Fensterbau Frontale India 2014: Raised the Fenestration Bar!

Project Information:
Name of the Show	: Fensterbau Frontale India 2014
Venue	: Pragati Maidan, New Delhi
Dates	: February 27th to March 1st

How seriously are Indians taking their fenestration is evident from the fact that a large number of global players of this segment have either established a strong foothold in the country, or are in the process to attain the same! Glimpses of this reality were abundant at the recently concluded Fensterbau Frontale 2014 exhibition in Delhi, where the world's leading door and window players showcased their prowess with utmost zeal.


Organised by NürnbergMesse India, and supported by the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce, ift Rosenheim and the International Fenestration Forum, the show attracted more than 80 exhibitors and over 4,000 visitors. Other supporting associations include, the Indian Green Building Council, Glazing Society of India, Confederation of Construction Products and Services, UPVC Window & Door Manufacturers Association, Federation of Safety Glass, and Aluminum Extruder's Council.

The product categories showcased comprise structural and profile systems, materials (finished & semi-finished), production aids, glass & glass products, hardware, fixing and safety equipment, shading and ventilation equipment, Machines, installation, tools, operating systems, operating equipment, components, and prefabricated elements. And the participants also included service providers, associations, and research & development institutions.


Notably, the show was attended by fabricators, architects, consultants, specifiers, builders, developers, trade fraternity, students, and foreign delegates.

Some of the enriching highlights of the show:

• Concurrent Conference program under the heading of "Envelopes for Green Buildings" offered experts from India and all over the world an ideal platform for discussing the latest technologies and trends with key focus on Trends in Science & Market, Energy Efficiency and Quality.
• Special session with Dr. Ken Yeang- one of the world's leading architects in ecological and passive low energy design. He has delivered over 200 built projects and his 'bioclimatic' towers have had an impact around the world, fusing high-tech and organic principles. He is named by the Guardian as "one of the 50 people who could save the planet".
• An official German Pavilion supported by the Federal Ministry of Economics, Germany for the third year in running at the show.
• An accompanying workshop for local fabricators - effort well appreciated by the Industry – as a great initiative – giving "knowledge" back to the Industry.

Dr. Hahn

Dr. Hahn GmbH & Co. KG is a leading manufacturer and complete solutions provider of door hinge systems for steel, aluminium, and u-PVC doors. Founded in 1962, the company has progressed by leaps and bounds over the decades, and today it's a hallmark of quality.

The Hahn KT-N 6R pre­mium hinges for u-PVC doors accentuate the beauty of attractive doors with their subtle design and stand out because of their efficient, high-calibre installation technology. Hinges of this series have achieved class 13 rating for the CE labeling, and thus may also be installed on emergency exit doors. A good fit is also ensured even with doors that have high heat insulating chambers. The hinges are RAL tested and approved for doors weighing up to 140 kg, depending on design of door frame. All adjustments can be performed on site by one person without having to raise or remove the door. As tried, tested and proven in real world applications, the door hinge can be adjusted variably in six directions. These hinges are suitable for doors made of plastic section suited for residential and commercial structures, main entrance doors, side entrance doors, interior doors, exterior doors, and entrance doors for flats.


Mr. Igor Obradovic, Sales Manager, informed, "u-PVC is registering a high demand in India, and it's constantly growing. Considering the price sensitivity of Indians, we have different profiles in different price ranges. We have been present here for the past years, and have established a dealer network. On a long-term basis, India is a good market, and we will continue to expand our operations here."

Geeta Aluminium Co. Pvt. Ltd.

Established in 1964, Geeta Aluminium has emerged as India's foremost aluminum sections marketing, retail and Fabrication Company. With its headquarters in Mumbai, Geeta Aluminium has expanded its area of operation to cover several cities in its stronghold western region of the country and is now moving at a rapid pace to touch other regions as well. The company specializes in aluminum windows, doors, partitions, sheets and all other related accessories, and can also provide turnkey solutions across residential and commercial sector.

Mr. Kushal Bajaj, Executive Director apprised, "We majorly cater to fabricators, architects, and builders. Today, we have 7 retail outlets and 4 showrooms covering the entire western region of India, out of which 5 retail outlets and 3 showrooms are located in Mumbai itself. Geeta Aluminium caters to an ever-growing customer base of over 40,000 for various products covering the fenestration industry, home and office interior, furniture and automotive industries.

