Taking on the ‘New Normal'

In an interview with ET Polymers, Rahul Tikoo, Managing Director – India Sub-continent & Polyurethanes South Asia Business, Huntsman Corporation, talks about how the company is forging ahead and embracing the ‘New Normal’ in the pandemic aftermath.

- Kruti Bharadva

How has Huntsman India been dealing with the new restrictions imposed by the government?

Much like this time last year, the safety and wellbeing of our employees, customers and suppliers remain our topmost priority. With a second surge observed in the number of Covid-19 cases, we continue to take all the necessary precautionary measures across our sites to help curb the spread of infection. While a major part of the Huntsman India Centre has been functioning remotely, our manufacturing facilities have been operating to an extent of providing support to essential industries. We have been working towards ensuring the safety of our employees while also enabling continued operations, through a series of measures across our corporate office and sites such as frequent RT-PCR tests for employees, daily site fumigation, and social distancing and hygiene protocols. Further, we also conduct recurring maintenance checks for the machinery at our sites to ensure the safety of those operating the machinery.

How would you analyse the overall chemical industry in India?

One thing the pandemic has taught us is that being agile and flexible will always be critical. While the Covid-19 outbreak has proven to be a disruptor, it has also provided us with an opportunity to innovate and reinvent ourselves. For instance, we have leveraged technology to remain connected with our customers and developed customised products to cater to their evolving needs. As the crisis continues, it has become evident that identifying effective ways of working, collaborating and challenging the status quo is the only way forward for the industry. To become a USD300 billion industry by 2025, we must continue building on innovation, invest in the right capabilities including talent, and leverage new opportunities as well as technologies to ensure sustained growth for the sector.