The Hindu Business Line : Pokarna setting up engineered stone factory in Vizag

This summer, consumers keen to have thechoicest colour shade for their apartment flooring or large companies looking for uniform colour stones for their premises could have an option ready.

At present, granite, a common choice, has a limitation in colour and quantity. ‘Engineered Stone’, which is set to roll out, perhaps for the first time in the country from Pokarna, can be customised to the client’s preference.

The designer stone in demand in Europe, Australia and the US is based on the technology patented by the Italian company — Bretton. The Hyderabad-based Pokarna Ltd has signed a 10-year exclusivity agreement with the Italian company.

There are about 40 manufacturing plants based on the Italian technology globally. In Asia, Vietnam and Korea have such units. The engineered stone is stronger than granite, scratch-proof and non-porous.

Pokarna Ltd has invested Rs 180 crore in a manufacturing facility for the designer stone in the Atchutapuram special economic zone in Visakhapatnam, according to Mr Gautam Chand Jain, Chairman and Managing Director.

Production is expected to begin in May. The work is in full swing at the facility spread over 40 acres. The 100 per cent imported machinery from Italy has the capacity to manufacture 2,000 sq.m per day of the designer stone.

The company has plans to add three more manufacturing lines, each of 2,000 sq.m/day capacity, with investment of Rs 150 crore, after assessing the market demands, Mr Jain told Business Line.

The Pokarna Group, which started with granite business back in 1991, now has interests in granites, garments and engineered stones.

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