Need to focus more on infrastructural development to boost the growth of building material industry

Companies across industries have been facing an unavoidable slowdown because of reduced demand owing to the impact of lockdown due to COVID 19 spread. One of the largely impacted segments is the building materials manufacturing industry. While the growth of the sector was projected at 10% for this year, the lockdown brought it down to nearly 5%. Now with the economy opening up and more industries going back to work, there is some optimism that business leaders are feeling. However for a faster revival the need of the hour is to have multi-pronged efforts from all stakeholders.

One of the key drivers that have been enabling the growth of the building material industry is the infrastructural development of the country. Providing a right thrust to the infrastructural development will significantly move the needle for the building materials industry. The government during its budget 2020-21 had proposed infrastructural pipeline of INR 105 lakh crore for the next five years, fast-tracking the projects will boost the demand for raw materials, thus assisting the growth of building materials industry. However there are certain pain points when it comes to infrastructural development in India, which would require government’s attention in order to give much required push to the building material industry. The primary ones are – (1) timely clearances and approvals especially environment clearances, (2) necessary funding support from the banks and financial institutions, especially long term funding support in case of long gestation projects and adherence to the contracts (i.e. once it is awarded it shall not be cancelled unless the default is from the developer). In the recent past we have seen that the contracts awarded by the previous governments were cancelled by the new governments on account of commercial feasibility, excessive price etc.

Another aspect that can give the much needed push is the extension of the ‘no-cost- extension’. The government had recently announced a six month ‘no-cost-extension’ for government affiliated contractors dealing with railways and roadways. While this is a welcome move, it would be far more impactful if this is also extended to all aspects of infrastructural development. Greater investment by both state and central governments towards infrastructural development is another aspect that will boost the demand for raw materials like ready mix concrete, cement, tiles, uPVC etc. In their recent proposal, the government opened six more airports for auction under the PPP model and also announced more investments for creating world class facilities in twelve airports across the country. More sanctions like these for roadways, railways, airports, smart cities, community developments etc. is what is needed right now for a stronger revival. The government should also quickly take up stalled residential projects, ensure availability of adequate and should resolve inter-state logistics issues.

Bringing in just a few interventions looks promising for the industry. Given a situation where combined efforts are made on all fronts, the industry will surely come to back to its original projected growth rate of 10% in no time.

This article is contributed by Mr Ashwin Reddy, Managing Director, Aparna Enterprises Limited, for The Property Times.

Infusion of additional working capital and partaking of fixed costs will be crucial to revive the building material industry ; Ashwin Reddy, Managing Director, Aparna Enterprises Limited

Aparna Enterprises Limited selected as Inspirational Indian Companies 2020 by WCRCINT

Setting Industry’s newest innovations and benchmarks – Aparna Enterprises Limited. Selected as Inspirational Indian Companies 2020 by WCRCINT, Aparna Enterprises Limited has been distinctively enterprising and has redefined the Buildings Material Sector.

Company Name: Aparna Enterprises Limited
Brand Website: www.aparnaenterprisesltd.com
CEO & Founders: Mr S S Reddy
Number of Employees: Approximately 2000

World Class Innovative Products from Aparna Enterprises

The story of Aparna Enterprises Limited (AEL) is one of continuous evolution. Constantly embracing new technologies to develop the next generation building materials. This entrepreneurial trait has earned great recognition and trust from customers.

AEL is a part of the Rs 2500 cr Aparna Group – the leading builder of very large gated community projects and commercial spaces.

Founded in the year 1990, Aparna Enterprises Limited, has established a reputation as one of India’s most Innovative and respected building material producer, through a range of businesses in building-material products, such as RMC (ready-mix concrete), uPVC Window and Door Systems, uPVC Profiles, Tiles, Sanitary Ware & Kitchens, Aluminium Window & Door Systems and Facades & Exteriors. Associated with several landmark projects for over 30 years, AEL is globally renowned for setting benchmarks in technology, research, design, and quality.

What sets Aparna Enterprises Limited (AEL) apart is not how old or new we are to the building materials industry, but the number of products and services the company has introduced over the years.This focus has not only injected fresh energy into company sales and marketing efforts, but has also set new product benchmarks for the building materials sector.

AEL has been a pioneer and continues to re-define the building material product space by being among the very few companies in the country to offer a bouquet of building material solutions to meet its customers’ needs.

At the core of AEL are its customers. With 3 decades of experience, AEL understands and is in tune with the growing needs of the market. By fostering continuous improvement, adopting new technologies and expanding our competencies, AEL is able to deliver the most sophisticated, high performance and bespoke building material product solutions on the market.

The products offered by AEL are manufactured and produced using world-class technology and at facilities owned by the company. The other aspect that makes Aparna Enterprises the preferred brand amongst its customers is the quality of their products and their commitment to deliver products on-time.

The big idea of the business that is impacting human lives?

The business proposition is to be the preferred supplier for sourcing various building materials of impeccable quality; ensure on-time delivery and help improve the quality of life for end users.

Vision and Mission that the brand lives by.

AEL’s vision is to deliver integrated and sustainable building materials products and solutions that help create smarter living and work spaces.

