Habito, the latest innovation by Gyproc India, has created new benchmarks in the drywall solutions by offering enhanced performance in load fixing strength, robustness and acoustics.
Sudeep Kolte, VP – Sales & Marketing, Saint Gobain India Pvt Ltd
– Gyproc Business

Gyproc India, a subsidiary of the Saint Gobain Group, has recently inaugurated its gypsum manufacturing plant at Baruch, Gujarat with a hopping investment of over Rs. 350 crore. On the sidelines of the inaugural event, Sudeep Kolte, VP – Sales & Marketing, Saint Gobain India Pvt Ltd – Gyproc Business speaks to Shashi Kumar Sharma and gives an overview of the company’s growing footprint in India.

How do you see the market for gypsum in the coming months/years?
In the last few years India has witnessed an ever increasing demand for infrastructure owing to the rapid growth in the urban population along with scarcity of land. Research suggests that the construction sector in India is expected to remain buoyant and economic contribution by the government is forecasted to increase towards the construction and building materials spaces.

Ever increasing demand requires developers in India to go for high-rise constructions and hence explore faster, greener and more efficient construction methods. Gypsum Plasterboard based ceilings and drywall solutions are ideal for such construction as they are lightweight, environmentally friendly, facilitate faster construction and offer a lot of flexibility in terms of aesthetics.

How much you have invested in this plant?
Through the establishment of its Rs. 350 crore facility in Jhagadia, Gujarat, Gyproc India has further increased its market share and significantly added to its existing business.

How much production capacity are you expecting for the current year?
In addition to its three manufacturing facilities in Haryana, Maharashtra and Karnataka with a combined capacity of around 50 sq.m., Gyproc India is aiming for a capacity of over 80 mn sq.m. owing to the recent launch of its fourth manufacturing unit in Jhagadia, Gujarat.

What is your target market?
Keeping in line with the government’s focus towards the re-generation of existing cities and urban areas as part of its urban development mission, Saint-Gobain’s Gyproc business in India is rapidly taking the lead in offering efficient and green construction solutions and has already gained a strong foothold in the construction market.

In the coming years, close to 80 per cent of construction demand will be seen in the housing and commercial spaces, where the company plans to expand further.

What is the latest product that has been trending in the industry?
Habito, the latest innovation by Gyproc India, has created new benchmarks in the drywall solutions by offering enhanced performance in load fixing strength, robustness and acoustics.

A new variant in the drywall space, Habito is installed like any other gypsum board, but allows users to fix items, such as TV brackets, cabinets, white board, lacquered glass, wall hanging instruments or any other heavy items. This can be done without specialist fixings or using ply support, by simply fixing the screw directly into the wall.

It delivers load carrying capacity of 30 kg on each screw due to its dense core and patented technology – which means 120 kg can be safely mounted using only 4 screws. Apart from fixing strength it absorbs knocks and bangs and dramatically reduces wear and tear on wall.

What makes gypsum as a product different from the rest available in the market?
Gypsum Plasterboard based ceilings and drywall solutions are ideal for time-efficient, durable and hassle-free construction as they are lightweight, environmentally friendly, facilitate faster construction and offer a lot of flexibility in terms of aesthetics.

Installed 3 to 4 times faster than traditional masonry construction, drywalls can be designed to deliver a superior performance across comfort parameters like acoustics, thermal, visual, air-quality and provide fire-safety as well.