Higher energy costs, stringent regulations have prompted engineers to explore a lot of options for cooling air with metal building envelope.

Being one of the most energy-efficient roofing materials available in the market, metal offers wide possibilities for energy-efficiency. Metal sheets with insulation beneath can be installed in roofs or walls, and in recent years have been in applications where new building codes are calling for R-values.

Self-supported steel roofing
Proflex’s curved-shaped ‘Self-supported steel roofing’ has successfully installed over 1 crore sq.metres of roofing in 7,500 projects across industries viz., engineering, warehouse, food and beverages, automobile, manufacturing, railways, sports and entertainment, etc.

“We were the first to introduce this roofing concept from America, which has been successfully proven and in use in over 60 countries for the last 40 years. We have always taken the lead in providing versatile solutions to industries that has helped in different ways; be it installing roofing on an existing facility without stopping production work, or installing ground-to-ground, self-supported steel structure, roof with RCC or steel structure, roof at differential height, half-arch, hybrid structures with PEB, or installing roof on an elevated base,” says Kavita More, Senior Manager – Sales & Architectural advisory, Safintra Roofing India Limited.

“Our large customer base includes farmers, entrepreneurs, MSME companies to Japanese, German and Australian MNCs, all have reposed faith in us when it comes to executing challenging roofing projects in India,” she adds.

Company’s innovative technology facilitates on-site panel forming and installation, thus giving an incredible installation speed of around 2,000 sq. metres in just 12 hours. Flexibility and enhanced efficiency combined with superior workmanship ensures faster project turnaround and timely delivery. It is because of the state-of-the-art American technology that we have been able to successfully install 10,000 sq. metres of roofing in just four days in a project, where speed of installation was the essence. We have a roofing capacity of 15 lakh sq. metres per annum and a proven track record of successfully delivering challenging jobs.

Proflex has launched five different profiles in the Indian market which are well established products in various countries we operate from, says Mayur Patel, CEO, Proflex (A division of M&B Engineering Ltd).

Standing-seam system
Safzip 400/430/500 is a self-supported conceal halter seam roofing system
Perfect system solution limitless design potential, state-of-the-art production technology ultimate product quality, innovation material combination and harmonious integration of shape colours and surface

Clip-lock system
• Saflok 700 is an interlocking
• Standing seam trapezoidal rib profile
Has a unique clipping system, which combines strength and agility to enable the material to expand and contract under normal circumstances. On site rolling is also possible.

Screw-down systems
Comax 1000 is an angular trapezoidal fluted profile sheet
Design is most advantageous for load bearing characteristics.

Trimflute 1015 is a square fluted profile sheet
Long flute gives the profile its strength with long spanning capabilities.

Versatile 1015 is a tile profile
Has a unique strength of steel and aesthetics of Mangalore Tiles. The company also provides customised rolled formed ridge which increases the life of the profile and eliminates possibility of leakages.

Installation challenges
Safintra’s metal roofs, walls offer energy-efficiency possibilities
Metal offers fascinating possibilities for energy efficiency. Metal sheets with insulation beneath can be installed on roofs or walls, and in recent years have been in applications where new building codes are calling for R-values. “Higher energy costs and more stringent regulations have prompted engineers to explore a lot of options for cooling air with a metal building envelope,” says More.

Safintra’s clamps for solar panels, metal roofs have natural symbiosis
Solar panels present a natural symbiosis with metal. The seams between roofing panels are a good place to anchor photovoltaic panels, without the necessity of punching holes in the roof. Further, the life expectancy of a photovoltaic system is 20 to 25 years. A conventional roof at some point would have to be torn out underneath it, but with metal, PV system will wear out before the roof has to be replaced.

Safintra has mobile roofing solution
Safzip 400/430/500 and Saflok 700 roof profiles can be manufactured on-site, which allows roofs to be constructed using long sheet lengths that cannot be delivered by road. This eliminates the need for any end laps, and consequently, the potential for water ingress considerably increases the speed of construction. The unique design of Safzip and Saflok addresses the problem of leakage without an over reliance on sealants or a myriad of components. Safintra manufactures and supplies its customers with efficient and cost effective roof/wall solutions while ensuring highest level of product quality and integrity.

Leakage woes, turnaround time
While introducing roofing first time in India in 2001, conventional roofing was the norm and leakage from the roof was an accepted reality. There was a belief that roofs can only stand with support of trusses and purlins and are typically triangular in shape. But, the company changed this notion by introducing ARCH- shaped self-supported steel roofing that was free from trusses and purlins, says Patel.

In the last 17 years, the problems of customers like leakage from roof, limitation of stacking height due to less distance between roof and floor, cost in construction of side walls, project turnaround time, etc., have all been addressed by tailor-made roofing solution.

On the installation front, the company experienced operational and site condition-related challenges mastering the art of tackling them by continuous education of customers and its team.

“Challenges eventually lead to innovation and with every challenge, we have broken new grounds – be it our ground-to-ground roofing, half-arch or installing roof at differential heights,” he says.

Bigger challenge, greater opportunity
Proflex believes that bigger the challenge, greater is the opportunity for growth. For example, when a lifestyle club approached them to create a roofing solution for recreational facilities, they faced a major challenge to create a roof for their banquet hall. However, the challenge pushed them to think out of the box eventually leading them to parabolic-shaped roof.

Similarly, during the installation of a roof at Matheran railway station, the company not only had to deal with continuous movement of train and tourists, but also find a suitable placement for machine setup as the station was located between a hill and a steep valley. With very little space around the station, it was a huge challenge to set up roofing machines and crane for installation of roofing panels that are made in on-site operations with their American machines. The nearest flat area available for fabrication of panels was about 5 km down the hill.

“We ensured that the panels were carefully transported and installed during the night. Although the entire project was labour intensive and required detailed attention, we completed it on time and proficiently,” explains Patel.

Flexibility, enhanced efficiency combined with superior workmanship ensures faster project turnaround and timely delivery.
Kavita More, Senior Manager – Sales & Architectural advisory, Safintra Roofing India Limited

Challenges eventually lead to innovation and with every challenge, we have broken new grounds – be it our ground-to-ground roofing, half-arch or installing roof at differential heights.
Mayur Patel, CEO, Proflex (A division of M&B Engineering Ltd)