Innovation

The three basic and the most important innovations are:

• Raw Material Preparation
• Raw Material Ratio
• Block Production

TOUGHIE was founded in 1987 under the humble but eminent leadership of Mr.P.J. James, Mr. P.J. George, and Mr. Chacko Thannickal, at Perumbavoor, a suburban town in Ernakulam district of Kerala, India.

Starting with the hollow blocks manufacturing unit, TOUGHIE moved on to be the pioneers of interlocking technology within a decade and introduced the interlocking soil blocks which was the most preferred technology in the state for its strength, durability, ambient temperature management properties, and comfort in the dynamic climate of Kerala.

The construction landscape in Kerala and the country was booming and the reign of TOUGHIE was shifted to the current leadership.

In 1987 the journey started with Hollow Block Manufacturing Unit, then in 1997, the interlocking technology development was done. Followed by the development of Concrete Based Interlocking Block Technology in 2012. In 2017 the company has expanded its machines and franchise sales. And in 2019 the company has diversified itself into construction.

"The company is contributing towards sustainability in many ways from making of raw materials to employing poor individuals in the business to block production and implementation".

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Inspiration

Mr. Vijay Bhongari was once working in Newzeland and when he returned to India he thought of exploring the construction industry, as he is a Civil engineer by profession. According to him, " There are ample opportunities to make the country better, when I arrived in India, after seeing the condition of the cities due to pollution I thought of reducing it in the construction field. So I applied some of the techniques which I get accustomed to when I was working in New Zealand" The line which touched our hearts from the interview is "Recreating the sustainable world for our future generation needs to start with us, from small cities the revolution needs to get started."

Overall impact

"At TOUGHIE, our quality is our identity. Our experience, precision engineering, the perfect mix, and training of our staff and associates help to develop and sell blocks that can stand the test of time and assure peace of mind for our clients. Our values and pursuit of excellence ensure we consistently deliver the best products driven by the innovation that matters for our clients. Moreover, we are passionate about creating monuments that stand the test of time. Every agenda in TOUGHIE is run by our core philosophy “Interlocks Forever”, shared Mr. Vijay.

The short-term and long-term goals of the companies are aligned to each other as they are known in their region for their product quality, ecofriendly and reusable bricks. The value for money products are the highlight of the company and these innovations have helped them achieve their goals. Now the ultimate goal of the company which he said is "To reach different parts of the country and provide services in the best possible way."

Business benefit

TOUGHIE believes that its innovation should benefit the whole across the world. The innovation is helping the business to attain the best of the service marketing dynamics from the most important customer loyalty to customer retention which is the core of any business. According to him "benefit of the business is secondary, the primary goal is the service excellence"

They have achieved a reward from "Mahatma Gandhi Peace Foundation 2018-2019" for excellence in business.

Social and environmental benefit

Sustainable housing is the need of the world today! Construction technologies are developing at a fast pace and newer cost-effective materials are being tried out. Toughie Engineering has pioneered the manufacture of Cement interlocking bricks with a dual locking system to replace normal bricks. Cement interlocking bricks are a total solution for reliable, cost-effective, and durable construction material.

Interlocking bricks help to build a stable building structure that reduces the cost and time of the construction process. When the requirement for cement mortar is reduced it translates into minimized material costs. Water consumption is also less compared to conventional bricks as it requires much less mortar /slurry.

Interlocking blocks are most versatile as they are compatible with mostly all window, door, slab, and roofing systems that are used with conventional systems. Load transfer in Cement interlocking bricks is achieved by shear transfer and gravity.

Regular bricks depend on mortar for their support system. If the mortar fails during an earthquake, the entire wall or building will collapse. However, interlocking bricks have their own support system (locking) that does not rely on the mortar & supports each other effectively. Thus more resistant to earthquakes.

Using interlocking bricks can help preserve the environment. Not only will you be using less concrete and mortar, but residents of buildings will not need to use air conditioning as much due to the cooler internal temperatures, making them eco-friendly.

Interview

Vijay Bhonagiri, CEO