For all that glass can be - Asahi India launch event

Never been much fond of glass except for admiring the occasional crockery at dining events, but the utility of it, seems to be far beyond, and also more dynamic.Asahi India Glass (AIS) recently unveiled their new store in South-Extension (Arjun Nagar), Delhi, where as can be seen, has dedicated areas for windshield customers (car owners), and those needing architectural support. More than just a store launch, it was a lot about the real innovation one can bring in with glass, should one be willing to spend money and have the taste for it.

Asahi India Glass store for auto and architectural needs

The Windshield section of the store

A lot of the questions around glass, as with many other building materials, is the longevity of the product questioned, and also the maintenance it would need in time. Most of the products they provide are hopefully easy to maintain and do provide a great deal of assistance post sales, as well. And from the looks of it, customers are seriously pouring in with their demands, and coincidentally, there was a case of a windshield being seamlessly replaced as if nothing was ever really wrong.

Car windshield being removed and replaced

As if, there was never a broken windshield!

Though the pictures are not that clear, but the stock of equipment used to fit the windshield on the car displayed above seemed to be modern and also being sophisticated enough ensure a smooth application. If one can notice, its seriously seamless in the way it was installed on the vehicle. Obviously, there were some stages to this process, but never the less swiftly followed. Perhaps the entire thing took less than an hour!

Glasswork Ganesh amongst the wall-decor

The star attraction at the store would be the GlasXperts section, which is dedicated to the architectural needs of the customers. The reason being, the innovation and finesse with which the company works. A lot of the best glassworks will not just be slabs of the glass alone, but artistic depictions to set them apart. The Lord Ganesh framed mural on the wall is one such example.

The ‘magic’ glass door

One of the things in the obviously glass laden upper floor was this otherwise simple looking door. However, the manager was kind enough to show how technology has been used behind this. What appears opaque here, will change the texture, simply with the press of a button, placed this door. With the help of sensors placed at the corners, the light passing through special crystals infused within the glass are scattered, due to which the glass becomes opaque. Similarly, when needs transparency, a flick of the switch will make light pass through the concentrated crystals which enable a clearer views across the panel.

The seemingly transparent door

One of the main things we all commonly grumble about, and legitimately so, is the after-sales service. Asahi India Glass happens to be a fully integrated company when it comes to selling to their customers. This means, after buying some of the hi-end products, or any product from them, you need help to maintain or repair, or perhaps need some advice for future planning and design, you can rely on these guys to come across and help you. It might cost you a bit more, but then when you compare to the conveniences, you can naturally conclude that its worth spending the extra money but have someone to give you complete solutions. You don’t need to run around different places.

The glass laden pathways at the GlasXperts floor

The thing about AIS is that they would not be giving you cheap imports, for the sake of margins and deal closing. That means they will charge you a price, and if it doesn’t match with the clients, they might just refuse, instead of cutting prices and compromising on quality. In short, if one has to summarize AIS, it’s about a lot of value addition, like pre-sales and after-sales services, which set them apart, and quite frankly, can be a big relief during renovations and constructions. And with their footprint increasing, one might just have a branch around the corner to help you out find something nice for home styling.

Some interesting lighting at the Windshields section of the store

What the AIS store looks like in South Extension