One of the country’s leading steelmakers, JSW Steel Ltd expects a larger play in the specialty coil coating business. Colour coated coils with properties like anti-microbial and anti-dust have opened new opportunities for the product segment to grow in India amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
JSW Steel has begun the roll-out of JSW Radiance, a steel colour-coated product range in high-gloss features with multiple variants. JSW Radiance with various variants with an option to choose among properties like anti-microbial, anti-graffiti, anti-dust, anti-static and cool roof systems. JSW Radiance can also be custom offered with more than one of the above properties in a coil. With major key end-use benefits, JSW radiance is suitable for diverse applications ranging from warehousing, appliances, cold storage to hospitals.
For the warehousing segment, JSW Radiance is offered with cool roof properties. Based on colour and shades chosen, the cool roof property of JSW Radiance ensures lower temperature inside the shed as compared to outside. Warehousing is the highest volume generator for this segment and has witnessed escalating growth over the last few years as warehousing needs grew following the growth of the e-commerce industry in India.
JSW Steel also sees new growth opportunities in appliances, cold storage, hospitals and interior panels applications for JSW Radiance as demand for variants like anti-microbial products is growing with health and safety becoming a priority for consumers. For these emerging categories, JSW Radiance has been launched with anti-microbial and anti-dust properties. The special anti-microbial coating provides health security by inhibiting the growth of harmful bacteria in a cost-effective way throughout the product’s service life.
According to Jayant Acharya, Director of Marketing, Commercial & Corporate Strategy at JSW Steel, “Increased consumer awareness of health and wellness-consciousness is fuelling industries to make a shift in their focus on product development. These shifts are visible in urban as well as rural markets. Customers are looking at customised offerings that address their specific needs. Emerging needs vary from having dust-free roofs to a roof that keeps the inside cooler. With state-of-the-art paint systems, it is possible to customise and offer these benefits. It opens new demand for specialised steel products like JSW Radiance which offers a distinct benefit for customers on account of customisation with new paint systems.”
Sharad Mahendra, CEO of JSW Steel Coated Products Ltd said, “We see higher volume traction for cool roof and anti-microbial steel coated products that will help grow this category immensely. While warehousing and pre-engineered buildings (PEBs) will continue to drive higher volumes in this category, we see qualitative growth from categories like appliances, etc. as consumer sentiment shifts towards products that are protective of their health, safety and environment.”
JSW Steel is offering a warranty of up to 25 years on JSW Radiance. It is launched with an innovative and unique paint system in 20 select shades, it will be offered in widths up to 1550 mm across the country. The Indian coil coating business is estimated at 2.5 million tonnes per annum and has been recording healthy growth rates over the last three fiscals. Following the increased consciousness for health and safety, industry estimates peg the demand variants like cool roof and anti-microbial from this category to fuel growth rates above 14 per cent over the next few years.