Pune Industry Leaders Spotlight Innovation & Sustainability Ahead of World of Concrete India 2026

As India’s only dedicated concrete-focused exhibition, WoC India uniquely brings together the entire value chain from raw materials and precast technologies to construction equipment, chemicals, and digital solutions, offering a highly specialised B2B platform distinct from broader construction expos.

The 2026 edition is expected to feature over 350+ brands and attract more than 18,000 industry professionals. With strong domestic and international participation, including dedicated European and Chinese Start-Up and Precast pavilions, the show continues to strengthen its global footprint.

The Pune roundtable witnessed participation from key regional stakeholders and industry experts, including senior leadership from Informa Markets in India. The discussion surfaced critical insights on Western India’s infrastructure growth, emerging material innovations, and the increasing urgency of sustainable construction practices.

The roundtable discussion featured leading voices from the construction, concrete, architecture, industrial flooring, construction chemicals, and market intelligence sectors, including Er. Manoj Deshmukh, State Secretary, Builders Association of India (BAI), Pune Centre; Prof. AR. Mahesh Bangad, Chairman, Architects Engineers & Surveyors Association (AESA) EC / EC, Mr. Ajay Singam, President, Industrial Flooring Association (IFA) & Managing Director, Avcon Technics; Mr. Suyog Keluskar, Senior Director, IGS, 1Lattice; Mr. Jaswanth Sobhana, Director-Target Market & Product Management, Sika India; Mr. Appasaheb D. Bhosle, Past Secretary & EC Member Indian Concrete Institute, Pune Centre, and Mr. Rajneesh Khattar, Senior Group Director, Informa Markets in India. Together, they deliberated on the evolving needs of India’s construction sector, with a focus on technology adoption, mechanisation, sustainable building practices, skilled manpower, durability of infrastructure, and the role of industry platforms in enabling practical, future-ready solutions.

Highlighting the need for stronger industry-government collaboration to address key challenges around cost, skilling, and technology adoption, Er. Manoj Deshmukh, State Secretary, Builders Association of India (BAI), Pune Centre, said, “India’s contracting fraternity is at the receiving end, facing multiple challenges, from technology adoption, adaptation, and rising costs to labour-related changes, skill gaps in technical manpower, and payment delays. While we have evolved from contractors to constructors, the sector continues to depend heavily on human-intensive execution, and this makes skilling, statutory recognition of engineers, and stronger industry-government dialogue critical. Despite these challenges, Indian constructors have consistently delivered complex projects with local manpower, meeting timelines and cost expectations. Platforms like World of Concrete India are important as they bring the industry together to discuss practical solutions, encourage technology adoption, and address key issues such as optimal use of resources, including water in construction.”

Emphasising the role of advanced construction chemicals, rehabilitation solutions, and digital tools in improving the durability of India’s infrastructure, Mr. Jaswanth Sobhana, Director – Target Market & Product Management, Sika India, said, “Ageing buildings and infrastructure assets in India need new-age repair and rehabilitation materials that go beyond conventional solutions. Sika is already associated with strengthening projects for important structures in Delhi, as well as bridge assessment and repair initiatives for agencies such as NHAI and Indian Railways, helping extend asset life and reduce the need for demolition and reconstruction. Durability is now becoming a key design criterion, and if structures can be built for a life of 100 years or more, it is far more sustainable than rebuilding every 20–30 years. India’s construction chemical industry is around ₹25,000 crore, but remains fragmented and largely unorganised. As a global leader, Sika continues to focus on innovation, sustainability and digitalisation, including AI-enabled tools for concrete mix design, sand grading and curing guidance. Platforms like World of Concrete India help bring these technologies closer to industry stakeholders and support better quality, performance-based construction practices.”

