E3 Edge Band Tape has been among the top growing brands in this industry in India, brand’s association with Saif Ali Khan has further catapulted its reach to a wider audience. Mr Jay Garg, Director, E3 Group, in a brief talks with Ply Reporter articulates about the growth trajectory of the brand, attained in FY 24-25 and how the investment in new plant in Andhra Pradesh is taking it to the zenith of capacity utilization.
Q. What were the major turnarounds of last financial year?
Financial Year 24-25 was another good year for us. We registered almost 30% growth. Although the year's second half was not that great, we still managed to grow due to our dedicated team. Our plant in South also came into production on December 24. The size of our marketing team also doubled. Additional production capacity was added in the north plant, and the overall production capacity touched a new record level of 10 lac meters per day.
Q. How celebrity endorsements impact branding, given your association with Saif Ali Khan?
Such associations are essential for brand building. When a successful celebrity like him endorses your product, it helps. We have already launched advertisement commercials on top news channels (AajTak HD, India TV, TV9 Bharatvarsh and NDTV) and in the ongoing IPL. We are happy that the E3 MDF and E3 Edge bands are reaching the masses already.
Q. Let us know about your new plant in the south.
To stand out in the Edge band industry, where the number of plants multiplied to over 100 in no time, it is essential to be faster. It was impossible to achieve that solely with our north plant, so we started in the south. Our new plant is located in Hindupur, Andhra Pradesh. It is just a few hours away from all major cities of the south, with a capacity of 2.50 lac meters per day. The latest plant and machinery, best technicians, and European raw materials are all brought under one roof to serve the top OEMs of our country.
Q. How the addition of new machinery enhanced the capacity utilization?
Edge band is still a growing product, and we need to match the ever-growing demand. The north factory has 21 production lines with a total capacity of 500 tons per month, which is 90% utilized, and we are adding more space to increase it further.
The south plant has a monthly capacity of 200 tons and has already achieved 50% within four months of operation. We have also already ordered new production lines for this plant.
Q. We have recently seen E3 group’s participation in many overseas exhibitions; what are your future plans?
We see a lot of potential in exports. Our two verticals, E3 group, E3 Edge band, and Skydecor laminates, started exports last year. Recently, we opened one warehouse in Dubai for the Gulf market. Participation in exhibitions always helps. The new financial year is fascinating for us. We will start a new Edge band plant in Gujarat, which will help us reach INR 200 cr of revenue. Also, we are going to introduce new materials and surfaces in Edge band, which are becoming popular in the West.