What makes us unique is our service offering that is designed to give a customer, in this case a fabricator, one-stop solution after sales. Divided into 4 simple yet systematic processes Geeta Support System ensures that our products are used well and delivered as desired on site – this where after sales service comes before sales!"

Notably, the company's products have been developed to cater to the maturing market of doors and windows fabrication. Utmost care has been taken to ensure satisfactory performance of all these products in extreme climatic conditions of India; where there is excess of dust, unsettled winds and heavy rainfall. Mr. Bajaj explained, "The existing sliding windows and doors available in India do not meet the user's fundamental requirement of air and water tightness. They fail to perform up to the expectations of an elegant, noise free, smooth sliding, proper locking door and window that ensure safety from unauthorized opening of the shutter from outside. Geeta provides solutions to all these challenges while offering high performance and the finest quality."


According to him, aluminium, by the virtue of being a relatively economical product than its substitutes, has become a highly sought after fenestration raw material. "Price does play a major role in India, and it's quite difficult to change this mindset. We have taken utmost care to ensure that our aluminium fenestration products are a combination of quality and competitive pricing backed with effective after sales service. No wonder, they are tough, durable and suitable for all types of buildings if installed in the correct manner."

Hornschuch

The HornschuchGroup with its headquarters in Weissbach, Germany, is the world market leader for surface finishes. The group's products are sold in more than 80 countries worldwide. Skai® covertech exterior films are used on a wide range of construction elements such as windows, doors, garage doors and façade cladding. With the patented 'cool colors' technology the films effectively reduce the heat buildup of surfaces in direct sunlight. The technology prevents the damage which would otherwise harm vinyl window profiles. The films are available in more than 70 colors and various designs that stretch from powder coated aluminium to wood looks.


Talking about Skai's acceptance in the Indian market, Mr. Dinesh Sahu, National Head(Marketing & Sale) for India, said, "In India, We have limited number of profile wrapping machine / limited number of profile wrapping / lamination manufacturer who is the buyer of our foil, out of which we have good number of buyers. But it is growing year on year. Regarding end users acceptance they love to have such laminated product like door and window profile in wooden and metallic finishes"

In India uPVC Door and Window industry not so organize, as this industry is in Initial stage, it's the need of the hour to work on standardization so that it will grow and move in right direction.

Lingel

Germany-based, Lingel is a leading manufacturer of high quality u-PVC doors and windows. Having a sound background in building-construction projects, Lingel also provides the cutting edge in technology and services. The windows come with various benefits such as heat reduction, sound insulation, durability, low maintenance, and eco-friendliness.

Mr. Mario Schmidt, the company's Managing Director, informed, "We, at Lingel believe that our products have important roles to play in helping to improve people's lives and conserve energy in a world that is growing in population, with ever-increasing demands for water, food, shelter, sanitation, energy, health services and economic security. We are very proud of the individual approach that we set in motion almost 50 years ago to help us meet the challenges of sustainable development. This is now well underway and delivering real progress worldwide."

"In India," he continued, "our fenestration products have become highly sought after by homeowners and we are really proud of this. In tune with this sentiment, we are expanding our presence and trying to register higher sales volume. Residential segment, is one of the most promising avenues for the u-PVC fenestration sector."

SAICON

Established in 2005, SAICON has developed into one of the India's leading u-PVC windows and doors related product manufacturers and suppliers, specialising in supplying u-PVC windows and doors across the India and abroad. The company is also a leading supplier of u-PVC window manufacturing machines.

Mr. Amit Chakrabarti, Managing Director, claimed, "We are the first company to develop fully portable u-PVC window manufacturing machines in India. Till date u-PVC Window making machines used to be very expensive and required factory set-ups to manufacture the windows. But now with our new range of portable machines, products can be manufactured at site as well as factory as the weight of the welding machines are very light. It's is only 21.5 Kilos, whereas the conventional welding machines weigh around 300 Kilos. But due to its small size it does not compromise with the quality of product as the after products are tested for strength in laboratories and have passed all necessary strength and quality tests. Portable machines are available for both Corner and 'V' type welding. We offer services for fully portable upvc window and door manufacturing plants. We have sold 850 machines in 3 years, out of which, 140 have been sold in India. We are exporting our product to over 40 countries worldwide."