Commenting on the strong construction momentum in India, particularly across western India and emerging tier 2 and tier 3 cities, Mr. Suyog Keluskar, Senior Director, 1Lattice, said, “India’s construction sector is witnessing strong growth, with cement production expected to be around 490 million tonnes in FY26, registering year-on-year growth of nearly 8–9%. The government’s record capital expenditure allocation of ₹12.2 lakh crore in the Union Budget 2026–27 is further driving development across highways, railways, logistics, and regional infrastructure. Initiatives such as PMAY Urban 2.0, which aims to create 1 crore new homes, and the development of city economic regions are shifting growth beyond tier 1 cities. Western India, especially Mumbai and Pune, continues to be a key growth region, with Pune also seeing significant momentum in high-rise and urban construction. With 55–70% blended cement usage, India is also moving towards more sustainable construction practices. As tier 2 and tier 3 cities become the next growth epicentres, concrete, construction chemicals, and new-age technologies will play a critical role in building durable, sustainable, and climate-resilient infrastructure.”

Speaking on the need for mechanisation, workforce upskilling and better labour infrastructure in India’s construction sector, Mr. Ajay Singham, President, Industrial Flooring Association (IFA) & Managing Director, Avcon Technics, said, “India’s construction industry must move closer to the way manufacturing industries operate, with better planning, mechanised processes, trained operators and improved quality of life for workers. In industrial flooring, mechanisation has already reduced team sizes from 20-30 people to around 10, while increasing productivity from nearly 150 sq. m. to 1,500 sq. m. with the same team; globally, the benchmark is around 5,000 sq. m. With labour availability expected to become a bigger challenge, the future will be driven by mechanisation, precast solutions, materials, processes, equipment, and know-how. Sectors such as data centres, currently at 1.5 to 1.6 GW with 277 facilities and expected to reach 6.5 GW by 2030, will require over 2.5 million sq. m. of flooring every year, making efficient timelines and technology adoption critical. World of Concrete India brings the right industry focus to concrete, resource efficiency, and sustainability, especially as construction moves towards higher volumes, tighter timelines, and greater dependence on technology.”

Reflecting on the need for stronger awareness, policy direction, and accountability in sustainable construction, Prof. AA. Mahesh Bangad, Chairman, AESA EC / EC, said, “Concrete is no longer just about contracting or material use; it now involves technology, machinery, innovation, education, and practical application. As an association representing architects, engineers, builders, and contractors for the past 55 years, we believe awareness is critical for better material adoption. The challenge is not only cost or contractor training, but also the need for clearer mandates, stronger policies, greater awareness, and localised solutions. Sustainability is often overused as a term, and there is a need to combine traditional wisdom with new-age materials, stronger specifications, and greater accountability. World of Concrete India can help build awareness, encourage moral responsibility, and support the setting of much-needed norms for the construction industry.”

Speaking at the Industry and media roundtable in Pune, Mr. Rajneesh Khattar, Sr. Group Director, Informa Markets in India, added, “With India taking significant strides towards building inclusive and sustainable infrastructure, this is a defining moment for the construction sector. World of Concrete India Expo 2026 goes beyond being just an exhibition; it is a platform where industry leadership, innovation, and actionable insights come together to shape the future of construction. Through focused industry discussions and knowledge-driven insights emerging from the platform, the show will enable stakeholders to better navigate challenges, adopt advanced technologies, and drive more efficient and sustainable construction practices. By bringing together global expertise and real-world application, we aim to accelerate the industry’s transition towards a more resilient and future-ready ecosystem.”

Event Highlights and Industry Participation

WoC India 2026 will serve as a high-value business and knowledge platform, enabling direct engagement between contractors, developers, architects, consultants, infrastructure companies, and government stakeholders.

The event is supported by leading industry bodies, including the Builders Association of India, Drymortar Association, Readymix Concrete Manufacturers Association, India Concrete Institute, and the Precast Manufacturers Association of India. Prominent participating brands include Ultratech, Sika India, Jindal Panther Cement, Godrej Construction, JSW Cement, Natural Cemeco, Mapei, Chryso India, Fosroc, Nerolac, and Asian Paints, among others.