If people can shift from conventional systems of plywood and steel to plastic, not only would they save on labour costs, but also in time and improve efficiency says Vikas Mittal, Director, Nova Formworks Pvt. Ltd.

How do you see Atmanirbhar Bharat to impact your sector?
We are the only plastic formwork manufacturers in India with manufacturing units based in Ghaziabad and Bangalore. If people adopt Atmanirbhar, as indigenous manufacturers, we will be happy to address the demand for our products. Currently a lot of consumers tend to import as they think that the imported products are better, even if the price is high and the quality is equivalent.

In terms of current market dynamics, what will be the new normal after 2020?
I feel that maximum number of meetings will be executed via video conferencing, there may be a decrease in the number of commercial projects, infrastructure sector however will witness an exponential growth.

What kind of infrastructure upgrade initiatives should the government focus on to ensure the construction sector remains in robust health?
The government should focus on infrastructure projects and make sure that a steady flow of funds is maintained for these projects. Most projects start but get stuck owing to slowdown or are scrapped altogether. Delay in execution of projects owing to unavailability of funds increases the project cost which leads to an increase in expense for the exchequer and also causeshuge losses for the contractors and that is the reason that many companies are in a bad shape. The government should have a single window clearance for the clearances that need to be obtained from various department. It should also make sure that all the necessary clearances are in place before awarding the projects’.

Considering formwork is a labour-intensive process, do you feel an attempt will be made to moderate that factor now?
The usage of Nova system formwork reduces the need for labour to a large extent and if people can shift from conventional systems of plywood and steel to plastic, not only would they save on labour costs, but also in time and improve efficiency but also get a good finish and quality construction enhancing their name in the market and saving on costs.

This year paved the way for digitalization like never before, how has it impacted the formwork industry as also the construction industry?
Currently, I would love to believe that digitization has been limited only to our day to day meetings as also exhibitions which are organised. Many webinars and virtual exhibitions are already being conducted to address the growing need of networking via virtual means.