Have Wood? We'll Floor You!

Wood is known to be a natural material for construction of homes; comes with several hygienic, psychological and economic benefits; is carbon-neutral; and can be sustainably harvested. What better material can we think of for our interiors – especially in these Covid-19 times – at home, offices and other spaces? Dhananjay Sardeshpande spoke with Mr Aashish Poojari, Managing Director of Havwoods International – and other leading suppliers and experts – to find out what lies in store for this future-proof material for flooring. Read on:

When Aashish started out to plan a flooring venture at the turn of the 21st century, he extensively surveyed various markets and studied wood and flooring manufacturing for 2 years. However, the market in India for wood flooring then was minuscule. The use of wood itself was still skewered with doubts as to its applicability, longevity, assured supply, cost and upkeep.

By 2005, Aashish and his brother, Aadesh, decided they would go into retail to better gauge the Indian market, engage with and educate the specifiers and influencers, and spread real-life examples across India to support their firm conviction that wooden flooring is the best.

And so the brothers started Plan-B, with distribution rights for 12 global players, including Kahrs of Sweden, the US-based Giant, Moso (bamboo flooring) from the Netherlands, and Karelia from New Zealand. They also added some laminate floor manufacturers to their range to offer architects and interior designers some more options.

Plan-B went on to win industry awards for ‘Most Innovative Wooden Flooring Company’. It also boasts of having worked with some of India’s top architects and designers, including many celebrities.

Market size

According to Aashish, wood and cork are the only natural materials that are closest to our skins – even the most exotic and expensive stones (including marble) are not conducive to a positive human interaction. Wood “breathes” just as human skin does.

However, Aashish is quite practical in not wishing away natural stones or artificial tiles. “They will continue to have their place; but the space for wood-based flooring is certainly going to increase,” he says.