AEL’s mission is to meet clients’ need for building materials products that addresses and resolves their most pressing requirements, challenges and concerns.

AEL’s aim is to deliver integrated and sustainable building materials and provide end-to-end, customized solutions that meet client’s needs.

The Core Values of the Brand. The Emotional Positioning and the Product Attributes.

The Brand’s core values are Integrity, Excellence, Commitment, Transparency and Collaboration

Emotional positioning – One of the strongest positioning any brand can achieve goes beyond product features or great after-sale service. Building a differentiation strategy on emotional benefit like “TRUST” has helped AEL set itself apart in the consumers’ mind and has created a platform that helps the company constantly deliver on this promise.

Product attributes –Technically sound solutions, advanced manufacturing processes, highly talented team, prompt delivery, value for money are attributes that have given AEL the capability to design and produce best in class products that combine simplicity, functionality and practicality.

Our uPVC profiles are extruded using raw materials that are mixed as per our unique and proprietary formulation. Our uPVC profiles can be recycled easily, reducing the consumption of raw materials, energy and as yet another eco-friendly measure to reduce the impact of construction industry on the environment.

Our uPVC products are based on a carefully designed and innovative profile concept. This concept allows for many different window & door designs – Casement, Sliding, Slide & Fold (doors), Tilt & Turn (window), Villa window, combination of door and window, Arch window and Fixed Window.

Our uPVC profiles are fusion welded, to ensure there are no air gap and do not break due to high pressure wind conditions. This high quality, precision binding of the frames helps ensure interiors are free from dust, noise and water ingress. To increase the strength, strong metal reinforcements are used inside uPVC profiles. These reinforcements are also made in-house.

Our company adopt customer-centricity as a primary driver and builds trust and loyalty of customers, and also a solid reputation as the “go to people” for building material products. We focus on providing a positive customer experience in order to drive profits and gain a competitive advantage. This is our way of doing business and we have leveraged this approach successfully for the past 30 years.

Aparna Enterprises Limited

Technology Adaptation: What kind of innovative technologies has the brand applied to

a) Its Product/Service Innovation b) Branding and Marketing Innovations.

The ceramic plant of Vitero tiles is powered with equipment from SACMI, the Italian technology partner. It focuses on environment friendly processes, energy efficiency and conservation of natural resources.

Vitero tiles are manufactured using advanced feeding system, completed with nanotech coating to produce highest quality Double charged tiles, Digital wall tiles, Glazed Vitrified tiles and Full body tiles. This factory has one of the largest and sophisticated kilns in India. This 265 mt. long SACMI kiln is one of the longest in South India.

We have taken backward integration measures in our tile manufacturing process by acquiring the capability to produce 70 % of raw material required to produce tiles in-house. This factor not only enables consistent quality but also ensures continuous availability of raw materials in their purest form.

By using advanced digital printing technology we are able to offer our glazed vitrified tiles customers with almost any texture and finish they like — wood, marble, slate or bamboo — making our tiles the most customizable and more functional on the market.

Most of our machinery is designed to deliver product quality that exceed stringent European product standards and produce products that deliver world-class performance even in extreme weather and operating conditions.

We have put in place fully computerised ready mix concrete production plants to deliver consistent quality, customised concrete mix solutions along with round-the-clock service to the customer. This service is unmatched.

Aparna Enterprises Limited

Key Brand Building Strategies followed by the Brand.

Most important component of our brand strategy is maintaining a cohesive messaging and a unified brand voice. Keeping a holistic approach to strategy development, we guide all of our brand building efforts to engage audiences and drive sales.

Public Relations is an effective way to manage reputation, establish thought leadership, and push appropriate content. By clearly defining our target audiences, we identify the reporters, analysts and social influencers our customers follow. We lock into emerging trends in the industry sectors we serve. When a topic becomes relevant and aligns with our business goals, we reach out to media contacts and offer our key executives as a source.

We leverage digital marketing to elevate our brand strategy, and make it effective and reach our target audience in a more cost-effective manner. We create ongoing content and resources like white papers, blog posts and thought leadership content that we use to position our brand as an expert in the field. For instance, when we develop product e-catalogues and brochures, we make it downloadable on our website and capture visitor contact information to build our email marketing and prospect lists. We also promote blogs and articles through social media campaigns and remarketing.

We use Social Media to share corporate perspectives and engage with influencers and prospects on a more personal level. We don’t try to be everywhere at once, but focus on two or three most important channels and build a robust presence with useful, relevant content that generates followers and makes them come back for more.

A satisfied customer is the best business strategy of all. What has been the core strategies of retaining customers?

Customer-centricity is what drives our business. We find new ways to ensure customers get the help and information they need. We achieve this by keeping track of changing needs and offering relevant products designed to fulfill them.

We show we care: When customers see that we actually care about their experience, they come back. When we provide a personalized experience and follow it up with a fantastic customer service they not only come back but also refer us to their friends

Staying Competitive in The Digital Age: We differentiate our business and brands from the other companies by being customer centric on the Internet as well. Be very responsive, when customers send us a message on social media, we make it point to get back ASAP. We use technology for the benefit of our customers.

