With a host of infrastructure projects coming in, construction activity is spurring formwork segment, given government’s increased spending in the sector along with preferences shifting from conventional to system formwork, according to Surajit Ray, Managing Director, ULMA FORMWORK SYSTEMS INDIA PVT LTD.

How do you see the Indian market for your products?
The prospects for our products completely depend on construction activity and type of projects like – buildings, infrastructure, civil engineering, industrial etc. We have experienced a noticeable shift from conventional to system formworks across all categories of construction agencies. Buyers include construction companies as well as developers and builders. Though smaller contractors invest smaller amounts, it’s a mix of sale and rental mode of contract. We also find a lot of infrastructure projects enquiring about suitable formwork systems to induce speed and safety in construction. Since commercial activity is also booming, major share of our business is attributed to IT centres, hospitals, malls and other commercial buildings.

Is rental formwork more beneficial than direct purchase?
It depends on the investment capacity of the customer, time period of usage, and nature of work that the customer does. If he is into construction business undertaking same category of projects, he should always buy. If a customer doesn’t have a warehouseor usage of the systems is only for couple of months, then it should be taken on rent. It depends from customer to customer and as per project requirements.

Brief us about the product you exhibited at the expo.
We have brought in a shoring system of 40 KN which is flexible, easy to use and can go up to 10-12 metres height which is mostlyused for infrastructure projects. The system is economical and is EN certified. We also have a flexible formwork system for slab formwork which is known as ONADEK. It has a drop head system and members are of hot galvanised steel whereas the cost is very competitive. We have also exhibited BRIO scaffolding access system, CC-4 aluminium panel formwork with drop heads, LGC vertical panel system only for columns, LGW panel systems for walls and columns and Megaframe shoring system.

How has 2018 been for you?
It has been much better than 2016 or 2017. Commercial buildings were always there, but there was business in residential buildings also in west and south. Formworks for infrastructure projects have been very much in demand all throughout the year.

How formwork can be made more sustainable?
The continuous, R&D process at ULMA caters for innovative system for all types of construction and all type of structures. The high quality surface finish of the components makes it more resistant to atmospheric corrosion and adverse weather conditions. Customer’s investment pays off in the long run with large number of repetition and high durability of the materials. We would like to see our formworks being used at the job site throughout the year rather than being in the customer’s warehouse.

How do you see business models for formwork to progress in India?
Business model is still a mix of primarily sale and part rental. Projects in India are of long duration, so customers normally go for purchase. However, this depends on the investment planning of the customer and period of usage of any specific formwork system.

Business model for formwork is still a mix of rental and sale.
Surajit Ray, Managing Director, ULMA FORMWORK SYSTEMS INDIA PVT LTD