Vienna-headquartered Wienerberger AG, the €3.3 billion global construction giant, has said it will invest Rs 30 crores at its Kunigal factory in Tumkur, Karnataka. The investment will be used to reduce carbon emission by switching to natural gas as a fuel, enhance production capacity by 25%, and launch new solutions.

“When it comes to using electrical energy in the factory, 95% of the factory requirement is met through renewable energy sources of solar and wind. Despite there being no such mandate, the measure to introduce natural gas as a fuel is a decision taken by Wienerberger proactively to ensure drastic reduction in carbon emission, although it will entail additional costs for the company. We are continuously striving to convert our production processes to low-emission energy sources,” Christof Domenig, CEO, clay building materials Europe, Wienerberger AG (In Photo), said in a press statement.

Monnanda Appaiah, managing director of Wienerberger India, says, “The company is also constantly looking at new growth opportunities in the Indian market, including the launch of new sustainable and future-ready solutions for construction. With the Rs 30 crore investment, we will also be upgrading our machinery and installing new equipment with the latest technology that will enable us to scale up the production by up to 25%. The products manufactured in Kunigal offer significant technical advantages over conventional walling materials, apart from being environmentally friendly and cost-effective.”

Wienerberger’s India product portfolio includes clay building material solutions for walls, roofs, and façades. Wall solutions include Porotherm HP, VP Load Bearing, Thermobrick, HP Grinded + Dryfix System; roof solutions include Koramic and Tondach; façade solutions include Aspect. “We are also actively marketing and supplying clay roof and façade solutions across India and are planning to expand the product portfolios for these offerings that would be extremely relevant for the Indian climatic conditions and consumer preferences,” Appaiah adds.