aluplast is a reputable name in India’s UPVC doors and windows market. The brand has over 40 years of experience in the field and has earned its goodwill by providing premium-grade doors and windows that are energy-efficient, recyclable, sustainable and durable. The company is mindful of not only its customers but also the environment at large, therefore, they engage in responsible manufacturing practices that minimise environmental harm. In this edition of Expert Talk with BuildingandInteriors, Ravi Balakrishnan, Managing Director, aluplast India, talks about the company’s dedication to investing in India despite challenges, the brand’s product quality and how the dynamics of UPVC doors and windows market influences the brand.
B&I: aluplast is a leading player in the UPVC doors and windows space in the Indian market. How do you see the demand for sustainability influence your business growth?
Ravi Balakrishnan: The Indian market continues to have robust growth and the inventory levels in the major 7 cities have come down; this is encouraging the builders to launch new projects. As sustainability becomes a priority in construction, UPVC will gain traction for its properties of energy efficiency, durability and recyclability. We expect strong double-digit growth in the market for the next 1-2 years.
B&I: How do you see the growth projections, especially in tier-2 and tier-3 cities?
Ravi Balakrishnan: Tier-2 and tier-3 cities are becoming growth hubs with rising construction activities and an aspirational customer base. Having said that, most of the reputed builders are still focusing on large metros due to rapid urbanization. As a premium brand, we are still working with big builders and our penetration into smaller towns remains limited.
B&I: Like many product categories in the building materials market in India, UPVC doors and windows market is a price-sensitive one. How do you see this aspect of the market dynamics?
Ravi Balakrishnan: The Indian UPVC doors and windows market is highly price-sensitive, driven by cost-conscious consumers. This allows for cheap imports, the production of profiles with low-quality materials, etc. There is no quick fix, till the government steps in and makes regulations to ensure minimum quality levels. However, there’s a growing shift towards value perception, durability, energy efficiency, and sustainability. To navigate this, aluplast has made a long-term commitment to the Indian market and despite the above challenges continues to invest in India with increased production. We are now able to offer more aggressive prices in the market. Reputed builders with a commitment to quality and timelines are now shifting towards aluplast, which is in the best interest of their project.
B&I: Standardisation is an area that needs more attention. Associations like UDMA are important. What is your opinion on standardisation and its implementation?
Ravi Balakrishnan: Standardisation is crucial for the growth and credibility of UPVC doors and windows market in India. It ensures consistency in quality, performance, and safety, vital for gaining customer trust and expanding the market. However, this is another area where we have not made much progress. Indian market continues to struggle with a lack of regulation and standardisation. There is huge potential for optimisation in all aspects of window making with standardisation. So, associations like UDMA play a pivotal role by setting benchmarks, promoting awareness and advocating for uniform standards across the industry.
B&I: What is aluplast’s message for the architect community in India? What support system do you provide to architects to ease their working in the fenestration area?
Ravi Balakrishnan: At aluplast, we view architects as key partners in redefining modern living spaces. Our objective is to empower them with innovative, sustainable, versatile solutions that enable them to bring their design vision to life while meeting the demand for energy efficiency, aesthetics and functionality.
Key messages to architects:
- aluplast is offering a green product with a low carbon footprint which is fully recyclable. It is also important to keep in mind the thermal & acoustic performance of the window while making the purchase decision. Overall energy savings that can be achieved with aluplast UPVC products are huge.
- We have more than 40 years of experience worldwide and can offer excellent technical support and access to visualization software to architects who are interested in making window design and drawings.
B&I: Developers and builders have been focusing on premium projects as there’s demand buoyancy in this segment. Is that also translating into better business environment for Aluplast?
Ravi Balakrishnan: Yes and no, while there is a significant increase in the project enquires the conversion rate is still not good enough. There is too much cost focus while finalizing the order and at the end of the day, there will always be a cheaper alternative available. It is important that builders adhere to strict qualification criteria before making the cost comparisons.
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