We Are All In It Together: Customer Centricity is among the easiest ways to get everyone within our company involved. When everyone works towards the same goal, improving customer experience becomes a reality. A living business you like to experience again and again.

Take everything To Heart: Customer centricity is not just to make a customer happy. It comes alive when you listen to what customers are saying about our products and service. Helping us to read between the lines and interpret their concerns. It also lets our customers realize that we take them seriously. And why we set about finding ways to use that feedback to improve and innovate our operations. We let our customers know how their feedback will be used to deliver better and help move the company a notch higher.

Finding More Ways To Improve Customer Centricity: Our aim is to finding new ways to ensure customers get the service they need and not just what is promised. It helps us when we keep track of the changing customer needs and puts in a position to innovate and offer relevant products. It helps us improve product delivery and drives us to ensure on-time fulfillment of a project installation.

Winning Business Strategies?

The way we deliver our specific combination of product, service, and price makes our business unique and compelling in an ever-diverse and discerning marketplace. We have mastered the art of optimizing and adjusting them to compete very successfully.

Winning Products: This is all about products we deliver to the marketplace. We create differentiation through perceptions about quality, value, features, and functions. Unlike others, we invest a great deal of time and resources to arrive at an effective and doable product strategy. We offer world-class products that are of superior quality and bring benefit-rich features to deliver value for money throughout the product lifecycle.

Service strategy: We define the level of support our customers must get at all times. Like the quality of our products, our service proposition exceeds their expectations. Customer experience defines brand differentiation and it comes about through the quality of the exceptional service. This is a strategic decision and attracts more clientele and helps retain them for years to come.

Pricing strategy: We don’t compete on price, our strategy is to deliver a superior product, and back it up with extraordinary support service at a very cost-effective price. You will not find our products at bargain-basement price. Our strategy is tipped toward an emphasis on outstanding product and exceptional service differentiation.

The Philanthropic and Social Branding Initiatives.

Corporate Social Responsibility is extremely important to our organization. It’s a reflection of who we are and what we believe in and how we achieve our goals; and the core values we have built our business on.

An example of this is our CSR initiative that focuses on orphaned children and the elderly. AEL helped set up ANSWER, an acronym for Aparna Novel Society for Welfare and Research, in May, 2009.

The aim of ANSWER is to cater to all the basic needs of selected children — a healthy diet, clothing, bedding, health care, education and an opportunity and facility for a well-rounded growth.

List Employee Branding activities that Connects the Brand with its Employees.

Work-life Balance: We create an environment where our workforce feels connected to the organization and has a positive work experiences that lead to a richer and more fulfilling life. Like one big family, we engage the workforce to remain competitive, because it’s no longer sufficient for it to just focus solely on benefits.

Sharing The Big Picture: One of the most effective ways we found is our focus on sharing clear and frequent communication on company happenings, individual and department direction, and big-picture company direction. You will be surprised by the kind of difference this makes to their sense of involvement.

Everything Upfront: Our desire to understand employee concerns works for us. This leads to actionable initiatives that have a positive impact. We are transparent by sharing company performance with our workforce at all levels. Sharing not just our successes, but also addressing areas that need improvement.

Creating Career Pathways: We look forward to our regular career-planning sessions, and extend appropriate developmental support, such as training opportunities and career mentoring and role re-defining. We make sure every member is made aware of the different types of career paths available within the company

Creating +VE Impact: We make it a point to publicly acknowledge accomplishments and reward excellence. We also help employees to grow and develop, whether by taking on new responsibilities or challenges, taking courses to learn new skills

Right People, Bright Futures: We look for and hire people who share the operational values of our organization from the outset. Test for fit early, and allow growth opportunities to express that value. Our team members are consistently rewarded with higher-value projects following a constructive initiative.

Always Grateful: Having a positive culture encourages teamwork and communication. We increase engagement and opportunities for teammates to learn from each other. Recognize a job well done. More important, we found dispensing social currency to be a highly valued incentive.

About Aparna Enterprises Limited

Aparna Enterprises Limited (AEL) is a part of the highly successful Aparna Group. Founded in the year 1990, AEL prides in being a leading supplier of building materials in India through a range of products, such as RMC (ready-mix concrete), uPVC Window and Door Systems, uPVC Profiles, Tiles, Sanitary Ware & Kitchens, Aluminium Window & Door Systems and Facades & Exteriors. Associated with several landmark projects for over 3 decades, AEL is globally renowned for setting benchmarks in technology, research, design, and quality.

How to ensure a stable H2 2020 for construction materials industry

The current situation worldwide has been the most unexpected and unprecedented one. How should stakeholders and policymakers plan H2 2020 so that it does not tread the path of H1 this year?

The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown have brought many industries to a standstill, pushing for an immediate need for business leaders to inculcate superior strategy and planning for the remaining half of the year. Of the multiple sectors which faced the lockdown induced slowdown was the building materials manufacturing segment. While the projected growth of the industry was pegged at 10 percent during the start of the year, due to the locked the current projected growth rate has come to less than five percent. It is imperative to have joint efforts from all the stakeholders, including businesses, trade unions and policymakers so that the industry sustains itself and continues to have a positive trajectory for the rest of the year.

