India's 10 Most Valuable Packaging Companies to Watch in 2020

2020 | Vol. 10 | Issue 04

Giovanni, Sales and Marketing Director Luca Olivery MD, Axomatic SRL

Vaxom Packaging

Shirish Vaidya CEO, Vaxom Packaging

India’s 10 Most Valuable Packaging Companies to Watch in 2020

Editor’s Note ECO-FRIENDLY PACKAGING FOR IMPROVED SUSTAINABILITY

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he packaging industry has made our lives easy by wrapping things up in convenient, mobile and even customized packages. However, along with us they too are guilty of choking the planet with plastic. The world plastic production, in the last 50 years had increased a whopping 200 times from around two metric tons/year to about 400 MT/year. And the numbers are not declining any soon.

Statistics suggest that the FMCG industry has been the biggest generator of packaging

plastic waste. Biscuits, dried processed food items, hair care products, dairy products, baked goods, laundry, and skincare items sold across the country are packaged in plastic.

However, with growing awareness, the consumer mindset is now shifting towards ecofriendly and sustainable packaging. With the ban imposed on one-time-use plastic, the packaging industry too was forced to sit-up, take notice and implement solutions that could curb the growing menace.

Production of sustainable packaging material or green packaging has now found favourable conditions. Reusable containers, recycled packaging material, bamboo ďŹ bre, cloth and other such sustainable packaging materials are being championed by the customers themselves. Many FMCG giants have also pledged to gradually phase out the use of single-use packaging material and move towards sustainable packaging. Superstores

Sneha Sinha

sneha@insightssuccess.com

are testing plastic-free aisles and even encouraging customers to bring their own containers for buying items like grains.

In this edition of Insights Success, we bring India's 10 Most Valuable Packaging Companies to Watch in 2020. These new-age packaging companies are customer and nature conscious.

On the Cover, we have Vaxom Packaging, a company set up with a view to providing comprehensive pre-sale consultancy, asset deployment and service support to customers in the Indian Sub-continent and South Asia.

The edition also features OMAG Srl. a young and dynamic, but at the same time highly experienced, Italian company exhibiting its expertise in designing and manufacturing packaging machines; SMI Coated Products

Private Limited, a company that has emerged as the largest Indian Label Stock Solution Provider; and TSW Packaging Solutions, an authorized distributor of Signode India Limited, a leading global manufacturer of strap and protective layer packaging consumables.

We also present insightful interviews with the management team of IMA-PG India Pvt. Ltd., a leading Indian company in the pharma machinery and packaging industry, and Kreatica Design, an elegant and exquisite packaging manufacturing company located in Bengaluru.

Do go through the specially curated articles by industry experts and our in-house editors.

Stay Conscious! Use Sustainable!

Cover Story

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Vaxom Packaging World-Class Solutions for Automated Packaging

Article

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Marching Ahead Packaging Industry navigating through the COVID-19 Pandemic

INTERVIEW WITH INSIGHTS SUCCESS

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C 16 Kreatica Design Delivering Elegant Product Experiences through Innovative Packaging Designs

IMA-PG A Pioneer in the Pharma Machinery and Packaging Industry

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22 OMAG Four Decade Old Legacy Exhibiting ‘Flexibility in Packaging’

30 SMI Coated Products Providing Innovative Label Stock Solutions

36 TSW PACKAGING SOLUTIONS The Most Trusted Complete Packaging Solutions Provider

E N T S

Editor-in-Chief Sumita Sarkar Managing Editor Sneha Sinha

sales@insightssuccess.com

Quality Assurance Team Abhishaj Sajeev

OCTOBER, 2020

Contributing Editor Darshan Parmar

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We strive to provide economically viable high-end technical solutions with world-class quality for pharma and cosmetic companies in India

1 I N D I A' S

Packing Compaes

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Vaxom Packaging World-Class Solutions for Automated Packaging

COVER STORY

Shirish Vaidya, CEO, Vaxom Packaging

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he Packaging industry in India is one among the high growth industries which are developing at a rate of 22-25% per annum. Gradually, as Make in India catches up with industries, India has the potential of becoming a preferred hub for packaging market worldwide.

Industry reports had pitched the market size of the country’s packaging industry to touch USD 72.6 billion by FY20. In this issue of Insights Success, wherein we bring ‘India’s 10 Most Valuable Packaging Companies to Watch in 2020’, we start by detailing the contributions to this huge growth by Vaxom Packaging, a company set up with a view to providing comprehensive pre-sale consultancy, asset deployment and service support to customers in the Indian Sub-continent and South Asia.

The Inception Vaxom is the brainchild of Mr. Luca Olivery (MD Axomatic SRL), Mr. Giovanni Nochita (Sales Director OMAG SRL) and Mr. Shirish Vaidya (CEO Vaxom Packaging). These stalwarts have been working in the packaging sector for the last 15-20 years and have experienced world markets as well as technological trends.

The real inspiration to start Vaxom came during in one of the world events when one of the Top pharma company’s MD commented saying “we do not know when we can get these latest technologies matching to our requirements in

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Vaxom was set up with a view to provide comprehensive pre-sale consultancy, asset deployment and service support to customers in the Indian Sub-continent and South Asia

our own den(India).” With these comments, the brainstorming started and the trio concluded that they must start India operations.

The core management understood that in order to succeed in a market such as India, it is of utmost importance to understand the culture and the way people conduct business. They understood the need for a partner on grounds and hence, established a trusted local team in the nation and started working with Vaxom Packaging.