In-fact, SAICON not only supplies fabrication machinery, but also provides holistic training and after-sales support to the prospective fabricators. "Initially, we try to find out an aspiring fabricator's objective, and then guide him accordingly. We back our offerings with comprehensive warranties."


SAICON also specializes in innovative products like high quality colour coated upvc windows and doors. Mr. Amit Chakrabarti said "People are getting bored with the same white colour of upvc windows, so we developed colour coated upvc profiles to make upvc windows and doors with a extremely durable exterior grade formulation for the extreme Indian climate. Currently we are having 24 beautiful shades available with us but we can also make custom colour coatings according to client demands. We offer clients with complete windows and doors solutions from imagination to satisfaction"

Technal

With a presence of around 50 years in more than 100 countries, Technal is the European leader in aluminum systems for building façades, windows, doors, partitions, and railings. A part of the Sapa AS, Technal has been present in India for a long time, and its range of offerings includes facades, casement frames, sliding systems, doors, balustrade, bullet proof products, solar protection, partitions, shop and office fittings with a wide plethora of colour and finishing options.

The company markets its door under the Titane name. Mr. Santosh Jena, Head Marketing, said, "These are intensive-use doors for public buildings, residences, and schools, with elliptical shapes, 63 mm module, and reinforced security options. They offer resistance, endurance, burglar resistance, and weather proofing performance." On the other hand, the sliding systems are offered under the Cital, Topaze and Topaze+ brand. He elaborated, "These sliding windows and patio doors are dedicated to the residential segment. They provide high performance, aesthetics, and are highly weather proof and especially suited to tropical areas." Moreover, the company is also quite focused on partition systems, and lifts and slide systems that are marketed under the category of Opale and Galene respectively.

Technal® has established an unrivalled reputation for inovative and flexible design solutions and has built up an impressive portfolio of award-winning projects. Technal® systems have been used in Europe and across the world to create glazing solutions for buildings in sectors as diverse as offices, airports, leisure, schools and higher education, healthcare and apartments. Architects and Designers in Europe, Asia, the Middle and far East, Africa, and North and South America have specified the Technal brand in numerous projects to realise their design concepts and help deliver high quality and often acclaimed architecture master pieces.


According to him, the Indian market for high quality fenestration is currently at a nascent stage, but given the growing awareness of the consumers for quality windows and doors, and efforts of the international building system suppliers, the scenario will be more favorable in the coming years. "In fact, what we need is a regulatory entity and building codes enforcement sooner in this part of the world which can govern the performance, standardization and functional aspects of aluminium fenestration industry. In the absence of which there's a continuous increase of presence of counterfeits in this category in almost all parts of the country and the whole value chain of design to installation has been compromised a lot in order to meet the so called individual underlying prime objective of a mere price factor of a square foot or square meter of application area. And, at the receiving end is the poor customers who pays multimillion rupees, and in most of the cases spends his life time earnings for a roof on his or her head, but left with no option rather than cheated with rattling, leaking windows/doors, full of outside noise coming inside the dwelling, a shaking window when a small vehicle passes on the road without any consideration of even basic performance factors for which a aluminium joinery system supposed to be meant for. And more than 99% of Indian windows in urban growth centers fall under this category" he observed. Indian windows definitely need a paradigm shift in terms of performance and quality transformation and a lot of consumer education and awareness going to come from the building system companies in the coming days.

Ritikaa Wood

Ritikaa Wood is India's first and largest timber engineering company that provides complete solutions including design, manufacturing, and installation for solid wood products such as glazed windows and doors, solid wood doors, decking, cladding, screens and flooring. All the products are made from Accoya, the world's leading high performance wood.

