Rajeev Gupta Business Head ECMAS Construction Chemicals Pvt. Ltd. www.ecmas.in

The ECMAS Group is a multi-brand conglomerate that produces a broad range of construction chemicals, unsaturated polyester resins and speciality chemicals. With innovation, quality, flexibility and R&D, the ECMAS Group not just provides the market with products and services but innovates for their customers to improve their process, their end product and often, their bottom line. Mr. Rajeev Gupta, Business Head, ECMAS Construction Chemicals Pvt. Ltd., in conversation with CE&CR, shares his views on the innovative technologies, growing demands, future prospects and much more.

CE&CR: ECMAS’ diversified and innovative range of chemical solutions is well known in the industry. What is your approach toward R&D?
Rajeev Gupta: Being one of the leading manufacturers of chemical solutions and products for construction, we work closely with the industry. ECMAS offers broad spectrum of end-to-end solutions for modern high-rise structures, industrial and infrastructure projects. Our products include Admixtures for high-performance concrete and SCC, a wide variety of Waterproofing solutions, Repair & Strengthening solutions, Floorings, Sealants, Adhesives, Thermal insulation, Protective coatings, Synthetic structural fibres, meeting specific project requirements and enhancing durability of construction.

ECMAS is a research and technology driven company where innovation is key success factor. Our continuous focus is on offering eco-friendly and green products to our customers promoting sustainable construction. We emphasize and invest heavily on developing and acquiring new technologies to deliver innovative solutions. We are working in close associations with renowned industry experts, research institutes and laboratories to offer budget friendly, yet technically superior solutions to our clients. We are on a constant look out for emerging market requirements of the industry and keep ourselves updated to deliver the need specific quality solutions. We observe more than 70% of our turnover through our innovations and new products.

CE&CR: How do you see the market for Repair and Strengthening products in recent years?
Rajeev Gupta: The deterioration to concrete structures is occurring at an alarming rate globally. It is an established fact that even if the structural design abides by all the specific building codes like the concrete quality, cover etc., there is still a high risk of deterioration of concrete and corrosion of steel reinforcement. Steel corrosion is the most severe cause of deterioration of reinforced concrete that can create cracks, spalling of the concrete cover, reduces the effective cross section area of the reinforcement and may lead to collapse of the structures if not addressed in time.

In the current situation, more than 40% of the highway/rail bridges are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete or both need immediate actions to improve the service life and performance level. A huge no. of other infrastructure, building and industrial structures need structural enhancement, repairs and retrofitting every year.

No country whether developed, developing can afford to demolish all the weak and old structures and reconstruct new one as it is economically not viable and it leads to huge wastage of national resources and money. Therefore, the demand and market for repairs, strengthening and retrofitting solutions is growing at a rapid rate over the last two decades. The main objective of any repair/rehabilitation or strengthening work is to enhance the performance of the structure, extend the service life or increase the load carrying capacity.

CE&CR: ECMAS strives for continuous innovation. Given that, what are the new and unique technologies ECMAS is offering to Repair and Retrofitting applications?
Rajeev Gupta: There is an increasing demand for high performance solutions that supports sustainability, overall systems cost reduction, and reduced project delivery time. A variety of construction chemicals and advanced materials ranging from concrete admixtures to polymer composites are increasingly being used in the buildings and construction industry. Many benefits including enhanced performance & integrity and overall systems cost reduction accrue to a construction or building project by using these solutions. Although, ECMAS offers a very wide range of repair solutions including High Strength Mortars, Micro Concrete, Rust Removers, Protective Coatings, Bonding Agents, variety of Injections, etc. but ECMAS WBD solutions and FRCM Technology are two very unique solutions introduced by ECMAS to the Indian Construction Industry.

We have recently added a wide range of locally manufactured Polyurethane Injections to effectively control heavy water leaks and handle challenging situations in underground constructions which received an encouraging response from the clients.

CE&CR: Can you little elaborate about these technologies? What are the unique features?
Rajeev Gupta: ECMAS WBD Solutions – Plastering and Waterproofing in one step. ECMAS WBD Solutions are extremely waterproof, breathable and drying plasters which act as strong waterproof barrier; while staying breathable at the same time. Proprietary WBD Component is the key component that ensures waterproof characteristic of the product. ECMAS WBD Systems offers a permanent waterproofing solution by eliminating the problems of water penetration, dampness, efflorescence, etc. The plaster is produced from natural materials and does not contain any harmful or inflammable ingredients and it is environment friendly, making it suitable in both new constructions and for repair projects for applications like waterproofing of Basements, Water tanks, UG Sumps/STPs, Wet Areas, External Walls, etc.

Advantages
⦁ 100% Waterproof
⦁ Breathable – Air and Vapor permeable allowing trap moisture to evaporate
⦁ Dehumidifying – drying out the internal/entrapped moisture
⦁ It is possible to apply to wet surfaces
⦁ Prevention against salt crystallization/efflorescence
⦁ It can be applied manually (trowel) or with a spray applicator
⦁ No need for additional waterproofing membranes or protection plasters
⦁ Excellent cohesion and bonding strength with Concrete and Brick Masonry

FRCM Technology – now a days externally-bonded fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) systems have become one of the preferred technologies for repair and retrofitting of concrete and masonry. FRP systems have features such as high tensile strength, light weight, relative ease & flexibility of installation, and resistance to corrosion, etc. However, FRP also has limitations, which can preclude their use in many critical applications. For instance, high temperatures compromise the efficiency of FRP systems, conventional FRP system using Carbon Fiber reinforced with Epoxy Resin make them not suitable for UV exposed or Fire rated applications. So, in the event of a fire, the FRP system degrades rapidly as the resin binder loses its chemical, physical and mechanical properties. Also, FRP applications are limited on moist/wet surfaces or at low temperatures and FRP systems typically act as a vapor barrier.

These drawbacks are all related to the epoxy matrix used to embed and bond the fibers. Thus, substituting the epoxy matrix with a cementitious matrix appeared to be the most reasonable solution to improve the overall performance of externally-bonded composite systems.

FRCM is externally bonded Composite Systems for strengthening of Concrete and Masonry Structures using PBO reinforcement with cementitious matrix. This new generation of composite systems is known as fabric reinforced cementitious matrix (FRCM). FRCM developed as an evolution of ferro-cement, where the mortar matrix is reinforced with open meshes of continuous dry fibers.

Main advantages of FRCM in comparison to FRP –
⦁ Fire resistant – Class A like concrete and mortar
⦁ Ductile failure and not brittle (like steel reinforced concrete)
⦁ Moisture/humidity resistant
⦁ High temperature resistant
⦁ High performance composite (like FRP)
⦁ Easy and faster application
⦁ ACI 549 design guidelines available for FRCM

CE&CR: What precautionary issues that should be considered while handling and using the chemicals? How should the chemicals be stored?
Rajeev Gupta: Now days, there is growing concern over associated risks and health hazards of using chemicals. One of the biggest challenges to protecting construction workers from chemical injury is building awareness. While protective gear and protocols shall always be followed while handling and using chemicals that have an immediate physiological impact, workers also need to be educated about long-term health risks to exposure and unsafe work practices are equally hazardous. To ensure safety at construction site and to reduce chemical exposure, contractors should ensure that each of their worker has undertaken the adequate amount of training for safety protocols.

