The ongoing Pandemic has badly battered the economy. Does infrastructure hold the key to revive the Indian economy? Your views
Due to the impact of Covid, we see there is a backlog of pent up demand for Building infrastructure both in the residential and commercial space which will come into picture in this year. Due to skewed distribution of wealth and affordability, housing shortage for the needy segment has already grown to unmanageable proportion. The only way to catch up with the required scale of construction will be by adopting technology and precast has proved to be the most suitable technology for India. Precast is most effective when you have large volumes to achieve the best in quality/ cost and speed. Precast Technology uses concrete the cheapest raw material on the planet and it also uses Reinforced steel, compatible to existing building codes that are in line with RCC buildings and suited to seismic zone requirements (India is a seismic active country).
How are you adapting to the ‘New Normal’?
New normal looks to be adopting digital tools and technology in ever faster pace. This bodes well for precast technology company like Elematic. We have required resources for full fledged support to client whether it is engineering design or installation services for turnkey project implementation.
What are your views on the need to adapt and remould the infra activities as per the New Normal to spur the economy?
History is witness to trigger events that have changed an existing paradigm. We believe that market push for technology and mechanization due to Covid is one such trigger event that is unfolding in front of us. The shortage of skilled labour is one more trigger. Drive for clarity in getting better ROI and changing customer perception on delays are all changing the paradigm of what is acceptable. We should see the construction market transform in the next 5 years.
How can the government assist the precast industry in this Pandemic time?
Government incentives for timely completion of Building projects and stringent control of quality might help the growth of the precast industry in India. Promoting Technology intervention in Govt projects will provide the needed example for successful implementation.
Covid-19 protocol such as ‘minimum contact’ has further expedited Digital initiatives to be in contact with the manufacturing plants, commissioning site and with manpower at site. What are the digital initiatives you have taken in this regard?
Elematic has moved long back into the digital platform for doing business. All our data is hosted on the cloud and we have adopted digital Platforms to communicate with clients as well as within the company. Our Structural Engineering division offers solutions on 3D BIM platform and we work on ETKLA/ Revit virtual platforms and that provides seamless collaboration with client team.
What are the sustainability initiatives you have taken to reduce CO2 emission?
Precast Technology is Green by nature, we offer reduction of cement and steel consumption, reduction in wastage and green house gases/ mt2 of construction made. It saves on repair and maintenance, provides highly durable buildings, also is safe technology for labour and environmentally conscious. We are educating our clients it makes sense to adopt Precast technology whether it is for Profits or for sustainability.
How do you see the economy, opportunities and challenges in this pandemic situation and please give us a brief idea about the strategies outlined to tap in the future potentials?
We believe that we will see a V shaped recovery once vaccination brings the situation to manageable proportion. Precast will play a major role in the recovery activity for construction and every company in the building construction now will adopt technology to be a part of the portfolio in order to prevent future disruptions to business.
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