With the launch of Charminar Fortune, we will be providing our consumers with end-to-end roofing solutions that are eco-friendly and robust.

Dhirup Roy Choudhary, MD and CEO, HIL Limited

HIL, a flagship CK Birla Group Company, has recently launched revolutionary non-asbestos fibre cement roofing solutions under the brand Charminar Fortune. Here, Dhirup Roy Choudhary, MD and CEO, HIL Limited explains the advantages of Charminar Fortune range of products.

Well-known as one of the leading roof manufacturing companies in India, how do you see the opportunities in the market ahead? Is there any special roofing solution that you’re coming with for the year 2018?

Out of over Rs 45,000 crore Indian roofing market, 40 per cent is served by fibre cement sheets, metal roofing sheets, tiles and other similar products. HIL has a significant presence in this market being the market leaders in fibre cement sheets category.

Roofing industry has not witnessed ample innovation in the recent times, and this has led to complacency in pockets. As one of the major building material companies in India, we undertook an in-depth analysis of the market and identified the need gaps in the roofing segment. We have embarked on a sustainable strategy to promote and create a position for an innovative solution to satisfy the market requirements of durability and affordability. As a pioneer in cement roofing sheets, we worked relentlessly for years in developing non-asbestos cement based roofing solution. This new range of asbestos-free sheets, branded as ‘Charminar Fortune’, is eco-friendly and light weight. These autoclaved sheets have high impact strength, good dimensional stability, and low drying shrinkage or moisture movement. These sheets also offer good sound and thermal insulation, excellent fire-resistance properties and long durability. This will be a revolutionary product in the market. Market experts have already shown immense confidence in our products. This product will be as successful as our existing products, which have a legacy of serving customer needs for decades.

What are your strategies in place to establish Charminar Fortune in the market?

Our strategy will be to target the institutional customers preferring green roofing solutions. The awareness about non-asbestos cement based roofing products in the retail and institutional sectors is quite low. Our priority is creating awareness about ‘Charminar Fortune’ amongst the prospective customers in the market.

What makes you different from your competitors?

We are the trendsetters in Indian building materialsspace. We have a 70-year of successful legacy in providing durable and affordable roofing solutions to the rural sector of our country. We were the first to successfully introduce AAC blocks and panels in India. Globally, HIL is one of the few companies to start manufacturing sheeting templates.

With high environmental controls and operational health safety, HIL’s plants have received numerous certifications over the decades with the recent laurels being TPM certification for Kondapalli plant, NAMC certification for 3 our plants etc. Our R&D facility is recognized by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR). HIL was recently bestowed with the title of “Asia’s Most Trusted Building Material Company” by IBC INFOMEDIA. Both of our major brands – Charminar & Birla Aerocon, have won the Consumer Superbrand status for many consecutive years. All the laurels that we have achieved speak volumes for us when it comes to competition.

To meet customers requirement in terms of service. What steps do you take?

With the launch of Charminar Fortune, we will be providing our consumers with end-to-end roofing solutions that are eco-friendly and robust. With this product, we are offering an alternate and much better option to consumers for durable roofing solution, superior to metal sheets and other products available in the market. These have three times the life of a metal sheet and have excellent resistance to heat, sound and fire.

With over 6,500 retail base, service levels of HIL is one of the best in the industry, which has helped retain our customers for decades.  We treat our dealers like our family members and it’s a matter of pride that majority of our trade partners have been with the company for over 50 years. These trade partners are today an integral part of HIL family and play a pivotal role in strategy formulation and idea generation.

How was the year 2017 for your company?
2017 has been a very successful year for the company.  We have had significant growth both in revenues and profitability. The company has gone many a mile in R&D, innovations and investments this year. We are amidst transformation with special emphasis of growing this company organically and inorganically. Our recent focus has been to expand our range of products and provide our customers comprehensive solutions. In this regard, along with the launch of Charminar Fortune, we are parallelly expanding our pipes and fittings business with an investment of over Rs 100 crore.

HIL commits itself to serve the nation with affordable and durable building materials solutions, truly living by the ethos of the CK Birla Group.