One of the key aspects that this industry rides on is the labour workforce. The lockdown and hence the lack of access to basic resources had compelled the migrant labour workforce to relocate to their native place. This was not much of an issue in the initial phase of the lockdown wherein companies were allowed to operate with only 33 percent of the workforce. Now with industries trying to return back to full operating capacity, the dearth of labourers is becoming a major bottleneck. Many companies are taking initiatives to enable the return of the migrant workforce. From providing travel tickets, increasing allowance, to creating a safe working environment; companies are going beyond the usual. Having adequate labour availability at the construction and manufacturing sites is very important as it will give the much-needed thrust to production capacity, which is required to boost the revival of the industry in H2 2020.

The Government has introduced many reforms on multiple fronts, especially the allotment of Rs 20 lakh crore for land, labour, liquidity, law and MSMEs. This will positively influence the revival of the sector. To infuse more liquidity in the industries, the Government announced Rs 45,000 crore through a Partial Credit Guarantee Scheme 2.0 for NBFCs. This will extend help to the industry to achieve the projected growth as MSMEs will financially stabilise and will be able to augment the supplies to the industry. Furthermore, the moratorium on term loans have also been extended by three months (till August) which is a boon for businesses which have been otherwise financially stressed due to the lockdown. Banks should also be able to support with growth capital as there would be an increase in liquidity from EMIs from the customers, be it deferred. Additionally, the repo rate was slashed by 40 basis points from 4.4 to 4 percent, and the reverse repo rate was reduced to 3.35 percent. Overall this is a positive move for the real estate and the building materials industry, but it will be important that these rate cuts are implemented immediately for maximum results.

In order to truly sustain a positive and forward momentum for the industry, a push on the infrastructural front will also be a key driver. According to recent announcements, a six-month ‘no-cost-extension’ has been granted to Government-affiliated contractors dealing with railways and roadways. To get a larger impact, this should also be extended to private players. What can also make the revival faster is the increased investments in infrastructural development. For example, six more airports were recently put up for auction under the PPP model, and more investments were announced for creating word-class facilities in twelve airports across the country. All of these will lead to more robust demand for building materials like ready-mix concrete, cement, tiles, uPVC, etc. thus paving the way for a stronger revival. However, investments should not just be restricted to this front. As an industry, all the stakeholders should also look at investing in the sector.

Overall the latter half of this financial year does not look as grim as some of us were anticipating during the early phase of the lockdown. Given the right push and required measures, the industry can look at a turnaround in the next six months.

This article is contributed by Ashwin Reddy,Managing Director, Aparna Enterprises Limited, for 99 acres.

Aparna RMC : Customized Concrete Solutions

The company uses 18 fully computerised Schwing Stetter RMC plants with latest concrete batching equipment and produce strong, customisable, versatile, and durable ready mix concrete says T Chandra Shekhar, Director – Technical, Aparna Enterprises Limited.

How cost-effective is RMC and its durability for construction?
Concrete mix is an essential part of any construction and the old conventional way was to prepare the cement mix manually at the construction site. In this case the quality of mixture depends on the skill and experience of the person at the task. However, maintaining the consistency of the mixture across various batches is a tough ask. If the building is a high-rise, It also requires a lot of time and money to transport this mix to the upper levels. Ready Mix Concrete is a very cost-effective alternative as it is made through a mechanized process. In this case, the quality of the mixture is consistent, more so because the components are mixed in a fixed ratio. The process being mechanized offers high output unlike the conventional method. So RMC offers a better output in less time and it also uses less labour thereby saving both time and money.

What is the uniqueness of brand Aparna vis-a-vis the other players in the market?
The distinct factor that sets Aparna RMC apart from the rest is the company’s ability to develop concrete technology solutions and design concrete as per the client’s requirement. We use 18 fully computerised Schwing Stetter RMC plants with the latest concrete batching equipment and produce strong, customisable, versatile, and durable ready mix concrete.

Another aspect about Aparna RMC is the consistency in quality and it begins at right from the manufacturing plant to the construction site. One of the biggest challenges of RMC is that it starts to set quickly. To address this and ensure optimum quality, we use superior quality admixtures (chemical components used to delay or fasten the drying process of the concrete) that are sourced from leading brands such as BASF, Fosrocetc to make the ready mix. The RMC Plant can produce 6 M³ (nearly 15 MT in weight) in six seconds. The material is delivered to the construction location through special vehicles. Also, with the latest pumping technology, the RMC distribution has become hassle free. It allows RMC to be pushed through the pipeline to higher floors without human intervention. The technology is helping us to scale up our operations and save time.

What kind of services do you provide to the customer for efficient utilisation of RMC?
Aparna Enterprises Limited provides end to end support right from the product manufacturing to delivering the RMC to the client location/construction site. The cement mix needs to be used soon after it is prepared. Our fleet of trucks carries the mix to the construction site as per the pre-discussed construction schedule. The mixture is carried with caution and necessary steps are taken to keep the mixture intact till the time it is used. Due to urbanisation, high rise residential complexes have become the need of the hour. Special pumps are used to pump the RMC to higher floors in a high rise building construction. The ratio of various components used in RMC varies for different types of constructions. We do allow product customisation i.e., produce RMC as per the design mix provided by the client.

