KEI Industries Drives Infra-Growth With Halogen Free, Flame Retardant ‘Viksit Wires’

KEI Industries has collaborated with domestic and international compound developers to source advanced materials such as halogen-free flame retardant (HFFR) and cross-linkable low smoke zero halogen (XL-LSZH) compounds, marking a strategic shift from traditional PVC compounds, and catering to premium and infrastructure-centric wire and cable segments. In an exclusive interview with Wire & Cable India, Mr. Anil Gupta, Chairman and Managing Director, KEI Industries Limited highlighted KEI Industries’ ‘Viksit Bharat ka Viksit Wire’ initiative, ensuring that the wires power the upcoming infrastructure ecosystem and are future-ready. He also shared his vision for the future of wire and cable materials, emphasizing on the growing demand for high thermal stability (up to 105°C), hydrocarbon resistance, and recyclable materials in wire and cable segments.

Wire & Cable India: Which specific Indian and international fire-resistance standards most significantly influence your material selection process, and how have these affected your compound sourcing since the 2022 electrical safety regulation amendments?

Anil Gupta: The most influential standards guiding our material selection are the revised IS 7098 (Part 1 & 2), IS 17048, IEC 60332, and IEC 61034. The 2022 amendments to India’s electrical safety regulations elevated the threshold for flame retardance and smoke density, compelling us to re-evaluate our entire compounding strategy.

As a result, we have partnered closely with both domestic and international compound developers to source halogen-free flame retardant (HFFR) and cross-linkable low smoke zero halogen (XL-LSZH) materials, enabling enhanced fire performance while maintaining mechanical reliability.

WCI: Within your fire-retardant cable portfolio, which specific material systems deliver the optimal balance of BIS compliance, performance, and production efficiency in the Indian market?

AG: For our FR and FR-LSH cable segments, we rely predominantly on halogen-free flame-retardant (HFFR) compounds and low smoke zero halogen (LSZH) systems. These not only comply with the updated BIS fire resistance norms but also cater to critical markets such as metro rail, hospitals, and public infrastructure projects.
KEI Industries’ R&D team has developed in-house formulations that ensure consistent extrusion behavior, cost efficiency, and ease of installation — a must in India’s diverse climatic and operational conditions.

Watch: Top Cable Companies in India

WCI: Are you transitioning away from PVC in some applications? What drives these decisions at KEI Industries?

AG: There is an undergoing strategic transition from the PVC segment. While PVC continues to serve non-critical segments, premium and infrastructure-focused categories have shifted towards LSZH and HFFR systems. The key drivers include enhanced BIS compliance requirements, growing demand from metro and defense projects, and evolving export mandates.

Additionally, as part of our campaign ‘Viksit Bharat ka Viksit Wire’, we’re proactively aligning with India’s infrastructure vision — ensuring that the wires powering tomorrow’s smart buildings and transport systems are safe, sustainable, and future-ready.

WCI: Did new fire-resistant compounds pose any manufacturing challenges in India’s climate conditions?

AG: New fire-resistant compounds pose challenges, especially during the initial phase of manufacturing. High filler loadings in HFFR compounds and cross-linking variability presented challenges during extrusion. However, KEI Industries invested in advanced temperature-controlled extrusion lines and real-time compound monitoring to ensure uniformity, particularly during peak monsoon and summer months when humidity and ambient temperature swings affect material behavior.

WCI: How do your material requirements vary across Indian Railways, commercial real estate, and data centers?

AG: Each vertical demands tailored material systems. For Indian Railways, cables must meet stringent flame propagation, smoke emission, and oil resistance standards (RDSO norms). In commercial real estate, especially green-certified buildings, halogen-free and low smoke features are prioritized. Data centers require high dielectric strength with low emissions — making XL-LSZH compounds a default. Regional climate, project height, and local regulatory mandates also influence material selection, particularly in coastal vs. dry interior zones.

WCI: What trade-offs between fire safety, flexibility, and cost have been most challenging?

AG: Enhancing fire retardancy typically compromises cable flexibility which is a critical issue for installers. We addressed this by engineering a unique blend of elastomers and plasticizers in our LSZH compounds, which retained flexibility without compromising tensile strength. Balancing cost was achieved through in-house compounding efficiencies and scale optimization across our plants.

WCI: Are clients demanding specific certifications or materials like REACH or recyclable compounds?

AG: Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in sectors like IT, healthcare, and hospitality now demand halogen-free, REACH-compliant, and even RoHS-certified cables. Multinational clients and export projects are driving this change. As part of our ‘Viksit Bharat ka Viksit Wire’ initiative, KEI Industries has aligned its qualification process to cater to this shift, integrating global certifications and enhanced third-party testing into our standard project protocols.

WCI: Which aspects of fire-resistant performance remain most challenging in Indian field conditions?

AG: Long-term smoke suppression performance, in high-humidity zones and flame propagation control in densely packed conduits, remain challenging. Our internal testing protocols now simulate field conditions more closely, and we’ve deployed pilot installations with real-time sensor feedback to further validate performance.

Also Read: RR Kabel Leaps Ahead With LSZH and Sustainable Cable Solutions

WCI: Which next-gen material features would most benefit KEI Industries in domestic and export markets?

AG: Materials that combine high thermal stability (up to 105°C), hydrocarbon resistance, and recyclability — without compromising processing speed — would be game-changing. Ceramic-reinforced polymer blends with reduced filler dependency are particularly promising. They align with both India’s heat-intensive environments and Europe’s evolving green regulations.