FORMICA significant name of trust

 

Mr. Ajay Khurana, Managing Director, Formica India

For this edition, the editorial team at Interior Exterior got an opportunity to interact with Mr. Ajay Khurana, Managing Director, Formica India. Formica is the original inventor of high-pressure laminates. He has over 36 years of professional experience in diverse industries. His responsibilities as MD include driving operational efficiency and consistent growth of the business in India. He has also been instrumental in the successful execution of numerous innovative projects and initiatives. Prior to joining Formica India in 2021, he was Chairman at REHAU, a global leader in manufacturing and providing polymer-based solutions. He has international experience in business strategy, market development and product introduction. Mr. Khurana, an outspoken promoter of cross-functional collaboration for achieving corporate excellence, believes that teamwork, planning and effective communication go a long way towards charting the path to organizational success.

Firstly, Formica is a global brand, so can you tell us about surface solutions by Formica.

Formica Group is a leading provider of branded, designed surfacing solutions for commercial and residential customers worldwide. As the world's largest manufacturer of High Pressure Laminate (HPL), our international network of design, manufacturing, distribution and sales operation maintains the recognition of Formica as a global brand.  Formica is a part of Broadview Holdings, a Dutch holding company which owns leading premium surface material brands globally. Formica represents and distributes solutions of BCH companies Arpa and Homapal in India.

Formica India provides customers with the highest quality innovative surface solutions that can be used for any residential or commercial interior application. Homeowners, Interior Designers and Architects alike have come to trust and rely on Formica products for their design needs. With an extensive range of designs and colors, there's a Formica product for every project no matter the style or budget.

Formica provides customers with a variety of innovative solutions to choose from including solid-color laminates, textured laminates, high pressure laminates, decorative edge laminates and many more. By combining decorative appeal, durability and ease of installation, Formica has the perfect surface for any project. Formica products offer long-lasting style with minimal effort, great value and a guarantee of maximum customer satisfaction on all orders. The company produces a wide range of products for both residential and commercial use.

What market does your product cater to in the industry?

Formica India offers an array of superior decorative laminates in glossy, matte, and textured finishes. These finishes range from vivid designs on solid hues to more subtle patterns and textures for custom furniture, wall panelling, cabinetry etc. These surfaces can be used for interior applications, kitchens, patios, and bars.

Homapal:

For a modern and metallic look of any interior décor, Homapal is the perfect solution. It features a metallic finish, with real metal inserts, that matches the requirement of high-end glossy and premium surfaces. This product has a superior and luxurious finishes and available in more than 100 varieties.

FENIX:  

It is a carbon neutral product that not only provides customers a ultra-lux finish but is also sustainable in nature. It is a modern and minimalist design that having sleek surfaces and simple lines which makes up the perfect backdrop for a space with a high level of functionality. The signature Fenix material provides an absolute matt finish that reduces unwanted smudging, fingerprints, and other marks. Its highly durable surface makes cleaning easy which never fades, making it perfect for a busy kitchen. Whether it's urban chic or minimalist elegance you're after, FENIX is the perfect choice.

The company focuses on providing the premium needs of the customers especially in the residential and commercial market. A lot of our clients in the architectural and design world are preferring to use FENIX and DecoMetal to give the clients a premium finish.  Recently, we also introduced two new premium laminates from Arpa, named VIS & Incanto.

VIS is an engineered surface with mineral components that significantly increases wear resistance and organic components that enhance the tactile experience of the textures. Formica's Incanto collection captures the rich, magical textures of the North-western Italian woods, the rocky Dolomites, the tuff formations of central Italy, and the basaltic lands of the country's Southern regions. Looking forward, we are in process of launching a new product range called- Formica CORA, which will be a part of Formica's premium international range. Talking about CORA, “It's a Surface with a Soul” it gives you the options to select your preferred core color, delivering grace and elegance inside and outside. 

Also, would like to add that we have just opened the door of our first showroom in India, located in heart of Delhi. The showroom has been designed by Musa, Italy (owned by BVH) a multicultural team that designs solutions to create value and meaningful experiences. Formica has a manufacturing unit in Karol, Ahmedabad, where the company works with both premium and commodity requirement of laminates. We also export material to our sister companies in Thailand and the Middle East. For our future goals, we are looking forward to making ourselves as the export hub for laminates.

We have a central research and development area Nemho: Next Material House, where we employ 80 people from across the globe to research on the future materials and innovations for the BVH group. The main goal for this is to inspire the fraternity that we cater to, to spread the knowledge about materials, be environment friendly and sustainable

2021 was a difficult time for everyone, whether by 2022 everyone was still stabilizing their companies, What did Formica do so the company stays in the market front?

In 2021, we started our journey from scratch, as we decided to discontinue our highest selling product 0.8 sheets. We changed our vision statement and focused on launching our premium products that you see in the market today. We coined a new identity for Formica India. We hired best resources to reform, perform and transform the India organization.

We restructured, set up new processes and created a new environment for internal and external customers to succeed. We invested in our plants when it came to the environment, health and safety of our employees, and getting new Quality and Process certifications for the plant. We recently received the Forest Stewardship Council certification for our export business.

We have set up a Vision 2026 and are working towards laying a strong foundation for our business and Brand. For Formica, actions are more important than the results.

What are your thoughts on sustainability?

Globally, Formica is already catering to the sustainability segment, whereas in India we are investing on how we can change the use of coal to gas. For us, sustainability is about being good to society and the environment. We have earned many environmental related certification and we believe it is our responsibility to care for the environment.

What are your goals for 2023?

Formica aims to go forward with their reform, perform and transform philosophy and leverage their new showroom in Delhi. We want to be an inspiration in the market and strengthen our infrastructure to increase our sales. We have already made a prominent portfolio in various part of India and we are aiming to expand our networks further by entering new market segments. Apart from the market front, we are also doubling our backend by hiring qualified market professionals who can meet the needs of the company. Overall, we want to transform in the market through empowering our clients, employees, and the products.

Has digitalization of the market affected the business in any (good or bad) way?

The digital era has been in our favor and we are present on many platforms. We are able to educate the market and social media has played an important part in letting us do those. It's not just with India, but globally we are able to reach a lot of people and explain to them the importance of having a premium and luxurious feel to their spaces. We are not focusing on the number of followers we gain through all social media platforms, but we are focusing on what inspires people, how they are able to relate to us, how we can educate the market, and how we can collaborate with them.

In the end, What are your final thoughts for your clientele?

Before we close, there only one thing I would like to say, Formica is a formidable Global player, a leader performing very well globally. In India, we have re-established ourselves for a long haul. We are focused not just on our Vision 2026 but we are engaged on building foundation blocks for providing inspiring, innovative and sustainable products for the future generations of our customers.

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