During a recent visit to Mumbai market, I saw a young boy entering into a shop, and he went to the corner where a bunch of Laminate catalogues were kept. He started searching a catalogue, takes it out and keeps on the top of the bunch and after passing a smile he left the shop. Within half an hour another salesman came and did the same. It’s a regular practice at present in laminate markets because everyone wants to be visible in this crowded laminate markets. Every retail shop in big cities has on an average 35-40 types of folders and are being kept adding on regular basis. One can find approx 20-25 folders at dealers in even tier 2-3 cities. Folder is main tool for sales in HPL hence such practices are common now.
Our study finds that Indian Laminates market has almost 700 plus folders of 1 mm, 0.8 mm, 0.72 mm thicknesses all including apart from other special mini catalogues of various designs categories like Synchro, Digital, Exterior grade, and Non-folder boxes. Indian decorative laminates market has been growing since last 10 years while production capacity has roused by four times, whereas market grew by double and half. Presently HPL industry is using 65-70 percent of capacity thanks to good demand of 0.8 mm and liner grade laminates and approximately two dozen more presses are in pipeline, which would commence production within 6 months period and dozens of plywood producers in North India are planning to enter into HPL production. The HPL capacity growth is on, although it does not sync with market demands, hence will impact profit margin in future.
Maintaining every year trend, we have brought ‘Turning Points of year 2017’ in this issue which is a very important revisit for our readers to look at with a different perspective on wood panel industry and decor trade. One can analyze their past and future decisions on the basis of our reports on these turning points. Opinion of Industry and trade people on reduction of GST to 18 percent has also been featured. Gabon is emerging as important destination for Face Veneers to India’s Plywood manufacturing, hence we have featured interview of Mr. Jasveer Singh, CEO, GSEZ. Besides, the coverage of successful completion of WADe ASIA in Delhi is like a show stopper of this issue. With lots of news breaks, event reports and product news, we say bye to 2017.