Ashwin Reddy, MD, AEL shares his thoughts with The Property Times on how the Material Industry can get back its mojo through Government interventions

The government’s decision to allow industries to partially resume operations is a much appreciated move, especially for the construction and building material industry which employs nearly 50 million people and contributes to about 8% of the country’s GDP. In fact, the move has come at a right time as any further delay would have pushed the sector into a deep slump requiring few years to return to near normalcy.

Prior to the lockdown, the building materials industry was witnessing a steady growth. The sector was expected to register a 5% to 10% growth this fiscal. Initiatives like housing for all, setting up of dedicated freight corridors, metro rail projects; AMRUT, smart Cities and upgradation of roadways was fuelling this growth. Additionally the government’s thrust on improving the real estate sector by setting up a 25,000 crore alternative investment fund (AIF) and reducing the GST on under construction properties was also boosting the demand for building materials in India. Now with this unexpected turn of events due to Covid-19 spread, the growth trajectory has slowed down.

The government’s recent announcement has brought back the optimism to some extent. However, allowing partial functioning of industries alone will not be enough to revive the sector. The sector is currently grappling with a multitude of issues such as lack of seamless logistics network owing to which the transportation of raw and produced material has come to a halt. The other biggest concern is slow growth of demand. The building material industry is dependent on the construction and infrastructure development activities. The lack of clarity of business continuity across sectors and the resultant delay in construction activities have impacted the industry. Most of the manufacturing units are not fully automated and manual processes are dependent on human workforce, hence operating with 33% manpower is again an issue. A significant number of industries as well as customers operate with the help of migrant workforce, who either have returned to their hometown or are in the process of heading back to their native places. The lack of manpower is also slowing the sector’s recovery. Having said that, it does not mean the industry will not bounce back.

The industry can get its mojo back and bridge the gap that COVID19 lockdown has created with a comprehensive intervention. Firstly, the government should extend financial support by providing additional working capital to players in the sector for at least a year. As the demand will take another 3-4 months to return to normalcy, most of the companies would choose to operate at 40% to 50% capacity, however, the fixed cost burden may continue to prevail. Partaking or reimbursing a part of this fixed cost (Employee and worker salaries, Interest on loans etc.) will ease this burden significantly. Another fixed cost that the sector has to bear and which has a significant impact is GST. Reduction in GST rates will also bring positivity. Currently some of the items like Cement & Sanitary Ware are taxed at 28%. It will also be prudent to look at a temporary tax reduction for other items like Ready Mix Concrete, uPVC Doors and Windows, Tiles etc., from 18% to 12% or 5%. Another key initiative that can improve the working capital flow is to release the backlog industrial incentives immediately. With timely implementation of these initiatives the construction and building materials industry will be able to quickly address the gap and move towards a steady growth curve in the second half of the year.

At Aparna Enterprises, we have resumed our operations across our manufacturing units across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana by adhering to the safety protocols. We have taken all the necessary precaution to ensure the well-being of our employees. Employees have been mandated to exercise social distancing and maintain all required hygiene protocols.

Balancing business & community well-being in the times of Covid-19: Hear from Ashwin Reddy, MD, Aparna Enterprises Ltd.

Ashwin Reddy, MD, Aparna Enterprises Ltd. talks about the impact on business due to COVID19.

How has COVID19 affected your business?
As Aparna Enterprises is primarily a manufacturing led organization, many of our products involve physical delivery and installation. As per the directives of Central and State Governments, all of our manufacturing units and offices are completely shut at the moment, to restrict spread of COVID-19 virus.

How are your teams working and communicating during such times?
Our non-manufacturing led departments are operational and working from home. Employees have been supported with the required IT infrastructure to manage their daily tasks. Employees are connected with their teams through calls and virtual meeting tools.

Systems and processes have seen new changes. Do you feel the new way of working will change the way we worked in offices?
There will certainly be a change in the way we operate and the way processes are conducted. But given the nature of our business, this will be a temporary change. Most of our processes require personal presence and hence it will be a return to business as usual once the lockdown ends. But as for sectors which do not require physical presence and work can be managed in virtual environment, there will be a shift in the style of working in the future.

How are you helping your local community during such times?
The wellbeing of the local community is of paramount importance in the current situation. For those, who are dependent on us, for example the worker community, we are paying the daily allowance so that they can take care of their daily needs. Also, at the Aparna Group, we have contributed INR 2 crore each to Prime Minister’s CARE Fund and Telangana Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. We have also contributed INR 1 crore to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.

This is a once in a lifetime event for all of us, do share your reason for optimism?
This certainly is a tough time for all of us, however past instances prove that we have the potential to combat the situation. It is essential that we follow the precautions and guidelines set by the authorities. With the invent of technology and awareness among people, we certainly would overcome this situation while every citizen stands by each other in these grim times.

