Page 7 - Plastics News January 2018

THE PRESIDENT SAYS SAYS
THE PRESIDENT

Plastics Industry ... an opportunity to create millions of employment

for India

ndian plastics industry has been registering handsome growth as evidence from per capita
Iconsumption of Plastics in the last decade and it is set to buck the global trend of sluggish
growth by emerging as one of the fastest growing markets for Plastic products.

Plastic products in fact comprise of diverse portfolio cutting across all most all segments of
manufacturing, largest being consumer goods and packaging followed by niche segments like
health care, transportation, machine building, space and aviation, infrastructure and so on.
The versatility of Polymers to shape to variety of forms using relatively low capital equipments
providing cost effective solutions replacing metals, wood, textile and other synthetic materials
has been driving its unabated growth globally. With increasing GDP and fast growing middle
class, India finds itself in an enviable position as far as growth of plastic processing is concerned.
It is assumed that by 2020, plastics consumption of the country will increase to 20 Million Metric HITEN BHEDA
Tonnes Per Annum (MMTPA). This translates into investment opportunities across the value
chain that include raw material manufacturers, processors, machine and mold manufacturers,
transportation, distribution network and lastly opportunity in recycling.
The Indian plastics industry made a promising beginning in 1957 with the production of
polystyrene. Thereafter, significant progress has been made, and the industry has grown and
diversified rapidly. The industry spans across the country and hosts more than 50,000 units most
of them in SME segment, over 2,000 exporters and employs about 4 million people throughout
the value chain.

As we ride this internal demand cycle with enhanced capacities, a window of opportunity in
terms of global trade of plastic products awaits us. The global trade is huge and our current
share is minuscule. To convert this opportunity to country’s advantage calls for a well thought
out strategy for the sector to address facilitation of investment in the segment, technological
upgradation of the existing units and skill development of Human Resources required for the
segment.
AIPMA has been advocating coherent strategy for the development of the segment and have
been pursuing many initiatives to that end. This includes promotion of Plastic Parks and Skilling
of Human resources. A new facility is in the offing for industry to realise its growth potential.
The potential is to create millions of jobs as our per capita consumptions crosses 20 kg per
annum in next five years aided with Governments initiative for “Make in India” and “Ease of
doing Business” as well as network of CIPET education institutes and upcoming international
university. The time is ripe for the Government to recognise the potential and align policies
so that the segment can provide jobs to millions of India’s youth.

Hiten Bheda
president@aipma.net

7 Januar y 2018 Plastics News