Making synthetics an art for the people, Profine India Window Technology Pvt. Ltd is a 100% subsidiary of Profine GmbH which is an International profile group, a worldwide leading manufacturer of uPVC profiles for windows and doors, PVC Sheets, and shutter systems. In India, Profine is active with its brand ‘KOEMMERLING’ and is present in over 60 countries across the world. KOEMMERLING extrusion facility is present in nine countries i.e., Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Russia, Ukraine, Great Britain, USA, China, and India.
With over 100 years of experience, ‘KOEMMERLING’ is seen to be the premium and most trusted brand globally. Powered by its partner-based philosophy, the company has continued to offer modern window and door systems while keeping quality and sustainability as its main force in the product range which is why many customers have remained loyal to KOEMMERLING since its inception in India.
Profine India has a modern state-of-the-art extrusion plant built over 20,000 sq. meters at Vadodara, Gujarat. It was an initiative to enhance local manufacturing, skill development, employment generation, and contribution towards Make in India. The facility is geared up with the world’s best technology, machines, and tools to produce the highest quality uPVC window and door profiles. The plant is well equipped with 5 extrusion lines and 1 foiling line, an extensive logistics area, an Experience Centre displaying a complete range of systems as well as a technical training centre for the associate channel partners.
Let’s read below the dynamics of Profine India with the Indian uPVC space in the given below excerpts of the interview:
Tell us about your company’s operations, its mission, its vision, and its core values.
The company’s mission is to improve and innovate its product range to keep a positive impact on its valued customers constantly and continually. We achieve this by providing superior efficient products and services, to meet the ever-changing needs of our current and prospective clients. We strive for the highest professional excellence in the delivery of our products and services.
How is your company catering differently to its clientele, to stand apart from the competition in the uPVC Windows and Doors Solutions space? What safety, hygiene, and quality-assurance standards does your company abide by to inspire the trust of its clients?
The distinctive KOEMMERLING approach rests on attention to quality, innovation, customer lead production and services, efficient supply system, and an awareness of our responsibilities towards the environment and society. Our skilled and highly motivated employees and close relationship with customers are the foundation of our success. In recent years, we have invested in versatile, state-of-the-art production technologies. Our production facility is well equipped with advanced extruders and tooling, and this is how we can safeguard our consistently high product quality and respond rapidly to changes in market requirements.
Our customers are some of the best-known window specialists. We maintain open and honest business relationships with them, and as a result, we know our partners’ standards and requirements down to the last detail and develop solutions that meet their needs. In return, we are rewarded with a high level of customer satisfaction and loyalty towards our brand, and we are proud of that.
What, according to you, are your company’s most notable contributions in the industry?
Profine is best known for its innovative and technically advanced system made with environment-friendly uPVC formulation without compromising on product quality. Our environmentally friendly and sustainable product helps in reducing CO2 emissions due to their outstanding thermal insulation properties. With the innovative new generation of window and door systems, Koemmerling has set new standards in the Indian market and met people’s need for brightly lit residential and workspaces.
Koemmerling provides optimized sound insulation for quiet and stress-free living spaces and creates a healthy atmosphere for a quality life.
How has the featured person – CEO/Founder/Director helped to enhance the company’s outreach? What noteworthy contributions have the person made in favour of the company?
Mr. Farid Khan, Director and CEO of Profine India, joined the company in 2007 to head and brand ‘Koemmerling uPVC windows and doors’ in India which was not so familiar in the industry at that time, but he was sure that it will stay strong. He was like a one-man army who used to plan, execute, and deliver the targets all by himself. KOEMMERLING is present in India since 2005 and in the last 16 years, KOEMMERLING has become one of the leading brands supplying products across the country through a wide network of Channel Partners.
From the unknown to a well-known and trusted brand, “KOEMMERLING” has achieved significant success. Under the leadership of Mr.Farid Khan, the company has grown multi-fold, from importing uPVC profiles to set up own state of the state extrusion facility in India, from inception to one of the leading brand, the company’s journey has been remarkable. KOEMMERLING is continuously growing, and management has plans of new investments for bringing the best-in-class technology, machinery, R&D, and skill development.
What challenges has your team faced in the earlier days of the company? What struggles is the team going through now?
The main challenge in earlier days was to make people aware of uPVC. In a country like India where people still consider wood as the best material for their windows and doors requirement, it was quite tough to popularise uPVC windows and doors. Over the period we have conducted many awareness programs like architects meet, print and digital advertisements, and exhibitions, etc., to make people aware of the advantages of these modern System Windows. Now we can see people have started using uPVC as a better material over other traditional material due to its various advantages like durability, low maintenance, sound insulation, thermal insulation, water tightness, sustainability, etc.
India is a price-sensitive market, as a result, many companies have started selling cheap and low-grade uPVC window and door material which looks fine in short term but as time passes it starts to crack and deteriorates its original shape and colour. The biggest challenge for the Indian market is to create awareness on why a quality product should be preferred rather than going for a low price with compromised quality. The industry is to establish quality standards for uPVC windows and doors in India.
In the future, what are the prospects of your company?
Since its inception in India, Profine has included a vast range of uPVC window & door systems, which are being produced at our plant. Further, we are closely in touch with our associate channel partners and also aware of the upcoming market trends to upgrade our systems for the Indian market.
UPVC windows and doors are a decade-old product in India but still considered at a nascent stage. India has a huge demand for overall windows and doors which provide uPVC a promising future in India. People are becoming aware of the product due to the efforts put up by the industry in spreading awareness about the performance and durability of uPVC. As a responsible company, we have been able to make people aware of why they should choose uPVC over other traditional materials.
Apart from the excellent performance and durability of the product, this product should be treated as a solution to deforestation as it is an alternative to wood. It has helped in decreasing the demand for wood globally for the fabrication of windows and doors. UPVC is an eco-friendly and sustainable product.
Despite many advantages of this product, it needs more efforts and awareness programs both from the Private and Government sector to make it popular amongst retail, commercial, and government sectors. The private sector has already initiated many awareness campaigns at the national level which helped in gaining trust amongst the builders, architects, engineers, fenestration consultants, and end-users.
UWDMA is one such platform constituted by reputed names of the fenestration industry. It helps in promoting and propagating uPVC windows and doors and their benefits to the Indian construction industry and the general public at large. On the other hand, Government should give special attention to the uPVC industry. As a manufacturer, we expect Government to ensure quality parameters and standardize them through BIS. As this product helps in providing environmental benefits and reduces CO2 emissions it should be treated as a product of the need for green buildings. Government should also consider slashing the GST rate so that it becomes affordable for the customers and helps in reaching a larger segment.
Therefore, three most important things for the industry are:
- Quality Parameters & Standardization of Product
- Should be listed as a Green Product
- Low GST rate