So in 2012, Mr. Shirish Vaidya started this venture along with Mr. Sanjay Pawar as Indian operation for Axomatic and OMAG. In these 7 years, Vaxom has delivered the most challenging projects in the pharmaceutical and cosmetics market providing the most economical and efficient solutions. Vaxom successfully operating in complex market situation with year on year growth more than 30%.

Quality Solutions Vaxom Packaging offers very crucial solutions in High speed and Highly accurate systems in primary packaging area for semi-solids and liquid majorly. Vaxom also handles the high-speed requirements for solids and powders in flexible packaging domain.

The major focus of solution generation is having a customer focussed approach with economics in mind. The major cutting edge comes from adapting the high-end technology to customer requirements and then amend them to become viable over the period.

Processing and packaging solutions from Vaxom are perfectly suited for food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, personal care, adhesive and chemical applications. From formulation processing and tube filling machines to stick pack and sachet machines specially designed to handle

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Vaxom also has a team of well trained technical service experts along all domains to ensure the customers are supported round the clock. The company has established a network to build complex parts in India, in order to reduce costs as well as the speed of deliverables for future customer needs after investing in technologically high-end solutions.

The Opportunities and Underlying Challenges The Vaxom Team was right in anticipating India as a promising hub. Today Vaxom is very established in providing advanced technological solutions. The technical solutions provided economically generated huge business growth for clients. This reects in the 80% of new orders

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Vaxom provides solutions that completely automate your packaging line right up to packaged cases that are ready to ship

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solid, powdery, granular, pasty or liquid products, Vaxom provides solutions that completely automate your packaging line right up to packaged cases that are ready to ship.

which come from existing customers for Vaxom packaging.

Today the pandemic has generated huge opportunities in the technological sector. The organisations which were orthodox in their perceptions, are changing and have started focussing on technology. However, the massive growth opportunities are also equally challenging for technology adaptation.

There are end number of challenges as the language barrier in technological transfers, economical viability so on and so forth. However, Vaxom is sure to turn challenges into favours with a very customer-centric approach which has, throughout, been the key to its success.

Rising up to the Pandemic Challenge The current pandemic situation has created disruption in every field and Vaxom hasn’t been untouched. The company faced the impact initially but after evaluation the team upgraded its skill sets for latest technological use like Zoom/ Google meet in order to keep in touch with its customers as well as team members. The seamless contact and communication kept the team bound in the same fashion before pandemic and helped to get business back on track in very short time.

Being in the pharmaceutical industry (Essential services) proved to be an advantage during this crisis. This made Vaxom a little less impacted or comparatively less shock prone as the company had a minimal impact of stoppages.

However, it also created an additional requirement to cope and match the actions in Pandemic situation. A lot of efforts from HR and senior management went in to training and adapting the New Normal life with pandemic situation.

“With proper training and following the new normal rule we have got through this tough times successfully. Now its life style change for each and every member of Vaxom Packaging,” says the team.

Looking Forward Vaxom today, has many installations to its credit and a larger number of very happy customers who consider it a partner in their growth. The company is focused on reaching its goal of doubling turn over in the next 3 to 5 years. It has also planned major expansion in manufacturing for Indian market as well as supporting the Italian manufacturing by providing economical and fastest solutions.

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Company Name

Management

Brief

EPL Limited eplglobal.com

Ashok Goel Managing Director

EPL is a global specialty packaging company delivering extraordinary packaging solutions that cater to the FMCG and Pharma space.

IMA-PG India Private Limited imapg.com

Mr. Mahadevan G Iyer Managing Director

A leading Indian company in the pharma machinery and packaging industry

Kreatica Designs kreaticadesigns.com

Akshay Parekh & Bharath Bhansali

An elegant and exquisite packaging manufacturing company located in Bengaluru.

OMAG omag-pack.com

Giovanni Nochita Sales Director

A young and dynamic, but at the same time highly experienced, Italian company exhibiting its expertise in designing and manufacturing packaging machines

Oricon Enterprises Ltd. oriconenterprises.com

MR. Rajendra Somani Managing Director

Oricon Enterprises, the flagship company of Parijat Enterprises is currently in Real Estate, Marine Logistics, Packaging And Petrochemicals.

SMI Coated Products Pvt Ltd smicoatedproducts.com

Ajay Mehta Managing Director

Time Technoplast Ltd. timetechnoplast.com

Anil Jain Managing Director

The company’s portfolio consists of technically driven innovative products catering to growing industry segments like, Industrial Packaging Solutions

TSW Packaging Solutions tswpackaging.com

Sandeep Khot

An authorized distributor of Signode India Limited, a leading global manufacturer of strap and protective layer packaging consumables.

Uflex Limited uflexltd.com

Ashok Chaturvedi Managing Director

Uflex has earned an irreproachable reputation defining the contours of the ‘Packaging Industry’ in India and overseas.

Vaxom Packaging Pvt Ltd axomatic.co.in

Shirish Vaidya CEO

A company set up with a view to providing comprehensive presale consultancy, asset deployment and service support to customers in the Indian Sub-continent and South Asia.

A company that has emerged as the largest Indian Label Stock Solution Provider

Kreatica Design Delivering Elegant Product Experiences through Innovative Packaging Designs ackaging, being a significant part of advertising and marketing, is a strategy to beautify the product and attract customers attention, believes Kreatica Design, an elegant and exquisite packaging manufacturing company located in Bengaluru. With the company’s offerings, one can experience how beautiful it is to unbox the products.

