Page 26 - Plastics News September 2023

AIPMA'S AMTEC AT WORK

6th Conference on Growth of Plastic Industry –
Import Substitution of Plastic Goods, Kolkata

AIPMA’s AMTEC organised its 6th Technology Conference for Growth of Plastic Industry- Import Substitution of Plastic
Goods in Kolkata on Thursday 31st August 2023. The conference, aimed at boosting Make in India and facilitating import
substitution of plastic goods, witnessed participation from experts, industry representatives, researchers, government
officials and policymakers from all over the country. The conference was attended by 350+ industry professionals.

This technology conference is part of AIPMA’s efforts to promote import substitution of plastic goods and support the
government’s Make in India initiative. This technology conference was supported by the Ministry of Micro Small and
Medium Enterprises, the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals, and the Department of Commerce; the confer-
ence aims to facilitate the manufacturing of “Make in India – Make for the World” plastic products.
President of AIPMA Mr. Mayur D Shah said they want the government to raise the import duty to 20% from 10% now
and emphasized that these measures are essential to spur the growth of the 'Make in India' initiative within the plastics
industry. "AIPMA's comprehensive study revealed that plastic goods worth Rs 37,500 crore were imported during
the fiscal year 2021-22, with China accounting for 48% of these imports." "AIPMA after a detailed study identified 553
plastic products that could be potentially substituted with domestic manufacturing, a strategic move that is projected
to create a substantial demand for raw materials, plastics products that could be potentially substituted with domestic
manufacturing, a strategic move that is projected to create a substantial demand for raw materials, plastics processing
machinery, and tools," he said.
Addressing the conference, Arvind Mehta, Chairman of AIPMA’s Governing Council and AIPMA’s Arvind Me-
hta Technology and Entrepreneurship Centre (AMTEC) said, "This shift is estimated to generate approximately
5,00,000 new job opportunities. Leveraging the PLI scheme will attract fresh investments, as the substitution of these
553 identified products necessitates a new capital expenditure of Rs 1.5 lakh crore." Presently, the Indian plastic industry
employs over 1.5 million individuals and comprises around 50,000 enterprises, with 95% falling under the small and
micro-enterprise category. India's plastic exports amount to approximately Rs 35,000 crore annually.
The Guest of Honor Mr. Manish Chadha, the joint secretary of the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, discussed
the critical role of the policy in nurturing the growth of the plastic industry. Mr. Narrindra Suranna, Chairman &
Managing Director, Ddev Plastiks Industries Ltd addressed the conference.
The conference showcased exhibits and samples of imported plastic products, offering a technical and business roadmap
to the plastic processing industry for manufacturing these products in India. The event was attended by industry profes-
sionals, researchers, entrepreneurs, and policymakers.

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