Aditya Birla Group, today announced the launch of the wires and cables business, Ultravolt, marking the group’s fourth new business foray in three years. Backed by an investment of Rs.1,800 crore, Ultravolt will be the second largest player in the wires segment by capacity. Housed under UltraTech Cement Limited, the business aims to build a scaled national brand and become one of the top two players within 5 years.
UltraTech’s entry in the wires and cables market extends its participation in the construction value chain beyond grey cement, ready-mix concrete, building products, and white cement consistent with its stated Building Solutions strategy. It also enables UltraTech to participate more deeply in the growing opportunity around home building, infrastructure and electrification.
Mr Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chairman, Aditya Birla Group said, “Wires and cables are becoming central to India’s next phase of development. They sit at the intersection of three mega trends in the Indian economy – urbanization, electrification and digitization. More than 100 million new homes over the next decade, expanding energy infrastructure, and the rapid rise of data centers are poised to fuel a boom in the category. Our distinctive advantage comes from a deep understanding of the product, its underlying components and the adjacent ecosystems”. He added, “In recent years, successful new business creation has itself become a core part of the Group’s DNA and an important source of differentiation for the group. I increasingly see the Aditya Birla Group as providing the platform and engine for new bets.”
Mr Dilip Gaur, Director, Ultravolt said, “We are venturing at pan India scale rather than testing the market region by region. Our plan is to reach more than one lakh retailers and further activate availability through over 5,000 UltraTech Building Solutions (UBS) outlets. An ambitious rollout across more than 500 districts and 6,000 pin codes to begin with, reinforces our commitment to growth and innovation. Our state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, network of more than 20 warehouses, extensive channel connects coupled with UltraTech’s deep relationships with individual home builders, contractors, real-estate developers and EPC companies, and a pan-India distribution footprint gives us a strong platform to scale. Our aim is to build ambitiously through quality, technology, service and channel partnership.”
The business is anchored by a new manufacturing facility at Jhagadia in Bharuch district, Gujarat. The strategic location in the state of Gujarat is expected to facilitate efficient distribution and logistics operations, thereby strengthening the company’s ability to serve markets across India.
Mr Sriram Rangarajan, CEO, Ultravolt said, “Wires are the lifeline of a house but often go unnoticed. We want to use our understanding of home consumers and to develop products for their growing needs. We want to bring a more consumer-first approach to the category, with safety, performance and future-readiness at the centre of product development. With this thought, we are launching with a portfolio of home wires, flexible wires, and cables designed for residential, commercial, industrial, and infrastructure applications. Over time, we plan to expand into a broader range of electrical accessories.”
The business is also building a best-in-class innovative electrician-engagement programme focused on product knowledge, safety and installation standards. The programme has already boarded more than 1,600 electricians pre-launch and aims to train more than 40,000 electricians over the coming year under Skill India programme with ESSCI.