As a general practices, all persons working at the project sites and handling chemicals shall wear proper mandatory PPE specially when working with chemicals specially with spray applied Polyurethane Foam Insulation, Polyurea, Polyurethane and Epoxy products.

Generally, appropriate PPE for high pressure applications includes chemical-resistant gloves, protective clothing, eye and face protection and respiratory protection. The specific types of PPE may vary depending on the conditions at the jobsite, such as whether the application takes place indoors or outdoors, the amount of ventilation, the specific components of the chemicals, etc.

Chemical Handling and Storage at Construction Sites – Safe storage of chemicals at construction sites is very important. Improper storage or exposure to environmental extremes may make the products unusable much before their designed shelf life.

1. All construction chemicals shall be delivered to the jobsite in the manufacturer’s original unopened containers with legible labels and shall be protected from weather, sun and moisture.
2. Most chemicals shall be stored in covered and cool environment protecting from direct sunlight, temperature extremes and moisture. Do not allow solvent containing materials to be exposed to high temperatures, open flames or sparks.
3. Store liquid materials in their original undamaged containers in a clean, dry, protected location within the recommended storage temperatures.
4. Follow manufacturer’s recommendations and material handling and storage specifications.
5. Empty bags/containers shall be properly disposed promptly after use.

CE&CR: How has pandemic affected the construction industry growth? Is there any expected revival and more so, renewed growth expected from the Indian Construction Industry?
Rajeev Gupta: In the recent scenario, there is hardly any sector or place that has not been impacted or damaged by the COVID-19 pandemic. Almost all commercial, economic and social activities have suffered from the COVID-19 pandemic. Construction and engineering industries are no different, they have also suffered from this crisis. COVID has severely disrupted the entire value chain system. Availability of Construction materials and price inflation, labour shortages, transportation & supply chain disruptions and financial problems became major issues. The lack of timely execution of projects due to lockdowns and labour shortages contributed to cost overruns, significant delays and even the cancellation of projects. The cancellation and stalling of projects directly impacted the MSMEs.

But now construction industry has learnt to live and manage with this situation and is recovering rapidly. There has been great momentum and good demand from infrastructure and government sectors over last 6-9 months driving the growth of construction industry. Similarly, repair, retrofitting, rehabilitation and renovation projects are supporting this.

In response to the crisis, we witnessed a steady rise of start-ups creating technology enabled solutions for design, construction management, client management, material procurement & inventory management and sales.

Business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce platforms, contactless commerce is slowly becoming the norm as building material manufacturers and suppliers are adopting digital channels and opening direct to consumer (D2C) channels. 

Mr. Prashant Jha Chief – Ready-Mix Concrete Nuvoco Vistas Corp. Ltd. www.nuvoco.in

Nuvoco is a leading cement player in India and the largest cement company in East India in terms of capacity, following the acquisition of Nu Vista Limited (formerly Emami Cement Limited), offering various brands of cement such as ‘Concreto’, ‘Duraguard’, ‘Nirmax’, ‘Double Bull’, and ‘Infracem’. Today, Nuvoco offers a diversified business portfolio under three business segments, namely, Cement, Ready-Mix Concrete (RMX) and Modern Building Materials (MBM). Mr. Prashant Jha, Chief – Ready-Mix Concrete in conversation with CE&CR, shares his views on their latest product.

CE&CR: What are the specifications of Concreto CWT Plus?
Prashant Jha: Concreto CWT Plus is a high performance water resistant concrete. It ensures the water tightness by reducing permeability and healing micro cracks of concrete. Concreto CWT Plus has unique active chemicals, which react with the moisture within the concrete and with various products of the cement hydration process. As a result of this reaction insoluble crystalline compounds are created throughout the entire capillary system. Over time crystalline formations reduce the size of the capillary pores until they are completely blocked and water flow is stopped.

Mechanism of Concreto CWT Plus –

• Generally, water travels through the capillaries formed in the concrete or micro cracks on to the surface of the
• Concreto CWT Plus have new generation crystalline water proofing Whenever water penetrate in the concrete it starts reacting with concrete chemicals and generate complex crystalline matrix. It fills the capillaries and stop the water permanently.
• Concreto CWT Plus can also fill the concrete micro cracks up to 5mm thickness.

CE&CR: What are the construction challenges addressed by Concreto CWT Plus?
Prashant Jha: Concrete is one of the most versatile and widely-used construction materials on earth. It is strong, durable, low maintenance, simple to use, and can be made to fit any size or shape. However, despite being such a versatile building material Concrete has cracks and Seepage as major problems. If we look into the concrete from the magnitude of micro level pores and capillary could be visible through which water can enter and pass easily. Most of the times the sub-structure or underground constructions are in constant hydrostatic pressure. Water can enter from any weak links like micro cracks in the structure, and travel through already existing pours and capillaries, the pitfall is water dampness and seepages.

Nuvoco’s Construction Development & Innovation Centre (CDIC) identified the genesis of these problems and formulated a watertight concrete solution – “Concreto CWT Plus” packed with globally advanced and proven Crystalline waterproofing technology.

When the water seeps through the concrete pours and micro cracks the specialized additives in CWT Plus gets activated and start forming a complex crystalline matrix. This matrix fills the pores and blocks the capillaries from inside thus stopping water from passing through it. Concreto CWT Plus also seals the (non-structural) micro cracks up to 0.5mm in width.

CE&CR: What is the target market of Concreto CWT Plus and where will the product be available?
Prashant Jha: Concreto CWT Plus is ideal to be used in any underground or sub-structure like basement, retaining walls, rafts, sunken area, slabs, water storage tanks, swimming pools and tunnelling. This product can be used by anybody but we are targeting developers, Individual Home Builders (IHB). The product will be available across India wherever we have our concrete plants.

CE&CR: What is the durability and other features of this product apart from water resistance?
Prashant Jha: Concreto CWT Plus is based on a proven technology of crystalline waterproofing. Once applied, the active ingredients from the waterproofing material penetrate inside the building component and cause a brisk crystal growth. The smallest pores and cracks become filled with crystals and impermeable to capillary water. Crystalline waterproofing actually uses available water to grow crystals inside concrete, effectively closing off pathways for moisture that can damage concrete. They block water from any direction because the concrete itself becomes the water barrier. These needle-like crystals grow until all pores are blocked and no water can penetrate the concrete. The crystalline formula can allow concrete to self-seal hairline cracks up to 0.5 mm, even years after the original construction.

Features of Concreto CWT Plus –

• Provide water tight structure by filling the capillaries and pours by new generation crystalline water proofing
• Can fill concrete micro cracks of width up to 5mm thick
• Improve concrete durability
• Reduce maintenance cost of the structure.

Mr. Paul Wallett
Regional Director – Middle East and India
Trimble Solutions
www.trimble.com

Trimble is developing technology, software and services that drive the digital transformation of construction with solutions that span the entire architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry. Trimble’s innovative approach improves coordination and collaboration between stakeholders, teams, phases and processes. Trimble’s Connected Construction strategy gives users control of their operations with best-in-class solutions and a common data environment. Mr. Paul Wallett, Regional Director, Middle East and India, Trimble Solutions, in conversation with CE&CR, shares his views on high rise constructions, current solutions, software technologies catered for the Indian market and more.

