Economy & Market

One needs to be customer-friendly to build brands

Published

5 years ago

October 14, 2021

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Parin Shah, Manager – Marketing, Proflex Systems.

PARIN Shah, Marketing Manager talks to ICR about the marketing strategies of the company and spells out his responsibility towards the customer as a marketing professional.

What is the consumer insight that drives your campaigns?

Consumer insight means understanding unidentified or unmet needs in the marketplace, or finding a new/better way to satisfy an existing need. We have been quite successful in creating need for this New Age roofing that was not available in India until it was introduced in 2002 by Proflex; innovation was the key to this success. Using consumer insight, we aim to drive better brand interaction and shape the competitive advantage in our campaign and we ensure that communications stay true to the insight, are relevant, promote the key message and engage with the right audience. Today after ten years, innovation remains at centrestage and Proflex has always been the first to grab the pulse of consumers and lead the Indian market with the same patronage from existing and new customers. At the end of the day, the whole business experience for the consumer has to be gratifying; we are like partners in our customer’s growth and act as a catalyst by offering them on-time solutions. With Proflex on their side, customers can rest assured about their roofing needs and be free to spend more time on the other challenges they face in project implementation cycle.

Do you give more importance to advertising campaigns or PR campaigns?

Both of them are key elements of brand promotion. You cannot eliminate either of them. However, to start with, you always need an advertising campaign followed by PR campaign.

What is the thought process behind the preparation of your media plan?

It depends on the marketing objective. For mass media, GEC channels on television and daily newspaper in print are the best mediums to cater. For niche audience business channels, business dailies/print verticals and trade verticals are important. Hoardings can be used to cater both mass and niche audiences as well. Online is a cost-effective medium that caters to both mass and the niche audience.

Does your marketing strategy also involve direct selling or interaction with customers?

We are into project sales and therefore interactions will always happen with customers, architects or consultants. We always try to reach them through different mediums.

What according to you are the new trends in marketing in the cement industry?

This industry has become quite organised now. Besides dominant national players, internationals players have also entered the market and with that, the dynamics have also changed. This has increased stiff competition for the national and regional players but as experts say, key driving factors would be demand, brand power, control on production costs and commitment of sustainability. Brand power, marketing tactics, production capacities and capability to convert opportunities into business would be the key for companies to secure a larger market share and taste success as demand is equal opportunity for all. Aggressive marketing campaigns are launched by marketers in this category and some of them are quite innovative and engaging. The focus of cement has shifted from commodity to the branded segment and in the recent times, to increase visibility and create brand power, some companies have associated with major sports and film industry events.

What kind of responsibility do you think you have towards the consumer and society at large?

The consumer is the most knowledgeable entity in the entire gamut and you just can’t take him/her for a ride. You will be inviting the end before the beginning, if you plan to fool them. Being fair, true, loyal and customer-friendly is today’s mantra to build brands. A brand has to live up to its expectations and symbolise the trust customers have in it. My credo is: don’t get into the business of teaching your customers.

Concrete

Fornnax Wins AIRIA’s Special Export Award for Rubber Machinery in 2025-26

Published

1 week ago

October 19, 2026

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Fornnax Technology Pvt. Ltd. has been honoured with the Special Export Award – Rubber Machinery for 2025–26 by the All-India Rubber Industries Association (AIRIA), in recognition of its highest exports of tyre recycling plants to the European region.

With more than a decade of experience in India’s tyre recycling industry, Fornnax has contributed to the development of advanced recycling technologies and infrastructure. The company currently holds a 90% market share in India’s domestic tyre recycling sector, while exports account for 30% of its business, spanning markets such as Europe, Australia and the GCC.

The award marks another milestone for Fornnax, whose tyre recycling lines and advanced shredding technologies are supporting the growth of the circular economy in India and international markets.

Commenting on the recognition, Mr. Jignesh Kundaria, Founder and Director of Fornnax, said:

“This honour from AIRIA is a reflection of an incredible journey we have undertaken over the years. When we started Fornnax, there was no established recycling industry in India to follow. We chose to build for the future instead. Today, when you see India’s tyre recycling sector, it has already transformed into a dynamic, high-growth industry and we are extremely proud to have played our part in building it.”

Unlike standalone equipment suppliers, Fornnax focuses on developing complete, high-capacity recycling infrastructure. Its integrated systems combine multiple stages of shredding and size reduction to enable efficient, continuous operations. This system-level engineering approach helps recycling operators improve throughput, equipment reliability and operational consistency.

