The technology is compatible with existing building codes that are in line with RCC buildings and it is suited to seismic zone requirements says Shridhar Rao, Sales Head India, Elematic India Pvt Ltd.

Would it be fair to say that the demand for precast concrete is rising in recent times?
This Covid-19 situation has exposed the long term weakness of the construction industry as most of our projects are highly labour intensive.

Going forward, to catch up with the required scale of construction, it will be done by adopting technology and precast has proved to be the most suitable technology for India. Precast is most effective when you shave large volumes to achieve the best in quality/ cost and speed.

Precast technology uses reinforced concrete as it is the cheapest material on the planet, compatible with existing building codes that are in line with RCC buildings. And it is suited to seismic zone requirements (India being a seismic active country).

Successful case studies in affordable housing show a clear path for the precast’s entry into the segment.
• Affordable housing by BG Shirke for DDA in NCR, Delhi
• Affordable police housing at Pune by BE Billimoria
• Affordable housing at Naya Raipur by BSBK • Affordable housing at Hyderabad, Telangana by Inventaa Precast

Similarly commercial projects by contractors such as:
• Katerra projects in Bengaluru with Infosys and Embassy Realty
• Aurobindo commercial building project at Hyderabad, Telangana

What kind of new techniques and technological advancements will drive the precast concrete technology in the coming years?
We see a huge uptick in demand for products that can be standardized as they will ease out the design requirements and can adapt well for planned construction.
• Prestressed Hollow core slab technology from Elematic is one such product that already has captured the imagination of the construction industry – Replacing room-sized slab cast in situ solutions.
• Hollow core Acotec Partition wall technology replacing block and brick in construction.

As we recover from the Covid-19 pandemic, what kind of products are driving your growth? Construction activity is coming back to normalcy and we see that clients want to reduce the dependency on labour and traditional construction as it will not insure them from future disruptions. Hence there seems to be good interest in precast building construction technology. Hybrid plants that cater to both residential and commercial construction are also leading the way. Acotec partition wall technology is also generating interest.

How are you managing your aftersales service in the post-lockdown period?
Our plants are rugged and have trouble-free operations for years to come. Many times remote support is good enough. When required, our service team in India travels to client’s premises and it’s a positive as we do not depend on Finland for service but have developed indigenous support developing a strong Elematic service team in India.

How do you see the 2021 panning out for the concrete precast sector?
The construction industry in India traditionally has always been site based and this has resulted in status quo and led to build up of inefficiencies resulting in delays and increase in cost while missing out on the benefits of standardization. In the coming years, there will be a paradigm shift towards manufacturing approach and technology implementation in building construction and this will bring in benefits of cost, quality and speed.