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We believe “Packaging can be a theatre; it can create a story,” quoted by Steve Jobs. Through innovation and creativity, we help the packaging do the talking. From rigid boxes to mono carton, from customized boxes to ecofriendly packaging, from electronic packaging to FMCG packaging, from apparel packaging to giving sustainable solutions, we have got it all covered.

In an interview with Insights Success, the Founders of the company, Akshay Parekh and Bharath Bhansali, share valuable insights on how Kreatica Design is creating an aura of intrigue that enhances the experience of the product.

Below are the highlights of the interview:

Style your products with various folding techniques and curves. Innovative shaped packaging helps you stick out from the competition. The flexibility of their packaging adapts to the most diverse and complex distribution channels. Presentation and packaging are the most essential factors for everything.

What was the source of inspiration for your company??

Now and forever, packaging comes before the product. That is the power of packaging. Kreatica Designs focuses and inspires on giving enough knowledge to the customers on how important packaging is for the growth in any business.

A well-designed product packaging can go a long way in putting any product into the hands of the buyers. Product packaging is a reflection of the product inside and the brand as a whole. Complete research on factors like colour schemes, designs, size, type of packaging is considered while Kreatica plans to box your product most elegantly as it defines your brand identity and that is what inspires us the most.

What are the different products and services provided by your company, setting you apart from your competitors?

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When did you last purchase a product that had slack packaging or unattractive packaging?

Let us talk about your supermarket or any general store shopping experience. You would have come across a product with a damaged box. How many times have you asked the shopkeeper to replace this with a new one or maybe give it in a discounted price?

What are the key attributes that helped your company overcome the challenges that it faced during its establishment? Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ

Building a right team Efficient management Smooth Production

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Interview with Insights Success

Akshay Parekh, Founder Bharath Bhansali Founder

“it’s Never Too Late To Elevate Your Marketing Strategies With Kreatica Designs.”

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With the massive advancements in the packaging space, what are the opportunities and challenges evolving with it?

Every packaging industry is all about designing, prototyping, research and development. In addition to this, we have adapted to advanced technology. From manual packaging to having automation plants, they grew.

Enhancing the packaging with right finishing techniques and press effects allures customers. The finishing of the packaging is perpetually tied to the brand image just as the brand logo. Options like embossing, de-bossing, Spot UV, gloss varnishing, matt lamination, foiling, metal graphics, laser cutting have made our boxes visually attractive – enfolded in luxury. Utilizing advanced laser-cut machines have also made it easier and convenient for us to give away the samples to our customers.

Share with us your company’s contribution to its sector in the industry and how it is helping its clients in their business growth.

Creativity is typically an iterative process, where one will come up with an initial idea and others jump into making it a better one. We as a team brainstorm before starting off any project to explore the unknown. Together we exercise imagination and bring all the great ideas into being.

Packaging sector has been doing great for us. Pandemic has made people realise how important it is to have a digital presence. E-commerce websites have boomed in recent times and are playing a very important role in the marketplace. To sell the product online, impressing the customers and holding on to their interest for a long time is a crucial part. Here people were convinced that great packaging can make their work easier.

How do you motivate creativity and innovation in the workspace while maintaining a healthy work environment?

Team Work is Dream Work, it is hard to scale when you work alone. A healthy work environment is ideal when it comes to maintaining a positive outcome in a stressful atmosphere and that is what we strive for. Our team does not design for the brand alone, but for the people who interact with the brand. With our designing expertise, we strive towards our customer’s growth. Our exquisite packaging, the quality and innovative designs not only help in our sales but also increase the sales of our customers.

Amidst the pandemic, Kreatica Designs has grabbed the opportunity to focus more on eco-friendly and sustainable packaging that is the need of the hour today for our better tomorrow.

With our design and structural packaging skills, we always look forward to innovating in a way that never fails to impress the buyers, which in turn increases the opportunity for us as well as our customers with a high number of sales.

Touch or stare, our exquisite packaging will leave an enduring impression with a wonderful experience of unboxing the dream box in reality. This unique and smart way of packaging will not only make you stand out in the crowded marketplace but also will help users recall your brand name because of the originality and innovative ideas.

The quality we assure for packaging gives products a polished yet imaginative look that creates excitement and anticipation among the customers and keeps them coming back for more.

Every great design begins with an even better story because bad design shouts at you and good design is the silent seller.

About the Founding Duo Akshay Parekh: Akshay studied BBA from Jain University and always took part in extracurricular activities related to business while studying. He eventually followed his calling which was starting his own business and thus, began the catharsis of his creative existence. From starting his own ad agency to a packaging manufacturing unit was a big leap but the most rewarding one. His passion towards his work makes him one of the most hardworking young entrepreneurs and brings him closer to his dream each passing day.

Bharath Bhansali: Bharath Bhansali is a graduate in Computer Graphics & Designing from Mumbai. He is passionate about everything related to design and art. His perfection towards his job, creative ideas and innovation in packaging makes his company one of the leading packaging companies in Bengaluru. He is an entrepreneur by the day and an Illustrator by the night. Apart from managing a company he loves to explore his creative side in Digital Painting and Illustration.

Brief us about the current scenario of packaging sector and your company’s future plans.