The windows are available in various variants such as casement, vertical sliding, horizontal sliding, louvered shutters, Lift-&-Glide / Slide-&-Fold sliding balcony doors (extra large windows), hinged balcony doors (large doors) and special shapes. According to Mr. Anuj Divanji, Founder and Managing Director, "RitikaaWood offers high performance wood products as well as customised ideas working in tandem with designers and architects. We use 100% FSC/PEFC certified real-wood in all of our products. We use European raw materials and manufacture finished products according to European standards in our state of the art 30,000 sqft wood working facility in Nashik. Our products come with a 5 year product warranty as well as a 50 year lifetime warranty on the wood, even when used outdoors and exposed to rain and sun. In addition, we have also developed teams of trained installers across the country to ensure our Factory Made, Factory Finished high quality products are installed with equally high standards and our clients get their products worth without any hassles of coordinating with various agencies"


"He stated that the wood market in India is quite fragmented with small players, which is in contrast to RitikaaWood's strategy of complete end-to-end solutions for Factory Made, Factory Finished products."

"Price has often been a deciding factor here, and it still continues to be. Our products are slightly higher priced than substitutes which are look-alikes of wood, but not real wood. We provide real wood products without any compromise on quality. We can do value engineering and optimize product specifications to match the clients needs whilst achieving cost effectiveness. We are also creating awareness through architects, and provide after sales assistance through a team of trained installers in all the major cities."

Expressing his views on customization versus standardization, he said, "Being manufacturers ourselves with a local factory, we are able to cater to specific requirements of our clients. This is particularly relevant as we pay a lot of attention to detailing. We are therefore able to cater to situations specific to each site, unlike most others in India who are simply importers of finished products and therefore have limited options for customization. Having executed over 250 projects across India, we are now able to standardize our systems to cater to most Indian conditions whilst still achieving the European standards expected from our products. This also helps us achieve quicker response times and efficiencies of scale.

KIN LONG

China-based KIN LONG has been an innovative and professional company engaged in research, development, manufacture, and marketing of fittings for architectural hardware. The company supplies fittings of high quality and provides consulting services to the architectural industry. Through many years of research & development, KINLONG has achieved a good reputation in the construction industry.

Being a specialist in u-PVC and aluminium fenestration hardware for lifting and sliding doors, the company offers a perfect combination of hardware, gasket and profile to ensure the performance of air tightness, anti-dust and sound insulation. It facilitates easy operation, and has a high load bearing capacity of 300kg/sash. This series is ideal for room, balcony, and partition doors.

Mr. Sandy Lee, Regional Sales Manager of North and East India, informed, "We have been present in India since 2004, and are directly selling to fabricators. We promote our products through architects and developers. Hundreds of prestigious projects have used KIN LONG products and we are consistently providing high quality hardware to more clients."

Unilux

Unilux, which is a family owned 55 year old German company, has a rich history of specializing in wooden windows. Gradually, the company entered into various verticals such as insulating glass, wooden doors, and now it's a well known name in wood-aluminium window systems. These systems are available in various shapes, sizes, and colours. The stand out features of Unilux's windows systems are design and ergonomics.

Shedding light on the wood aluminium combination, Mr. Aris Dimou, Director Sales CEE, said, "Wood is natural. Since the beginning of time we have appreciated wood as the most ideal of all building materials. Its warmth, noble atmosphere and beauty accompany us in all areas of our life. With a weather resistant aluminum covering you can enjoy wood's naturalness without having to maintain the exterior. Aluminum is a natural shield against the elements; and with that we have reached a landmark in window construction."


He continued, "We are looking forward to appoint a dealer network in India, and promote our products through architects and consultants. Our focus is on the residential segment in a major way."

SCL Window Solutions

SCL Window Solutions Pvt. Ltd, a part of NCR based Shani Corporation Limited (SCL) Group is one of the pioneer manufacturer and complete solutions provider of u-PVC doors and windows. The company markets its products under the CORA brand, and specializes in Casement Windows and Doors, Sliding Windows and Doors, Tilt and Turn Windows, French Doors with Mesh, Window Combs, and Louver Shutters. The company intends to provide one roof solution to the door and window needs with a minimum warranty of 10 years on the window. It further stands atop the competitors by offering the replacement of 120 hours.

Notably, the CORA range of Windows and Doors are the most aesthetically pleasing, balanced and functionally superior for every space. Explaining about the company's product features, Mr. Sundip Kumar, the company's Managing Director, said "Our windows are built using eco stabilizers and offer optimum insulation, hence saving energy and the environment. The product offers excellent weather resistance, high durability, hassle free and minimum maintenance, and the tough build ensures enhanced protection from all external elements."

