The future belongs to polyurethane'

Sanjay Bahadur, Chief Executive Officer, Global Constructions Chemicals Division, Pidilite Industries Ltd.   Sanjay Bahadur, Chief Executive Officer, Global Constructions Chemicals Division at Pidilite Industries Ltd., speaks to Satish Purohit about the latest in waterproofing solutions for the construction industry   What changes do you foresee in the roofing and waterproofing solutions space in the

The future belongs to polyurethane'
Image-246-164

Sanjay Bahadur,
Chief Executive Officer,
Global Constructions Chemicals Division,
Pidilite Industries Ltd.

 

Sanjay Bahadur, Chief Executive Officer, Global Constructions Chemicals Division at Pidilite Industries Ltd., speaks to Satish Purohit about the latest in waterproofing solutions for the construction industry

 

What changes do you foresee in the roofing and waterproofing solutions space in the next five to seven years?

More and more liquid waterproofing coatings like polyurethane and poly-urea hybrids are gaining acceptance in the market and one expects this trend to continue with new advances in industrial chemistry. Compared to pre-formed membranes, liquid applied membranes based on polyurethane/polyrea technology that is more suited to Indian conditions as these membranes provide seamless or jointless systems which make them more application-friendly. Another trend now is more customers are seeking solutions that provide insulation along with waterproofing. Again here, polyurethane-based technologies help to achieve this dual end. Polyurethane dense foams are used for roof insulation purpose followed by special coatings of liquid PU under Dr. Fixit Low Energy Consumption (LEC) system and Dr. Fixit Blueseal brand names. Both are gaining good acceptance. We will also see a similar need trend in wall surfaces. Industrial urethane coatings are used mostly on the floor to improve performance of the floors under heavy usage conditions. We recently acquired a business of CIPY,(India's largest floor coating company) and this acquisition adds to our capacity to service clients looking for floor solutions.

 

Could you share how polyurethane is presently being used for waterproofing structures by the building industry?

We have focused products & solutions for new buildings and old structures with polyurethane being used for both. In new construction, we use hundred percent solid polyurethane-based systems for different surfaces of basements, podiums and roofs, whereas in old structures we use polyurethane as an external coat as breaking existing strata is often not feasible. These coatings also provide an additional advantage of UV resistance to ensure longer life.

 

How long have you been a part of Pidilite and what changes have you witnessed in the waterproofing space in these years?

I have been associated with Pidilite for 15 years. The market has shown acceptance of chemical waterproofing solutions & has grown substantially since then. Earlier, there were polymer cement slurry-based solutions for waterproofing followed by a phase when thicker cementitious coatings, and progressively to acrylic solutions. Today, polyurethane is the material of choice for waterproofing and will continue to be increasingly used as polyurethane is versatile, seamless and has a longer life compared acrylic and other coatings.

 

Does the increasing height of structures add to waterproofing challenges?

Today's high rise living spaces & buildings are evolving with deeper basements and multi-utility features like, landscapes, water-bodies, play areas, multi-car parks, jogging tracks, swimming pools etc. within shrinking structural spaces thereby increasing the complexity of architecture and design. With such design features and complexities, the demands of building performances including waterproofing are also increasing to make them more weather-resistant, leak-free, durable and long-lasting. Higher standards must be adopted to make these buildings last long. Ineffective protection of concrete leads to water ingress attacking steel which then results in cracks and structural deterioration that weakens the skeleton of these buildings. Whatever the usage and design, it is vital that a robust waterproofing system selected that effectively protects water damage-prone areas and ensures long service life of structures.

 

Do you have specific products or solutions that help builders address this rusting issue?

We have products that help in addressing rusting and carbonation issues. To repair deteriorating steel, we have products like Dr.Fixit Zinc-rich primer applied as coating on steel after removing & cleaning off the rust. We have are polymer-based concrete or micro concrete that are substitute material to repair the damaged concrete portions. This is how old buildings are restored. It is advised to adopt protective coatings for preventing a situation of concrete deterioration and rusting of steel. There are several protective coatings of Dr. Fixit like Raincoat series and Concreteguard (anti-carbonation).

We also have our very own DR. FIXIT INSTITUTE that specializes in diagnostics of distressed structures and provides suitable solutions for their repair and rehabilitation.

 

How does the increased use of aluminum in facades impact your business?

We provide sealants for aluminum & glass facades of buildings. Aluminum facades have been very popular in air-conditioned commercial buildings that consume more energy. Then there is also a demand for aesthetics. The question is whether the Aluminum facades provide complete solution for waterproofing, insulation, fire-protection and aesthetics?  In countries like China, there are a variety of exterior wall panels that offer better insulation and also lend architectural flexibility with different types of finishes. We are still on the learning curve in this area and eventually we will be there as I anticipate a time when customers will desire to have such wall panels that are well-insulated, waterproofed and which provide excellent architectural finishes as well. Plastering and painting of buildings are very labour-intensive and require repeated rehabilitation every few years. These new-age wall panels could be a solution. In recent years in Dubai and London, there were big fires in buildings that spread faster to different floors due to inadequate fire-proofing & insulation of facades. If wall panels can address all these needs, the trend will change from aluminum facades.

 

 

Tell us something about your life journey with Pidilite?

It has been over 15 years since I started my association with Pidilite.  I started my career with L&T's ECC Construction in 1984 and worked there for about four-and-a-half years. In 1988 I started my own company in Chennai that manufactured concrete blocks followed by a company for ready-mix concrete in India in 1993. It is called RDC concrete today. In 2003, I joined Pidilite as CEO to build the construction chemicals business and since then it has been exciting an exciting journey. What excites me is this opportunity to make a difference to the construction industry standards & practices, which is also part of Pidilite's mission.

Hits: 70