Mckinsey Global Institute reported that to meet the increasing urban demand for residential and commercial space, the Indian economy will have to build between 700 million (70 crore) and 900 million (90 crore) square meters of residential and commercial spaces every year.

CE&CR: What is the current scenario for high-rise in India?

Paul Wallett: In bustling cities’ ground space has become a constraint. The growth of cities has exploded laterally across all directions, leaving the only scope of development to be in the vertical direction. According to the United Nations (UN, 2014), by 2050, about 66% of the world population is projected to be urban. With rapid urbanization and migration to big cities over the past few years there has been an increasing pressure on land and resources, resulting in a massive need for housing. Which is one of the major reasons why we have witnessed a growing popularity of high-rises, to sustain an ever-growing need for living spaces and well as work.

Mckinsey Global Institute reported that to meet the increasing urban demand for residential and commercial space, the Indian economy will have to build between 700 million (70 crore) and 900 million (90 crore) square meters of residential and commercial spaces every year. To meet the growing demand for vertical structures, industry needs innovation and disruption.

With the growing availability of construction technology, India has finally started looking towards adoption of the right technology to construct high-rise structures at a faster rate and quite often, with sustainability at the core of its construction methods.

CE&CR: Which current solutions/technologies are driving the upcoming high-rise buildings? Are there any solutions that are missing and need to reach the Indian market soon?

Paul Wallett: Contemporary building designs pose unprecedented challenges to the structural engineers. As architects and designers push the boundaries of imagination, structural engineers need innovative tools and resources to execute even the most demanding concepts. Take for example the Capital Gate Tower in Abu Dhabi, which is the world’s most inclined tower leaning at 18 degrees. Its engineers created the westward lean, which is four times the inclination of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, using complex diagrid structures. Tekla’s BIM software was used to align these structures geometrically.

Tekla Structures, the flagship product from Trimble’s construction portfolio, has been used across the world to design, detail and fabricate some of the world’s most iconic buildings, both Steel and Concrete. Constructible BIM, which is the underpinning of efficient and effective construction, provides a reliable representation of the actual building using Tekla Structures, and therefore can be used for the owner and design supervisors to check the feasibility of the design rationale and to clarify construction planning even before the construction actually begins. The model incorporates not only the construction geometry of the complex main structure but also the smaller pieces used for work in high places, such as maintenance scaffolding and ladders. Model simulation ensures safety during construction, and it is used for finalizing proper positions and shapes of all elements.

Using BIM data generated during design and build over the whole project lifecycle enables faster, safer, less wasteful construction and more cost-effective, sustainable operation, maintenance and eventual decommissioning. The BIM environment can transcribe the entire lifecycle of a facility from inception to operation and maintenance. BIM input provided by all project partners aids sustainability by pooling technical, operational, construction and manufacturing knowledge enabling design to be value engineered and optimized for every stage of delivery and operation. Collaboration tools enable design changes made while the project definition is still flexible, to be accommodated without cost and time penalties and whenever one party makes a change, all other disciplines are aware and can adapt their input or find an alternative solution. Constructible BIM enables automatic clash detection, eliminating the need for ad-hoc solutions and saving materials, time and cost.

CE&CR: No other project requires collaboration with specialized teams like high-rise buildings do. What are some important solutions that Trimble offers for better collaboration?

Paul Wallett: One of the biggest challenges in construction is the tendency for teams to work in silos. For all project owners, one of the biggest challenges is to make these diverse professionals work together seamlessly, even if they are working at different times and from different locations. Industry insiders know fully well that several problems arise when experts with different perspectives and skills are challenged to collaborate through the construction project.

We, at Trimble, believe that construction needs to be content enabled, connected and constructible. Connected construction breaks down the barriers that create bottlenecks and miscommunication by ensuring everyone is operating from the same playbook and on the same page. In practical terms, connected construction relies on hardware, software, and services to unify the people, processes, and phases involved in each project.

By giving all stakeholders access to a reliable, current, and central source of truth about the project, connected construction facilitates better communication and smoother hand-offs. These improvements, in turn, enable earlier problem detection and resolution, streamlined operations, and faster project delivery.

Cloud-connected collaboration tools available from construction software players like Trimble are changing the way the global construction industry works. For example, Tekla Model Sharing is designed especially for Tekla Structures (the flagship software for constructible BIM) users and it allows them to collaboratively work on Building Information Models. These tools typically provide a centralized, single location for all documents, models, processes, and communications.

Similarly, Trimble Connect is an open collaboration platform for design and construction that connects project stakeholders with the data they need to inform decisions and improve team efficiency. Project stakeholders can share, review, coordinate and comment on data-rich constructible models, schedules and critical project information in real time—reducing costly miscommunication and improving coordination to keep projects on time and in budget.

CE&CR: Green technology is gaining momentum in high rise construction. Can you elaborate on how Trimble’s products enable green construction?

Paul Wallett: Concurrently with 70% of the buildings still needed to be constructed by 2030 to fulfill the expected demand, the Indian construction sector has a unique opportunity for energy efficiency expansion, by building more sustainably. Given that certified green buildings can deliver energy savings between 20-30% and water savings of up to 30-50%, India should attach greater importance to high-performing green buildings, as it strives to reduce greenhouse emissions by 33-35%.

At Trimble, we believe that sustainable decisions need to be made throughout the workflow to really make an impact. Every stakeholder can contribute to the journey towards green building in their own way. One of the most effective ways to achieve sustainable workflows is through adoption of Constructible BIM throughout the project lifecycle. Keeping the different stakeholders connected throughout all phases of a project contributes to increased productivity across the supply chain by streamlining operations, prevention of delays and material wastage, therefore resulting in the fast project completion. Every step of the process where BIM saves time, improves efficiency, enhances design, and reduces errors, provides a quantifiable opportunity for the building’s lifelong environmental impact to be reduced. In this respect, BIM thoroughly supports the entire philosophy behind sustainable construction, and Trimble with its BIM-enabled products and solutions like Tekla Structures, SketchUp and ProjectSight, is at the forefront of enabling sustainable construction.

Trimble has been committed to our motto of “Transforming the way world works” and sustainability has been at the heart of our company. Per the findings of our recent Sustainability Report 2020, Trimble’s array of solutions enable greater accuracy, reduce rework, and increase efficiency, which yield fuel savings estimated to prevent over 7 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually. In construction, Trimble’s solutions have proven to contribute up to 50% less rework, up to 30% cost savings, waste reduction and up to 30% machine productivity and fuel savings. For civil construction, Machine control systems improve accuracy and efficiency of heavy earthmoving equipment, thereby enabling job completion in less time, and using less diesel fuel.

Mr. Ramnath Velamati Former Chairman AP RERA

The growth of the Indian economy has been gradually declining for the past several years on account of many reasons. The COVID pandemic has further impacted the economy of the country in addition to affecting the lives and livelihoods of millions of its citizens.

At this point in time, a focused approach for the revival of the economy is the need of the hour. We have with us Ramnath Velamati, who has recently retired as Chairman, AP Real Estate Regulatory Authority to take us through his opinion as to what should be done to initiate a recovery of the economy. We also seek his inputs on the performance of the Infrastructure, Construction and Real Estate sectors and the way forward to elevate India’s construction sector to the global standards.

