The market of PVC and WPC board is starting to mature with rise in acceptance of quality proven names. The slow and steady rise in presence of branded WPC-PVC boards reflect the change in dealer’s perception. The price gap between branded PVC boards and unbranded PVC boards has narrowed down that is helping the organized brands to spread its acceptance and market presence.
The customers preference and GST bill material has turned tides in favor of good quality products, though it is just the beginning on a new curve. Market reports reflect that brands like Alstone, Amulya and Floresta, are once again gaining new grounds after a weal patch of two years when cheap quality boards had taken over the market by price and KG level factors. The brands from the house of Green ply and Century ply, too are reported to be receiving gains due to the brand goodwill among customers. Players like Austin, Black Cobra, E3 and Echon too are finding the market gradually turning in favour of their materials due to consistent material density and image. There is good acceptance of 0.5 density boards for furniture making, which is normally offered by good brands in India market.
WPC boards too have started to gain wider access now compared to PVC because high quality seeking customers are buying with designers’ consent who recommend WPC as better product. NFC, RIL wood, are the brands who are targeting high end WPC markets. This product price range of such boards goes above Rs150/ or more that is why it is mainly being sold by premium dealers. The super-premium WPC board is in its very very early stage with hardly two manufacturing facilities. The early entrant brands like Alstone have advantage of variety of product with different applications from WPC based products, which has strengthened the market of WPC over last 7 years.
Though very few companies produce any other product like door frames, profiles, floorings, paneling solution, exterior grade etc other than PVC board because of slow acceptance and risk of failure but particularly in broad segment, more than 100 PVC units have mushroomed nationwide. The competition reached to fierce level where producers offered boards as KG price that actually led to worse scenario where product image got dented and users began ignoring it. Last 2 years saw a poor growth in WPC boards demand especially due to quality issues. Now users understand the need of quality boards with right specification, which is benefitting popular brands actually.