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A Four Decade Old Legacy Exhibiting ‘Flexibility in Packaging’

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he realization of a dire necessity to adapt and evolve dawned upon us when most of the world went into lockdown, as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

This necessity took various forms for various industries. Some markets took a greater hit, as compared to others.

Some have recovered and evolved, while some are enduring, presumably, a prolonged strife.

The packaging industry, however, has emerged immune to the pandemic continuing to leverage its potential and sustain its place among high yielding industries. Pertaining to this, we at Insights Success, have curated this edition with the intent of showcasing the 10 Most Recommended Packaging Companies to Watch in 2020.

Giovanni Nocita Sales and Marketing Director

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These companies are setting a signiďŹ cant benchmark for other emerging companies to follow. With their novel technological implementations and/or innovations, these companies are taking a longer step towards making the world a better place.

One prominent name among this list of companies is OMAG Srl. Founded in 1973, OMAG is a young and dynamic, but at the same time highly experienced, Italian company. The company has been evidently exhibiting its expertise in designing and

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1 I N D I A' S

manufacturing packaging machines for dusty, granular, liquid, and pasty products in 3 and 4 side sealed sachets, stick-packs, and doy-packs for over 45 years.

The Inception Four friends formed OMAG in 1973 with a passion for mechanics and a determination to excel. They developed the foundation for this success story from a garage, where it all started. In the early 2000s, a key decision for the following growth, was to enter the pharmaceutical sector.

With more and more players in the food market, OMAG decided to expand its horizons in the pharmaceutical market and it has proven to be a winning choice that allowed the firm to step beyond in the technical field, with high quality and technology standards.

We provide a wide range of vertical and horizontal packaging machines, using continuous and intermittent movements, designed to food, pharmaceutical, cosmetics and nutritional sector

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Packing Compaes

And today, OMAG directly hires over 120 employees and the export market accounts for 70% of its revenue. The company also has two distribution plants. A modern head office, which is more than 6000 square meters where mechanical and electronic design, equipment assembly and tests are carried out, and the original plant which is completely devoted to the manufacture of components.

With the assistance of agents and distributors, it has built an international distribution network and a worldwide footprint-supported by founding members OMAG often comes under the radar of the question; Why OMAG have never opened a production plant outside Italy?

To which the company responds, “We strongly believe in Made in Italy and are supporters of it. Made in Italy for us is passion, craftsmanship, design and attention to detail to ensure compliance with our quality standards. All these elements are transferred in our machines and for this reason they could only be produced here.”

Customer-oriented Approach In respect to the core philosophy, the company underlines the importance as, “We do what we do best: we design and build high quality, high-tech machines with an essential design to ensure easy operation.”

It is critical for the business to not only offer a good service during the sales process but especially after the installation of the packaging system and that is why our customer service team pays great attention to the needs of our customers.

A properly organized post-sales office offers the client with immediate service, including in-house and external communication, training and preparation. It also offers customer support and builds a shared confidence arrangement that respects both. In addition, it also assists the pharmaceutical sector and its customers by planning

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GAMP5 documentation which are extremely technical and ease the testing of the devices.

A Deeper Dive into Services Over the years we have developed various solutions for the pharmaceutical market, from 4-sided sealed sachets to stickpacks. All Omag sachet and stick packaging machines can be manufactured on a variable number of rows, equipped with different dosing systems, combined with robotic counting units and cartoning machines and can be completed with different options such as batch number and expiry date printing, check weighers, amongst others.

In relation to 4-sided seal sachets, the CP model packaging machine is particularly appreciated by our customers in the pharmaceutical sector. Self-aligning plate sealing technology guarantees a perfect seal without wrinkles and creases that would compromise the integrity of the product.

Another model particularly appreciated by large pharmaceutical companies for packaging stickpacks, is the CS model, an intermittent motion machine which can be fitted with different dosing systems to suit customers' needs.

The CS Junior model instead, is preferred by laboratories to carry out product stability tests or to launch a new product in new markets. The CS Junior is designed to handle sensitive products that can be packaged in small batches.

OMAG’s main features are certainly consistency, robustness, design and reliability, and they can also be seen in all its packaging machines. However, the key feature which distinguishes OMAG is flexibility, not just with regard to the material used to pack the goods of the customers but also a real way of working. Furthermore, the state-of-the-art technological machines fulfil the customers' demands, including robotic systems.

“In our business there are no machines built in series: each machine is designed ad hoc, tailor-made according to customer's objectives and requests. Each machine is different from the other. This is flexibility as we understand it, which, combined with passion and the desire to push ourselves higher and higher, has allowed us to get where we are today,” states the company.

In Line with the Industry In recent years OMAG has focused on concerns related to the opportunities offered by industry 4.0 and energy saving.

In fact, all our models are now offered in a fully electronic version, guaranteeing flexibility and energy saving.

As far as industry 4.0 technologies are concerned, OMAG uses a series of software implemented on their packaging machines to comply with regulations in terms of traceability, safety, quality and interconnection with company information systems.

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Furthermore, the customers can request, through remote control, additional services that enable the company to track and interact with globally installed packaging equipment with real-time access to a range of functional data in order to diagnose and provide targeted help in case of anomalies.

With the aim of ensuring increasingly timely service, the firm is developing artificial intelligence algorithms for predictive maintenance, i.e. the prevention of potential faults before they occur in order to avoid unexpected production downtime.

Going a step further, OMAG has also incorporated augmented reality technologies, allowing the consumer to automatically access a set of info, usage and repair guides and evaluate the unit state in full autonomy by framing the packing unit using an intelligent interface.

