Usages of the coated textiles in interior and exterior applications areas in India are not new any more. What are the new technological developments and trends being recently witnessed in this industry?
You are right, coated fabrics are now commonly used in different architectural applications including roofs, facades etc. The focus now is more on developing performance oriented materials suitable for specific applications. More products which are application oriented are being introduced in the market. Mehler Texnologies has always been a pioneer in technical textiles and our endeavor is to provide the best materials. Our new range of products for sun shading "AIRTEX®super FR" and "AIRTEX® premium" are a step in this direction. "VALMEX® TF 400," a new generation product for facades is also being introduced in the market.
There was no looking back since new and interesting structures started taking shape across the world using this architectural membrane. How do you see the potential of tensile architecture and its market in India?
I think India has responded very well to new and interesting building technologies and tensile architecture is one of them. Infrastructure sector is growing at a very fast pace in India, and being such a large country a lot more needs to be done in this sector. The growth of this market in India till date has been phenomenal. We have been supplying tensile fabrics in India from last 11 years and we have witnessed tremendous growth here. Architects in this country have been the main driving force and with their effort, the applications in tensile architecture are increasing everyday. Now you can see the applications at shopping malls, airports, stadiums, schools, parking areas etc. Latest technologies with regard to installation including softwares and machineries are available in India. Many interesting structures like IBM food court, Dr. D Y Patil Cricket Stadium, Sails Sculptures at Sahara Amby Valley have been erected using fabrics from Mehler.
Today, we see that many sports facilities (e.g. JN stadium New Delhi, Yamuna Sports Complex, D Y Patil Stadium), airport (Coimbatore Airport), hotels, resorts, bus stands etc are coming up using this solution. What features of tensile fabric made it widely accepted in the market?
If you see initial structures in India, the applications were more aesthetical in nature. The focus has now shifted more to functional aspect of tensile architecture which is a key to creating light weight structures. Tensile Architecture provides varying benefits, they are light weight, aesthetically pleasing and have immense design possibilities, very wide spans, fast installation, easy maintenance etc. All these factors complement each other to provide you a good alternative to traditional roofing structures.
Architects and planners world over including India are using tensile architecture as a perfect solution for their roofing applications.
There is a great need to spread awareness about the applications and execution of textiles in roofing and architecture; could you please tell us your efforts in this regard?
As I said earlier, there are many different applications of coated fabrics and technical textiles in architecture. We put our best efforts to promote use of these materials. If you visit our website, you would find informative data about these applications.
For the benefit of designers and architects, we have also introduced a software "Mehler Tensile Draw" which is a light version to design tensile structures and can be downloaded easily from the link on our website. You can also find a "Technical Guideline on Tensile Structures" on our website. A hard copy can always be obtained by contacting the nearest office of Mehler in your area.
We also conduct regular seminars for architects and fabricators to keep them abreast of technological developments happening around the world.
Do you think Indian conditions are suitable for tensile architecture and the products that Mehler offers are apt for this?
For India, tensile architecture is not a new thing and many remarkable structures have been installed here. Being light weight, translucent, water proof and fire retardant, they turn out to be an excellent roofing product for public places, sports facilities, parking areas etc. Our VALMEX® FR has a very wide acceptability in the Indian market and you can find projects using these fabrics in many parts of the country. It can easily withstand the temperature variations and is also easily maintainable.
What are the company’s products available in the Indian market and their USPs?
Mehler offers a wide variety of products for different applications in India, and it is always advisable to use the product as per requirements for that application. For tensile architecture, we have been supplying our flagship products VALMEX® FR MEHATOP F. This product has a special lacquering of PVDF on both sides of the fabric, it is UV resistant, weldable without grinding and easily maintainable. This product has an excellent tensile and tear strength as compared to weight of the fabric, making it apt for light weight structures.
This year, we have introduced our very special range of fabrics for awnings in India "VALMEX® sol-boutique." These fabrics are specifically designed for manufacturing awnings and gazebos. The fabric has a very good color fastness, high tear resistance and is very well printable.
Customers have also responded positively to our AIRTEX® and print range of fabrics. You can always get more details about our products by visiting our website www.mehler-texnologies.com.
Is the company planning to come up with some more new products for this market? What are those products and their technical attributes?
Mehler Texnologies is a part of the world famous Low & Bonar Group. We always provide the best products in the industry. New product developments keep on happening and we shall soon come out with new materials for architectural applications as well.
How has been your personal experience about India?
My experience with India has been wonderful. It is a great country and I have been to almost all major cities. I really like the cultural diversity this country offers. I would like my children to visit when they grow up as I feel they can learn a lot from this country. It is a beautiful country, and what I like most here is hot and spicy chicken curry!!!