Ms. Aparna Reddy – The lady, the company, and the journey

When Aparna Reddy’s family started a construction company in 1990, the majority of the discussions at home were about the business and its activities. “Growing up, I saw the effort that went into it,” she reflects. “When it came to my own career, there was no second thought for me. Since my teenage years, my intentions and those of my father, the founder, were apparent: we wanted to build a company for the generations.”

After Aparna completed her undergrad, she officially joined the family business and, over a few years, she learned the ropes. She noted where there were lapses and where corrective measures could be made, and she started putting her ideas forward.

It became clear to her that if the people and the system didn’t accept her, moving forward would be a difficult journey. “It’s people that matter at the end of the day, and I needed to prove that I could contribute to the company growth for them to accept me.”

Aparna took her first assignment in 2012, when she set up a high-end luxury outlet for bath spaces and kitchens in Hyderabad. “It was a successful venture,” she beams. “Today, seven years down the line, known architects and reputable builders visit the showroom to finalise their products in the outlet.”

The company is continually expanding its portfolio, and Aparna has played a significant part in new ventures. Once people started seeing that she was capable, her role in the business broadened.

“I slowly started looking after the finance and accounts, and the company strategy,” she says. “Aparna is a building material product company. So, we’ve also begun adding product lines.”

Aparna Enterprises Limited is focused on strengthening the building material industry itself. It now has seven product lines – Aparna Venster (uPVC windows and doors); Okotech (uPVC profiles); Vitero Tiles; Aparna RMC (ready-mix concrete); Unispace (luxury bath spaces and kitchens; Aparna Craft (aluminium window and door systems and facades; and Aparna Crusher (metal aggregates) – and the demand for the building materials it has in its portfolio is increasing in India.

“I will be looking at expanding these seven product lines pan-India,” Aparna says. “As of now, our major strength lies in the southern part of the country, where India is rapidly growing. So, we have a vast potential to grow and also look at the export market.”

Building materials is one industry that isn’t driven by technology. “The way you build something, like a house, doesn’t go through a drastic change because of technology,” Aparna explains. “You need cement and steel to build a building. That’s how it is. The process or system might speed up things, but the basic materials remain the same, unlike technology-related products.”

Aparna Enterprises Limited’s transparency and commitment towards all people associated with the organisation makes it stand out. “For example, the vendors associated with an organisation must be happy because they’re doing transactions with the company,” Aparna says.

“After all, they are doing business with a company to make money. If I delay the payments or if I bargain hard, they won’t be happy and I won’t have repeated business with them. So, our main focus is on the transparency and the commitment towards the vendors, customers and employees.”

First and foremost, Aparna believes that, as a second-generation entrepreneur, if you are accepted well by people into the system, things will go smoothly. Acceptance among employees is crucial because they are the face to a company’s customers.

“My salespeople are on the frontline because they are the ones who speak about the company culture or the management to the customers,” she explains. “Also, it will reflect in the service and supply chain. It’s a top-down approach.”

With this acceptance, Aparna is confident the financials and everything else will fall into place. “This is the challenge for the second generation,” she says. “It’s a different challenge altogether for the first generation. For the second, third, and the generations to come, I think you should be well accepted in the system to find success.”

Placing the right people in the right job is also critical for a business. “It’s one of the most important things for an organisation’s growth,” Aparna comments. “India has enormous talent, but finding the right people is very difficult. We’re fortunate enough to have had at least 10–15 hands with us who’ve been there since the beginning.”

The dedication of those who started the company is a high starting point, but as the business grows, more people who carry on the passion need to be hired. “If you hire 15 people, you need to ensure they’re happy with you and that they will grow with the organisation,” she says. “Those 15 people have to cling to the organisation.”

Aparna believes that culture plays a vital role in cultivating long-lasting employees. “If they are happy with the management, they will stay with the company. What I learned from my father is that it’s not always about the entrepreneur. The people around you should be happy because, if the company is doing well and the employees associated with the organisation are happy, it will result in healthy organisational growth.”

99acres.com – Women’s Day special edition featuring Ms. Aparna Reddy

Building material industry is a diverse industry that offers opportunities to women from different educational backgrounds. However, like any other industry, it has its share of challenges as well, avers Aparna Reddy, Executive Director, Aparna Enterprises Ltd, in interaction with 99acres.com on the event of women’s day.

1.What led you to choose building material industry as a career?
Entering into a building material industry was a natural transition for me as I always wanted to explore an area that will help me contribute to my father’s line of business. Besides, I also wanted to do something that aligns with my ambitions. Fortunately, my parents always motivated me to pursue my goal. They encouraged me to believe in myself. But getting my head around an entire new industry was incredibly challenging, and in fact, I am still learning every day.

2.What has been your support mechanism in a career in this sector?
My biggest strengths have been my parents and my husband. Moreover, my friends have also been my support mechanism. On the professional front, I owe big to my colleagues and team members.

3.What has been your biggest accomplishment so far?
Being the Chairman’s daughter was hardly a benefit to me as I had to work my way up to earn respect and confidence of our clients, employees and partners.

