UFlex to double Asepto capacity in Sanand

Asepto capacity to rise to 7 billion packs annually

December 22, 2020

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Asepto's 200 ml aseptic liquid packaging with holographic and metallic decoration Photo UFlex

On 21 December 2020 UFlex, announced the doubling of its Asepto liquid packaging plant capacity in Sanand in Gujarat. UFlex is India’s largest multinational flexible packaging and polymer science company. Its greenfield Asepto project makes it the first significant high volume Indian manufacturer of aseptic liquid packaging. In addition, the company’s engineering division is the first in the country to manufacture liquid packaging filling and sealing equipment. The aseptic liquid packaging plant’s production capacity is to double from 3.5 billion to 7 billion packs a year within the next ten months.

The well designed and modern Asepto plant has been receiving increasing demand for its highly innovative aseptic packaging laminates. Driven by the healthy order book and consistent market growth, the expansion to double production capacity will add to the workforce.

“The Asepto expansion is part of the growing need for aseptic packaging, and I am excited that our team and the state-of-the-art facilities we have are well-positioned to respond to the increasing demand for our services and innovative technology in aseptic packaging. Despite the pandemic, we have continued to deliver services without a pause and carried on with innovative thoughts to deliver expected results from our customers,” said Ashwani Sharma, president and CEO of Aseptic Liquid Packaging Business at Uflex.

“We have been working on taking Asepto globally, and our expansion takes a leap to enlarge the brand’s horizons to different continents. We remain the most innovative packaging company when it comes to aesthetic rejuvenation in the aseptic packaging space. The expansion steps in our operations reflect Asepto’s strong position in the marketplace and a positive outlook for the future.”

The Gallus flexo line with a Martin Automatic splicer at Asepto Anand. Photo UFlex

Once the commissioning of the expansion project is complete, the company would take steps for global expansion. Ashok Chaturvedi, chairman and managing director of UFlex, said, “Asepto has now grown and is entering its next life cycle phase with the first expansion plan announcement. This expansion of production capacities is our natural progression, addressing our rapid growth in the aseptic liquid packaging space . . . Asepto is taking one step at a time, and that’s the best way in the given global economic scenario.”

The first phase of expansion will add new machines to the existing Gallus flexographic press with another Gallus printing line from Germany. The new press will be highly configured with advanced automation features and rated to print at 500 meters a minute.

The new slitting line comes from IMS Technologies in Italy with a super-fast rated output of 1,200 meters a minute. The company has also added a doctoring line and over eight new tools and formats to the expansion plan to be completed within approximately ten months.

The elegant Asepto plant occupies 21 acres of the 72-UFlex site in Anand Photo Uflex

The Asepto plant in Sanand, which we visited in its early stages of commissioning, is an exquisite and architecturally modern purpose-built industrial facility built on 21 acres of the 72-acre UFlex site. Asepto’s innovation lies in its superior decoration of aseptic liquid packaging, which combines shelf impact with convenience, easy opening, and increased shelf life of highly perishable products such as juices, milk, dairy, and non-aerated alcoholic beverages.

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