Zak International Trade Fair 2012- A triple treat that envisions potential for huge growth in India

There are limitless opportunities in every industry, and where there's an open mind there will always be a frontier! This dictum got resonance for 10th year in a row at 10th Zak International Trade Fair Expo, held from December 14- 16, 2012 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. Zak International Trade Fair, one of the vital interaction platforms for the Glass Technology, accompanied by Zak Doors and Windows Expo (9th edition of the annual event) and Aluminium Extrusions Expo (4th edition of the annual event) provided all that a triple expo has to offer. The rising competition coupled with an unending endeavour to tap the Indian market potential was more than apparent among various participants from around the world in a three-day event. Expecting a surge in domestic demand, the Indian Glass Industry, estimated at Rs.18,000 crore, witnessed a plethora of domestic manufacturers ramping up their capacities and infusing new technologies to cash in on the growing investment of over Rs.7,000 crore for the next two-three years.

Meanwhile, it saw the participation of 315 exhibitors representing around 450 brands from across 32 countries, presenting their products, technologies and solutions including machinery, systems and equipment in Glass Production Technology, Glass Processing and Finishing, Glass Products and Applications, Silicone sealant and Adhesive, Doors & Windows Façades, Technologies, Auxiliary Products, Fittings, and Tools segment. Besides, Aluminium Surface Finish, Aluminium Thermal Break and uPVC Profiles provided an ideal platform and unique opportunity for the participants to learn about their respective technologies through industry discussion. The number of trade visitors this year, has gone up to 17,166, registering a growth of 9%, over the previous New Delhi edition 2010.

Over the years with rising popularity, Glass has become an increasingly popular building material the world over. With architectural glass playing a major role in the Glass industry, new trends and advantages of embracing architectural glass as a construction material of technology driven through scientific research and custom made solutions got added momentum in the expo. With over nine successful editions, the expo has emerged as the single largest venue in India and South Asia, acting as a bridge between exhibitors and visitors to display and generate awareness about the radical changes in glass technology. The expo has evolved into an annual destination for exhibitors and thousands of visitors from the glass and glazing industry to interact, to find opportunities to invest in and boost their presence in the category.

Silicone Sealants, without which the Glass Industry is now unperceivable, were again a major draw at the event. Leading players such as 3M, Dow Corning, McCoy, and Alstone exhibited their products coupled with technicalities and innovative applications. At the same time, the fair proved to be an enlightening for the visitors, who got an opportunity to know about some of the green aspects of silicone with its future possibilities and applications both internally and externally on a structure to achieve sustainability for future construction projects.

Moving on, the other noticeable feature of the show was the convergence of glass machinery manufacturers and marketers. The European brands such as Akfix, Bentler, Dynamiki, Blokkiln, and Hegla are eying the Indian market as a potentially rewarding market and complementing this perspective with concerted efforts to promote their machineries. In the meantime, the Chinese brands viz Champion Union, China Float Glass and Tangban International, got impressive response. They came equipped with the latest technologies and offered their products at competitive prices.

Interestingly, the class for glass workshop called Kaanch Ki Paathshala stole the three-day expo with its debut, highlighting the various properties of glass and its installation techniques. The debut edition of the workshop was a stupendous success and earned rave reviews from one and all. Organized by the joint initiative of Federation of Safety Glass (FOSG) & Zak, the workshop was a 3 day affair with live demonstration of key aspect of installing and application of the glass the right way which was explained by trained professionals and stalwarts of the industry.

Almost 815 participants from all across India were able to learn how to enhance their skills, new techniques and methodologies and more importantly improve their productivity and learn how to do more with less. It also held a question-answer session, where special gifts were presented to participants who answered correctly to the questions posed by the trainers. This year's "Kaanch Ki Paathshala" was a remarkable event to give an overview of glass in layman's language.

Commenting on this, Mr. Rajiv Aggarwal, Vice President, Ozone Overseas Pvt. Ltd. says, "Kaanch ki Paathshala was an excellent initiative by FOSG and Ozone is proud to be given an opportunity to become a partner to it. Our Company's philosophy has always been to share information and update our customers and users. Kaanch ki Paathshala gave us the perfect platform to do so – not only were we able to demonstrate the display procedure for various glass installations but also cite certain small points which are normally missed by the installers and fabricators during installation. If taken caution of these things, there can be a perfect and safe installation of hardware and glass."

