“We carefully analyze the contemporary market challenges”

In an exclusive interaction with Realty Plus,  Monnanda  Appaiah, Managing Director, Wienerberger India, shares that despite the slowdown in the residential market, Wienerberger India has maintained a steady growth in the last few years.  

1. The ups and down in the real estate sector are also impacting the business of the suppliers. How has Wienerberger India braved the market turbulence of recent times

This is mainly because of our strategy of:

• Sectorial diversification: Actively expanding to commercial sector, educational institutions, hospitals, resorts and more. Special emphasis has been put towards servicing individual houses across key markets.
• Market diversification: Expanding to tier 1& 2 cities
• Product Diversification: In all SKUs (Wall, Façade and Roof) we have introduced innovative solutionrelevant to the market.

 

2. Now that the realty sector is coming back on track and the markets are largely driven by discreet end-users, how you are innovating with your product portfolio to meet the expectations of new age customers?

While offering solutions to the market, we carefully analyze contemporary market challenges and design our solutions to best meet them. The recent months have seen the real estate sector being hugely affected by ban of sand mining, unavailability of water and resource crunch. We offer the market with systems like Porotherm Dryfix that address these challenges and provide alternative solutions to customers that would save water, sand and most importantly time.  

3. How has the market for clay building material shaped up in Indian residential and commercial scenario, state some key trends that you have noticed?

There has been an upward trend towards adoption of green building materials in India. Clay being a natural material has reignited interests amongst the proponents of Green construction. However, as a building material, clay has been in use since millennia and the benefits of clay can still outweigh any other building material, right from thermal insulation to a healthier alternative.Wienerberger has always strived to provide healthy living spaces to all our customers.  

4. Talking from Wienerberger India's perspective, tell us about the product segments, which are witnessing the maximum escalation - entry, mid-level or the premium?

Our focus is by and large on wall solutions – Porotherm Smart Bricks, which are being locally manufactured in one of the most hi-tech, automated production units in India. We guarantee precision technology, quality products that cater to the cotemporary market demands.Apart from walls, we are also in to clay façade and roof solutions.  

5. How is Wienerberger India focusing on its OPEX & CAPEX?

Wienerberger India continues to invest regularly in new products, solutions, technology. The emphasis will continue to focus on innovation in line with market opportunities.  

6. Tell us about the innovations you have done such as REB and PSB?

As an organization committed towards innovation and sustainability, all our solutions are strongly based on these principles. The latest of our innovation is from the brand of Porotherm Smart Bricks – Porotherm Dryfix solution with Grinded clay hollow blocks. The product is super glue that replaces conventional sand-cement-mortar thereby not only saving precious natural resources, but also, time and cost.