Kaushal Mehta, Managing Director, Walplast Products Pvt. Ltd., shares his perspective on the evolving building materials industry in India and the opportunities emerging across specialised construction categories. He discusses the growing importance of tile adhesives and waterproofing, the role of technology and R&D in developing high-performance building solutions, and the need to balance business growth with quality and responsible manufacturing. Mehta also explains how Walplast’s strategic investment in Vura Bau Chemie complements its existing capabilities and strengthens its portfolio across specialised construction solutions. Looking ahead, he outlines how strategic investments, innovation, manufacturing capabilities and market development will contribute to Walplast’s vision of building a comprehensive construction solutions platform.
1. How is India’s building materials industry evolving, and what are the biggest opportunities you see emerging within the sector?
India’s building materials industry is moving from a largely volume-driven market towards one that is increasingly focused on quality, performance, and specialised applications. As construction standards improve and customers become more informed, there is a growing understanding that the right building material can have a significant impact on the durability, finish and long-term performance of a project.
This evolution is creating opportunities across several specialised categories, particularly where products can address specific construction challenges rather than offer only basic functionality. We also see considerable potential in the continued development of India’s housing and infrastructure sectors, where demand for dependable and high-performance construction solutions is expected to increase. For companies like Walplast, the opportunity lies in combining product innovation, manufacturing capabilities and market reach to meet these evolving requirements.
2. Why are categories such as tile adhesives and waterproofing becoming increasingly important in the Indian construction ecosystem?
The growing importance of tile adhesives and waterproofing reflects the broader evolution of construction practices in India. Modern buildings are expected to deliver higher levels of durability, aesthetics and performance over their lifecycle, making these categories essential rather than optional.
Larger tile sizes, advanced substrates, high-rise developments and diverse climatic conditions require specialised installation solutions that conventional methods often cannot provide. Similarly, waterproofing has become critical because water ingress remains one of the leading causes of structural deterioration and maintenance challenges.
As stakeholders increasingly focus on quality, longevity and lifecycle costs, demand is shifting towards professionally engineered solutions that ensure consistent performance. This trend is expected to accelerate as awareness, technical standards and customer expectations continue to rise across residential, commercial and infrastructure projects.
3. What does the Vura Bau Chemie investment enable Walplast to achieve that it could not achieve through its existing portfolio alone?
The investment in Vura Bau Chemie gives Walplast an opportunity to strengthen areas where we already see significant potential, particularly tile adhesives and waterproofing, while also entering the specialised stone-care segment. This allows us to expand our portfolio into complementary categories and address a broader set of requirements across the construction ecosystem.
However, the opportunity goes beyond simply adding new products. Vura brings specialised technical capabilities, product expertise and an entrepreneurial approach that complement Walplast’s existing strengths in manufacturing, R&D, distribution and market development. By bringing these capabilities together, we can explore new customer segments, expand the reach of specialised solutions and create a stronger platform for long-term growth.
4. As construction requirements become more specialised, how is technology and R&D changing the way building materials are developed?
“Innovation is rapidly becoming the key differentiator in the building materials industry.”
As construction requirements become more specialised, customers are looking for solutions that deliver superior durability, application performance and reliability under diverse site conditions. This has placed research, testing and formulation science at the centre of product development.
At Walplast, we see R&D as a critical enabler of innovation. Strong research capabilities help us understand evolving market needs, enhance existing formulations and develop products tailored to emerging construction challenges. Our NABL-accredited R&D laboratories play an important role in ensuring rigorous testing, quality validation and continuous product improvement.
Technology, advanced material science and application testing are enabling the industry to create higher-performing, more sustainable and easier-to-apply solutions. As customer expectations continue to rise, companies that invest consistently in innovation will be best positioned to deliver meaningful value.
5. With the industry expanding rapidly, how can building materials companies ensure that growth does not come at the expense of quality and responsible manufacturing?
Growth and quality have to move together. In a sector such as building materials, the quality and consistency of a product directly influence customer confidence and, ultimately, the performance of the construction project. Therefore, as companies scale, maintaining strong manufacturing processes, quality controls and product standards becomes even more important.
At Walplast, we believe responsible manufacturing must be an integral part of the growth strategy rather than a separate consideration. As companies scale, maintaining consistency across manufacturing operations, investing in R&D and technology, and continuously enhancing processes become critical to delivering dependable products and meeting evolving customer expectations. Responsible growth also extends beyond product performance to include resource efficiency, environmental stewardship and workplace safety. Sustainable growth is built on trust, and that trust can only be earned through consistent quality, operational discipline and responsible business practices. Companies that remain focused on these fundamentals are better positioned to build long-term customer confidence and competitive advantage while expanding their scale and market presence.
6. What role will strategic investments and partnerships play in Walplast’s growth strategy going forward?
Strategic investments can play an important role in accelerating growth when they bring capabilities, expertise or market opportunities that complement the company’s existing strengths. Rather than expanding purely for the sake of scale, we believe investments should have a clear strategic rationale and contribute to building a stronger and more diversified business.
The Vura investment is an example of this approach. It strengthens our existing categories, gives us an entry into stone care and adds specialised capabilities to our broader portfolio. Going forward, we will continue to evaluate opportunities that align with Walplast’s long-term vision and enable us to expand across complementary areas of the building materials value chain.
Our larger objective is to build a comprehensive construction solutions platform that can respond to changing customer needs while creating sustainable value. This means combining organic growth with carefully considered strategic opportunities, while continuing to invest in innovation, manufacturing capabilities, quality and market development.