In fact, the company is also quite keen on giving a strong push to its Louver Shutters. Mr. Kumar said, "These are exceptionally designed and protect buildings against various weather elements. Most importantly, they can be assembled on the frame or on the wall, and can be separated into three broad categories: single sash, double sash and bi-fold sash according to their assembly style." He continued "We also offer a range of colored windows to accord with the ever increasing demands which is shifting towards colors like mahogany and red oak."


He further added, "Today, u-PVC fenestration is finding increasing acceptance and usage across the country, and this has reflected in the response we have received. The future looks bright for us as the product is gaining momentum in latent sectors like hospitality and likewise."

VEKA

Around the world, for over four decades, VEKA is the world's largest German manufacturer in high quality uPVC window and door profile systems. VEKA India, a wholly owned subsidiary of VEKA AG, Germany, has a widest product range for Indian market as per International standards. The company offers windows & doors profile system with highest noise insulation and heat insulation values as well as conforming relevant International standards.

In India, the company has developed a wide network of 'Associate Fabricators and Dealers' in all the four major cities. These channel partners provide efficient services towards design, fabrication, supply, handling and installation of VEKA System u-PVC doors and windows. To support its associates and customers in India, the company has also developed a team of sales and technical professionals. All VEKA Profiles confirm upvc profle's outer wall thickness of more than 2.5 mm, with tropical mix, impact resistance as per International standards, as well as welding strength in accordance to EN514. After giving a makeover to homes, hotels, hospitals and commercial offices around the world, VEKA envisions to refashion India.

Among its wide range of profiles, VEKA's Premium Series includes innovative u-PVC window and door profile solutions. The window category is quite road and incorporates tilt & turn, bottom hung, lever operated, pivoted or reversible, bay, arches, triangular, round and special shapes, and curves in plan with bay pole coupling. Meanwhile, the door solutions comprise tilt & slide, lift & slide, sliding & folding, and low threshold. As if this was not enough, there is a gamut of specialized products designed specifically for projects.


Mr. Shivendra Singh, Regional Sales Manager – North India, apprised, "According to a study conducted by Reliance Polymers, Indian doors & windows market size is approximately Rs.12,000 crore, of which, the share of uPVC doors is approximately Regular 600-800 crore. We, at VEKA, believe that this will shoot upwards for sure."

Profine (KÖMMERLING)

Profine GmbH – International Profile Group – is a worldwide leading manufacturer of PVC-U profiles for windows and doors and a renowned provider of shutter systems and PVC sheets. With its KBE, KÖMMERLING and TROCAL brands, the Group has an excellent international standing at 29 sites in 22 countries. Profine Group manufactures at production facilities in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Russia, Ukraine, the USA, China and the new facility at Vadodara, Gujarat. Profine Group, under its subsidiary profine India Window Technology Pvt Ltd., has invested Rs.60 crore in its facility in Gujarat and more to follow in due course of time. Initially profine has started with 3 extrusion lines with a production capacity of 3000 MT with future expansion plans to go upto 10 extrusion lines with a production capacity of 10000 MT.

KÖMMERLING's product range include Casement systems (outward & inward open window & door), Sliding window & door, Tilt & turn window, Lift & Slide door, Sliding folding door, Top hung window etc. However, the Casement System and Sliding System out of the vast range of products has made a significant impact in the Indian market and initially the company has started manufacturing above series in India.

The Casement windows are tailor-made virtually to any height and width and can be customized according to exact requirements. Plus, these windows are fitted to the highest standards and also enable easy cleaning of the outer glass panes. On the other hand, in Sliding windows, two or more frames slide horizontally on tracks to the left or the right. The windows are slightly raised above the track for smooth slide and also prevent dust from settling down in the track. These windows are ideal for homes that require space-economy. Meanwhile, the tilt and turn windows combine versatility with a smart, simple style ideally suited to modern homes.


Mr. Amir Hashmi, Regional Sales Manager, informed, "All our products are perfectly suited to the Indian market, and we have earned a lot of market goodwill by meeting the evolving customers' requirements in India. In fact, the market for good fenestration is heading towards new levels in the country, and the coming years will witness more positive signs."