ZAK 2012 was supported by AFFP, CCPS, GSI, and FOSG, which are the country's most significant associations in this industry. The show attracted a multitude of visitors that included architects, interior designers, builders, developers, dealers, distributors, contractors, fabricators, and consultants. Talking of ZAK Doors & Windows Expo 2012, uPVC frames and profiles and the manufacturing machinery for the same turned out to be major crowd pullers during the exhibition. Visitors got a touch and felt experience of products in a gamut of categories which included Doors, Auxiliary Products, Accessories and Hardware, Raw Materials, Windows and Machinery, and its future prospects. Mr. Onkar S. Ahluwalia, Managing Director, Dimex expressed, "Life is changing for good with advent of new eco- friendly technology as more customers are embracing uPVC for its growing quality. It has become a lifestyle product with growing resilience. This is promising as far as future of the industry is concerned."

On the other hand, ZAK Aluminium Extrusions Expo, pitched for aluminium as the ideal substitute to conventional construction materials. Since its first edition in 2009, it has now grown to around 65 exhibiting brands from 15 different countries with a variety of display profile such as aluminum extrusions, dies, surface finishing technology, presses, thermal break solutions, software, and material handling solutions. Companies from India and abroad appeared quite optimistic about the growing demand for the ‘green' metal in the country. And since the expo drew a large number of trade visitors from the construction industry, exhibitors can expect rich dividends in the coming months. For instance, companies like Agarvanshi Aluminium, Jindal Aluminium Ltd, KMC Aluminium, Global Aluminium and Emmebi found many visitors in architects and consultants, sharing their views about aluminium's longevity and eco-friendliness.

Crucially, the Zak Aluminium Thermal break symposium coupled with thermal breaking technology educated trade visitors that how to minimize the rising energy bills. The exhibition was strengthened by the 2nd International symposium on Aluminium Surface Finish presented by Qualicoat. It also provided a knowledge platform on the best global practices in coating on aluminium extruded profiles. The key attractions included introduction of quality labels Qualicoat, Qualanod and Qualideco, in depth interactive presentations on pre-surface treatment systems, coating technologies and engaging group discussion with panel representation from leading architects, developers, installers, coaters, and suppliers. The event featured keynotes by several international speakers sharing their views from the global perspective and to implement the same in India.

All in all, Zak International Trade Fair 2012 gave a great chance to consolidate awareness, meet, bargain, and win free gifts. A range of cutting-edge concepts and products displayed during exhibition, and triple expos on Glass, Aluminium Extrusions and Fenestration, provided required synergies to ensure interaction with a broader set of audience from a wide cross-section of industries and countries. It offered something for everyone; from visitors to exhibitors, all had a treat in the form of three simultaneous exhibitions, demonstrating their promising potential growth respectively for latent future in India.

"We enjoyed participating in the event and found this edition much superior to the one in Mumbai. This event was quite useful to us and we signed up orders also during the exhibition. Good luck once again," says RG Krishnan, Head – Operations Saint-Gobain Seva Engineering India Ltd.

OZONE Overseas, one of the leading players in the architectural hardware industry operating with a wide range of glass fittings, shower enclosures, auto doors, railings, furniture fittings, after successfully introducing the new Hydraulic Patch in the Indian market, has now launched technology solutions in association with EDTM, USA, in the Indian market. Besides, the company also unveiled its Smart–Builder software in the ZAK Glass technology show for shower dealers, distributors & companies helping them to head off competitors, bringing new customers and retaining existing customers by offering speedy design services, accurate cost estimation and stunning 3D drawing presentations.

On launching innovative solutions like EDTM, Ms. Rajesh Yadav, Brand Manager, Ozone Overseas Pvt. Ltd says, "Considering the increasing trend of using Glass in modern buildings, it is vital that we use products which help to save energy by reducing operating cost. Keeping this in mind, Ozone researched world over on availability of such tools which can measure the energy consumption of a glass used on windows and at the same time help to improve workmanship of the processors, installers and fabricators. As a result of our regular research work, we at Ozone in association with EDTM, USA, are now offering an extensive range of Glass Testing Tools for processors, installers and fabricators who with the help of these tools can expand their business while saving a lot of cost."

