The Indian Hardware Manufacturers Must Invest in the Training & Development of the Skilled Manpower

By: Hemant Kathuria, Taiton Hardware

Post-Covid Hardware Market in India

1 to 2 years of Covid was a period of uncertainty for everyone, be it the project developer, contractor or material supplier. Many people saw that period as an opportunity to do the R&D, innovation & development of new technologies and innovative products. Once the work restarted in full swing, there was a great demand for building materials. The companies that invested in stocks & development were overwhelmed with the orders. There is an exponential growth of the hardware market in India, the most credit also goes to the introduction of newly developed products during the Covid period & tremendous use of aluminium systems in residential, corporate & commercial projects.

Key Factors Driving the Growth of the Hardware Industry

The fully automatic revolving door at the main entrance of the luxury showroom provides an excellent reduction of traffic noises & dust from outside. A beneficial solution for corporate buildings & hotels also

There are many factors contributing towards the growth of the hardware industry – first & foremost are the respective Governments for the development of various projects across India, Architects & interior designers for incorporating the hardware in designs, the development of corporate & commercial projects, a boom in the residential projects, etc. Wooden doors & partitions being replaced by aluminium internal partitions in corporate & residential projects has also added to the growth of the Hardware industry.

The Primary Hurdles to the Growth of the Hardware Industry

With the Indian government’s plans & support for the ‘Make in India’ campaign, various hardware & accessories providing companies have started to manufacture products in India that were mostly imported earlier. The companies which were already manufacturing are planning to scale up their production capabilities. Skilled manpower is the main criterion that can change the game for Indian hardware manufacturers. So they must invest in the training & development of the skilled manpower. At the same time, Indian manufacturers must adapt to automation & invest in CNC machines that give good & consistent quality output.

Market Trends and Rising Consumer Demands

53dB STL movable acoustic wall partition system at a banquet hall allows the space to be used more efficiently holding 2 events simultaneously without getting disturbed by the noise from the other side

The last few years were the years of innovation, development & introduction of new technologies. The hardware industry has also witnessed a shift in the trend from frameless doors & façades towards aluminium slim framed doors and windows which enhances the aesthetics of the place and in addition also provide safety to the occupants. Taiton has also introduced slim sliding systems & modern slim framed office partitions, etc. keeping in mind the current market trends & consumer demand. The sliding systems are available in manual as well as automatic options which utilise magnetic levitation technology to slide the panels.

Standardisation & Certification

Standardisation helps in maintaining the quality & consistency of the product being manufactured & supplied, plus the type & specification of the hardware to be used in a particular project, whereas the certification assures the durability of the product being used at the project.

**Luxury automobile showroom utilises fully automatic telescopic sliding doors with maintenance-free magnetic levitation technology to get a 4m clear opening to pass the car conveniently**

Very less work is being done on the standardisation of architectural hardware till now, although organised companies are working a lot along with architects & consultants to get the right product specified for a particular project. This needs to be done on the project to project basis as the hardware requirement for diverse projects will be different – for e.g., airports and showrooms will need different specification products.

The application of the right product also reduces the future maintenance & replacement costs at a particular project. India is set to be a $7 trillion economy by 2030, powered by triple engines of rapid financialisation, clean energy transition and digital revolution. According to some studies done in the last couple of years, 70% of buildings needed by 2030 are yet to be constructed. There is significant potential in residential construction with the ‘Housing For All’ program requiring 20 million urban and 10 million rural homes. India is at the threshold of a commercial and residential construction boom. 700 million sq. meters of commercial building space built over the last 10 years with 40% of the building stock that will exist in India by 2037 yet to be built. Everything sums up a promising future for the hardware solution company.