I realised early in life that school never prepare you for what real life has in store. So acquiring the ability to anticipate change and learning to handle what life might unfold was crucial. This learning helped me extensively both at a personal as well as professional level. At the professional level, it helped me to look beyond the immediate future and explore newer avenues of growth without deviating from our core. Our foray into manufacturing of tiles under the brand-Vitero Tiles was one such initiative. Today, Vitero Tiles is one of the fastest-growing tile brands in the country.

4.Are you content with your career choice?
Yes, I feel the decision to be a part of this business was absolutely right. Working for a fantastic company like ours, where every employee is valued and respected is a great boon for any professional. It has also allowed me to work alongside like-minded individuals. When I look back at the kind of projects I have created and delivered along with the team, I feel a sense of pride and accomplishment.

Further, the decision to be a part of Aparna Enterprises Limited helped me to be amidst many supportive and inspiring people who have played a key role in helping me grow and develop a career in a line that I am passionate about. I would have not got this opportunity if I had chosen another field.

As far as success is concerned, it is a state of mind. Apart from enjoying what you do, having a positive mindset and resilience is also crucial to rise up the ladder.

5.What kind of challenges did you face in this male-dominated field?
When you are running a business, no two days are the same. You face a new challenge every day, ranging from the simple ones to more complex ones. From a gender perspective, the biggest task I had to manage was gaining the confidence of our partners. Building material industry is predominately a male-dominated sector, and hence some of our partners were initially apprehensive about dealing with me. However, as they witnessed my passion for the business, they became confident. Today they judge me not by the gender I belong to but by what I bring to the discussion table.

However, some of the most common challenges women face at the workplace are- lack of respect and overt ‘man-terruptions’ (this is when men keep interrupting women, making it difficult for them to express their thoughts). ‘Bro-culture’ and a presumption that women do not know how to do their jobs are also serious challenges that women encounter at workplaces. These uncalled behaviours are a huge burden. Corporates need to be mindful of these behaviours and should create an open environment that encourages women to share their suggestions to resolve the issue.

6.Do you feel the general perception of women in the sector has changed over the years?
Like all other sectors, building material industry is also evolving. It is slowly giving way to a much more comfortable and accepting ecosystem.

7.Any suggestions for other women foraying into building material industry?
Building material industry is a diverse industry, and hence the opportunities it offers are also endless. There are roles to suit women from different educational and career backgrounds. However, as in any other business, the building material industry is also a complex one. So before you enter the industry, know what you want to achieve; this can be surprisingly difficult, but once you have worked this out, you will never lose your way. Set clear goals of what you want to achieve. This usually means challenging yourself to do things that you have never done before. While this may sound like a difficult task, it is not. We already do this. For instance, we set our mind to manage a baby and home with equal dexterity. We surely are capable of finding a way to accomplish anything, even handling the pressures that come with managing a business.

Expectations from the Union Budget 2020 for Real Estate in India

Mr. Ashwin Reddy, Managing Director of AEL shares his thoughts on the Union Budget 2020 with zricks.com

“The real estate sector is expecting demand-generating measures from the upcoming Union Budget. Reduction in personal income tax and removal of tax surcharges for purchasing homes will have a positive impact on the sector. Lowering of personal income tax will increase disposable income for homebuyers. Hiking the 2 lakh tax rebate on housing loan interest rates can boost demand for housing, especially in the affordable and mid-segment categories. The granting of infrastructure status to the entire real estate sector would also enable the industry positively. It will bring large scale employment opportunities, create a strong financing pool for developers at lower interest rates and also make projects more affordable for buyers. Additionally GST rationalization for raw materials as well as single window clearance for processes and approvals are critical for the growth of the sector. The government had recently announced Alternative Investment Funds which is a welcome move as it will help in pushing the needle for stalled projects and restoring the buyer sentiment in the market. The budget should look at measures to successfully implement these funds.” – Mr. Rakesh Reddy, Director, Aparna Constructions & Estates Pvt. Ltd.

“Co-living market size across India’s top 30 cities is expected to grow more than double by 2025 to $13.92 billion from current $ 6.67 billion. In the coming year we will see this sector growing in terms of innovation and offerings. The business fraternity is expecting more focus on the housing sector in the union budget 2020-2021. Rental housing and emerging segments like co-living has often not received proper attention in previous budgets. By giving taxation benefits, easy funding processes, availability of lower interest rates for loans and policies aimed at the growth of rental housing, can boost the segment and contribute to housing for all by 2022. The existing housing infrastructure in the metros is grossly inadequate to meet the increasing demand triggered by the massive migration of educated youth from tier-II and III cities for higher education and livelihood. In order to address this problem the government shall also take steps to utilize the unsold inventory in favour of the migrant population which makes a huge chunk of today’s workforce.” – Mr Pramod Kumar, Director, Guesture.

“While there are numerous expectations from the upcoming Union Budget 2020, there are a few which we as an industry hope materialises. To bring back growth in the real estate sector, being one of the major contributors to country’s GDP and a major job creator would be one of the focus areas in budget considerations.

Firstly, the government should take more developer and investor-friendly initiatives for the betterment of the real estate market, predominantly for the mid-segment housing. Secondly, the government needs to ensure liquidity for the real estate developers. The real estate stress fund from the government is certainly a big boost. However, it would help only the stalled projects, the rest could only be addressed by the banks and NBFC’s.

