Advance Decorative Laminates organized a Grand Launch program of their 1 MM Folder Volume 03 along with Advance Club Awards celebration at Goa on 21 April, 2022. The program was LIVE Broadcast from GOA on the Ply Reporter Face book page.
The company manufactures an entire range of decorative laminates like 1mm. 0.8mm, door skin, liners and exterior cladding. Advance is one of the very few companies in India that manufactures PVC laminate with paper laminate. Advance has 85+ distributors, 40,000+ dealers all across India. There is a dedicated team of 150 professionals who are helping with the secondary sales.
Addressing the audience Mr Rajat Salhtra, CEO, Advance Laminates welcomed the guests and said, “As you know that the company believes in one company, one brand. The other philosophy is ‘ALL INDIA SAME PRICE’. I can observe that only two or three companies follow this philosophy in India and we are one of them. It has certain advantages and disadvantages as well. Many of the distributors talk about it, so to show gratitude for their efforts the CLUB AWARDS have been conceptualized to maintain the transparency in our activities.”
ONE to ONE ADVANCE DIAMOND AWARD WINNERS
HOW SHOULD ONE LEAD TO ACQUIRE THE POSITION OF NUMBER ONE?
Mr Vasu Bansal: Number one is nothing but the achievement comes to us with total dedication. I would like to say to the distributors that to win the market, make efforts to establish identity. Only becoming a distributor and remaining sited with a folder with expectation that sales generation is the duty of the company only, will not work.
The company is playing its role but the responsibility of distributors has to be performed with them only. Making a presentation on a folder is the duty of the company, but making it important for sales generation is the duty of distributors. Our team is working dedicatedly and placing the folder at every place where the sales can be generated.
In my opinion maintaining stock and just keeping stock both are entirely different business traits. One who manages the stock has to have a positive attitude as it requires timely delivery and timely activity. We give it high priority. The award is what we call today Diamond Club Award, our target is to convert it to Platinum Category with our efforts. Although Platinum has not started yet, I would like to request Mr Rajat to start it next time and reserve one for me.
HOW WILL YOU MAINTAIN YOUR CURRENT POSITION?
Mr Naveen Singhal: I don’t have any lust to become number one as number is just appreciation and motivation to do the best. I believe in honesty and dedicatedly perform our duty in service to the industry. Timely delivery, stock management and work with company solder to solder are our work culture. Only pressurising the company to generate sales is not right. If we work together with the right intention and get growth as an objective to achieve, we all will be in the Platinum category and there will be only one category and all Platinum dealers.
HOW DO YOU TAKE THIS TOP GRATITUDE AWARD?
Mr Yatendra Sencha Narayan: My first thought is to follow the principle of One Company, One Brand. Going forward we will be working on the principal of One Company One Distributor. Secondly, we always give 100 percent and motivate our team to give their 100%. The result will start to come automatically.
You would not know, you are giving 100% and getting no result today as it takes time. We followed the same principle and did not bother about the result. That is why today we are at this level to get diamond Awards from Advance Laminates.
As you said other companies will approach, that will definitely happen as we are sitting in the market. But, I would like to clarify that my intention is not to entertain such a call because we are firm to our objective to make One Company One Distributor.
ONE to ONE ADVANCE LAMINATES MANAGEMENT
The first and second volume of Advance Laminates was super hit with the hard work of dealers/distributors along with company efforts. With the same enthusiasm the company has launched its third volume of the catalogue of 1mm. That was unveiled by the diamond club members Mr Yatendra Sencha Narayan, Pratham International, Hyderabad; Mr Vasu Bansal and Mr Naveen Singhal, Mr Praveen Bansal, Balaji Laminate and Plywood, Gurgaon, Haryana along with CMD Mr Rakesh Salhotra and Md Mr Subhas Salhotra.
What is your objective to organize such a grand meet? Is it a key to boost your businesses?
Mr Rajat Salhotra: The same question is asked by distributors also sometimes. This is not our first, second or third event. This is the fourth in a series of events of such a grand arrangement. The company has some philosophy and beliefs and to that we are sticking to. We cannot compromise at any state of position. First of all, the company wants to have a strong relationship.
If you remember I said in our first launching event, the distributors are our investors as well as the company members. These meetings are organised to spend time with them to strengthen the relationships. We believe that what time, energy, manpower and focus, they invested in us must have a better ROI. The sales generation and allurement is not in our philosophy.
You launched a 1mm new folder along with the club awards. What's' new in 1mm folder?
Mr Rajat Salhotra: I would not say much about this folder but definitely would like to request to the dealers and distributors to ask for it to your showrooms and shops and see it first then we will talk, as everybody says that they use European paper and bla- bla, that I don’t want to say. Our team has worked for it day and night so ask for it
For the last two year we have been seeing your ad campaign and in every campaign a new celebrity comes and says ‘Fark to padta hai jab Advance laminate lagta hai’. What is it and what is your thought behind it?
Mr Rajat Salhotra: There are certain beliefs that when we convey in the market a slogan like ‘One Company One Brand’ or ‘All India One Price’ or ‘fark to padta hai jab Advance laminate lagta hai’. It also turned out our winning team’s campaign was a successful effort. I would like to appreciate Mr Subhas Salhotra Ji's quote that when 150 crore people will say fark to padta hai jab Advance laminate lagta hai’.
Recently we came to know that you are coming up with Acrylic laminates. Is there any other big future plan?
Mr Rajat Salhotra: In this regard we have a lot of one to one communication with our associates. But, today I also announced on this public platform that we are not going to do many new things but definitely going to review and make it much better. I know that with our current capacity the dispatches and service are not being given to that extent that they are looking for and due to that sometimes they have to suffer.
At this point of time I would like to thank our sales and marketing team that due to their aggressive working our total production capacity has exhausted. On the other hand when there is any complaint from distributors’ end we feel pain, so we are going to make things better and launch only Acrylic volume 1 in June. We will strengthen our existing products, with quality, service, and offerings.
You focus on expansion and building plants for different ranges of products. How do you motivate your team to execute their work?
Mr Rakesh Salhotra: My first principle is to work with honesty as I believe that this can help you to reach the highest position. Secondly, I observe them all as a family and work for them and always try to make them happy.
Whenever you establish any plant you go for big. What is the reason for building a huge infrastructure?
Mr Subhas Salhotra: I spent a lot because we wish to give them good service. Just to run an industry with one press to be an industrialist is of no use if not able to serve the customers in the right way. I want quantity and excellent after sales service and for that we have to plan and execute them for big. My philosophy is whatever I do, do good with the right objective.
Do you have any turnover target or just going forward?
Mr Subhas Salhotra: I don’t believe in numbers, as today many people say they sell 15 lakh sheets, 20 lakh sheets, but my motive is one to fulfil the requirements of every home in the country.
What priority do you keep in mind when you are building any infrastructure? Could you tell us when that is going to start production?
Mr Aayush Salhotra, Technical Director: I would like to announce that we are going to start our plant from June and July with production of ten lakh sheets per month. While building a plant, we keep in mind the health and safety of our employees for that we think very deeply. I believe that if the employees are happy and satisfied their intention towards work turns pure and then the quality is the outcome of it.
Secondly, we focus on the environment as we follow the government policies to its fullest. We never compromise any misuse of environmental safety. Thirdly, automation is our interest in subjects in operation, so I am dedicated to it. I make sure that this is one of India’s best laminate manufacturing facilities.
The Advance Club Award celebration was attended by more than 100 channel partners from Pan India. The Product launch and award ceremony were followed by entertainment and fun with lots of happenings.