Sandeep Pravinbhai Engineer and Family

Astral introduced CPVC plumbing to India in 1996. Convincing plumbers and builders to switch from metal took years. The market position it created has lasted.

Sandeep Engineer founded Astral in 1996 with a focus on CPVC plumbing systems, a chlorinated PVC formulation used in hot and cold water plumbing that was standard in North America but largely unknown in India at the time. Introducing a new material into the Indian plumbing market required convincing plumbers, builders and specifying engineers that CPVC was a superior alternative to the metal pipes they had always used, a process that took years of product demonstration, training and distribution investment before volume sales followed.

Astral is now the dominant player in CPVC plumbing in India and has expanded into adhesives, sealants, paints and water solutions, using the distribution network and contractor relationships built around the plumbing business to enter adjacent categories. The company employs over 2,000 people directly and supports a far larger network of distributors, dealers, plumbers and contractors whose livelihoods are connected to the construction supply chain it serves. With Kairav Engineer leading the next phase, the business continues to expand alongside India's housing and infrastructure boom.