CE&CR: Mr. Ramnath, can you take us through your observations of the state of the Indian economy in the past few years and the impact of the pandemic on the construction sector?

Ramnath Velamati: First let me tell that I am not an economist and therefore not the right person to comment on the economy of a country. But as a common man, I am pained to see the plight of the unskilled, not so skilled and the informal working class in the construction, agriculture, MSME and the informal economy going through a difficult period more so during this period of pandemic.

Having said that it is very clear that the economy of a country, state or region has a direct influence on employment of its citizens.

It is therefore imperative that the government address this situation and introduce turnaround strategies on war footing not only to revive the economy but also ensure that every person is employed.

CE&CR: What is the role of the construction sector in the economy of any country?

Ramnath Velamati: From past experiences, we have observed that whenever countries have gone through a cycle of recessionary trends in their respective economies, the construction industry has always been the first segment of the economy to start the process of economic revival. It is the same in the case of India also. The Agriculture, MSME and Construction are the key pillars of the Indian economy contributing to large portion of the GDP in addition to providing employment to millions of workers. Therefore if a proper revival package is introduced, the Infrastructure, Construction and Real Estate sectors will be torchbearers to the revival of the Indian economy. The government has a major role to play in kick starting this revival especially the infrastructure sector. The government will be able to bring much needed cash flows into this sector if it mandates that all pending bills of the contractors be cleared immediately.

CE&CR: What has been your experience as Chairman of a state RERA?

Ramnath Velamati: The Real Estate (Regulation & Development) Act 2016 is one of the finest acts of the government addressing the concerns of home buyer’s across the country and is designed to protect the interests of the home buyers. The sector however comprises of not only large and organized corporate companies but also small and medium real estate firms and organizations who are not ready to adapt to corporate style of functioning. This has caused an initial hesitation among the smaller players but with the completion of 4 years since the Act came into force i.e. 1st May 2017, there is a wider acceptance and compliance.

Having said that, there is an impending need of the sector to upgrade their technologies and standards. Section 14(3) of The Real Estate (Regulation & Development) Act stipulates that the promoters/builders shall guarantee the quality of the buildings in terms of structural defect liability, workmanship and material for a period of 5 years after handing over the building for occupation. This can be achieved by the builders/promoters if they adapt to international practices.

CE&CR: Do you have any suggestions as to how the technology of the construction sector can be brought on par with global standards?

Ramnath Velamati: One of the ways is to create an induced demand for up gradation of technologies and methodologies. The government’s policy in the automobile sector is a fine example of induced demand. By mandating that all automobile engines should conform to BSVI emission norms, the government ensured that world class technologies are adopted. Similarly in the construction space if the government makes it mandatory that all future buildings use pre-cast/pre-engineered/prefabricated/steel framed then it will bring all attention. (Production linked incentive) scheme can be introduced in this sector like a TLI (technology linked incentive) scheme to boost the investment in the industry in advanced technologies and machinery.

CE&CR: There is a regular mention that rapid urbanization that India is going through is likely to result in unplanned growth of our towns and cities and may create urban slums with unhygienic living conditions. Can you throw some light on how this eventuality can be addressed?

Ramnath Velamati: The main reason for people to migrate from rural and semi-urban areas to urban cities and towns is in search of employable opportunities besides an incentive for better education for the children and medical facilities for the elderly and people requiring medical attention. The first step to reduce migration is to create employment opportunities outside the cities. The government can plan to build clusters of economic activity and build integrated townships around the clusters to create a “walk to work” environment. This will be big boost for the construction sector and lead to a healthy contribution to the country’s economy.

CE&CR: The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) has been formulated with an intention of providing “Housing for All”. Do you think that this has helped the construction sector?

Ramnath Velamati: I had the privilege of heading urban housing programme of Andhra Pradesh and I can say that the scheme is an excellent programme. This couple with the ARHC (Affordable Rental Housing Complex) scheme introduced last year will go a long way in providing affordable housing and dormitories to one all including migrant labour.

The government, however, has to insist on technology standardization and material and product standardization to achieve an economy of scale to offer the housing at more affordable costs. The scheme tenure is up to 31st March 2022.

I hope the government will be proactive and extent the scheme to benefit more needy people.

CE&CR: You have just retired as Chairman Of AP RERA. Do you have any plans to contribute further to the Infrastructure, Construction and Real Estate sectors?

Ramnath Velamati: I joined the government service as a lateral entrant after being in private sector for more than 35 years. This combination of private sector business experience and exposure to government systems and procedures have enlightened me to an extent that I am more confident is using my domain knowledge for the betterment of society.

Post retirement I am involved in two activities. As the Managing Trustee of Empower MSME Trust, I have been assigned the task of conducting a “National Demand Assessment Survey” for setting up India’s largest and world class industrial and trade park for the construction industry by government of Punjab.

I am thankful to the Punjab government for having recognized the importance of the construction sector and planning to build a large park to address the needs of the sector. I am sure that the industry will appreciate this initiative by the government of Punjab and support this unique park.

Further I have promoted a new company Digital Roof 4.0 to partake in the transformation of the construction sector to the global standards of Industry 4.0.

Digital Roof 4.0 as the name indicates is attempt to bring in buildings (Roof) which digital technologies to meet the global standards

Mr. Sandeep Mathur
India CE Brand Leader,
CASE India

CASE Construction Equipment sells and supports a full line of construction equipment worldwide, including the No. 1 loader/backhoes, excavators, motor graders, wheel loaders, and more. Through CASE dealers, customers have access to a true professional partner with world-class equipment and aftermarket support, industry-leading warranties and flexible financing. Mr. Sandeep Mathur, India CE Brand Leader, CASE India, in conversation with CE&CR, shares his views on loaders’ demand, trends, production in India, and more.

Civil Engineering and Construction Review: Do you think the Indian earthmoving equipment market has evolved to global norms on both sides of the value chain, demand and supply?

Sandeep Mathur:  The Indian earthmoving equipment market has evolved a lot in the past couple of years, along with the various parameters that affect the demand and supply in this sector. Recently, the government announced several projects with NHAI that will generate demand for this equipment. 7,000 projects have been identified under the National Infrastructure Pipeline, projecting a Rs. 111 lakh crore investment during 2020-25. To complement this, the government is taking steps and announcing policies so that India becomes a manufacturing hub, ensuring that there are no supply chain gaps in fulfilling the generated demand. The Indian construction equipment market is projected to cross $4.7 billion by 2025 on anticipated growth in the construction industry, increasing foreign investments, and the rising number of smart city projects. The Indian market has evolved considerably in the past and continues to do so.

CE&CR: What is your opinion about the current market scenario of the earthmoving equipment segment? What will spur demand for earthmoving equipment in the upcoming years?

Sandeep Mathur:  The pandemic has slowed down all businesses and markets, including the earthmoving equipment sector. However, due to various government initiatives, the sector is opening up now and heading towards recovery.

The Ministry has permitted building 34,800 km of national highways in 5 years with an expected cost of Rs. 5.35 lakh crore in Phase-I of Bharatmala Pariyojana, and the NHAI has been mandated to build 27,500 km. The Ministry is also working to reduce arbitration cases and has eased the land acquisition process. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has hinted towards the incoming of more projects in the Rs. 111 lakh crore National Infrastructure Pipeline. We’re hopeful that such initiatives will boost the sector and have a positive effect on equipment demand as well.