A Way Around the Industry Not citing a magic formula but as an ‘understanding’ move, OMAG describes its strategy for other collaborative markets as knowledge about the culture, values and the way of business happens in those markets. The firm cites example of India, which is a very important growth market with respect to the growing middle class population. It also says that entering in such a market takes some time, efforts, and perseverance.

The firm understands that in order to succeed in other markets it is of utmost importance to understand the culture and the way people conduct business. In case of India, OMAG understood the need for a partner on grounds and hence, established a trusted local team in the nation through Vaxom Packaging as an Indian entity.

Blending in the Italian technology, its own experience and product expertise and the Indian knowledge and approach, OMAG has managed to work on very successful business projects with well known pharmaceutical companies.

The Road Ahead For forthcoming years, on a structural level, the company will expand its production capacity to offer even more prompt deliveries. The firm is very much content and confident of its abilities to bring out a product that meets the customers’ demands and become a renowned name in the industry, which has already happened in its success journey in the pharmaceutical sector.

On the technology level, OMAG’s R&D department is always working to come up with highly innovative machines that will support their customers doing business even more efficiently.

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Managing Director

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INTERVIEW WITH INSIGHTS SUCCESS

Mahadevan Iyer

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IMA-PG

A Pioneer in the Pharma Machinery and Packaging Industry

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ith a vision to be a market leader offering bestin-class innovative packaging solutions for the pharmaceutical industry, IMA-PG India Pvt. Ltd., a leading Indian company in the Pharma Machinery and Packaging industry, was formed.

For over 5 decades, IMA-PG has built a name not only by sheer engineering excellence and its long standing commitment to customers, but also for serving mankind by providing safe packaging of drugs.

which is reflected in machines that have worked for realizing novel packaging for innovative products, which at times is critical for product stability and its success in the market.

In an interview with Insights Success, Mahadevan Iyer, the Managing Director of the company shares his valuable insights on how the company is poised to spread its wings strong and high in the Packaging world.

Below are the highlights of the interview:

The company stands committed to its mission to develop and deliver innovative, cost effective products and solutions with the help of a professional team that proactively and consistently meets its customer needs and creates a mutual beneficial engagement, operational excellence, customer delight and building a great place to work.

With presence in over 70 countries across the globe, work force of over 400 people, and having more than 4 manufacturing locations, there is a long way to go for IMAPG India Pvt. Ltd. It is unwaveringly committed towards providing simple solutions to the complex requirements ABOUT THE LEADER A passionate and value driven professional, Mr. Mahadevan Iyer has been transforming the packaging industry in his current role as Managing Director of IMA PG India Pvt. Ltd. Under his leadership, over last decade, he has been instrumental in doubling the turnover and profits. He has successfully implemented several change management initiatives like Lean Manufacturing, Balanced Scorecard, TQM etc.

Mr. Mahadevan has earlier held leadership roles at Parker Hannifin (India) and Ingersoll Rand (India) Pvt. Ltd. He completed his engineering from AC College of Technology (Chennai) and is a postgraduate in management from Jamnalal Bajaj.

His hobbies include reading non-fiction and teaching management subjects in leading schools around Mumbai.

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Brief us about the Founder/CEO, and what was the source of inspiration for your company to be in the Packaging sector.

Mr. P G Rao, an engineer by profession founded Precision Gears in the year 1963 in Indore.

Later, Mr. Satish Rao with experience in Blister Packaging commenced the manufacturing of Rotary Motion Vacuum Forming, Blister Packing Machines for the Pharmaceutical Industry in 1978 under Technical Collaboration of Hassia Verpackung Maschinen GmBH of West Germany and PG became the first company in India to offer Blister Packing machines.

In June 1995, Precision Gears Limited became a subsidiary of IMA, and was named as IMA-PG. Collaboration with IMA SpA, recognized PG as the world’s leading company in the field of the pharmaceutical processing and packaging equipment suppliers today.

Mr. Rao’s passion and experience in handling Blister Packaging technology, Team support, innovation, demand, and support from customers became source of inspiration for IMA-PG to be in the Packaging Sector.

What are the different products and services provided by your company, setting you apart from your competitors?

With each year passing by since our inception, IMA-PG has diversified its product portfolio. We offer Blister Packing machines, Cartoning machines, Tube Filling, Case Pacers, Stretch Banding, and automation of assembly and Packaging of Pre Filled syringes.

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What are the key attributes that helped your company overcome the challenges that it faced during its establishment?

A Team that had passion for Packaging and technology and customers who had trust in our ability that we will present our best to them helped us as a company to overcome all challenges that were thrown on us.

With the massive advancements in the Packaging space, what are the opportunities and challenges evolving with it?

There are advancements in every field and Packaging world is no different. In Pharma or Food sector, considering the consumer needs, behaviour and expectations various different products are launched, and Packaging has been an integral part of such launches. I would say our customers i.e. Pharmaceutical companies make us innovative. Every time they come up with some different products or applications.

So, the massive advancements in Packaging space are is in terms of upgrading technologies, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Industry 4.0. Opportunities will surely be customer delight and our growth .As far as challenges are concerned, to revamp organization to follow new Technologies that is not only going to affect our output but also require skills and consumer insights.

Share with us your company’s contribution to its sector in the industry and how it is helping its clients in their business growth.

