Esko opens packaging excellence center in Mumbai

Getting close to the customers

March 26, 2018

113

Esko inaugurated its first packaging excellence center in India at Mumbai on 14 March 2018. The inauguration ceremony was attended by Esko customers, Esko employees and the media at the office of Danaher, which is Esko’s parent company.

The packaging excellence center, located in Danaher’s premises, is equipped with a Kongsberg X44 table, which is fully compatible for packaging, corrugated and signage applications, a CDI Spark 2530 plate maker and a range of Esko software.

“The aim of establishing the center in Mumbai is to be close to our customers. Almost 60% of our business is generated from western India. The concentration of packaging innovation in this part of the country is much higher than anywhere else,” said John Winderam, general manager, South East Asia and South Asia, Esko.

Winderam argued that the packaging excellence center is not merely a demo center, but much more. “We want to treat our packaging excellence center not just as a demonstration center but also as a resource hub where customers can come and experiment with ideas. They can get their operators trained here as well. So basically, we want to make the packaging excellence center more than just a room that has machines,” Windrem said, adding that customers have already shown interest in using the resources available at the packaging excellence center. Esko will also be spreading the word about its latest endeavor and expects to get a very good response.

Winderam also outlined Esko’s plans in the near future to expand in the other parts of India. The company will be adding a second software support personnel in Mumbai. In Delhi, Esko has a software support personnel but no hardware support; so, it plans to recruit some there. Once this recruitment process is over, Esko will have strong software and hardware support in west, north and south India.

Asked if Esko is looking at other cities in India to have an on-ground support staff, Winderam shared that the company may look at Ahmedabad and Hyderabad, but it will all depend on the growth of customer base in these areas.

During the event, Arnab Maiti, sales director, South Asia, Esko made a short presentation on the evolution and growth of Esko in India. He strongly urged the customers and the industry to fully utilize the resources available at the packaging excellence center.

The impact, resilience, and growth of responsible packaging in a wide region are daily chronicled by Packaging South Asia.

A multi-channel B2B publication and digital platform such as Packaging South Asia is always aware of the prospect of new beginnings and renewal. Its 16-year-old print monthly, based in New Delhi, India has demonstrated its commitment to progress and growth. The Indian and Asian packaging industries have shown resilience in the face of ongoing challenges over the past three years.

As we present our publishing plan for 2023, India’s real GDP growth for the financial year ending 31 March 2023 will reach 6.3%. Packaging industry growth has exceeded GDP growth even when allowing for inflation in the past three years.

The capacity for flexible film manufacturing in India increased by 33% over the past three years. With orders in place, we expect another 33% capacity addition from 2023 to 2025. Capacities in monocartons, corrugation, aseptic liquid packaging, and labels have grown similarly. The numbers are positive for most of the economies in the region – our platform increasingly reaches and influences these.

Even given the disruptions of supply chains, raw material prices, and the challenge of responsible and sustainable packaging, packaging in all its creative forms and purposes has significant headroom to grow in India and Asia. Our context and coverage engulf the entire packaging supply chain – from concept to shelf and further – to waste collection and recycling. We target brand owners, product managers, raw material suppliers, packaging designers and converters, and recyclers.

In an admittedly fragmented and textured terrain, this is the right time to plan your participation and marketing support communication – in our impactful and highly targeted business platform. Tell us what you need. Speak and write to our editorial and advertising teams! For advertisement ads1@ippgroup.in , for editorial info@ippgroup.in and for subscriptions subscription@ippgroup.in

– Naresh Khanna

Subscribe Now

As 2023 begins and FY 23-24 unfolds, will you support us?

What lies in store for the packaging industry in India and South Asia this coming year? Inflation, disruption of supply chains or environmental regulation? Or the resumption of high rural demand, continued investment and industry consolidation? Whatever happens, Packaging South Asia will be there, providing clarity and independent technical and business information in India and South Asia and around the world. We are a compact Indian organization bringing a window of fair and rigorous technical and business information that the industry can access this year and beyond. Please support us with your advertising and subscriptions, to keep us going and growing.

Thank you.