Modular Kitchen, Bengaluru-based Prasara Innotech has been persistently championing SS 304 as an alternate
material to engineered wood for constructing furniture cabinets. “Since these materials – engineered wood – are composites with resins and solvents, they are always susceptible to damage when exposed to water or humid conditions,” informs managing director Murali Rajendra G (murali@tuskerindia.in). He explains, “Stainless steel in 304 grade is by far the best since it is termite proof, water washable, emission-free, hygienic, everlasting, and eco-friendly.”
Continuing with its effort, Prasara apart from regular modules has now introduced Tusker SS 304 modules with provision for gola profile, which is created by routing the side panels of the cabinet. “A ready-to-assemble solution for the gola profile is not available with any other supplier; we are the first to introduce such a solution,” Murali shares. Explaining gola profile, he adds, “Gola is an aluminum extruded section fixed at the top and middle of the cabinet. The inclusion of this profile eliminates the need for handles in drawer fronts and shutters that operate with concealed hinges. Besides, this feature adds an aesthetic look to the kitchen as the profile creates a linear cutoff at the top and middle. The profile acts as a handle, thereby giving the furniture a sleek handle-less look.”
According to Murali, the new module with provision for gola profile was launched after closely observing other products in the market. “There are a few demerits in the cabinet modules currently available; the cabinet sides have to undergo routing since there are no fillers, the chances are that the cabinet degrades faster,” he said. “One of the advantages of SS cabinet modules is that SS does not change its properties given the vagaries of climate. Natural wood or engineered wood composites have a content of cellulose which attracts pests and emanates a stale odor with the passage of time. SS 304 overcomes a lot of these drawbacks, making an eternal cabinetry which outlasts human life,” he avers. One of the greatest advantages, he informs, is the upscaling and downscaling of System 32 hardware at any point in time in installed SS modules.
Talking more about modular kitchen SS cabinetry and its advantages, Murali says, “Our SS 304 cabinets are pre-machined with a 32-hole pattern, which makes them very easy to install and deploy. This enables accuracy while installing functional hardware which is compatible with System 32. Our cabinets are in CKD format for easy transportation, and we offer a wide range of modules including base cabinets in standard sizes, sink & hob, corner cabinets, wall cabinets, vanity cabinets, etc. Now that we have introduced gola profile, customers have a readymade choice of using handle-less fronts.”
Murali, who is a strong proponent of modularity in the kitchen industry, laments the lack of awareness. “The kitchen industry in India lacks awareness about the benefits of modularity, whereas people need to realize that modularity is, in fact, a win-win for all the stakeholders. There is no need to reinvent the circle; we have with us the European standards. All we need to do is calibrate them to Indian needs and cooking habits.” He is confident that once the concept of modularity picks the pace, the life of the products will increase. “Upscaling as well as downscaling of hardware and internal mechanisms is also possible,” he informs.
Modular Kitchen, It is expected that going forward, kitchens in India will see a convergence of wood and stainless steel, such that stainless steel will be used for the structure and the inner elements will be functional hardware with a wood substrate. The industry must take the lead in creating awareness and move towards modularity.“The industry must acknowledge the properties of a raw material, encourage judicious use of such materials, and promote the use of SS for its strength and inherent benefits.”
Modular Kitchen:
Opportunities & Challenges Where’s demand coming from
- Thousands of apartments to be built in next 8–10 yrs
- The trend towards an increase in nuclear families
- Easier finance now available
- Income levels of middle-class increasing
- Better availability of quality European hardware
The challenges
- No large organized kitchen manufacturers
- Unskilled carpenters pose a challenge to the modular concept
- Builders ignorantly install a platform in kitchen construction
- Poor knowledge of functional hardware& kitchen fittings
- Lack of awareness about composite materials
- No standards for kitchen design