Ahmedabad is known as the hub of Laminates manufacturing in India, similarly, the market and usage of Decorative Laminates are very high in Gujarat. Decorative Laminate is considered as the most preferred surface materials for furniture making in Gujarat, and they use high quality 1 mm laminates for their interior furniture but the patterns have reported to changing post pandemic and people's choice has been shifting to natural surface products such decorative veneers.
Arecent market survey by Ply Reporter in Ahmedabad hints that the users are starting to prefer decorative veneers instead of laminates, because their choice has been shifting to natural and fresh. Report says that Veneer demands have gone up in Gujarat as the middle class and upper middle class customers, who were turning towards quality offerings of laminates have taken a turn towards veneer. Users say that high prices of laminate have given a space for the decorative veneers to grow.
The veneer traders based at Gujarat say that the demand has picked up well and even some of the laminate consumers are asking for it. Thereby they are opting for economical options - Teak veneers. The demand of veneer is more from the cities like Ahmedabad, Surat Gandhinagar and Vadodara along with its outskirts. They also say that here users are more inclined towards Teak veneer and Walnut which is entirely different from Maharashtra where people ask for dyed, smoked and metallic veneers apart from Teak and Walnuts.
OPINION FROM AHMEDABAD BASED VENEER PLYERS
Mr Rasik Thakkar, RT Veneers: Today people's perspectives have changed and they wish to have their own home with a bigger space. The major supplies are going to individual houses. The commercial projects are looking for other materials. Veneer usage has been growing in Ahmedabad since the last 6 months to individual houses. Veneer loving people are different who don’t care about spending for it. Largely the demand is Teak and Walnut in Gujarat. Despite the price rise we are still expecting to have good sales in six months.
Mr Abhishek Agarwal, Singhal Décor: In Gujarat, People are now also looking towards non-Teak items like American walnuts, white oak, etc but majority are teak lovers. It also depends on how you sell and how good your service is along with the stock and designs. Veneer again started to eat up the sales of laminate a few months before laminate was more dominant in the market, but with rising prices is getting hit. Roughly its ratio would be 60:40 among laminates and veneer sales. Now people looking for three BHK or four BHK, they try to use veneer at least in the master bedroom. Middle class people are also stretching their limits.
People are also looking towards new items. Now stone veneer sales are picking up for exterior use. It gives a different look. It is made of natural things and every sheet is different, which are available in sizes of 4x2 and 8x4.
Mr Manish Mehta, Proprietor, Kalp Enterprise: Veneer has a cycle of trend that has come to Teak (knotty Teak) now in single colour application in Gujarat but in Mumbai region apart from Teak, dyed, smoke and metallic are in much demand. People are coming to the previous mindset so the demand for veneer is very good now but the competition is also there as the new local players of veneer manufacturing are going for direct selling and its effect comes on retailers and who are operating with stocks. Although veneer selling is an art, and the experience of observing customers' tests play an important role.
Mr Parth Mehta, MM Enterprise: The current scenario is that with the rising price of laminate, the demand for Teak veneer is rising. For example the textured laminate price is in the range of Rs 2000 to Rs 2800 and the veneer starts from Rs 70 and above per sq ft. People are going for it because it is natural. The conversion from laminate to veneer is nearly 40% as the upper middle class again started to look towards veneer. Currently there are a few issues before veneer also due to rising cost of plywood and the constraint availability of material due to rising raw material cost. The veneer price has also increased by nearly 20% because it is more dependent on imports of raw materials. The trend cycle is coming to the old practices and people are using walnut, Mapple. The designer veneer sales are also taking a pick up.
Mr Gaurav Solanki, Abhay Sales Agency: The awareness towards veneer is increasing. The veneer sales are a skill and for that you have to make efforts. The customers are preferring veneer and their interest has been increasing now.
Mr Ketan Thakkar, Figure Woods (Laxminarayan Traders): There is a cycle in veneer sales as sometime before smoke demand was good then metallic took its position and now Teak, White Oak and Walnut are at right demand. The 10% price rise in veneer has no effect on sales. The competition has increased due to which the product under routine sales has less margin to just 2 to 3%. The manufacturers are also doing direct sales that are affecting the dealers and the players who are trading with stock. Showroom sampling of veneer also is on the rise.
Mr Vaibhav Patel, Proprietor, Gajanan Timber: The demand is very good from the residential and farm houses but the supply constraint has pushed the price high and the traders margin has reduced. The container price is also high, which is pushing up the cost. The sales have reached to the pre covid level despite the price hike. With rising demand for veneer the laminate showrooms are also showcasing veneer. Out of 10 people 3 are opting for it for their interior work as the price of laminate has also reached to veneer level. The trend sales are majorly Teak as the customers who are from laminate are looking towards economical grade veneer.
THE PLY REPORTER observation on Gujrat market has been very positive for decorative wood veneers during last 5 years. There has been uptick in not only uses and application and sales volumes but also as a manufacturing place. It won’t be wrong to say that rise of manufacturing facilities across Gujrat right from VAPI, Surat, Rajkot, Gandhi Dham, Ahmedabad, Sanand, Himmat Nagar, etc has helped the easier availability of varieties of decorative veneers. The selection and availability in Gujrat has taken the local market of Gujrat like a spring. The trade expert’s views resonate to the concept that If availability grows, market of any product expands tough prices and quality take a back seat. Let’s see what happens in next 2 years... keep updating with Ply Reporter.