JK Cement, which has been transforming brick and mortar structures with its innovative products, has now forayed into the Wood Finishes segment with the launch of JKC Wood Amore in collaboration with Sivam Coatings of Italy. Niranjan Mishra, Business Head, JK White Cement, discusses the unique characteristics of the new product line and the company’s marketing plans to reach architects, interior designers, contractors, and real estate developers

JK Wood Amore Kitchen

What are the unique characteristics of JKC’s Wood Amore that give the range a competitive edge?
JKC Wood Amore, our latest offering, is a range of premium Italian wood-finishes. In order to keep our promise of the best in industry product quality, we have tied up with the wood-paint pioneers of Italy, Nouva Sivam, that has over 70 years of experience in the wood-finish business. Unlike products currently available in the market, JKC Wood Amore gives a non-yellowing finish that is more durable and long-lasting. It is also easy to apply, and its drying time is comparatively less, which reduces the overall application time as well.

JKC Wood Amore is a revolutionary product that brings a range of Polyurethane (PU) products ensuring outstanding finish, appealing aesthetics and higher durability for wood surfaces that is best suited for interiors. The product gives a premium-looking finish with extra coverage and is available in both PU matt and gloss finishes. We have also launched a complete range of 2000+ PU colors and metallic finishes – all of which have been customized for Indian conditions.

By bringing art to science and exploring every artistic possibility available, JKC Wood Amore aims at redefining the approach towards wood finishes. Our stringent quality parameters and consistency in product performance has given us a clear competitive edge over others.
Niranjan Mishra, Business Head, JK White Cement
We at JK Cement are committed to providing world-class solution-oriented products based on extensive market research and consumer behaviour study in order to address the needs and expectations of our key stakeholders including applicators, contractors, architects and the channel network

What branding exercise will the company undertake to reach architects and interior designers with the new product vertical?
JK Cement, as one of India’s most prominent building materials manufacturers, has a long-standing legacy of customer centricity, which it has institutionalized through various modes of engagement with influencers like architects, interior designers and building contractors. JKC Wood Amore is a wonderful addition to our wide range of products as it reinforces our commitment to beautifying spaces; be it walls, floors, ceilings and now, even woodwork and furniture.

JK Wood Amore Kitchen

Apart from our regular outreach exercises of product sampling and architect meets, we are also planning to set-up a JKC Wood Amore ‘experience center’ where we will showcase various wood-finishes and color ideas for our key influencers to take inspiration from and have an immersive experience.

We have also developed innovative product finish displays and other collaterals, for a real look and feel of our product’s superior finish. We will also be leveraging social media to reach out to consumers and are currently in the process of creating some interesting content.

What is the marketing strategy planned for the Wood Amore range?
We have planned to launch JKC Wood Amore in a phased manner. It has been launched in certain North Indian cities and will be available pan India by the end of FY-22. As of now, our portfolio comprises a complete polyurethane range of finishes and colors and we intend to add polyester, water-based and special effect finishes in the near future.

JK Wood Amore Kitchen
As a producer of the world’s leading wall putty brand - JK Cement WallMaxX - we enjoy a retail presence at ~50,000 outlets, of which many also deal in the Italian wood finishes. Our pan-India footprint gives us the leverage to cater to our target consumers in an effective manner. Having said that, we also plan to strengthen our distribution in this space by partnering with new channel partners.

What does the collaboration with Sivam Coatings entail? Will the range be produced in India or imported from Italy?
We have entered into a collaboration with Sivam Coatings of Italy - a 70+ year-old pioneer in the wood finishes space and one of the largest resin manufacturers in Europe. We intend to leverage their extensive experience and technical know-how and along with our understanding of the Indian market, we hope to create a winning recipe.

JKC Wood Amore will be manufactured in the state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities of Nouva Sivam and imported to India.