime) to 5.2%, achieving reported cost savings of Rs. 120/CBM.
• Stabilized second-line production at approximately 580 CUM/day through process-parameter control.
• Successfully completed BIS License Surveillance Audit.

Manager – Quality, R&D Central Lab - Visaka Industries Limited - Vijayawada

(2024-05 - 2025-07)

Led QA/QC activities and new R&D laboratory setup and plant trials. Monitored product quality and batches; managed BIS & ISO documentation for new and modified processes. Provided technical support to production and marketing, including customer complaint handling. Introduced new test methods and drove raw-material specifications; maintained Gemba and plant standards. Planned manpower utilization, skill requirements and training activities.

• Reduced and maintained process net loss at 1.25% and day GSR at 0.28%.
• Successfully completed BIS License Surveillance Audit.
• Developed a centralized R&D laboratory setup for asbestos-fiber strength testing.

Senior Manager – QA/QC & R&D - Magicrete Building Solutions - Gujarat

(2022-09 - 2024-04)

Led QA/QC and R&D for epoxy tile grout and dry-mix products across three plants. Managed pilot- and large-scale trials, formulation modification/localization, and production-process improvement. Evaluated raw-material performance, suitability, availability and cost; developed new vendors and conducted vendor audits.

Provided technical support to production and marketing and handled customer complaints. Developed in-house test facilities aligned with IS 2185:1984, IS 15477:2019 and IS 6072:1971.

• Reduced binder consumption (cement and lime) to 5%, with reported cost savings of Rs. 13/CBM.
• Formulated tile-grout shades to match different coloured tiles.
• Supported third-party fire testing of AAC wall panels and blocks to IS 3809 and IS 6441.
• Stabilized AAC product recipes/process parameters at Wada plant and supported new BIS licensing for the Wada/Palghar plant.

Product Engineer – R&D - Ramco Industries Limited - Chennai

(2017-05 - 2022-08)

Developed products using different cement, silica and fiber combinations; studied FSU values of natural and synthetic fibers including PVA and Recron. Released new furnish notes and bulk-production raw-material percentages in ERP. Monitored pilot- and large-scale batches, analyzed competitor samples and established benchmarks.

Modified/localized formulations and production processes while balancing performance, suitability, availability and cost. Supported erection and commissioning of a lightweight false-ceiling tile plant from the engineering side.

• Developed low-density false-ceiling tile and partition panel products with high fire rating and low noise (NRC).
• Reduced false-ceiling tile density from 1.31 g/cc to 0.360 g/cc.
• Developed lightweight partition wall panels with reported density range of 750–1200 g/cc.
• Formulated paint primer for in-house consumption and developed online colour coatings for asbestos sheets.
• Demonstrated repeatability and reproducibility results with a Russian testing team/supplier.

Executive – QC & R&D - MRF Vapocure Paints - Chennai

(2013-09 - 2017-04)

Handled new product and shade development, cost-reduction trials and customer-specific colour customization. Tested and released raw materials within specification; coordinated rejection, identification and segregation of nonconforming materials. Tested packing materials before unloading, maintained GRN documentation and calibration schedules.

Conducted laboratory trials for new R&D formulations and evaluated physical and chemical properties. Controlled the first three bulk batches in production with technical guidance.

• Reduced strainer-volume usage by directly adding pigments to the mill base for shade matching, including Harvest Green and Passion Yellow.

Officer – QA/QC - Nippon Paint (India) Pvt. Ltd. - Chennai

(2010-06 - 2013-08)

Tested and released raw materials, packing materials and finished goods against specifications. Managed rejection identification/segregation, test records, sample retention and documentation. Performed packing-material checks before unloading and maintained GRN and SAP posting records. Calibrated instruments at regular intervals and carried out finished-product testing using approved procedures. Cross-checked filling weights as per ABC analysis.

M.Sc. - Chemistry - Muthurangam Government Arts & Science College (2005 - 2010)

H.Sc. / S.S.L.C. - Maths & Biology Group - Don Bosco Higher Secondary School (1998 - 2005)