Explaining the USP of the product she quips that these tools are designed to help the users to complete their job faster with more efficiency and greater accuracy. To make the product user-friendly, it has been divided into two ranges namely Sales Tools and Technical Tools. Sales Tools are meant to be used by the Sales representatives of Glass Manufacturers, Window Fabricators, Curtain Wall Fabricators whereas Technical Tools are meant for Glass Processors and also for the above mentioned segments.

Summing up the benefits of these systems, she said, safety, quality and performance sum up the benefits of these systems and the company offers a model for every budget and application. The Glass Testing tools displayed at the show included Window energy profiler sales kits, UV & Solar presentation kits, and infrared heat lamp assembly, besides some of the technical tools such as strengthen glass detector W/thickness, digital diamond guard/shower guards coating detectors etc.

Ms. Yadav also shed light on the features of Smart–Builder software and said that Smart-Builder is the world leader in providing software for designing frameless glass structures such as showers, shopfronts and balustrades.

Elaborating further she stated, "The software has been used by more than a thousand businesses around the world to successfully design millions of structures. It generates accurate glass drawings for printing, emailing or exporting to DXF for automatic cutting. It has been invaluable to our customers, allowing a fast and accurate drawing and cost-estimation. It integrates all key sales and operations systems to provide one seamless solution and encompasses software tools of its type in the world."

Interacting with MGS at Zak Glass Technology Expo, Anand R Diwanji, Sr Manager–Business Development informed that Saint-Gobain Seva India is an international machinery manufacturer of reputed special purpose machines. Seva India plant is located in the Saint–Gobain Bangalore Campus. It is equipped with a 3000m2 assembly shop and a full-fledged design and automation centre capable of manufacturing glass tempering furnaces, mixers extruders, forming machines, pre-mounted skids and full assembly lines with high degree of automation. It has highly experienced engineering and machine design professionals.


Talking about its technical services, R G Krishnan, Head Operations says, "SG Seva can provide project management support also for the development of full tempering workshops from site stage through to plant engineering, design and manufacture, start up and project validation for glass.

Such services are also available for other construction products sectors like ceramics production, mortars production, insulation materials, board plants, glass sector etc.

It's well known furnace products include patented c-Temp Convective Furnace, r-Temp Radiative Furnace and other bending and continuous furnaces. Its services and support systems ensure world wide 24x7 service, online trouble-shooting, training and commissioning and easy online spares parts availability for its machines.

In ZAK Glass Technology 2012, 3M, a name synonymous with industrial adhesives and tapes, showcased a vast range of its high performance unique products that included VHB Bonding Tapes for Structural Glazing, All Weather flashing tapes, Extreme Sealing Tapes, Hybrid Sealants & Panel Lock System.

According to Mr. Kaushik Nag, Business Development Manager, 3M, the company had a robust growth which is broad based across the businesses and is a result of the efforts in localised innovations for India and customer focused initiatives. "We are concurrently running awareness programs, creating and capturing new demands, aligning the whole system of activities in pursuit of differentiation and Value Innovation", adds Mr. Nag

Among the unique products that were rolled out in Glasstech 2012 are "3M™ All Weather Flashing Tape" which is engineered to increase productivity while solving the most critical window flashing problems, especially around the windows in high rise buildings. Unique acrylic formulation of "3M™ All Weather Flashing Tape" prevents moisture intrusion and does not liquefy, bleed or melt in contact with building sealants or in extreme summer temperatures. Similar application for facades and perimeter sealing is also achieved by the "3M™ Hybrid Sealants" which provides superior adhesive and sealing properties that can be painted even when wet. The highlight of the product launch however was "3M™ Panel Lock System" which showcased the advanced 3M technology for ventilated façade bonding- suitable for rivet less bonding of High Pressure Laminates and artificial stones. This concept shall provide the much needed aesthetic bonding for the contemporary ventilated facades in India.

3M India continues its journey to become a billion dollar company by 2015 with its "In India For India" strategy, with the establishment of two new R & D centres at Bengaluru and Gurgaon.

