Manufacturers effort to educate and aware about innovations among retailers, specifiers and users wont be possible instead it is more of a price base market which is actually not, if you speak to a end consumer. A customer considers the value of creativity and happy to pay its cost and stay in feel-good factor, that is why a reasonably informed customer choose better designer material over cheap looking laminate sheet. Other imported designers and highlighters surface decor products for interior application are still growing and doing well despite of the cost and if it is so why to hurry or race in dropping prices?
If I am not wrong, what we see today is happening for the first time in Indian Decorative Laminates Industry that there is a race among producers for reducing prices. Everyone was talking about the other brand that how much did he reduced? Distributors tried for maximum reduction and manufacturers felt that the price reduction would be only way to sustain in HPL business. Although few brands intact with their present pricing structure and keep focus on presentation, innovation and marketing strategies etc, but majority of producers reduced the prices. It was good for a retailer but very surprising and confusing for many. The changing trend may be considered as good by few but we disagree.
Laminate is a surface design product; it is a kind of lifestyle material for making your furniture elegant, attractive and putting WOW factor. It creates value to your home interiors, adds beauty and warmth in your living experience, hence the focus of manufacturers should be more on giving innovative and quality products so that users feel pampered, relaxed and highly satisfied after applying the laminates in their home and offices.
Manufacturers effort to educate and aware about innovations among retailers, specifiers and users wont be possible instead it is more of a price base market which is actually not, if you speak to a end consumer. A customer considers the value of creativity and happy to pay its cost and stay in feel-good factor, that is why a reasonably informed customer choose better designer material over cheap looking laminate sheet. Just a year ago, good designed non folder laminates were dominating over even known brands in cities like Pune, Surat, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, etc. Other imported designers and highlighters surface decor products for interior application are still growing and doing well despite of the cost and if it is so why to hurry or race in dropping prices?
Market has variety of imported designer sheets, which having no guarantee of quality and certifications, but it is being offered at Rs 100 per sq ft and this materials easily finds customers here but decorative laminates have packed with all features of innovation, quality, certification, credit and guarantee but it struggles to get approx Rs 25 per sq ft price. This situation arises because we have started considering Decorative Laminates as commodity products, but happily it is never a commodity material. If one enters in this business, considering HPL is faster money making business, then he is wrong. Maintaining serenity of innovation, creativity, right marketing tools and with right customer targets, one will certainly earn brand name, respect and money as well in long term.
This February issue has published a ‘Descriptive Reportage’ on ‘ARE DISTRIBUTORS LOOSING THEIR IMPORTANCE?’, a worth read story based on recent research of Ply Reporter and BSMR team on plywood industry and trade. The one 2 one interaction with Mr. Mohiyuddin Ashfaq, the Director of an emerging brand in south India -TROJAN PLYWOOD, is interesting read. A feature report on ‘Charm and Priority of installing Core Veneer Composer’ elaborates the present situation of plywood industry. Besides, there are lots of market reports, new product updates, technical feature, are published in this issue. The issue is followed by ‘THE PLY REPORTER’S DELHIWOOD SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT’; assure your presence and write to us. Enjoy reading, keep sending your feed back !