CE&CR: Which major sectors and projects are you currently associated with, where your earthmoving equipment are used?

Sandeep Mathur:  At CASE, our diverse product portfolio, consisting of Backhoe Loaders, Compactors, Skid Steer Loaders, Graders and Crawler Dozers allows us to be associated with various sectors. Road and highway construction, quarrying, mining, agriculture, urban infrastructure and recycling are some of the sectors where our products are used. As far as projects are concerned, Sagarmala, Bharatmala, Pradhan Mantri gram Sadak Yojna and Trilateral Highway (India-Myanmar-Thailand Highway) are a few prestigious projects where our machines are currently deployed.

At CASE, we believe in creating quality products that increase efficiency and enhance productivity for our customers.

CE&CR: What role will the latest technology trends play in the Atmanirbhar India initiative’s success, which aims to transform India into a self-sufficient manufacturing power?

Sandeep Mathur:  Technology will play a crucial role in revolutionizing the manufacturing industry in India. To develop smart manufacturing processes, we’ll need to adopt advanced technologies like IoT, automation, etc., which reduce downtime and increase productivity and efficiency. Industry 4.0 brings this revolution by combining traditional processes with digital tools to create smart and effective solutions. However, it’s difficult to predict the adoption of new technology in a country like India. Unlike the west, we do have challenges in terms of adequate training and education. And, we’re positive that these challenges can be tackled and the country’s vision to become a manufacturing hub can come to fruition.

CE&CR: Where do you see your earthmoving equipment with regards to ‘Design in India’ and ‘Engineer in India’ and ‘Make in India’?

Sandeep Mathur:  The Make in India movement has gained prominence over the last few months due to the pandemic. However, at CASE, we already have a world-class manufacturing plant in Pithampur, where we’ve been locally producing our construction equipment range. Our plant has recently been certified Bronze Level in the World Class Manufacturing (WCM) program. WCM is one of the global manufacturing industry’s highest standards for integrating manufacturing plants and processes. Products from our plant are also exported to the markets of Africa, South East Asia, Russia, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Middle East countries. We’ve always believed in the potential of our country and will continue to do so.

CE&CR: How would you analyze the role of Industry 4.0 in the new normal with the COVID-19 outbreak?

Sandeep Mathur:  Technological advancement is an essential part of the CE industry and now even more so. Currently, digitalization is bringing the fourth industrial revolution, aka Industry 4.0. It is combining traditional manufacturing with digital tools to allow collaboration in real-time. Industry 4.0 will take simply the day to day work. According to a report by Mckinsey, by harnessing industry 4.0 tools like IoT, AI and automation, processes will see 30 to 50% reduction in machine downtime; 15 – 30% improvement in labour productivity; 10 to 30% increase in throughput; and 10 to 20% decrease in the cost of quality. Industry 4.0 will enable us to decrease labour dependency and create smart and intuitive products for the future with higher efficiency productivity and low downtime.

Mr. Sandeep Mathur
India CE Brand Leader,
CASE India

CASE Construction Equipment sells and supports a full line of construction equipment worldwide, including the No. 1 loader/backhoes, excavators, motor graders, wheel loaders, and more. Through CASE dealers, customers have access to a true professional partner with world-class equipment and aftermarket support, industry-leading warranties and flexible financing. Mr. Sandeep Mathur, India CE Brand Leader, CASE India, in conversation with CE&CR, shares his views on loaders’ demand, trends, production in India, and more.

Civil Engineering and Construction Review: Tell us about the key developments and trends being witnessed in the loader market.

Sandeep Mathur: The market for loaders is linked very closely to activity levels in the construction and infrastructure sector. Currently, the government has announced multitudes of projects for the construction sector to fasten the sector’s speed. According to Off-Highway Research Report on Backhoe loaders, the demand for BHL is expected to recover to 42,000 units during 2021-2023. It will continue to remain the largest selling construction equipment. The recently announced economic stimulus related to the construction sector will help in bolstering the demand further. Additionally, easy clearances of projects and fast project completion will help bring back this sector on track and increase equipment demand. We are hopeful that post this pandemic, we will see more growth in this specific sector of equipment.

CE&CR: The automotive industry is seeing an increasing number of explorations in the ‘nano’ or ‘mini’ segment. So can we expect the same from the loader industry in India? Sandeep Mathur: Backhoe loaders are used in various industries such as construction, agriculture, mining, and other infrastructure activities. And mini equipment, due to their compact design, enables several construction activities even in narrow places, including landscaping, breaking asphalt, light transportation of building materials, powering building equipment, small demolitions, digging holes, excavation, and paving roads. Population growth and rapid urbanization are further leading to the growth of the compact construction industry. Compact construction equipment has the key advantage of being low-cost, lightweight, and easy to transport and run.

As far as the loader industry is concerned, Off-highway research predicted that there will be a 13 per cent growth in 2021, 12 per cent in 2022 and 11 per cent in 2023 to reach 42,000 units. Additionally, as the number of projects related to highways, roads and reconstruction by the government is increasing, it can be presumed that the loader industry will see a fair share of demand for the mini equipment as well.

CE&CR: What is your vision for loaders for 2020-21? Express your views about the future of the backhoe loader segment.

Sandeep Mathur: Backhoe loader is the most popular construction equipment sold in India. They are efficient machines that are built to take on multiple tasks in different terrains and conditions. Off-Highway Research forecasted backhoe loader demand to decline 32 per cent to 27,000 units in 2020, primarily due to the lockdown caused by Covid-19 but is expected to recover to 42,000 units during 2021-2023. Hence, it will continue to remain the largest selling construction equipment.

Additionally, we see a lot of demand and positive projections coming from the government’s end for the BHL segment. NHAI has identified 1,500 km of road projects to boost coastal connectivity. This will further boost the sector with immense opportunities.

Additionally, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has hinted towards the announcement of more projects in the Rs.111 lakh crore National Infrastructure Pipeline. MoRTH has set a target to build 12,000 km of highways for this current financial year and has ensured that it will reduce arbitration cases’ build-up. As the road and infrastructure sector’s announcements are increasing, we are hopeful these will help in successfully increasing the market demand for the Backhoe loader segment.

CE&CR: Is there any segment in the construction equipment space that you are planning to explore? Please share your views on that.

Sandeep Mathur: At CASE, we are always working towards new ventures and enhancing our machines for the consumers. Following the same philosophy, we recently launched our CX220C excavator in the market for our customers’ use.

At present, the excavator market is roughly 25,000 units. In India, 20-tonne excavators hold 60 % of the overall size of its market. We introduced our first product in the 22-tonne range, the premium range within the 20-tonne excavator market. The 22-ton excavator is specially designed for the Indian terrain and delivers faster cycle times and higher productivity. The CX220C is available in both Standard & Long Undercarriage. It hosts a range of Fuel Saving features, advanced telematics and robust structures making it a suitable workhorse for tough Indian working conditions. So currently, we’re focusing on our product and the excavator segment in the CE space.

Mr. Manish Handa Business Head – Earthmoving & Road Equipment Division Action Construction Equipment Ltd.