HALFEN, a CRH Group company, is a world leader in advanced connection systems. Its product range, consists of over 20,000 products, including adjustable connections for concrete and steel structures, concrete reinforcement coupler systems, pre-cast concrete lifting systems, adjustable façade support systems and adjustable supports for mechanical and electrical services. "We don't think there is any slowdown in the industry as we believe sustainability through innovation is paramount for growth. We offer our customers the highest quality products for building pre-cast concrete elements, commercial and residential construction, as well as civil engineering and for transport and infrastructure buildings. We want to maintain this position and grow it internationally," says Mr. Bhisham Vaswani, Regional Manager South Asia, HALFEN.

Since 2006, HALFEN has provided innovative and cost-effective solutions for concrete and steel structures, pre-cast concrete lifting system and adjustable façade support systems. According to Mr. Vaswani, the company has already registered a threefold increase in sales in 2012. "Our innovations have been, and continue to be revolutionary for the whole industry. Brand-wise, we are expensive but we forge ahead with quality, safety and time management. In future too, we want to play a part in the shaping progress. That is why we invest in research and development."

The company is yet to have a manufacturing unit in India though it has offices in Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai. "Till the domestic demand grows to be large enough to absorb this additional capacity, the industry needs to focus on exports, through which way we will be able to avoid the supply-demand imbalance," he declares.

HALFEN Cast-in Channels (renowned world-wide as HALFEN Channels) have been used for fixing of curtain wall brackets for ICICI Bank building in Hyderabad, The Kohinoor Square and The Capital in Mumbai and at Mahatma Mandir in Gujarat. These channels are eco-friendly and do not cause any dust, vibration or noise along with providing flexibility resulting in before time completion of projects, assuring thereby that no compromise is made in terms of quality and safety. For another project, Halfen has already supplied more than 100,000 pcs of loop boxes and large number of DEHA lifting anchors for the pre-cast construction which is a low cost housing project in Mumbai.

It has also bagged the orders from Aluplex India and Glass Wall Systems for the supply of Cast in channels for the Lodha World Crest and Lodha World One project in Mumbai respectively, where it is supplying more than 50,000 pcs (for each project) of hot rolled cast-in channels for fixing of glass façade, hand railing and ACP Panels. The projects are 57 floors and 117 floors high and one of the tallest structures in Mumbai viz a viz India.

"In the current scenario, presence of silicone–based sealants is playing a vital role in construction adding to its durability. We have introduced "Quality Bond Program" to raise quality standard in industry through qualifications of fabricators and glass processors who follow Dow Corning audited quality processes. We have introduced new to India products DC 791, DC 896, DC 3362 this year with technical and business support to customers in markets across India and South Asia," says Mr. Padmadas Nair, Commercial Manager-South Asia High Performance Building Solution, Dow Corning India Pvt. Ltd. Talking about the response in this year exhibition, he acknowledged that it was good.

Mr. Nair further mentioned that Silicone sealants protect buildings longer than the organic materials, avoiding premature and costly renovations, he demonstrated through two minutes long video. "Silicone is an amazing material that is revolutionizing our present and shaping our future. The foremost quality of silicon is its durability. Silicone-based sealants also have good weather resistant attributes. We think the shortest route to green is Silicone, and we are innovating in new technologies which exploit the benefits of silicone for High Performance Building solutions" adds Mr. Nair.

Dow Corning products serve a wide range of industries in India, including construction, automotive, textiles, beauty & personal care, electronics and many others. Dow Corning high performance building solutions add to energy conservation, provide the flexibility to users and help designers to design buildings which are aesthetically appealing and compliment with safety and sustainability, asserts Mr. Nair. Seeing the vast potential in the country, he took pride in claiming that a lot is yet to be done.

Coming out of its not so good exhibition in 2010, this time Akkim doesn't want to leave any stone unturned. It has been 13 months since it started its operations in India and is pretty upbeat about its potential in the country of 1.21 billion people. "Sealants manufacturing in the country offers lot of opportunities for a new player. There is huge demand for it in building sector. We are focused on developing eco-friendly, life-esteem chemical products and technologies to create permanent solutions for customer needs with best quality," says Mr. M Humayun Hasimler, the company's Export Area Manager.

