The sudden countrywide lockdown caught many businesses unprepared. Despite this, many packaging related companies are looking at the silver lining and using this time to explore new opportunities. According to Dhandutt Shah, managing director of Scholle IPN-Bossar, when the lockdown was announced, the company took it as an opportunity to move towards the group’s strategy for a one-stop-shop in the field of flexible packaging to offer films, fitments, and fillers.
Mumbai-based Scholle IPN-Bossar is a global flexible packaging company that offering films (recyclable structures for aseptic and non-aseptic applications), fitments (aseptic and non-aseptic closures for flexible pouches), and fillers (Bag-in-Box, HFFS machines for flexible filling pouches and sachets). These solutions are offered to the FMCG, beverages, dairy, and pharmaceutical sectors.
Diversification – One has to keep evolving
The Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns have challenged the equipment manufacturers. Like many others, Scholle IPN-Bossar plugged the hole to overcome this crisis. Shah said, “During March-end, April and to a great extent in May, we were in our shell. Nevertheless, we utilized this time to re-strategize our business plan and focus on the food, health, and hygiene segments.”
Shah mentioned that the shift of focus to hand sanitizers and hand wash has resulted in three machines’ orders for the company. “With local manufacturing, customer’s expectation was fulfilled with a shorter delivery period. Our determination to bounce back with the new strategy ensured new business in this space,” he added.
Companies that were never into the health and hygiene space diversified their businesses, says Shah. Hand sanitizer and handwash, as an industry, are very small. Nevertheless, due to the Covid-19 crisis, all of a sudden, the requirement exploded. “The new tag line of the organization, ‘Simply Flexible,’ ensured its continuous growth,” he said.
Automation – a shift in requirement
The Covid-19 crisis, coupled with the government’s regulations for social distancing and the unavailability of labor, accelerated the demand for automation in businesses. Shah explained, “We also offer end-of-line solutions by partnering with world-class leading companies, that warrants continuous production in the absence of labor.” According to him, solutions provided by the company comply with Industry 4.0 requirements.
Next-Gen films & fitments solutions
After explaining the company’s innovation and R & D efforts, Shah said that the company is moving towards induction sealing technology for spouted pouches – a move that ensures recyclable film structures and next-generation fitments. In addition, a recent instance during the promotion of sanitizers has compelled it to design a flip-top cap for sanitizers. Shah added, “A new flip top with tamper ring fitment will be introduced in the coming months exclusively for hand wash and hand sanitizer packing applications incorporating sustainability.”
Speaking of the company’s expansion plans, Shah said, “Scholle IPN-Bossar has acquired eight acres of land and plans to invest Rs 100 crore in the next five years. This is to fulfill its one-stop-shop packaging vision by offering competitive solutions to our customers.”