IMA-PG has immensely contributed to Packaging Industry as a whole. Our expertise of nearly over 5 decades in Packaging Business is something that we are really proud of and we cherish our achievements. With our long experience of supplying our machines across the globe with focus to enhance our product technology, offer various products, and customer service.

We are one point solution to our customers where we can offer Blister, cartoning, Tube Filling, Stretch Banding, Case Packing, Counting, PFS Integration & Packaging. We at IMA feel and follow the mantra that we can only grow if we could make our customers successful. Customer does not only look at us as a vendor but as solution provider.

How do you motivate creativity and innovation in the workspace while maintaining a healthy work environment?

Creativity and Innovation is integral part of IMA-PG. Our employees put up great efforts and come up with amazing solutions for our customers and that is also one reason our

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Customer satisfaction is our goal. We will strive to remain the market leader by delivering reliable competitive products and technical services on time to meet and exceed customer expectations

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It is not merely our products that set us apart from our competitors but the solutions that we offer to our customers.

For us, customers are our partners and we opt to provide them the best solution for their product.

customer perceive us as a solution provider as compared to just a mere supplier.

In our organization we have created a kind of work environment where each individual can feel that freedom to innovate or improve any internal process. We also encourage our people to come out with suggestions on technical improvements in solutions that we develop. We have young minds working in our research and development team that move hand in hand with the experienced teammates and come up with innovative solutions for our esteemed customers.

As an organization we participate in various Packaging contests. Recently we received SIES SOP STAR AWARDS 2019 (under the category of Packaging Machinery Equipment and System) from honourable Governor of Maharashtra Honourable Shri. Bhagat Singh Koshyari.

These recognitions, customer delight, freedom at workplace and innovation challenges motivate our team to be more creative and innovative.

Brief us about the current scenario of Packaging sector and your company’s future plans.

Pharmaceutical Industries have been following customer centric approach lately and with the onset of COVID 19 their focus has surely not diverted. We feel that automation will be a key driver towards social distancing, which is going to be the new norm even after pandemic worse phase is over. Our solutions go a long way in supporting our customers in social distancing by actually reducing manpower required to run the packaging lines.

We are also focusing more on Pre Filled syringes business as Pharma market is moving towards PFS. There is still vast PFS market and Food Packaging market that is yet to be explored. Having said all this, we also have to make sure not to lose market share for on our other products.

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SMI

COATED PRODUCTS Providing Innovative Label Stock Solutions soon realized that the roll segment is the future and worked towards making label stocks for roll applications. As time progressed, the team was able to direct its energies to make SMI into a vibrant brand capable of fulfilling the needs of the industry.

Ajay Mehta

Founder & Managing Director

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ackaging not only enhances the aesthetic sense of a product but also adds a recall value to the brand.

At times certain colour combinations are enough to remind people of the brand associated with it. With an ever-growing list of consumer products, the need for efficient packaging has increased manifolds. The growing E-commerce industry is also contributing to the sea of changes in the packaging of products. This is also giving a boost to address labels and corrugated boxes.

Over the years the market size has grown considerably and SMI has built its capacity based on the same adding variants like hot melt coating machines and acrylic coating machines.

One of its major achievements has been providing the Label Printers excellent quality Label Stock Solutions at most competitive rates. The aim and focus have been to be recognized as a consistent quality label stock solutions provider in India and the global scenario too.

The Front-runner Ajay Mehta is the Founder and Managing Director of SMI Coated Products Private Limited. He has been at the forefront of the Indian label industry talking to the fraternity about ways of growing printing businesses and not just in the number of presses, but increasing efficiencies at printing plants, and being profitable.

The packaging is expected to go more functional than ever before. And with the current emphasis on hygiene practices, the demand for Hygiene factors of selfadhesive labels will be appreciated more in the current testing times and future as well.

Besides his business of providing consistently relevant label stock solutions, Mr. Mehta loves to travel and meet people across the globe, absorbing their culture and understanding the similarities as well as diversity mankind endeavors through the world. Being proudly Indian he deeply supports Indian values, family traditions, and Yoga which he acknowledges to be a way of life.

Among providers catering to the Indian market, SMI Coated Products Private Limited has emerged as the largest Indian Label Stock Solution Provider. SMI started in 1993 in Daman, with a plot size of 750 square meters and a constructed area of 350 square meters. Starting with a sale of 3,00,000 square meters in the first year, the company today has a sale of over 100 million square meters.

Relevant Solutions SMI provides Label Stock Solutions for different selfadhesive label requirements. There are different technical parameters to consider like, diameter, size of label, type of substrate, application temperature, service temperature, type of bond, etc. It is responsible for fulfilling the technical requirements of a self-adhesive label.

The Journey SMI was started with very humble goals. As a startup, the focus was on survival. SMI started with a 20-inch acrylic coating machine and a sheet cutting machine and

It has over 300 different types of Label Stock Solutions to take care of a varied number of applications specializing in providing customized label stock solutions. Quality Control measures have been in place since the beginning. At times,

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The 10 Most Recommended Packaging Companies to Watch in 2020

the company ends up doing over 50 tests on every roll manufactured in its units.

For the PHARMA Industry, SMI provides label stock solutions for low diameter applications for Vials and ampoules, low migration label stock solutions for eye and ear drops as well as label stock solutions for hand sanitizers.

For the FMCG industry, the company provides Label stock solutions extending from Shampoo bottles, Hand Wash bottles, Ketchup bottles, wet wipes, etc. For Cosmetic Industry it provides Label Stock Solutions for creams, Perfumes, Nail Polish, and so on.

