PE pipes from India
Plant expansion in Pune (IN)
The Geberit PE drainage system is booming in India. Reason enough to start local production of the black pipes.
In India, employees affectionately refer to the newly expanded Geberit plant on the outskirts of the city of Pune as ‘Little Rapperswil-Jona’ – a nod to the plant at Geberit’s headquarters in Switzerland. It is spotless, not just inside, but across the entire site. A striking contrast to the colourful hustle and bustle on the streets of Pune. A team of around 100 people has been producing concealed cisterns for the Indian market here for over ten years, as well as fittings for the PE drainage system for quite some time.
Up to 2,000 km of pipe
In recent years, this system has experienced a veritable sales boom in India – particularly thanks to the introduction of SuperTube technology, developed for high-rise buildings. “Especially in Mumbai and Pune,” clarifies Gorika Shyam, Managing Director of Geberit Sales India. “Vertical growth is considerable in both cities – and with it, demand for our drainage system is also rising.”
That is why the plant was recently expanded to include a new hall, enabling the production of PE pipes for the Indian market. The first production line has been in operation since this spring – a 60-metre line, fully automated. “This allows us to produce 2,000 km of pipe per year in three different sizes,” explains plant manager Ravikumar Nagarajan. Current demand is around half this volume. “So we still have room for growth in the future. What’s more, the hall offers enough space for further production lines.”
Expertise from Italy
Until now, the PE pipes were manufactured exclusively at the Geberit plant in Villadose, Italy. However, this resulted in long transport routes and high customs costs – as well as long delivery times. “Some of our customers had to wait two to three months for delivery. Now we can deliver within one and a half weeks. That’s a huge benefit for the market,” says Gorika Shyam. Furthermore, it’s easy to bring customers to the plant and demonstrate the high-quality production. “For us, local production is a game-changer.”
Part of the preparations for PE pipe production involved a comprehensive transfer of know-how from Italy to India. “We had a fantastic collaboration,” says Ravikumar Nagarajan. “A team from our side acquired the knowledge during a few weeks in Villadose. After that, a team from Italy came to us to help set up the line. That was worth its weight in gold.”
