Pidilite Conquers with Mega Training Program Initiative

Nilesh Mazumdar

Chief Business Officer Construction Chemicals Retail and Roff Pidilite India

Pidilite is a consumer centric company committed to quality and innovation. For decades, with pioneering products for small to large applications, at home and industry, have forged strong bonds with people from all walks of life. From adhesives, sealants, waterproofing solutions and construction chemicals to arts & crafts, industrial resins, polymers and more, Pidilite has also embrace the responsibility towards the community through social initiatives in rural development, education and healthcare. Nilesh Mazumdar, Chief Business Officer, Construction Chemicals Retail And Roff, Pidilite India, in conversation with CE&CR, talks about the company's R&D, sustainable solutions and the mega training initiative with CIDC.

CE&CR: Pidilite’s expertise, experience and a wide range of solutions are much celebrated in the industry. How has Pidilite become the holistic pioneer and one stop solution provider?

Nilesh Mazumdar: Pidilite has always been a pioneer. We identify and serve un/underserved market segments and fill those with a brand and not just a product. We then work relentlessly with consumers and users until we create a market leading brand. Whether you look at Fevicol, Dr. Fixit, Fevikwik or M seal – it’s the same story.

CE&CR: “Right Adoption of the Right Waterproofing Solution” was one of your key points. Central to it, shed some light on your in-house R&D, Holistic System Solutions and accessories.

Nilesh Mazumdar: Dr. Fixit is the pioneer of waterproofing in India. We have a bouquet of solutions that cater to various waterproofing needs of our customers and end users. Based on our survey of the evolving market needs and gaps, our R&D team develops innovative products and solutions. At the same time, we leverage our global presence to bring the latest global technologies to our markets.

Once we have a new product or solution, we make sure it goes through stringent quality checks before we launch it. We also simultaneously ensure that we provide the product support infrastructure, including the application ecosystem.

As a part of our holistic system solution focuses on ensuring the right execution of our products and solutions. Our Customer Services Group provides product support and standardization of the solutions. We also train influencers and users on USPs and the right application of the solution, through Dr. Fixit Institute.

Consumers can also reach us through our Dr. Fixit advice centre to get consultation on their waterproofing needs and relevant solutions.

CE&CR: Global environmental and climatic conditions have witnessed a sharp shift creating structural challenges for the construction cohort. How Pidilite has come up with core focus on sustainability and incorporating it in the product/solution range?

Nilesh Mazumdar: Sustainability is a key area of focus for Pidilite. We strive to create products and solutions that have a positive impact on the planet and the communities.

We have transitioned from solvent based acrylic coatings to a more eco-friendly water-based acrylic coating for roof and external walls, significantly bringing down our carbon footprint.

At the same time, our solutions are aiding the development of more energy efficient and sustainable structures. We have created roof insulation coatings with a high SRI (Solar Reflective Index). This provides a heat reflecting coating, bringing down the surface temperature by 6-7˚C and internal temperature by 3-4˚C. In fact, Dr. Fixit institute is a member the Indian Green Building Council and we have developed efficient roof insulation systems as per the ‘Green Roof’ guidelines issued by the Council. These Polyurethane Foam (PUF) based systems can reduce the internal temperature by 10-12˚C. We have also pioneered in developing unique wall insulation coatings based on Exterior Insulation and Finish System (EIFS). All these systems together help in enhancing the thermal efficiency of the building and moderate the energy consumption significantly, once again reducing the overall carbon footprint.

Additionally, the materials used by us are Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA) certified. This certification evaluates the environmental performance of a building holistically over its entire life cycle, thereby providing a definitive standard for what constitutes a ‘green building’.

CE&CR: Pidilite and CIDC, together has come up with the mega initiative of training skilled waterproofing technicians across India. How will this aid in your vision of “Building High Quality and Right Infrastructure for Modern India”?

Nilesh Mazumdar: Water leakage is one of the biggest customer pain points when it comes to construction issues and yet today there are many structures being made either without or with inadequate waterproofing. Many end-users don’t know the science behind waterproofing and end up using paint or premium cement which obviously can’t do the job.

The purpose of this initiative is to create a cadre of skilled water-proofing experts who can ably advice customers on and execute the right water-proofing solutions and help prevent water leakages.

Through this initiative, we aim to train technicians on all aspects of water-proofing to deliver right solution with the right execution. This we believe will help develop high-quality and long-lasting structures across India.

CE&CR: Take us through the Training Programs.

Nilesh Mazumdar: We have created training programs for water-proofers with different levels of skills and experience. As a part of these, they can opt to receive hands on training, followed by an assessment and certification.

CE&CR: What will be the broad topics of learning to be taken up in the Training Program and how will they serve fruitful of the professional and to the industry in terms of practical application?

Nilesh Mazumdar: We provide training for end-to-end waterproofing needs - right from site inspection to critical application detailing - to ensure that the waterproofing is done right and is long lasting.

For further information,
visit: www.pidilite.com