Henkel Adhesive Technologies, a leading solution provider for adhesives, sealants and functional coatings, inaugurated the Henkel Flexible Packaging Academy in Mumbai, India on 18 February 2015. It is Henkel’s third academy globally and will be the first of its kind in India, Middle East and Africa (IMEA) region offering a certified training programme for the flexible packaging industry professionals in association with the Indian Institute of Packaging (IIP).
This state-of-the-art academy in India will provide formal training on lamination technology to entrepreneurs, production managers, supervisors, operators, and quality control professionals of the flexible packaging industry. The training, which is based on the principle of Learning by Doing, combines essential theoretical knowledge and hands-on practical training. The modules are designed to cover all aspects of flexible packaging lamination techniques through practical experience on a commercial scale Nexus Dual lamination machine. Methods of producing food-safe laminates and troubleshooting will be the key highlights of the training.
The training sessions include topics on printing, lamination, finished product testing, different substrates, their properties and material handling to avoid curling, tunneling and wrinkling. With proven success models in Europe and China, Henkel Adhesive Technologies has earned industry-wide reputation for taking the lead in changing the dynamics of the industry with emphasis on quality control, wastage control and skills upgradation. The Academy will be steered by a team of experts sourced from across the world including the in-house technical team of Henkel each of whom have more than twenty years of experience in the industry. As knowledge partners, IIP will also be involved in imparting the training.
Commenting on the initiative, Ralf Grauel, global head, Flexible Packaging Adhesives, Henkel said, With the dynamic packaging trends in different segments (like FMCG, F&B, Pharma and more), there is a growing demand of advanced packaging solutions. The conventional materials have been replaced with flexible packaging materials. Addressing these demands, we have introduced Henkel Flexible Packaging Academy to train manufacturers to fulfil the demands of the growing industry.
The certification process will be in two stages Participation Certificate will be awarded after completion of a five-day training programme and Completion Certificate will be awarded after three months of reviewing the participants performance on shopfloor post training. The certificates will be jointly issued by Henkel and the Indian Institute of Packaging (IIP).
The dynamic Indian flexible packaging industry is pegged at reaching US$ 3.8 billion according to the latest Assocham report. With ever-changing consumer preferences, organized retail chain formats and evolving dynamics of the population, the demand will see further increase in the coming years. The Henkel Flexible Packaging Academy will prove to be a significant foundation propelling the industry towards development, sustainability and innovation. The standardized learning processes and modules will form a benchmark for customers in the region.
