Page 30 - Plastics News August 2021

Q. How was the business film manufacturing lines added in
Mr Ajay Tandon, President Russia, Poland, and Egypt. We are
- Engineering Business & New performance during doubling the capacities of our aseptic
Product Development, UFLEX the year for UFLEX, liquid packaging plant capacity in
shared his thoughts on various issues Sanand (Gujarat). UFLEX have also
with Priyanka Sakpal, excerpts of the can we talk in terms of announced new Greenfield projects
interview the expected growth? in South Karnataka where we will
be setting up a BOPET and CPP
A. The pandemic caused more demand
Q. W hat ar e y our for packaging materials and products line with a cumulative capacity of
63,000 TPA. The two new packaging
obser v ations in FY2020-21. UFLEX had a strong films lines in Nigeria and Hungary

after COVID 2019 order book throughout the year with are ready and will be commissioned
demands coming from both India
Pandemic? How did and overseas. With optimization soon. At Engineering, we installed
new machines to make all types
it affect UFLEX? of resources and quick turnaround of aluminium rollers for printing,
of new innovative products and
A. The COVID-19 pandemic outbreak solutions, it was able to meet the pent- laminating and slitting machines. We
have also introduced a host of new
slowed down the pace of global up demand of packaging material. machines such as; Accuslit 3350,
economy significantly. However, it This was reflected in 128% growth Accuslit 2500, ToroSlit, Solvent-
brought in a lot of opportunities in Y-o-Y PAT in FY2020-21 and less Laminator with registered
for Packaging industry that rose as 21% growth in sales volumes for the lamination, Non-stop turret based
the sunshine industry. Due to panic same period, despite the pandemic slitting machine for BOPP pancake
during lockdown, we witnessed outbreak and huge fluctuations in and others.
hoarding of stocks which led to an raw material prices. We were able to
increase in consumption of essential ramp up capacities and have been Q. What do you think
commodities such as staples, food, investing in some machineries as about the domestic
and pharmaceutical and wellness well. Also, we are creating huge
products. Concerns about safety employment opportunities and have Plastics Industry
and hygiene of products, made been hiring even when most of the A. The domestic plastic industry has
consumers shift to buying more world had stalled its recruitment taken great strides since its inception
packed products and personal process last year. in 1957 and according to study it
hygiene products like liquid hand Q. What are the plans is expected to assume a CAGR
wash, sanitizers, etc. Packaging, being of 3.4% from 2020 to 2028. Of
an indispensable part of supply for the year are you this, the Indian Flexible packaging
chain serving the essential sector working on capacity market, which is the 5th largest
of FMCG and Pharmaceuticals, sector in India, is estimated to be
played a crucial role in ensuring building/ packaging around USD 12.7 billion. However
access of basic goods to public at manufacturing? despite the growth, the industry
large and thus was categorized under faces certain challenge of being
essential services. As a result of A. UFLEX’ growth trajectory is based a highly fragmented industry and
increased consumption, the flexible upon testing the market’s potential lack of entry barriers. The industry
packaging industry experienced and then making expansion. Our can witness even more growth but
inflated demand for packaging localization approach helps us remain absence of a dedicated ministry
materials. UFLEX rose above all in close proximity of the customers and lack of policies directed at its
challenges of lockdown to keep that helps us reduce the turnaround progress, reduces the full swing
pace with the requirements of time. During the financial year 2020- growth of the sector.
packaging materials and packaging 21 we have grown our presence and
and converting machines. capacities significantly with packaging

30 PLASTICS NEWS AUGUST 2021