ACE Is India’s leading material handling and construction equipment manufacturing company with a consolidated presence in all major Infrastructure, construction, heavy engineering and industrial projects across India. Mr.  Manish  Handa, Business Head – Earthmoving & Road Equipment Division, Action Construction Equipment Ltd., in conversation with CE&CR, shares his views on earthmoving equipment’s demand, trends, production in India, and more.

Civil Engineering and Construction Review: What is your opinion about the current market scenario of the earthmoving equipment segment? What will spur demand for earthmoving equipment in the impending years?

Manish Handa: COVID has been an unprecedented crisis and has severed a dent in the Indian economy in a major way, as also for the Civil Engineering industry. The first quarter of FY 20-21 bore the brunt of the negative impact of COVID. However, we have seen some traction in the last 2 months, i.e., Jun-Jul 2020, which may be a factor of the pent-up demand. Q3 of FY 20-21 will be crucial and the demand revival will depend on the Government push for infrastructure spend. We are getting positive indicators as the Government is pushing the on-going projects for timely execution. Overall, we feel that the industry may show a positive growth graph from Jan 2021 onwards (YoY basis).

After agriculture, the construction, infrastructure and real estate segments are the second-largest employment providers in the country. The infrastructure and construction sectors are key drivers for propelling development of the Indian economy and the intense focus of the Government for initiating supportive policies, including their edict of ‘atmanirbhar Bharat’ would surely ensure timely creation of world-class infrastructure in the country. This will certainly augur well for the CE industry.

CE&CR: Which major sectors and projects are you currently associated with, where your earthmoving equipment are used?

Manish Handa: Backhoe Loader is a versatile machine, which serves a diverse range of applications across various sectors. Its remarkably compact size is aesthetically designed to move easily across rough terrains, construction sites and roads. Backhoes save a lot of time as this multi-purpose equipment can easily perform various operations such as digging, grading, dozing, clamping, back dragging, filling, loading and levelling at construction sites and the operator doesn’t need to switch between different pieces of equipment, making Backhoe Loader a perfect machine for rugged terrains.

Besides performing the above mentioned basic tasks, they can also do jobs like ditches, laying pipes, planting underground cables or laying the foundation for buildings and drainage systems. If an augur is attached to the Backhoe, it can be used to drill holes for planting trees, signages and fencing projects in different variety of soils. A bucket can be joined for cleaning the ditch on the rear and an Asphalt cutter can be attached to the backhoe to repair roads. Similarly, various others attachments can be easily fixed in Backhoes for performing a number of various other tasks.

CE&CR: To what extent can the earthmoving equipment factories be called ‘Smart’? What role will latest technology trends play in the success of Atmanirbhar India initiative, which aims to transform India into a self-sufficient manufacturing power?

Manish Handa: Investment in automation is an on-going process to improve productivity and consistency. Our organisation has always been pro-active in this regard and has been following the path of automation, and upgrading thereof, wherever possible. We would continue to do the same.

Large auto manufacturers across the globe are already dabbling with technologies such as Photogrammetry for 3D printing and service/CRM solutions such as Reverb, Occulus and Hololens for remote identification and sometimes even solution of issues arising in vehicles. Not a remote possibility for us in the construction equipment industry either!

The use of technology in machinery also provides opportunities to improve the design and production of products using the service feedback. This can reduce considerably, the overall cost of the machinery through its lifespan along with a reduction in material consumption.

Leaders in their arena, ACE, has always pro-actively fulfilled each one of its customers’ requirements. Technology is now at centrestage and its use will not only be providing economically viable solutions for the manufacturers, operators and customers, but also environmentally viable solutions in the future.

At ACE, we are already utilizing some of the best technologies available worldwide and we constantly work to upgrade and adapt all possible technology to Indian working conditions. Making sure Nothing Beats an ACE!

CE&CR: Where do you see your earthmoving equipment with regards to ‘Design in India’ and ‘Engineer in India’ and ‘Make in India’?

Manish Handa: The rugged and reliable ACE Backhoe Loaders- All-New AX124 is powered with the highly efficient 76HP and 96HP Kirloskar Engines. These machines are equipped with improved hydraulic pumps and advanced structured loader arms with higher breakout force while digging or loading materials, ensuring 10-15% higher productivity. Further, it is fitted with globally renowned transmission from Carraro and hydraulic pumps from reputed brands and is available in both two-wheel and four-wheel drive options.

The recent technology upgrading options can be divided into three major categories
a) Advanced Engine Technology – Helps to maximize performance, minimize fuel consumption and the impact of emission regulations.
b) Advanced Hydraulics for higher productivity.
c) GPS system – Advanced telematics system to manage and monitor machines remotely.

A Swadeshi product with the key value proposition of “सही दाम ज्यादा काम” meets all the criteria a customer wants for a profitable investment.

Mr. D Raju Managing Director Kirby Building Systems & Structures India Pvt Ltd, and Global Head, Kirby International

As pioneers and one of the global leaders in the field of pre-engineered steel building systems (PEB) outside North & South America, Kirby Building Systems has contributed significantly to the industry and learnt many things in the course of manufacturing over 90,000 buildings, across 70 countries. Mr. D Raju, Managing Director, Kirby Building Systems & Structures India Pvt Ltd, and Global Head, Kirby International, in conversation with CE&CR, shares his views on Pre-Engineered Buildings (PEB) – its current trends and the future.

Civil Engineering and Construction Review: Give us your assessment of the business and the market share occupied by PEB. Which are the demand driving regions and segments across India?

D Raju:  PEB is the short form of Pre-Engineered Steel Buildings, which is also referred to as Pre-Fabricated Steel Buildings. The current market size of PEB is estimated to be between 650,000 MT to 700,000 MT per annum and is rapidly growing, mainly because of infrastructure and industrial segments. The sector is further expected to witness high growth in coming years, owing to various initiatives taken by the Indian government in the form of large scale reforms, policy amendments, etc. Government´s focus on manufacturing and infrastructure development, along with rapidly growing urbanization and increasing middle income population has accounted for the overall growth of the construction sector. With faster project completion and sustainable construction that is eco-friendly and green in nature, there has been an increase in demand for steel structures across various industry segments.

CE&CR: What are the strategies adopted by the country’s PEB manufacturers to explore new growth arenas?

D Raju:  PEB industry has grown leaps and bounds over the last two decades but it is yet to achieve its true potential. This is completely achievable as the industry consisting of top organized players is maturing to take it to the next level of growth trajectory. The industry is overcoming many challenges by continuous knowledge sharing across seminars, conference, industry forums, colleges, education curriculum, etc. to the target audience, thereby increasing the popularity. Thus, a huge opportunity awaits this industry, especially in manufacturing sector and commercial high rises and this growth story is poised to continue in coming years.

Kirby is leading the path of new growth arenas through its new and innovative designs, systems and processes and construction techniques, thereby making the industry well-equipped to overcome all the limitations as well as capable to handle any type of project across different industry segments. With its rich experience and continuous learning at each and every stage of executing more than 25,000 diverse buildings for different industry segments across India, Kirby over the last two decades has evolved with new type of construction methodologies. This has enabled to complete the buildings in a much faster and safer way without any obstacles.

CE&CR: Give us an understanding of the benefits of using PEB structures in meeting growing vertical momentum in construction projects?

