India’s PU and Foam Industry Calls for Policy Reform and Stronger Standards to Drive Global Competitiveness

Industry leaders have called upon the Indian government to strengthen policy support and modernise Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) norms to enhance the global competitiveness of the country’s polyurethane (PU) and foam sector. The appeal was made during the Leadership Dialogue held ahead of the 2nd edition of UTECH INDIA – Sustainable Polyurethane & Foam (ISPUF) Expo, scheduled from 13–15 November at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai. Organised by Crain Communications and Media Fusion, UTECH India remains the nation’s only dedicated platform for PU, foam, mattresses, and insulation technologies.

The Dialogue, themed Transforming PU Applications, Insulation & Cold Storage Solutions, brought together experts to outline strategies for sustainable innovation and efficient construction. Speakers underscored polyurethane’s critical role in advancing energy-efficient and sustainable infrastructure.

Abasaheb Kale, Managing Director of pdkASM Consulting, highlighted that government mandates requiring 25 per cent prefabricated components make metal sandwich panels vital for achieving sustainability and thermal comfort.

Architect Prashant Deshmukh described the present as a “golden period” for sandwich panels amid surging demand for high-quality, energy-efficient buildings. Reinforcing these views, Badruddin Sudanwala of ROCKWOOL and Nitin Kolekar of Aryanvi PU Solutions emphasised the need for fire-rated, eco-friendly products and stronger regulatory frameworks. Abhay V. Udeshi, Chairman of Jayant Agro-Organics Ltd, argued that with policy alignment under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative and the PLI scheme, India could emerge as a global hub for PU manufacturing, provided R&D and MSME technology upgrades receive due support.

Anup Dhave of Metecno Asia BV identified outdated BIS 12436 standards, scrap disposal issues, and high freight costs as key barriers to competitiveness. Sanjay Gupta of IFCOMA linked the sector’s prospects to global trends in footwear, automotive, and construction, highlighting India’s growing focus on sustainable and lightweight materials.

Source: Construction World