Remmers India–Specialist in Building Protection

"Efficiency, durability and user-friendly applications make our products a very effective and extremely economic system of protection. All our products are certified as extremely effective, safe and ecologically harmless. Remmers' priority is to develop innovative solutions and make them available to users. We manage projects of all sizes ensuring realization, high quality standards and cost effective completion. Our claim to technology and quality leadership has been proven time and again," says Mr. Amrendra Mishra, Managing Director, Remmers India in an interview with Maria R.

Could you please start with a short background of Remmers Baustofftechnik GmbH, its global presence, and manufacturing facilities?
Remmers Group is a leading global building and construction chemicals company specializing in manufacturing state-of-the-art building and construction chemicals for complete building protection. Protecting a building from the basement to the roof, the company is proud to have more than 450 product systems which are based on technical expertise, innovation and R&D. Providing complete solutions for building protection, the company manages projects of all sizes ensuring rapid realization, high quality standards and cost-effective completion. The company has gained market leadership throughout Europe, and is now internationally based with many subsidiaries.

A word about Remmers presence in India. What is your overview of the development in construction chemicals market in the country, its size, its problems and its future prospects in view of increased focus on infrastructure development?
RIPL is a wholly owned subsidiary of Remmers AG. Remmers India was founded in 2008. With its corporate office in Gurgaon and warehousing facilities in Mumbai and Delhi, RIPL has a distribution network throughout the country, and is very active, with prime focus in North and West, where the company has executed many key projects. Construction Chemicals market will grow at a good pace in coming years due to numerous infrastructure projects spread all across the country. This includes power projects, transport networks, dams, irrigation projects, airports and sea harbors. Alongside, there is lot of commercial and residential developments. New developments and rehabilitation and repair of the aging structures, will keep to supporting the growth of the construction chemicals industry for a long time in future.

What are the important business areas served by Remmers India and its prominent products back up? As your parent company has over 450 products in its basket; are all these products available in the Indian market too?
Important business areas served by Remmers India are:

• Waterproofing Buildings
• Façade Protection/Repairs
• Floor Coating Systems
• Wood Preservation/Refinement

There are limited number of products which readily available in India but RIPL is able to handle all type of client requirements. RIPL can import products from Germany according to client's demand.

As the Indian market has only skin deep knowledge about the construction chemicals; how Remmers is disseminating information and promoting sound application practices to create proper awareness among the end users, as a service to the industry?
Remmers India has its own skilled staff to train people as we believe that most innovative technology and the most intelligent product systems are reliant on the people handling them. We cover this important aspect with a comprehensive technical and practical training programme. Firstly, this facility for expanding knowledge and continually keeping up-to-date, is designed and used for our employees, as this is the only way to keep them fully informed about the latest developments. Secondly, our training programmes are open to all of our trade and market partners. We are also promoting our products through offline marketing in various print media. We are actively participating in various events.

How important are protective coatings for buildings? Please elaborate on anti-carbonation coatings and unique wood coatings offered by Remmers.
Protective coatings for building are vital. It needs to be multi-functional and possess a variety of attributes to truly protect a concrete substrate. Today, protective coatings must be waterproof, possess a high resistance to wind driven rain, protect against chloride penetration, be carbonation resistant, allow water vapor diffusion (breathable), have a high UV resistance and have aesthetic value.

Anti carbonation coating is a type of protective coating which is formulated to confer long-term protective and decorative properties to concrete and masonry surfaces. Remmer's anti-carbonation coating is water-based, 100% pure acrylate coating which is plasticizer-free, having very high solid contents and is CO2 inhibiting and water repellent in nature. It is an environment-friendly green product which is non-yellowing and weather resistant and provides good adhesion to old and new fair faced concrete and also restored concrete.

Remmers' expertise and product performance in protective wood preservation and refurbishment are unequalled. All of our wood preservatives are certified as extremely effective, safe, ecologically harmless and VOC compliant, giving protection against UV rays, Moisture, Insects/termites, Fungus, Algae, Blue stain and enhancing the aesthetics by imparting a decorative effect to the wood.

What are the trends in façade and building restoration sector? Also tell us about the USP of your offerings in terms of sustainability, energy efficiency, environment- and user-friendly, and so forth.
Now a days, the importance of facades has increased as more people are showing interest in having an impressive and unique outer look of their building. Increasing awareness about energy saving and green building inspires many developers and architects to innovatively plan the facades to keep the building thermo-static, thereby reducing the green house effect and also restricting intensive use of AC. Many people now install solar panels on their roof or balcony as an alternative source of power for their house.

For cladding and facades, there are non-pores, scratch proof ultra-vitrified tiles available in the market. Architects who deal with ceramic tiles have come up with many innovative methods where it can be used for claddings. Rain screen assemblies and double-wall systems are becoming increasingly prevalent.

Remmers India offers complete range of façade cleaning products and protective coatings together with ‘state-of-the-art' rapid repair systems for durable concrete refurbishment and water repelling agents. Its façade protection systems include both mineral and silicone resin based coatings, advanced stone consolidating and strengthening solutions as well as unique stone restoration mortars.

What is company's focus on research and development, quality systems placed and training of applicators in the usage and application of range of products manufactured?
Remmers main focus is their customer needs so with many years of research, we have developed a complete range of products that are unrivalled. Efficiency, durability and user-friendly application make our products a very effective and extremely economic system of protection. All our products are certified as extremely effective, safe and ecologically harmless. Remmers' priority is to develop innovative solutions and make them available to users. Our claim to technology and quality leadership has been proven time and again.

Please tell us about Remmers network of dealers, distributors, after sales services support system to render its clients a comprehensive service?
Remmers provides complete product systems at one source, from basement to roof. The company has gained market leadership throughout Europe, and is now internationally based with many subsidiaries viz. in the Netherlands, Belgium, U.K., France, Poland, Russia, Hungary, Czech Republic, the former Soviet States, the Baltic States, Singapore, India, and others.

Remmers India, has a distribution network throughout the country and has been very active, with prime focus in North and West, where the company has executed many key projects. The company manages projects of all sizes ensuring rapid realization, high quality standards and cost-effective completion.

Is it possible to provide insight of one or two success stories of application of Remmers products on important Indian projects undertaken that have contributed towards fulfillment of customer's needs and expectations?
Rajiv Gandhi (Bandra-Worli) Sea Link Project has emerged as one of the most unique bridge designs and is a landmark structure in the commercial & entertainment capital of India. The Sea Link is a big relief for the common man of Mumbai who had to spend around an hour daily to go either side by crossing the mahim causeway which was the only link connecting western suburbs to island city of Mumbai. This initiative has caused considerable saving in travel time due to increased speed and reduced delays at intersections at existing roads. The ease in driving has reduced mental tension and overall improvement in the quality of life of the people of Mumbai.

Ambedkar Park one of its kind and world's first memorial dedicated to the glory of dalit leaders stands as a symbol for Dalit empowerment and dignity. It's a scenic beauty of its own kind which provides happy and peaceful feeling to people in this busy life.