For the Retail Segment, SMI provides Label Stock Solutions for Bar Code Labels for inventory control as well as easy billing at the retail shops. We also provide specialized Label Stock Solutions for the liquor industry to take care of the special needs of this industry.

Proudly Indian Team SMI believes and is conscious that it not only represents its company but largely the country as well. It is proud to have contributed positively to the Make In India mission. The majority of the machines are Made In India.

The team is very proud of the fact that all the machine's concepts have been designed by the team itself as per its needs and understanding.

SMI has been at the forefront of technology while maintaining the Make In India concept right from the beginning. SMI took its knowledge of what to manufacture to getting the machines made. It was the first Company to use the water-based adhesive as well as hot melt adhesives.

It was also the first Indian company to bring one meter wide machines.

Growing over the Years SMI has been providing Label Stock Solutions for the past 27 years. It has been exporting since 2004 and is using its international experience to provide solutions to its clients in India. The company’s objective of Make in India has been widely acknowledged and appreciated by all users of Self Adhesive Material. Having world-class Label Stock Solutions made locally gives its clients the flexibility to get new products developed quickly for new challenging

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SM I, the leading Indian Label Stock Solutions manufacturer, has been providing indigenous solutions for a large variety of applications applications.

Continuous motivation and support by all in the industry have motivated team SMI to do better every day. The team has been growing by taking every challenge by the horn, doing a root cause analysis of how to achieve what is required, setting up systems, and ensuring everyone follows the system that has been part of the DNA of SMI. Open to Ideas SMI attributes its success to its employees who are very enthusiastic about providing solutions. The biggest motivator, the core team believes, has been to prove to all that Indians are equal to any in the world. The challenges presented by different applications are the source of creativity and innovations. The competition is only in providing a solution and not within the company.

An open-minded approach has led to cooperation amongst all the team members who readily complement each other and utilize their skills collectively to arrive at a viable solution. Mr. Mehta adds, “We have open discussions within the company and all suggestions are discussed, finalized, and implemented.”

Staying Focussed amid Uncertainty Right now, the times are uncertain and the situation has changed beyond what one would have imagined. Under the changed situation, SMI is first looking forward to a post COVID19 era to enable it to implement all its plans. The team says, “Belief in what we can do has been the motivation for us. We have always tried to better ourselves and continue to learn as we grow.

Understanding the requirements of the industry and planning for the same has been another integral part of our business. Having started as a nuclear unit, we are fortunate to have built a strong dedicated team that is capable of providing technical support in the industry.

As of now, with so much uncertainty, we plan to weather this storm, take a breather before we look to continue on our growth plans. As far as PSA labels are concerned we expect it to grow, as wet glue labels will involve more human interaction at the time of production of these labels.”

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PACKAGING

INDUSTRY navigating through the

COVID-19 Pandemic

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iven that the coronavirus outbreak has spread and its impact on humanity has grown, industries that help provide for essential needs, such as getting food and required supplies safely to consumers, are increasingly being aected. The Food packaging industry, also being the packaging industry’s largest area of activity that has been providing a turn over of $900 billion per year worldwide, has been on the front lines of this pandemic.

The pandemic has already led to some of the sharpest declines in recent times in demand for certain types of packaging while accelerating growth for others such as packaging for e-commerce shipments that have emerged as lifelines in this new world. Such drastic changes have been presenting many packaging companies with a new set of challenges.

COVID-19 Pandemic: Packaging demands remain constant There had been predictions that the impact of the coronavirus crisis on the packaging industry will be mixed and this pattern has already been playing out in countries such as China and South Korea, which have been the ďŹ rst to confront the pandemic.

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Marching Ahead

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October 2020 | 33

Demand in supply for packaging for groceries, healthcare products, and e-commerce transportation has surged. At the same time, demand for industrial, luxury, and some B2Btransport packaging has declined. The major impact on packaging players would depend on their portfolios and exposures to different regions, end uses for packaging, and substrates. As the pandemic has tightened its grip on other regions, packaging demand in those regions is likely to move through a few phases.

Phase one being the period of initial shock, that would typically last at least four weeks but could extend for much longer. Constantly changing consumer sentiments translates to cutbacks in a number of categories, reducing demand for certain types of packaging. The immediate demand shocks to the packaging industry are less drastic than for sectors such as travel and hospitality, but they could be substantial in several areas: • Industrial, bulk, and transportation packaging Increase in demand for this type of packaging has been closely linked to the trend in GDP and the level of industrial activity, so the sharp decline related to COVID-19 leads to a reduction in packaging demand. Nevertheless, some of this has been offset by industrial customers stockpiling purchases of intermediate bulk containers and drums, which causes a temporary spike in demand.

At the same time, numerous other segments such as packaging for the food and pharmaceutical industries continue to see robust demand. High growth in demand for corrugated packaging for e-commerce and grocery deliveries has also been offsetting some demand lost elsewhere with industrial customers.

• Consumer packaging Demand is more likely to shift drastically in the food area as the consequence of the pandemic shutting down restaurants and food-service outlets. Consumers would thus continue to move to grocery purchases, for which

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packaging demand will rise. Consumers would wish to stockpile and their panic purchases of food, beverages, and home-care necessities accentuates this trend. But demand for nonfood and premium-good packaging has been hitting hard as stores are required to close and as consumers start to cut back on their spending.