To ease the liquidity crunch and improve the cash flow in the commercial real estate front, the 18% GST for the properties that are not sold but developed for leasing, should be ideally removed or adequately addressed.

We are also expecting a single-window clearance mechanism which has been a long-pending demand from the sector, which will greatly reduce the project timelines for developers. The sector expects the Budget 2020 to announce industry status to the real estate sector that will further help in raising low-cost funds and make land acquisition simpler..” – Mr. Madhusudhan G., Chairman and MD, Sumadhura Group.

“Last year, Modi 2.0 was extremely supportive of the real estate sector and the budget was instrumental in introducing various schemes, policies and guidelines which were beneficial for both developers and consumers whether it was rate cut of housing interest, NHB guidelines or affordable housing schemes.

The primary concern that needs to be addressed is the significant funding crisis. The budget should ease norms to ensure steady flow of investments. Although benefits for affordable housing have been provided, developers are unable to receive funding from major banks and NBFCs at lower interest rates.

As we are aware, due to lending market being cautious, mainly NBFC sector and banks, purchase of land has become very difficult since the last one and half years. The Real Estate developer can still use an alternate source of acquisition of property which is Joint Development Arrangement with the landlord to avoid large capital commitment. But due to lack of clarity on GST, even this alternative source has been totally ineffective and causing huge delay in proper supply of land for developers to carry out the development work. Thus, the impact on other industry employment will also be required to be kept in mind. Hence, few changes in GST can provide a huge positive impact in the Real Estate Industry for all sectors i.e., Residential, Commercial, Retail, IT Offices, Affordable Housing, Ware Housing, etc.,

Waiver on Applicability on GST (if intended to be applicable) on Transfer Development Right (T.D.R.) on Joint Development Arrangement.
Allowing of Input of Commercial GST during construction period against the rent receivables.

Both of the above changes in the nature of clarification or amendment would bring huge positivity and clarity for the real estate industry and the impact can be visibly seen in a short period in the form of commencement of number of projects across the cities.

Industry status to the real estate sector will further boost the increasing of low-cost funds, cut capital costs and make land acquisition easier, passing the benefits to consumers. A single-window clearance system can help to speed up the execution of projects. We also expect the implementation of land reforms and increased liquidity to NBFCs will lead to investors. If real estate industry gets a boost it will automatically have a positive impact and will accelerate the economic growth of the country and in turn the GDP.” – Mr. Bijay Agarwal, MD, Salarpuria Sattva Group.

“The budget needs to allocate more funds across sectors that impact the overall infrastructural development of the country. It needs to focus on improving ease of doing business. Reforms with regard to taxes, solutions to sail through the NBFC crisis and introducing single window clearance will be crucial. Encouraging the creation of alternative channels for funding, as NBFC’s currently are not in a position to take further exposures is also crucial. It would also be ideal if the government can rationalize GST rates in the sector. GST rates for few essential raw materials needs to be reduced to 18% from the current 28% bracket. Even products like petroleum and natural gas need to brought under unified GST, instead of VAT. This will bring more uniformity in the sector. Additionally, the union budget should look at increasing incentives for affordable housing, especially with regard to income tax benefits for builders under section 80. To make home buying more conducive, the government should reduce personal taxes for higher income brackets, as it will help in boosting the purchasing power of consumers” – Mr. Ashwin Reddy, Managing Director, Aparna Enterprises Ltd.

“The Housing segment, particularly mid-income and affordable housing, holds a huge potential for the growth of the Indian economy in terms of job creation and overall economic development. Thus, the real estate industry, particularly housing sector, is sensitive to many of the policies that are to be announced in the budget.

The Real Estate industry is eagerly looking for all time high favourable budgetary support.

The real estate industry hopes for according “Industry status” which is long awaited one.
Having prioritised affordable housing, the Budget shall make liberal allocation of funds specifically for building infrastructure and improving connectivity in the peripheral areas of the cities to augment the housing supply at affordable prices.
Approximately 20% -25% of the unit price goes to Government by way of taxes and fees in one form or the other. Stamp duty levied vary from state to state. Stamp duty Taxes/fees shall be rationalised. This will go a long way in reduction of the overall price paid by the home buyer.
In the matter approval process, the industry expects Single Window Clearance in the real true sense as the same will go a long way in minimising the turnaround time and reduction in project cost – benefitting the home buyers the price they pay. Digitalisation, minimising human intervention is the answer.
The budget shall also look into supplementing ownership housing by a strong,  vibrant and sustainable Affordable Rental Housing market with different models to address diverse housing needs for various segments of the population.

I am sure that the Government will appreciate the fact that there are many transparent, credible and well organised players in the real estate sector, who are honestly interested in national growth. They are keen in accomplishing national objective of achieving Housing for All.

In my view, we can expect the re-elected Government to make suitable budgetary announcements to further strengthen the housing initiatives, particularly mid income and LIG/EWS housing. – Mr. M Murali, Chairman and Managing Director, Shriram Properties Ltd.