Four more centers to be opened in different cities in the next three years, says Mr Akhilesh Chitlangia, CEO of Sarda Plywood Industries Ltd
Sarda Plywood Industries Ltd (SPIL) opened a DURO Exclusive Experience Centre at Kriti Nagar in New Delhi. In an opening ceremony organized on February 2, 2018 the experience center has been inaugurated in presence of a number of industry conglomerates and dealers/distributors of the region. Sarda’s flagship brand DURO is known for offering high quality premium plywood products and has stood among top 5 plywood brands in India. The recently opened Experience Centre is unique, different and first of its kinds in India with largest veneers collections on display. Talking about the exclusivity of the Experience Centre Mr Akhilesh Chitlangia, CEO of Sarda Plywood Industries Ltd said, “We are finding that customers do not have much knowledge about veneers and it is as different as marble applications. The whole concept for this experience centre is that customers can come and see the products and its different applications in a clean environment and select them. It is just to increase the buying experience of consumers.”
He further said, “This is not a sales point as we sell our products with our channel partners. This centre will facilitate them to select the material and orders will be shifted to the concerned dealers/distributors of that area. What is different we have been giving here from others is that in India we have the largest range of natural veneers collection with over 250 varieties. Other showrooms do not have large display that we can offer to our clients. We wish to give our customers whole lot to see and choose from them. The showroom is about 2400 sq ft and the godown is
around 1800 sq ft where we have around 25000 sheets in stock. It is the largest natural veneer godown in India. This a proven concept and we are exploring for such kinds of experience centre in other cities also. We plan to open up at least four such showrooms in next three years possibly. The natural veneer market is growing and it will continue to grow because people have understood the benefit and beauty of natural veneers v/s recon veneer and laminates.”
Present on the occasion Mr Prashant Maheshwari of Ventura said, “Our products results are showing fantastic, we are at the 25% more than last year’s. What we feel is with a kind of exclusivity, and most importantly we have the materials available with us. Most of the showrooms with their display don’t have the material and many people if have the material do not have the display due to which the end result is no combination in the industry.”
Talking about the showcase at the experience centre he added, “Dealers can help in by sending customers directly to the centre and they do not need to go here and there. Our ratio of customer’s selection of the veneer is 90%. We have trend and experienced team who can understand customers’ needs. They have been trend especially for veneers that which veneer should be used at which place and share the idea with customers as well. On an average they are serving 4 to 5 architects per day and a lot of work is going on right now. Customers also understand that the Duro showrooms must have quality and what they pay is worth.”
Harendra Varma, Regional Manager of Sarda Plywood Industries said, “This is first of its kind showroom opened up in Delhi with whole range of veneers and the products which Duro have in the market. It will be a game changer as there is no such vast display of the veneer with any other showroom in the city as well as the country. The strategic location of this showroom at Kriti Nagar facilitate that customers from any part of Delhi and the nation as well can come and see the display and ask DURO dealers in their area for the selected product to deliver. Generally dealers are unable to display all the ranges at his counter. We can display here which is open to all the dealers and they can send their customers and get the veneers selected. This will help customers in their visualisation of the actual appearance after application as well as dealers in their sales. At this centre all Duro products are on display. The speciality of this experience centre is that we have maximum range of veneers display as well as the godown is nearby to serve our customers better with some rare species veneer which generally not available at all dealers counters.”
Ms Naina Chitlangia, who has recently entered into the business of wood panel trade for expansion of her father’s business, (Ply Samrat, Kirtinagar) with special focus on veneers to be catered as an area of operation and innovation instead to opt CS as her career said, “It’s great to have such display support for our sales. I think clients will appreciate new veneers, new furniture design they can get from such veneers. Definitely it will boost our sales as we get lot of clients who wish to see the polished effect of it.” She added, “When I entered into this experience centre I observed that this is the place I need get visited our clients and show them how veneer can be converted into furniture. How the polished effect will be done and that is much required at present.” She added further, “The real driver of veneer sales are designers because they give the shape of a sheet of veneer. As innovation got accepted everywhere, with this product we can create beautiful furniture of our house and interior and it has a vast scope at every home to give something new and innovative.”
Mr Naveen Gandhi, one of leading Architects from Jaipur also said that in veneer application there is always a challenge to offer different from others. Today there is mix and match trend in veneer application and one can find all range at this experience centre to meet their needs. For the veneer application quality plywood should be used as a cheap quality will ultimately destroy the beauty of veneer applications sooner than later”. While Mr Anand Saboo, Duro dealers’ at Faridabad said, “It is a fantastic display, and such concept will help to improve natural veneers application and growth. Duro Experience Center is the best and biggest for decorative veneer display in Delhi-NCR.”