• Healthcare packaging Demand could rise across different healthcare-packaging types and related substrates, including flexible blister foils, pumps, closures, and rigid plastics. On a similar note, demand would rise for packaging used in dietary supplements, such as vitamins, and for essential supplies, such as allergy medication, that consumers will need in a lockdown situation.

“Packaging-company leadership teams should assess which shifts are getting under way in customer and consumer sentiment and which behaviors may stick after the crisis—for example, hygiene requirements, e-commerce, and resurgent concerns about sustainability. They can also consider rethinking their business portfolios so that they can ensure the stable cash flows and healthy balance sheets that can protect their companies.” (Source : McKinsey.com) Steps that packaging companies should take to bring this under control could include narrowing the range of substrates they currently use. They could also extend to evaluating acquisition opportunities of assets in the market that in the long run could strengthen their business. And finally, companies would need to make a regular practice of the kind of vigilance that served them well at the start of the crisis thinking through the network implications for their plants and supply chains and the potential risks related to single sources of raw materials and packaging components.

- Vedika Mansukhe

www.insightssuccess.in

Mr. Sandeep Khot Director

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PACKAGING SOLUTIONS The Most Trusted Complete Packaging Solutions Provider

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he Packaging industry in India is on a growth trajectory, enhancing itself at the rate of 22% to 25% per annum. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that the country has been emerging as a hub for the packaging industry. India has shown tremendous expansion in terms of exports when it comes to the packaging sector.

The rapidly increasing packaging segments in the country are laminates, Paper Packaging and flexible packaging.

From the past few years, the packaging industry have become an important sector which is leveraging technology and innovative solutions enabled by the country by adding value to different manufacturing facilities.

transportation and warehousing. TSW has recently started manufacturing of Corrugated Paper Products.

“We are also authorised distributor for Zavenir Daubert and Forbes Limited,” says the team of TSW. Daubert facilitates specialised Rust Prevention products whereas Forbes Limited specializes in Metal Marking and Laser Marking Machines. The company provides total industrial packaging solutions to its customers. It varies from printing to dispatch. TSW considers itself as a supply chain partner of its customers. It provides Printing, Rust Protection, Cleaning, Cutting, Packaging, Surface Protection, Transit Packaging, and Cushioning Products.

These units include Automobiles, Pharma, Food, agriculture, Textile, etc. The development of global packaging industry is in with sync to the Indian packaging industry which is just growing day by day. This growth is particularly driven by elements such as Food Processing businesses, FMCG, Healthcare, Manufacturing Industries, and enhancement of Pharmaceutical Resources.

Contributing significantly to this growth prospectus of Indian packaging sector, is TSW Packaging Solutions.

TSW was founded by Mr. Sandeep Khot. He is the Director of the company having a Master’s Degree in Packaging from the Indian Institute of Packaging, Mumbai.

He completed the said degree in the year 2008. He also holds another degree namely, B.Tech in Agricultural Engineering from Konkan Krishi Vidyapith, Dapoli – Ratnagiri.

It is an authorized distributor of Signode India Limited.

Signode Industrial Group is a leading global manufacturer of strap and protective layer packaging consumables along with various tools and equipment. The palette of offerings provided by the company helps in protecting other goods during various processes such as manufacturing,

Starting from Humble beginning from Kolhapur, Maharashtra. Mr. Sandeep’s strength lies in his business acumen, negotiation skills, team driving ability, and ambition to succeed. He is a strong advocate of Work Ethics, Transparency and Integrity in Business with Customers, Vendors and Principles.

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A Visionary Leadership

October 2020 | 37

Mr. Sandeep started his career with Signode in August 2008 in field engineering department. He quickly moved to product development and was promoted to a sales personnel position in 2010. He has won three Annual Eagle Awards in Signode for the financial year 2010, 2012, and 2015 respectively. Some of his key assignments in Signode include Mimalite Pre-Stretched Oriented film Development, Established Shrink packaging in PEPSICO, Cushioning Market Survey, Cushioning Product Development, and Channel Sales Management.

A ‘Packaged’ Deal TSW is very transparent with its suppliers, principles, customers and team members. The company’s 360-degree approach towards business has helped them reach to new heights. There are a lot of opportunities and improvements required in Packaging Industry. Packaging is one of the most important elements for any product. There is huge scope of Automation in Indian Packaging Industry. The need of the hour is timely supplies to a variety of businesses from different industrial domains. The challenging part at present for the industry is the demand for skilled manpower and attitude of other people towards the overall packaging process and system.

Given the status of the current industrial scenario of the packaging industry in the country, TSW ensures the

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CURRENTLY, THE MARKET IS REALLY CHALLENGING. BUT, IF YOU HAVE GOOD PRODUCTS AND SERVICES, THEN THERE ARE A LOT OF

optimum solutions are facilitated to its customers while serving them as the one stop solution provider in the market. “We work on just in time delivery for our customers thereby reducing the overall costs incurred by them,” shares Mr. Sandeep. Service is the key in any industry. The company ensures that machines and tools are serviced within 18 hours of submission.

On top of that, TSW is keen on its core values. One of the core values that the company incorporates and operates on is continuous self-improvement. “We have rewards for the same,” describes Mr. Sandeep. The company has an edge over other competitors because it enables total packaging offerings to its customers. TSW is also planning to start manufacturing of plastic products soon.

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OPPORTUNITIES IN INDIA.

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