Developing different products on different customer needs, Akkim serves customers with a wide product range of polyurethane aerosol foams, sealants, paperwork adhesives, technical and industrial adhesives, and technical aerosol products. With expertise and research oriented knowledge, he thinks polyurethane foam has huge potential in this market. "PU sealant is new in the market. We are offering good quality coupled with premium price for the product, as opposed to the others manufacturing units in India with same features," he adds.


However, he doesn't want to compromise with research and development activities. "We are endeavoring to provide high-quality, cost effective and higher performance with products. We have and Akfix is an expert working with chemists and chemical engineers as currently; 25 engineers are working for us on research and development. This is our USP".

The company distributes products to all over the world and is providing effective marketing and sales support to partners, securing their strong position in competitive market. "If there is any manufacturing problem related to our products, we send our engineers or employees concerned to make required corrections," he concludes.

Orient registered a good footfall of visitors for its newly launched Rear Projection Display that can transform any window or glass surface into a digital display screen by applying Korean Rear Projection Film. "It is a high definition film making presence for the first time in India, not expensive at all as for 24 square foot would cost Rs.15 k excluding projector. It is meant for active and promotional messaging, which can be applied anywhere," says Pankaj Mittal, Managing Director, Orient Multiproducts Worldwide Pvt. Ltd.


The company deals in a range of products such as architectural glass Hardwares, Silicone Sealants, and Structural Glazing Tapes, Extruded form of Plastic Packaging material and wants to expand its unit in west and southern part of India. "We are fairly a new entrant in this segment and would like to tap the potential in it through strong presence in the Indian market. We are planning to build up a nationwide presence, covering North, East, South and West of India," he adds.

Further more,"ORSIGN" is a brand owned by Orient Multiproducts Worldwide Pvt Ltd, which includes total solution in glass fitting hardwares. However, he foresees better future ahead. "The Indian Industry has a huge potential as there is still lack of awareness, which will bridge with constant awareness and time. Hopefully, in next two-three years we would see rising competition in this segment," he concludes.

"The response has been good as compared to the last two years exhibitions as this year we mostly got inquiries from quality customers," averred Mr. Rahul Rajgaria, Director, Pentagon Tapes Pvt Ltd. The company displayed a vast range of products that included high bonding Tapes for Structural Glazing and Extreme Sealing Tapes. "With over 12 years of experience, we are creating innovative solutions for specific applications for mounting, splicing, powder coating, bonding, and sealing needs. We take pride in designing and developing high class products for demanding applications," informed Mr. Rajgaria.

From Aerospace to Windows, or nearly any conceivable application, they take pride in specialized high-quality products backed by an industry leading commitment to customer satisfaction. Among one of the high-tech projects under them, is Mumbai International Airport.


The company vows to maintain the leadership in technology development by adhering to the commitment of supplying the best quality products to customers. "India has great potential in adhesive market. We see good competition as well as more growth in coming years", said Mr. Rajgaria, adding that the company also provides a complete range of after sale services on products for its customers.

Pacific Europlast Pvt. Ltd., brought a new dimension in the field of architecture with its latest UPVC range, which included UPVC Patio doors, UPVC Tilt-N-Turn windows, UPVC bi-fold sliding doors and Hardwares for UPVC Windows & Doors. "We have designed a special line for Indian climatic conditions thereby offering tilt and turned fully reversible pivot and vertical sliding systems. With the new technology in place, we hope to get a good response," says Ms. Kanchi Gulati, Business Development Manager, Pacific Europlast Pvt. Ltd.

The company's state-of-the-art plant is located in Delhi. "Because of our centralized location, we provide all services starting from surveying, quoting, installing to on-going technical support with a shorter lead time and faster delivery." "Moreover," she adds, "we provide maintainance for all our products and compliment the same with prompt after sales service."


"We don't compromise with quality segment as our products aim at utilizing natural energy sources to the optimum level and in doing so; we contribute towards saving the overall global energy. Natural light has been discussed a lot for a long time all over the world and our products help in making the optimum usage of the same." At the same time she believes that the Indian market is very promising. "Only 2-4 percent of the whole market has been captured so far, whereas the largest chunk of is still unchallenged which offers an opportunity for new entrants," she concurs.