Vijay Aggarwal named new Chairman of ICCTAS

NEW DELHI: The Indian Council of Ceramic Tiles and Sanitaryware (ICCTAS) has appointed a new Chairman to lead the growth of the industry.

At the latest board meeting, ICCTAS, the trade organisation representing the ceramic tiles and sanitaryware industry in the country, appointed Vijay Aggarwal as the new Chairman. The council has appointed him at this position for the second time, as before this, Aggarwal had assumed the role for four years in 2008.

Aggarwal is the Managing Director (MD) of Prism Johnson Limited. A building materials conglomerate, the company is known for offering a variety of products like prism cement, prism-ready mix concrete, Endura construction chemicals, Johnson sanitaryware and bath fittings, and so on. Apart from these, the company is also known for tiles available under the brands Johnson Tiles, Johnson Marbonite, Johnson Porselano and Johnson Endura.

Under the leadership of Aggarwal, ICCTAS aims to strengthen and develop avenues for growth opportunities for the Indian ceramic segment. This would focus on both domestic and overseas markets.

According to the official release, Aggarwal, as the Chairman, will envision the growth and advancements across domestic consumption and exports. To do this, he plans to establish standards in quality, service and customer orientation in the industry.

Emphasising on the need of support from the government, Aggarwal said, "With 70 per cent domestic consumption, India is poised to become one of the most favourable exporting countries now. We have seen a tremendous growth in the exports of ceramics and glassware products from $1,292 million in 2013-14 to $3,464 million in 2021-22, which we estimate to further double in the next five years.

"To achieve this, we need to create a conducive environment for growth of the industry, maintain quality standards to build confidence and create a preference for Indian materials and products."

Aggarwal also plans to highlight the industry's demand of lowering GST rates on tiles and sanitary ware, from the existing 18 per cent to 12 per cent.