The recognition reinforces Fornnax’s commitment to developing engineering technologies that contribute to a more efficient and circular recycling ecosystem.

Looking ahead, the company aims to expand its international presence while continuing to develop advanced shredding and recycling solutions to address the growing volumes and evolving requirements of the global recycling industry.

For more information, visit: www.fornnax.com

Concrete

Wonder Cement appoints Mahesh Singh as VP Corporate Brand Communication

Published

3 weeks ago

October 9, 2026

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Singh brings 20+ years of brand and marketing experience, and will lead integrated corporate brand communication initiatives at Wonder Cement

New Delhi

Wonder Cement, a leading cement manufacturer, has appointed Mahesh Singh as Vice President – Corporate Brand Communication. In his new role, he will oversee corporate brand strategy and communication, including digital and performance marketing, public relations, trade, events, exhibitions, sports and experiential marketing.

Singh brings over two decades of experience across marketing and communications, with roles spanning the automotive industry, agencies and entrepreneurship. He spent more than a decade with Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, working across integrated communication, media, digital, retail and consumer engagement. His stint also included helping build the company’s digital marketing capabilities.

He moved to dentsu X India as Vice President – Strategy & Planning, working across categories such as automotive, auto components, electric vehicles, FMCG, consumer electronics, BFSI, apparel and brand consulting. His responsibilities included media and marketing strategy, product launches, content, performance marketing and consumer activations.

Singh subsequently took an entrepreneurial route with Radiant Brands before joining Shriram Ltd (SPR Autotech) as Head – Marketing & Communications. There, his remit included brand and corporate strategy, communications, PR and ORM, retail identity, loyalty programmes and events.

At Wonder Cement, Singh will be responsible for bringing together the company’s corporate brand communication initiatives across digital, performance marketing, PR, trade, sports and experiential platforms. The role will focus on creating an integrated approach to communication across consumers, trade partners and other key stakeholders.

The appointment brings to Wonder Cement a marketer whose career has spanned the brand, agency and entrepreneurial sides of the communications ecosystem.

Wonder Cement, part of the RK Group, is a cement manufacturer with roots in Rajasthan and a focus on quality, trust and transparency. The company has grown to six manufacturing plants, and a cement capacity of 21.5 MTPA. With more than 2,000 employees and a network of over 5,000 dealers, its operations span manufacturing, distribution and customer engagement, with a focus on consistent product quality and efficient execution.

Concrete

JSW Cement commissions additional 1 MTPA grinding unit at Nagaur

Published

3 weeks ago

October 8, 2026

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With this commissioning, JSW Cement’s total cement grinding capacity has increased to 25.10 MTPA,
Mumbai

JSW Cement, one of India’s leading green cement producers and part of the diversified JSW Group, today announced the successful commissioning of an additional 1.00 MTPA cement grinding unit at Nagaur, Rajasthan. The commissioning marks another significant milestone in the Company’s growth strategy.

With this commissioning, JSW Cement’s total cement grinding capacity has increased to 25.10 MTPA, while its total clinker manufacturing capacity, including clinker capacity at its joint venture, JSW Cement FZC, stands at 9.74 MTPA.

JSW Cement had commenced operations in North India in March 2026 with the Nagaur Integrated Plant, comprising a 3.30 MTPA clinkerisation unit and 2.50 MTPA cement grinding unit. With the commissioning of the additional 1.00 MTPA cement grinding unit, the plant’s total cement grinding capacity has increased to 3.50 MTPA, enhancing the company’s ability to cater to the growing cement demand across Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and the National Capital Region (NCR). The expansion has been funded through a strategic mix of equity and long-term debt.

During the quarter ended 30th September 2026, JSW Cement has also commissioned the Alternate Fuel Handling System and the Waste Heat Recovery system (WHRS) at the Nagaur Integrated Plant.

Nilesh Narwekar, CEO, JSW Cement, said: “The commissioning of additional 1.00 MTPA grinding capacity at Nagaur is a key strategic priority for us and will accelerate JSW Cement’s expansion into North India. We look forward to servicing the growing needs of the region and contributing to the economic growth of Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and the NCR area. I am delighted to share that the company has commissioned this grinding unit within the expected timeline, showcasing our project execution capabilities. Further, the Alternate Fuel Handling System and the Waste Heat Recovery system (WHRS) are expected to substantially reduce our production costs going forward.”