D Raju:  The industry has ventured into unknown territories which were never thought of, thereby creating newer application areas for structures that are highly customized and unique in nature.  Kirby  India has already ventured into construction of residential and commercial buildings either completely in steel or composite form, which is slowly being accepted by builders and developers as being witnessed in major cities across India. The company has already executed many high-rise buildings for commercial and residential segments and is currently executing over G+20 floors commercial office buildings. This will definitely increase the demand for steel structures in the coming years.  Kirby  India being a leader will continue to achieve excellence and create new benchmarks for the industry. As for the future, we strive to grow in coming years and aspire to become one of the most preferred partner in the country for any type of steel construction. We are committed to take the company to newer heights with newer businesses and our customer centric and innovative approach with the support of all our stakeholders.

CE&CR: Technology has been ever-changing in the infrastructure segment. Elaborate on the type of demand surge seen in the recent years?

D Raju:  Kirby India has grown manifolds over the last few years from simple box like buildings for warehouses to very complex industrial buildings to high rise structures. The company is now adapting new innovative methods across design, fabrication and construction, which has widened their scope of operations. One of the important factor that has gained prominence over the last few years is safety at jobsites whether small or large. Kirby India has improved and implemented many innovative safe practices across all its jobsites by providing training to all the manpower and Certified Builders on safe erection practices over these years of operations and continues to do so to have incident free sites till project completion.

Kirby India already has state-of-the-art world class manufacturing facilities located at Hyderabad and Haridwar with each one having an annual installed capacity of 100,000 MT. Both the facilities are well-equipped with latest machineries for any type of steel fabrication and quality laboratory, consisting of all equipment for testing. This has resulted in both the facilities being accredited with ISO 14001: 2015 and OHSAS 18001:2017 certifications. The Hyderabad facility was recently further enhanced with addition of most advanced machineries, such as CNC Sawing and Drilling Line, CNC Plate Drilling Machine (for high thickness plates), Structural Steel Bevel Cutting Machine and other balancing equipment. This enhancement will further strengthen  Kirby  India’s manufacturing capabilities and enable us to provide very high and quality finished buildings to all our customers thereby able to meet any type of requirement – industrial, high rise commercial complexes, car parks, hotels, bridges, flyovers, etc.

CE&CR: How does PEB contribute to sustainable construction?

CE&CR: What is the scope of PEB in the post-lockdown scenario?

Metro Station – Hyderabad

D Raju:  Post implementation of GST and granting of infrastructure status to the logistics segment by the Indian Government, India has witnessed rapid growth in the warehousing segment with e-commerce industry being one of the key growth drivers supported by government’s initiative of creating world class infrastructure by setting up warehouses and cold chains across India for storage of food grains, vegetables, household consumption products, other goods, etc. and also encouraging corporates to develop logistics parks. India’s fast changing demographics consisting of rising middle class, younger population, increasing disposable incomes and various other factors are leading to increase in domestic consumption accompanied by change in habits.

This has led to rise of e-commerce industry, and the growth of warehousing for storage of all types of goods, which is very near to the customers and can easily meet their requirements.

E-commerce and warehousing are expected to play a major role for the PEB industry in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, as they are the major sectors generating demand for the pre-engineered steel buildings (PEB). Other sectors which are likely to play a key role in the post lockdown scenario are pharmaceuticals, packaging, food processing, consumer goods, etc., thereby driving the demand for steel buildings.

Factory Building – Gujarat

Mr. Amit Malhotra Leader, McCoy Group Managing Director, McCoy Soudal

McCoy Soudal is one of the largest manufacturers of Sealants, Adhesives and Polyurethane (PU) Foams in India. McCoy Soudal is a JV between McCoy Group India and Soudal NV Belgium. Soudal NV is one of the world’s largest players in this field, with 19 manufacturing plants, 65 subsidiaries across the globe and product availability in more than 138 countries. Mr. Amit Malhotra, Leader, McCoy Group and Managing Director, McCoy Soudal, in conversation with CE&CR, shares his views on the progress of the adhesives and sealants industry, the current trends in the market, the impact of COVID-19, and more.

Civil Engineering and Construction Review: Innovation in the construction chemicals sector is thriving. Which new technologies have been adopted in the adhesives and sealants segment?

Amit Malhotra: A variety of chemicals and advanced materials — ranging from elastic adhesives to polymer composite — are increasingly being used in the buildings and construction industry. Many benefits, including enhanced strength and integrity, and overall systems cost reduction accrue to a construction or building project by using these materials. So, it is not surprising that the future growth rate for construction chemicals is expected to show the most incremental growth emanating from the Asia-Pacific region. An uptick of construction and building activity driven by rapid urbanisation and growing population is expected to be a major impetus behind this impressive growth.

New technologies are coming in the Indian construction sector for fast and quick work. Post COVID-19, Indian consumers are also focusing on DIY (Do-It-Yourself ) concept. McCoy Soudal offers many DIY products for end-users for gap filling, sealing and bonding applications. McCoy Soudal Fix ALL High Tack is a high quality, one-component adhesive sealant based on SMXpolymer with a very high initial tack for sealing and bonding. It can be applied in the building and construction industry, which includes elastic bonding of panels, profiles, and other pieces on the most common substrates (wood, MDF, chipboard, etc). It can also be applied on elastic structural bonding for the car and container industry, joints in bathrooms and kitchens, underwater applications, mirror bonding, etc.

For insulations and gap-filling applications, McCoy Soudal offers polyurethane foam. Soudafoam Pro with CFC-free propellant is onecomponent, self-expanding, and ready to use polyurethane foam. It contains CFC-free propellants, which are completely harmless to the ozone layer. It has excellent adhesion on most substrates such as concrete, wood, PVC, and aluminium.

PU foam offers high thermal and acoustical insulation properties and has very good filling capacities. There are many areas where you can apply PU foams, like installation of the windows and doorframes, filling of cavities, sealing of all openings in roof constructions, creation of a soundproof screen, mounting and sealing of window- and doorframes, connecting of insulation materials and roof constructions, application of a soundproofing layer on motors, improving thermal isolation in cooling systems, among others.

CE&CR: People are inclined towards cheaper construction adhesive and sealant options over superior quality products. How do the companies with quality work survive in this mixed market?

Amit Malhotra: In the construction industry, awareness of highquality elastic adhesives and sealants are still in progress. As one of the pioneers in the sealant industry, we believe in the quality of products. Our service to the customers makes our products more trustworthy. We not only supply products to our customers but we provide end-to-end solutions to customers which is the key factor for a high-quality product company like ours. We have to provide customer experience, and not just deliver the product.

CE&CR: How crucial is the availability of trained applicators in ensuring product benefits? What is the company’s approach to skill development?

Amit Malhotra: Elastic adhesives and sealants has always been a great challenge to engineers and specifiers. With the increased complexity of structural movements, a growing concern for leakages in the concrete structures has carved the needs for diverse technologies for ages. Numerous technologies have emerged since then, but many went into oblivion, obviously because of the field failures.

In India, new technologies fail due to unskilled applicators. It is reported that 60-70% of adhesive and sealant failures are due to application errors, which implies the significance of the role of applicators. Surface preparation is very vital in achieving the optimum performance of the sealants and quite similarly, parameters like selecting the right products, sufficient induction time, and the right mode of application to achieve the desired output are all very significant. We at McCoy Soudal, conduct ‘Applicator Training Seminars’ regularly at our training centre, inviting applicators from every corner of the country. As a manufacturing and an innovative company, we focus on awareness programs of technologies, and provide trained applicators to customers. We run training programs to develop trained applicators and provide supply–apply solutions to our customers. We also provide application guidelines and videos of applications to customers and applicators on regular basis to stay updated with new technologies.

