The Ply Reporter study finds that ‘FCB is fastest emerging panel boards since last five years with 18- 20 % market growth supported by increasing domestic manufacturing capacity as well as imports. With increasing acceptance of these products nationwide, South India based NCL industries (Bison Panels brand) has begun its production in the North too by establishing a factory in Himachal Pradesh. Another is Hyderabad based leading player, Visaka Board, which is adding its new plant in North at Jhajjar, Haryana, scheduled to start production by next year. Other players are Everest Industries, Ramco Industries, Hyderabad Industries Limited and few more small players.
Sensing opportunity in this area, Century Ply has also launched Zykron sourced from imports. Another Thailand based company Mahapant Fibres is also offering FCB panel with brand ‘Shera’ with local partners. Mumbai based marketing house GLO import this product and market in India with ‘GLO panels and Planks’ brand. Apart from these a dozen of other marketing companies/ importers are sourcing FCB from China and other countries.
The Ply Reporter findings indicate that the ‘Total market size for FCB has reached to Rs. 1000 crore in India’ with rise in retailing at Plywood dealers. With increasing awareness among contractors-carpenters, and other input providers the market is expanding very fast.
Around 60 percent supply is from domestic production and rest is from imports. With possible capacity addition by domestic players and increased focus on awareness, FCB market is expected to reach at Rs 1500 cr in next three years.
Although a lot more efforts are required for spreading awareness among plywood dealers and hence there come the gap and opportunity for new players in this segment. Currently FCB usages are limited to metro cities and government projects but if worked well, there could be a sizable demand in tier 2-3 cities. FCB is being manufactured in India since last 40 years, but it is yet to gain big despite of its suitability to this tropical and all weather country. It holds ample opportunity to emerge as a useful panel in field of interior-exterior needs as demonstrated by Plywood, MDF, Particle Board, WPC, Gypsum Boards, Marble, Glass, HPL Cladding, ACP, Wood etc. Many architectural ideas and application establish the fact that ‘FCB has possibilities and versatile application in making Furniture, Kitchen, Doors, Partition, Cladding, Roofing, Ceiling, facade and surface decorative applications’. A Bison dealer says that ‘FCB is becoming popular in the market due to health consciousness and increasing cost of wood and wood products. It is an ecofriendly product which application gives a chemical free hygienic environment’. The companies promote FCB as eco-friendly green products.
FCB is largely being used as substrate where other finishes can be obtained by applying Glossy finish, Paint finish, Veneer varnish, wall paper, laminate etc. On these boards you need to just paste veneer or laminates or any other material using normal adhesives or paint or can do digital printing according to your choice. The FCB Planks are already a popular choice in building façade purpose.