There Is A Xypex Product for Every Project

"Xypex products have successfully been applied in India for over 16 years, and we have executed a large number of projects and challenging assignments including waterproofing of 172,000 sqft foundation and retaining wall. NPC particularly selected its Crystalline waterproofing for its Nuclear Power Project in Tamil Nadu," say Mr. Les Faure, Advertising & Promotion Director, Xypex Chemical Corporation and Mr. Ashwini Kumar, Managing Partner, Apaar, representing Xypex in India, in their recent interaction with SKK.

How over the years, Xypex has progressed from flagship coatings to a fully integrated product line, meeting the diverse requirement of construction and allied industries, its manufacturing facilities and their locations, its product range serving concrete users around the world?
Initially, growth came by expanding the distributor base from Western Canada to the United States and gradually to the current worldwide network of distributors and manufacturing facilities in more than 70 countries. As our distribution network grew, we also expanded our product line from the original crystallization waterproofing coatings and related products, to include a line of waterproofing and durability enhancement admixtures that now represent a majority of our sales in some of our biggest markets like the United States and Western Europe.

What are the various application areas of the products manufactured by Xypex
Xypex products are used to waterproof, protect and repair all kinds of concrete structures. These include building foundations, tunnels, dams, power plants and water and wastewater infrastructure. Some examples of recent international projects include the J-Parc Syncrotron recently completed in Japan, the Panama Canal’s extensive renovations and Heathrow’s Terminal Five. Our powder chemical admixtures can also be blended into shotcrete mixes used in mining applications and for improving the performance of packaged dry-mix mortars and concrete products.

How the crystalline nature of the Xypex waterproofing system provides various application advantages over the traditional barrier products?
Xypex’s crystalline technology provides many important advantages over traditional surface barrier products. Because it fills and plugs the porosity of the concrete, it becomes a permanent, integral part of the structure. This means that unlike membranes and other surface barriers, it doesn’t depend on its adhesion to the surface. This means, it will not degrade over time and cannot be punctured or damaged during construction.

What is your take on the growth of the construction chemical sector in India, its problems and how these can be resolved for its balanced growth in the country?
My impression is that due to the incredible growth being experienced in the construction sector in India, the industry is being forced to change and adopt new methods and technologies from around the world. This means that traditional methods of doing things are being replaced with newer technologies that speed up the construction process or otherwise improve the end product. In our case, the use of chemical waterproofing and durability enhancement additives presents a tremendous opportunity.

How Xypex looks to Indian market and its plans to strengthen its presence here with more distribution and service network is there any plan to start manufacturing facilities in the near or distant future in India?
We see the Indian construction market continuouslyrowin for many years. The combination of a young and growing population, greater spending power, and a desire for higher quality lifestyle that includes better housing, will continue to propel this growth. The Government’s focus on infrastructure development will also be a key factor. Xypex plans to be a part of this growth. Our immediate objective is to establish a strong national distribution network and, as sales increase, establishing a manufacturing batch plant.

There is a Xypex product for every project. What are the major projects in India where its products have been successfully applied and what has been the most challenging and exciting assignment(s) taken?
Xypex products have been successfully applied in India for over 16 years. The repeat business being offered by our existing clients is the biggest testimony to our credentials. To date, we have successfully executed large projects including IT Parks, SEZs, residential and commercial complexes, shopping malls and recreation parks across the country. We have also taken up many challenging and exciting assignments. One recent example is the foundation waterproofing of Hindustan Unilever’s project in Mumbai. It’s a fast track project with a completion time of 9 months which means that every detail is calculated meticulously. The easy, effective and fast application of Xypex products, coupled with the contractor’s previous satisfactory experience has made us the preferred choice over other systems and products. his project entails 172,000 sq ft of foundation and retaining wall waterproofing. We are also very proud that Xypex Crystalline Waterproofing was chosen by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India for their construction of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project in Tamil Nadu. It is said that the awareness about effective waterproofing products/systems and their application is skin deep in practice.

How is Xypex campaigning to create desired awareness about the right product and its application as a service to the industry?
We have a number of initiatives underway to create greater awareness and understanding of our unique technology and product line. We promote these through leading trade journals and participate in major construction trade fairs including the recent Constro 2007 Trade Fair in Punes. And, of course, we meet frequently with our primary audiences of architects, engineers, developers and contractors to discuss how Xypex Crystalline Technology can help them with their concrete waterproofing and durability challenges.