CenturyPly launches Total Cover, sees huge growth opportunity in plywood as India lags China

KOLKATA: Plywood and veneer manufacturer CenturyPly launched Total Cover on Monday in Kolkata, claiming it to be the first such warranty commitment on plywood. After 2.5 years of research, the company came up with this concept that reimburses the cost of defective plywood together with the furniture-related costs arising from that defect - plywood, laminates or veneers, adhesives, labour and transportation - within 10 years of the purchase.

Homeowners can register their purchase online within ninety days, receive a digital warranty certificate and initiate claims through the warranty portal or customer support. Every claim is supported by technical inspection and a structured service process. After the ten-year Total Cover period, products continue with their standard warranty processes.

Addressing the media, Keshav Bhajanka, Executive Director, CenturyPly said that they wanted to ensure that every Indian homeowner gets products that offer not just quality but complete peace of mind. “Over the last five years, despite Covid and multiple economic challenges, CenturyPly has doubled its business. This growth has come through manufacturing excellence, stronger distribution, better go-to-market strategies and continuous innovation. We found out that replacing only the plywood doesn't solve the customer's actual problem. That realisation led us to ask ourselves – Can we take responsibility beyond just replacing the plywood?” he said.


Drawing a parallel with China, Bhajanka said that India has massive growth potential in plywood. “For instance, China’s capacity for plywood is approximately 160 million cubic metres per annum while India’s total capacity is 10 million cubic metres per annum. China’s capacity for MDF is 55 million cubic metres per annum while India’s is less than 4 million cubic metres per annum. Going forward, there is scope for growth in each product category. Hence we have invested in plywood, laminates, PVC, MDF, particle board and we are continuously re-investing in all five categories, including in talent,” Bhajanka stated.

Talking about expansion plans ahead, he said that they are setting up a new manufacturing plant in Uttar Pradesh which will become operational by October this year. “Our long-term aspiration remains unchanged. We continue to target approximately 20% annual growth. By FY31, we have set ourselves a revenue target of Rs 12,000 crore,” he added.

Elaborating further on the offering, Nikita Bansal, Executive Director, CenturyPly said that the innovations driven by the company over the years have led to sales growth. “Whether it was termite-resistant plywood, fire-retardant products or other innovations, we have never approached it from the perspective of cost. The belief is that if we solve a genuine customer problem, the business growth will follow,” she said.

Bansal added that a fully digital registration and verification process has been built. “Customers upload their invoice and receive a warranty confirmation. If they later file a claim, our service team verifies the details through photographs, video calls and, wherever necessary, physical site inspections. The process is designed to be simple for genuine customers while preventing misuse,” she said.

Currently, Total Cover is available on their premium plywood products. “Like every warranty programme, there are standard terms and conditions. For example, products used in applications outside their intended purpose - such as interior plywood being used outdoors - would not be covered. We have to protect ourselves too,” Bansal stated.