Indian HVAC tapes, turning into a global brand

By OEM Update Editorial August 7, 2019 3:04 pm IST

Articulating about the essential factors of their ‘Zorro se Jeet Pakki’ campaign, Ajit Gupta, Founder, AIPL ABRO, in a conversation with Athira Bejoy, remembers the 1983 World Cup, and profoundly talks of AIPL ABRO achieving similar heights in the industry of masking tapes, adhesives and abrasives.

Kindly walk us through AIPL ABRO’s journey till now. What is your favourite aspect of working in the tape business?
AJIT Industries, is the only company that has been selling ABRO masking tapes in India for more than 25 years. The sequel of our humongous success, prompted us to partner with the parental company ABRO, headquartered at Blackthorn Court, USA, and led to the origination of brand AIPL ABRO. Starting off from automotive products in 2010, AIPL ABRO is now distinguished for its masking tapes, adhesive tapes and adhesives and abrasives. We have been enjoying great acceptability and response from the market, as a result of which we are now stepping up our game with greater marketing and promotion budgets.

How would you define your company’s product range, especially for the automotive and HVAC industry?
As a group, we hold a major stake in tape businesses in India and abroad, with a huge and prestigious client portfolio. Our HVAC tapes have been successfully running in UAE and are turning themselves into a big brand in the region. For our automotive range, they have been the inception point for AIPL ABRO. Their usage has always been dependent on vehicle owners, who like to perform small maintenance operations by themselves, and this trend is largely seen among the youth.The increase in the potential of the automotive marketis now intensifying, and the future of automotive range is very bright and vast.

Tell us a bit about ‘Zorro Se Jeet Pakki’ campaign? What made you rope in Kapil Dev?
It was 1983, when Kapil Dev won the World Cup for India, and in the same year, ABRO masking tapes were introduced in the Indian market. The rest, as we all know, is history.

‘Zorro se Jeet Pakki’, is a campaign to engage and celebrate these achievements with everyone around us. ‘Zorro Se Jeet Pakki’, articulates different factors, in which AIPL ABRO is perceived as strong and multi-product offering market leader, in its product centric industry. Being commenced during the World Cup season, this campaign explores the nuances of being a leader. It further talks on how people should utilise their knowledge and training, to accomplish greater altitudes.

How is AIPL ABRO competing in the market? How would you define AIPL ABRO’s R&D?
AIPL ABRO has been enjoying immense acceptability and growth in the market, by offering superior quality products. We have been successfully in delivering quality products by following rigorous R&D process, available in our factories. A dedicated and qualified in-house R&D division works with outright focus on the product’s quality, despite of changes in variables, usages and environment. This also means developing optimised product usage guidelines for the consumers, enabling them to understand and make appropriate usage of the product.

Your take on the Union Budget 2019?
Interest deduction up to ₹3.5 lakhs for affordable housing, as against ₹2 lakh earlier, will now be available until 31st March, 2020. This will allow more people to purchase homes, subsequently allowingdevelopers to come out with more residential projects. Hence, creating more opportunities and driving sales for hardware and waterproofing, construction, and, for infrastructural development, to make extensive use of red tapes, abrasives and adhesives.

The increase in the potential of the automotive market is now intensifying, and the future of automotive range is very bright and vast.
Ajit Gupta, Founder, AIPL ABRO