Page 13 - Plastics News August 2020

AN INSPIRATIONAL JOURNEY

Shri Madhusudan Balvantrai Shah was one of the most products at competitive price. Thus born was Madhu
versatile plastics professional turned successful Marketing & Services providing innovative pioneering
entrepreneur, and, respected by one and all for his missionary solutions, and, a quality supplier of Machines, Hot Runner
service to the plastics industry. Till the end he remained Systems, Conventional / Innovative Ancillaries / Molds & Mold
enthusiastic learner as well as teacher of plastics all through parts & complete Tooled up project, many of these
his life. He was a first class Plastics Technologist, with over 6 technologies being introduced for the first time in the Indian
decades of wealth of experience in various plastics fields, was Plastics Industry. In view of his pioneering efforts, he is widely
a well known personality both in the Indian plastics industry & regarded as the 'father' of the Hot Runner Industry evolution
globally too in various countries especially in Europe & Asia. in India.
Knowledge Seeking As a further service to the Plastics Industry, Madhubhai
Shri Madhu Shah, - Madhubhai to his friends, obtained his B.Sc established 'TECHNOLOGY CENTRE' of Madhu Machines &
(Hons.) degree in 1956 from Bombay University. He then Systems Pvt Ltd, in Bangalore. The centre provides
joined University Dept. of Chemical Technology and studied additional knowledge to students passing out from institutes
Plastics Technology under Prof. N R Kamat. He chose little like NTTF, CIPET, IPI etc. on Plastics Processing machines,
known field of Plastics for making his career over other more Innovative ancillaries, Hot runner system, Mold parts, etc.
popular career streams. This nature being different to others The company, in its current form was established at Vadodara
remained as his characteristic throughout his life. He and further expanded in manufacturing activity at Bangalore
graduated from UDCT obtaining B.Sc Tech in Plastics since 2012 producing Speciality Ancillaries, Additional
Technology with first class in the year 1958. Injection Units and Hot Runner Controllers under its own
brand for domestic and overseas markets. The company now
In his pursuit of gaining in-depth knowledge, he chose to work has two manufacturing units in Bangalore with service
in plastics processing factory. The hands-on working support infrastructure across all major plastics industrial
experience on shop-floor helped him experiment with his centres throughout the country.
creativity to find innovative solutions to various problems
encountered in processes and build skills to relate with An Industry Patron
people. Some of his early accomplishments were means Madhubhai firmly believed in paying back to the plastics
developed to segregate tons of plastics PS, PE, CA, CAB etc- industry from which he had benefited all along. He was
swept off the floor with non-plastic extraneous materials into active member and Secretary of Plastics & Rubber Institute
individual reusable plastics raw materials., producing LDPE (Bombay Chapter) in 70's. His dedication and commitment to
film for laminating on bituminized Hessian cloth, developing Plastics Industry and Plastics Institute has been total. In
Poly-sleeves for Tea Garden Nurseries (Tea-saplings). This recognition of his contribution to the development of plastics
phase was followed by new product developments such as industry and services to the Plastics and Rubber Institute
(a) Direct Polycoated jute with permissible low WVP, a (LOND) and later to Indian Plastics Institute, he was awarded
challenge overcome by machine modifications and improved AMPRI (LOND) in 1974, FPRI (LOND) in 1984 & FIPI (Ind) in
process technology on Zimmer 2003. Another highlight was when he was recongnized by the
Austrian Chamber of Commerce for having furthered &
(b) developing special polycoated / sandwiched papers for greatly influenced the Indo-Austrian trade for equipments
Defence to meet stringent requirements
used in the plastics industry in the year 2008. He was
(c) producing blow molded bottle crate (BEKUM) awarded the most prestigious “Lifetime Achievement Award”
(d) producing rigid PVC clear / opaque bottles- and product by IPI in 2013.
launch to successful commercialization of products.. He has actively served as Convener and Chairman Vadodara
The Visionary Chapter, Chairman of International Conference Committee
for two terms and President of IPI. He was also Managing
In 1979, Madhubhai joined SLM-Maneklal, where he took upon
the challenge of convincing entrepreneurs to buy Committee member of PLASTINDIA FOUNDATION for 3 years
(2003-2006). He was Chairman of Education Committee of
sophisticated automatic but costly Kautex-Maneklal, Blow PIF during the said period. He conducted 2 day Programmes
molding & Toshiba-Maneklal Injection molding machines . He
designed strong value aided customer support services to on 'UPGRADATION OF PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY' at Mumbai,
Kolkata and Chennai. He has also served as Paper Setter and
help them succeed in new / existing ventures.
Examiner at UDCT & HBTI (Kanpur) & Hon. Lecturer at IIP,
Having gained wide experience on product, processing and GIRDA & IPI. Madhubhai greatly contributed towards the
building people relationships during his professional career, conceptualization and modernization of the diploma (DIPI)
Madhubhai started his entrepreneurial career in 1984. First it course at Indian Plastics Institute.
was a consultancy firm to help entrepreneurs set up new A Complete Human Being…
projects after proper market survey and/or to upgrade the
production technology in the existing plants so that the Throughout his life, Madhubhai was connected with various
company becomes producer of top class product and remains social service activities and especially involved with Brahma
competitive. Kumaris. His passion for singing and playing music kept him
connected with finer joys of life.
In 1991 onwards his emphasis changed over to marketing. In
view of his exposure to the international plastics industry, he Madhubhai will be long remembered for his enthusiasm,
could easily develop business relationships especially with entrepreneurship and servitude towards the Plastics Industry.
technocrat owned overseas companies producing high-tech

August 2020 11 Plastics News