CE&CR: What are the factors driving the demand for adhesives and sealants? What is the market share of adhesives and sealants in the construction chemicals segment?

Amit Malhotra: The elastic adhesives and sealants market is projected to grow from USD 16.4 billion in 2019 to USD 22.3 billion by 2024, at a CAGR of 6.3% between 2019 and 2024. The growth of end-user industries such as construction, industrial, and automotive and transportation as well as the growing demand for silicone and SMP adhesives are the key factors driving the elastic adhesives and sealants market. Elastic adhesives and sealants provide improved aesthetics in various applications such as windows, consumer durables, and glazing by limiting the use of screws, nails, fillet bonders, and lightweight fittings. These are widely used in applications such as glazing, flooring, and assembling.

There is an increasing demand for adhesives and sealants in the glazing and window panel applications. The glazing and window panels in many new high-rise buildings are not only attached with screws but are bonded with adhesives, as they provide better joining properties, aesthetics, and longer bond life. These buildings have improved aesthetics and provide outstanding UV and weathering resistance. Bonding window panes and window panels using elastic adhesives and sealants offer several advantages such as vibration dampening, lesser assembly time, excellent finish quality, and lower requirement for cold-conducting metal frames in panes and panels. The developed infrastructural designs, architectural setups, and the advantages of glazing are majorly driving the demand for elastic adhesives and sealants.

However, the rate of acceptance of elastic sealants is still low from end-users. This low acceptance rate may be due to the lack of awareness about the availability of elastic adhesives and sealants, or the end-user preference to use conventional sealants. End users are satisfied with results obtained from the conventional adhesives and sealants even though these lack the advantages of elastic sealants but serve the purpose of bonding substrates together. To maintain the lower costs of end-products, manufacturers still neglect additional benefits such as improved flexibility/elongation, impact/thermal cycling resistance, peel strength, and long-term durability, which can be obtained by using elastic adhesives and sealants.

CE&CR: Do you perceive the entry of small-scale industries in the specialised construction chemicals area as a threat?

Amit Malhotra: Any small scale or big scale company that comes into the market helps the industry to grow, and spreads awareness of using the right product or solution for the problem. The current issue is the lack of awareness of applications and selecting the right products.

The current threat for the whole segment is price-cutting and not giving right solution to the customers. Indian standards are the area where the industry should focus on and that will allow quality products in the market to grow

CE&CR: What according to you will be the emerging trends in the construction chemicals industry, post COVID-19?

Amit Malhotra: COVID-19 did impact the industry. The small scale material import cut-down will help the “GO LOCAL BE VOCAL” campaign in India. Also, Indian consumers are focusing on DIY (Do-It-Yourself) concept due to safety measures. McCoy Soudal offers many DIY products for end-users for gap filling, sealing, and bonding applications. Also, our products are available online on various e-commerce websites like www.mccoymart.com, where customers can directly place an order without any problems.

For further inquiries and applications, kindly check our website:
www.mccoysoudal.com and MCCOYSOUDAL youtube channel. 

Mapei manufactures chemical products for the building industry and their products have been used in thousands of projects all around the world, from large-scale projects to commercial spaces, from residential projects to works of public interest. Mr. Santhosh M Prakash, Vice President (Product management), Mapei Construction Products India Pvt. Ltd. in conversation with CE&CR, shares his views on the progress of the adhesives and sealants industry, the current trends in the market, the impact of COVID-19, and more.

Civil Engineering and Construction Review: Innovation in the construction chemicals sector is thriving. Which new technologies have been adopted in the adhesives and sealants segment?

Santhosh M Prakash: Innovation is about creating better ways to do things, as well as developing satisfying products or services. Quality products cut down the future renovation costs. Further, simple materials, especially for the retail market is very much necessary in this difficult time. For the same reason,  Mapei has come up with ‘ETA – Easy to apply’ range of products for retail segment in easy to handle packaging. We have introduced a wide range of products which help the customer apply the product themselves with help of very basic tools. We launched our resilient adhesive segment last year and are expecting a good growth in the coming years. This is one area where we do not have any good quality products in the market meeting the international standards. We hope to upgrade the customer to use quality products.

CE&CR: People are inclined towards cheaper construction adhesive and sealant options over superior quality products. How do the companies with quality work survive in this mixed market? Santhosh M Prakash: As you said it is a mixed feeling in the market, at Mapei, we always give priority to quality and service. Cost sometimes is the deciding factor, but people will realise later the importance of quality. We should always remember – ‘You buy cheaply, you pay dearly’. The initial cost might be less today, but when we look at the overall cost during the service life of structures, one would end up spending many times more in repairing the structures. Repair and rehabilitation is always a costly affair and we do not get always the 100% desired satisfaction and quality work. It is only a matter of time people will understand the importance of quality, and will come back – one should have patience and should wait for it.

CE&CR: How crucial is the availability of trained applicators in ensuring product benefits? What is the company’s approach to skill development?

Santhosh M Prakash: Applicators are very important for any kind of job applications. We produce materials which are actually the raw materials for the customers for their job site. Until and unless it is applied as finished goods in a proper way, it will be useless to the customer, no matter the quality of our product. For this reason, we have opened an Excellence Centre at our Vadodara factory – a-state-of-art training centre. At the Excellence Centre, we showcase the different systems, the right application methods, proper detailing required, etc. We give regular training to our applicators on new systems and products. It is very important for applicators to share their experience on the products and regular discussion programs are conducted to exchange the views and experience on different product segments. Onsite training programs are also conducted for site specific requirements and this would help them understand the job site conditions and requirements in a better way.

CE&CR: What are the factors driving demand for adhesives and sealants? What is the market share of adhesives and sealants in the construction chemicals segment?

Santhosh M Prakash: We have just started marketing our sealants and this is not the moment to talk about the market share. Adhesives has a good share but there is a lot more to do. Still, the market trend is to use cement and sand, and we are fighting against the same. Resilient adhesive is a new segment, and there is a need to create awareness in the market at the moment.   Given the situation, the products which meet the safety and health standards would be the one accepted in a longer run. Also, we need products that can be used/ applied in an easier and simpler way without requiring expensive tools and tackles. The product should be simple and yet robust.

CE&CR: Do you perceive the entry of small scale industries in the specialized construction chemicals area as a threat? Santhosh M Prakash: The more the number of companies in the market, the more it is good for business. Awareness on use of construction chemicals in India is very less compared to the other developed markets. Small scale industries will also help in creating awareness at the local levels and can only be advantage for the overall business. But, what is worrying is the lack of standards in India. This will lead to a sub-standard quality and a price war, which is not healthy for the business. We need some standards to be in place so that we bring out only quality product in the market. CE&CR: What according to you will be the emerging trends in the construction chemicals industry, post COVID-19? Santhosh M Prakash: It is too early to predict anything as we are still understanding how the market will shape up post COVID. Though we don’t see a very big change in near future, COVID has definitely has given us a big opportunity to go local and cut down on imports. We need more and more products to be manufactured locally.