BAL ENDURA lines up facility in Maharashtra

India has the potential to become a strong outsourcing base for tile adhesive manufacturing for the south Asian market. Its market in the country is growing at the rate of 20 per cent per annum.

BAL ENDURA, a joint venture between H&R Johnson and the UK-based BAL, is setting up a new plant in Maharashtra near Mumbai to cater especially to the south Asian markets such as Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal. The company is also looking at Maldives and Mauritius.

"In the Saarc (South Asian Association of Regional Co-operation) region, the export potential is huge. Exports form just 2 per cent of our total turnover and we are aiming at increasing it to 10 per cent within a year," said Mark Simm, managing director, BAL ENDURA.

BAL of UK views India as one of the strategic markets for tile adhesives. The company entered India after making a splash in the UK, Germany, South Africa, Australia, Greece, China and Taiwan. It markets its adhesive products across Europe, Asia, Africa and North America.

The tile adhesives market in India has grown beyond Rs 50 crore. Following BAL ENDURA entry in 1997, the growth rate of the segment has gone up over 20 per cent per annum. The company is targetting a growth rate of 50 per cent per annum and a market share of 40 per cent in the coming year.

BAL is part of the multi-million pounds Ardex group of Germany and the BAL-Ardex combine has a global presence across all continents and is a world leader in tiling and flooring products.

The company pioneered and established the concept of tile fixing adhesives and grouts. The various tile adhesive brands of the company enjoy leadership position across key markets. BAL, UK also manufactures and markets industrial adhesives in a number of countries under Dunlop brand.

Its Indian arm recently launched Silver Star range of adhesive.

"Though it was developed keeping in mind the need of the retail market, it received very good recommendations in major projects including MTNL, Airports Authority of India etc," Simm added.