The construction industry will remain a major enabler towards India’s GDP, both directly and indirectly.

Nilotpol Kar, Business Director, Construction Chemicals, BASF South Asia

 Nilotpol Kar, Business Director, Construction Chemicals, BASF South Asia speaks on how this year will be for the industry and his projections for the business.

A year full of challenges and opportunities
Speaking about how the year 2017 will be for the industry, Nilotpol says, “The construction industry will remain a major enabler towards India’s GDP, both directly and indirectly. Employing over 30 million people, and impacting allied industries such as steel, cement, construction chemicals, other building materials, etc., it will be a very important aspect to drive the growth factor. Alongside, there will be employment opportunities in enhancing skill sets. Infrastructure sector in its various forms including – power, bridges, dams, roads and urban infrastructure development – will be a key driver for the Indian economy, coming around the anvil of the promise.”

He further adds, “As it still remains a top priority and focus item, this will propel the economy. There are initiatives in place for time-bound delivery of world class infrastructure – and substantiated by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, and Shipping, announcement of the government’s target $ 376.53 billion investment in infrastructure over a period of three years, which will include $ 120.49 billion for developing 27 industrial clusters and an additional $ 75.30 billion for road, railway and port connectivity projects. Yes, there will be challenges, as in most emerging markets, and I am very hopeful about the growth in this sector.”

BASF keen on resurgence of growth
Sharing the projections that Nilotpol has for his business, he said, “Construction Chemicals is considered to be a sunrise industry and can have exponential growth in the field of admixtures and waterproofing segments that form almost 60 per cent of the construction chemicals market in India. BASF India’s construction chemicals division is hopeful to tag along with the resurgence of the growth in India to improve the quality and durability of structures with the immense knowledge acquired over the last two decades in India and connected on a higher level for bringing global technologies, localised to Indian conditions, with the know-how and the plant footprint in India.”

Being in touch with the changes is the key
Nilotpol also shared the strategy that BASF will use to reach the set targets. He said, “To be a part of this change in India, we will be in continuous touch with changes in material and machinery and with stake holders.”

In a concluding note, Nilotpol said, “Our adaptability to change, through our combined power of people, processes and products will aid us in our success as well.”