May we have a brief introduction of the company with respect to the history of operations and product verticals?
The family-owned company aluplast was founded in December 1982, by Manfred J. Seitz in Germany. Today, after three decades, aluplast is still a family business but has turned into a global player with sales offices and production plants all over the world. aluplast manufactures highly innovative uPVC doors and windows systems, which are adopted worldwide. Our products possess high sound and thermal insulation properties and are ecologically harmless, this is because we do not use chemicals like lead in the production. They are even used in hospitals. aluplast's window profile constructions make homes more secure and offer very aesthetically pleasing solutions. All our products sold in India are made from our "tropical mix" uPVC compound, which make them durable in the most extreme weather conditions. We have more than 24 production facilities worldwide, and our target is to touch 300 million Euros. In India, we have been active for six years through our subsidiary aluplast India Pvt. Ltd.
Actually, there's a bit of history behind that. Initially, the uPVC profile was reinforced by aluminum, so the name aluplast was born. Over the time steel reinforcements became a better solution for static purpose, but the name aluplast was already well-known in the worldwide industry and easily recognizable name among our partners and various fabricators.
How do you perceive the Indian market?
I think the Indian market has matured over the past decade or so. People have started realizing the value of good fenestration. Be they fabricators or end-users, everyone has a strong inclination towards quality. That's why we strengthened our presence here, and have started educating our channel partners by apprising them of our innovative products and technologies. For instance, last year we conducted a training session in Germany where we invited all our Indian channel partners. It was a very healthy and fruitful exercise as it was divided into three major modules. Initially, they were provided theoretical knowledge in the presence of our company's owner; then we took them to our production facilities so that they can get a clear idea of our production technologies and techniques; and finally, they underwent a written test to prove their knowledge on various requisites such as installation techniques and much more.
There's a general perception among Europeans that Indian fenestration market is quite unorganized, so it's better to go for customization rather than standardization. What's your opinion on this?
I think a major part of the global fenestration industry is quite unorganized. In tune with this reality, customization is the right way to go ahead. Honestly speaking, every window is different and has to be designed to meet specific requirements. In fact, one of the biggest benefits of uPVC windows is that they can be customized easily. aluplast is technologically equipped to provide innumerable window design options for different areas. What makes us a class apart is our level of involvement with the end-users, as they are able to correctly gauge their requirements and make informed decisions.
How do you factor in the price Vs quality in India?
For sure, we are not the cheapest system supplier, and will never be. But what we offer is unique, "Made in Germany" high-quality products and a service level that is unparalleled in the industry. People have benefitted from this and will continue to do so for a long time.
