The Indian paint industry is over 100 years old. Its beginning can be traced back to the setting-up of a factory by Shalimar Paints in Calcutta (now Kolkata) in 1902. Until World War-II, the industry consisted of small producers and two foreign companies. The domestic paint industry is estimated to be a Rs.500 billion industry, with the decorative paint category constituting almost 75 percent of this market. The decorative paint market includes multiple categories depending on the nature of the surface like exterior wall paints, interior wall paints, wood finishes, enamels as well as ancillary products like primers, putties, and others. Under the Make in India initiative, the government of India aims to increase the share of the manufacturing sector to the gross domestic product (GDP) to 25 percent by 2022 from existing 16 percent. Manufacturing sector has the potential to reach $1 trillion by 2025 and India is expected to rank amongst the three growth economies and manufacturing destinations of the world by 2020. These factors are expected to significantly boost industrial paint consumption. Contributing a significant share in this growth, Berger Paints has brought crucial transformations in the way the paint industry operates and manufactures. The assortment of products delivered by Berger Paints has positioned the company at an unmovable stature in the industry – most preferred, and most trusted brand.
Kolkata headquartered Berger Paints is one of India’s premiere paint manufacturing companies. Berger has 14 manufacturing units in India, two in Nepal, and one each in Poland & Russia. This paint manufacturer’s growth trend is encouraging and adds to the confidence of the shareholders. This is also reflected by the increase in share prices (20 times in 10 years). A fair credit goes to the flagship, Protective Coatings, that continues to be the pride of Berger’s catapulting growth at more than 15 percent to last year sales.
It’s About The ‘Why’
Protective Paints & Coatings is one of the essential products for construction that holds the infrastructure for the expected design life. Corrosion is prevalent in all industries. The roads are not spared either given the vehicle emission pollution that adds to carbonation of concrete, thereby making them weak and vulnerable to spalling and cracking. The NACE reports speak of 3.5 percent loss in GDP year-on-year due to corrosion, making it an extremely important segment in need of careful study and implementation.
The corrosion is not similar across a type of industry and it varies with the location and the environmental challenges it is subjected to. Clearly, there is no prescribed coating system which one can download from the internet and start using it in their plant. Protecton is one of Berger’s exclusive divisions specializing on heavy duty high performance coating system advocated by Coating Specialist in Berger. Berger presents as solution provider to the industry.
The organization is in constant touch with the consultants & architects and keeps sharing valuable information of case studies and the technology advancements to get it specified for any new project. Corrosion audit and survey is offered free of cost to industries as a service while continuing to recommend clients tailor-made solutions to combat their plant corrosion issues. This recommendation is well received, as Berger also undertakes challenging jobs and ensures solutions are in place. Right from coating system recommendation to installation and inspection, the entire responsibility is carried-out by the Berger team. This team comprises of individuals qualified to NACE Coating Inspection International Standards, enabling Berger to give its clients a standing guarantee. “Many customers vouch for the service we have offered and continue to patronage us year after year. We do not sell products, we offer solutions. People do not
buy what you do; they buy why you do it,” says Sanjay Chowdhury, Business Head, Berger Paints.
Demonstrating Infinite Scope For Innovation
Berger is acclaimed as a game changer in the sector with a vibrant portfolio of paints and tailor-made customer services in every paint segment. The range of product covers all segments of industries and infrastructure, which Berger calls Floor-To-Roof solution. More like a suite of solutions, Berger leverages this offering to address a plethora of industrial & infrastructural requirements. Products cover from floor coatings to innovative products like High Voltage Insulation Floor Coatings that have replaced rubber mats at one-third the cost by offering easier ability to clean, longer life and safety in Power Plants.
We do not sell products, we offer solutions. People do not buy what you do; they buy why you do it
Significant innovations in Epoxy coatings resolved the challenges in difficult-to-paint areas in cooling water structures of Power plants. Now, it is made possible to paint on a wet concrete surface, which was not feasible with ordinary epoxy coatings.
To help the Fabricators do the painting the same day instead of the typical 3-4 days coating schedule, Berger’s innovation team brought-forth a Monocoat system, also called as Direct-To-Metal Coatings. This enables to provide dual service of corrosion protection as a primer, as well as colour retention as finish paint.
Passive Fire Protection using paint sprays are normally imported to cater to Indian Market. However, Berger became the first Indian company to have introduced this technology with its Pondichery Plant (certified as per Under Writers Laboratories), thereby delivering an international product at affordable Indian rates.
Pipe Coatings, Road Makings, Clean Room Coatings, Can & Drum Coatings, Anti-fouling and many more new technologies have been introduced. Thus, contributions from Berger’s Protective Coatings Division add to feathers to its name.
Accomplishments To Ponder
Berger’s Protecton division has a strong sales and marketing force spread across the country with nearly 150 professionals on the team. Many seniors that are on-board this team are carrying an experience of 20-30 years studying and developing high performance coatings. This gives a stronger reliability to the clients & customers, enabling them carry Berger’s experience to confidently strive to develop coating solutions.
Protecton has NACE and SSPC coating inspectors and its expertise in handling larger projects is well proven. Protecton has worked on the famous Bogibeel Bridge that is in Assam under the North Frontier Railway, crossing the Brahmaputra River for rail and road connectivity. This entire job was done by Berger Team and is a successful track record for being able to accomplish at the toughest conditions. To its name and portfolio, Berger has several high profile projects like Chenab Bridge, MCF, IOCL , ONGC, DMRC, and Airports. Sanjay puts across a powerful tag line, “When you see rust, think about Berger as a solution”.
There is also a reason to it. Berger’s scope of innovation lies in its exceptional and capable R&D team. Berger R&D is well accredited and recognised for its research capabilities and innovation in product lines. It has a fully equipped paint and testing lab which deals with detail right accelerated testing to on-job evaluation of coatings. More so, research papers are regularly presented in international conferences and in Indian Paint Association, where Berger has been entitled with the ‘Best Paper Awards’.
“Berger’s scope of innovation lies in its exceptional and capable R&D team. Berger R&D is well accredited and recognised for its research capabilities and innovation in product lines”
A More Seamless Future
Looking forward, Berger is primarily engaged in further identifying problems of its clients and providing them a cost effective solution. “Our work shall continue in this path primarily and our focus is on newer technology to providing better solutions by reducing time and effort while we increase the productivity and performance of the coating systems. Not detailing into the technology which we shall be sporting, but the crux of growth comes from this sustenance to our philosophy and vision,” says Sanjay on Berger’s future endeavours. Marine Coatings, POLY UREA, and many other new Coatings for various applications will be at the centre of focus for Berger in the next five years.
The Vision That Has Driven Berger’s Growth
Berger’s vision is ‘To maximise shareholder value by developing & delivering innovative and best solutions for customers, consistently outperforming its peers, and providing a dynamic & challenging work environment for the employees’. This vision, combined with the philosophy ‘To believe in continuous Innovation and Change’, helps Berger to achieve goals and perform at high levels. As an organization with such vision, Berger has always honoured and respected their able team. The enterprise strongly believes that it is the team’s strength and belief in the leadership – a strong bond of commitment and dedication, which is spiralling Berger’s unparalleled growth. Owing its growth to one other factor, Berger’s approach to business circles 3Cs – Collaboration, Communication, and Commitment, which in turn leads to 3Ds – Development, Delivery and Delight. This combination of elements accounts for Berger’s mantra for industry leadership and success.
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