El Toro’s innovative Green initiative becomes talk of the town
El Toro Roofing Products Ltd., a company that has taken the Sri Lankan construction industry to new heights with the debut of its eco-friendly fibre cement ceiling sheets, officially launched its partitioning boards (wall boards) in Sri Lanka recently, under the first phase.
In the following interview, the Marketing Manager of El Toro Roofing Products Ltd, Kelum Hewawasam explains the benefits of their industry-first product range, market demand, manufacturing facility etc.
Following are excerpts of the interview.
Could you give a brief introduction of your company?
El Toro Roofing Products Ltd was incorporated in 2013, as part of the St. Anthony’s Group, one of the largest conglomerates in Sri Lanka.
We are the first company in Sri Lanka to manufacture fibrecement products for wall and ceiling solutions using 100% environmentfriendly raw materials.
We strongly follow a green concept to deliver green products through green technology for those aiming for green living. Our vision is to be the benchmark of the industry.
Tell us about the company’s products?
The Toro sheet (board) is a fiber cement product manufactured using Portland cement, cellulose fibre and silica sand. This environmentfriendly fibre cement sheet is used to provide a complete range of solutions to ceiling, walling and flooring.
The ‘Wall board’ is a perfect choice for wall applications for residential, commercial and industrial buildings. It has excellent properties of impact strength, water/moisture resistance, compared with other flat sheets.
The ‘Ceiling sheets’ come with different sizes and thicknesses and offer better properties of toughness, workability and water / moisture resistance. It is the perfect choice for external soffit and internal ceiling where speedy construction and easy installation are required. It is an ideal application for wet areas like bathrooms, laundry and kitchen areas.
The ‘Floor board’ used for floor levelling, high load bearing and elevated floors will be introduced as an ideal alternative for plywood in various floor areas of commercial buildings, shopping centers and retail outlets, industrial buildings, farmers and factories etc.
Currently, we are officially launching the partitioning range (wall boards) to the local market, having introduced it to the market about five months back on a trial run.
What are the benefits of using these products?
Fiber reinforced cement products are impactresistant, safe from termite attacks and fungus and have low water absorption. They don’t crack, swell or warp like wood and gypsum boards.
Toro Fiber cement boards and ceiling sheets are much better than wood, plastic, rubber and steel. Furthermore, fiber cement can deliver significant benefits on warm days because of the materials’ inherent ability to cool rapidly at night. This can give relief to sleeping areas in the night.
Toro Fiber cement boards are 100% safe for human health and nature. The product contains totally safe materials and gives out no smoke, toxin and peculiar smell in case of a fire. No special handling or precautions are necessary for the product.
The board can be fixed using self-drilling Toro Fasteners. The product is lightweight compared to bricks and cement. Housekeeping at the construction site will be dry and clean. The board structure is stable and not subject to deformation like wood and other materials.
Furthermore, Toro Fiber cement boards boast a lower construction cost and is speedy, to construct. The possibility of early completion and commissioning of the site/ building, are added benefits. The dry wall system requires less labour and uses less material compared to the normal brick wall system. This is the ideal solution for labor scarcity. It is virtually maintenance-free and highly cost-effective.
The performance of the board is stable under all weather conditions. Toro boards can even be used in wet air after the application of two proper coats of good water- based Acrylic or alkaliresistant PVA resins. Its performance under wet conditions is far better than plywood and gypsum boards.
Class 1 fireproof performance makes the board incombustible. The product will not ignite in case of fire and will not produce any toxic gas or smoke.
How do you view the demand for these products locally at present?
With the application of ‘green concept’ in the construction industry continuing to grow, we see more and more consumers demanding ecofriendly living. In line with the changing trends in the country and the rising desire for green living, we see the demand for our products increasing day-by-day. it has been already well-accepted by architects, technical officers, carpenters and other industry-related stakeholders.
Are El Toro products available islandwide?
Yes. Our products are made available islandwide through sixteen distributors and 1800 dealers.
How popular are fiber cement products overseas?
These products were invented in Europe, and they are well-established in that region. It’s also available in countries such as Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. In the case of Asia, it’s widely available in Malaysia, Thailand, India and China with manufacturing facilities.
Thailand in particular is a very strong player in the fiber cement products segment in Asia. They introduced these products to their country ten years ago, and two of their companies are major suppliers to the international market.
We did research both internationally and locally before the launch of the product ranges.
What’s the strength of El Toro’s manufacturing facility?
Ours is a state-of-the-art factory located in Chilaw. It has the capacity to manufacture products of different sizes and thickness depending on the customers’ requirement. It is also capable of handling any large quantity.
We are not only concentrating on the Sri Lankan market, but also the export market. We are at present exporting to Maldives, Seychelles and Dubai, and working on exporting to several other markets including Europe.
From where did your company get the manufacturing technology?
The state-of-the-art high tech technology and machinery are from Germany.
What are the major Sri Lankan projects using El Toro products?
The main high-rise buildings in the country including Orion City tower, Altair, Colombo City Centre, SL Navy, Hemas Hospital the Western Provincial Council complex and many more have used our products.
Have the products received any standards certifications?
Yes. We have received standards locally and internationally that include CE, ISO 9001-2015, Carbon Neutral and SGS standards certifications.
Tell us about your company’s participation at the ‘Surface Design 2018’ exhibition in Dubai?
El Toro was the first Sri Lankan company to be invited to participate at the ‘Surface Design 2018’ in Dubai, which underlines the brand’s strength and acceptance even on an international platform. We had a very successful stint there.
Any plans to participate in the “Architect” exhibition?
Yes. Our company will be participating in the “Architect 2019” exhibition, which is a major event of the industry. Our stall number will be F- E08.