Print Innovation Asia Issue 11 2021
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Thailand’s Eka Global increases packaging production Producing over 2,850 million pieces in annual output will help to expand Thai SMEs' business opportunities and enhance the "New Normal" lifestyle of consumers worldwide.
Chaiwat Nantiruj
"Demand for longevity packaging will continue in the future with or without COVID-19," said Chaiwat. "Visionary food producers, exporters and local SMEs have also realized this and are looking for high quality longevity packaging." Additionally, the company believes that environmentally friendly packaging is a critical tool to enable Thai SMEs to expand their business overseas and enhances their competitiveness in the global market. Eka Global, a packaging producer company in Thailand, announced it has installed its tenth production line, enabling the company to increase its production capacity by 15%. The Thai company said that the move was driven by the increase in demand for its proven rigid-barrier plastic packaging products due to the “new normal” in light of the pandemic. The additional production line, which is fully commissioned and commenced commercial operations in September 2021, will add another 350 million units to Eka Global's current production capacity of 2,500 million units per annum. This will boost the overall production output to 2,850 million units per year.
Chaiwat Nantiruj, Eka Global's Group CEO, said, "The COVID-19 pandemic has changed people's way of life. Self-quarantine and food delivery have become an integral part of our "New Normal" lifestyles. The global food-delivery industry has seen a significant increase in business, leading to a greater demand for our longevity packaging that promotes food safety and provides greater convenience for the consumers." Eka Global has been operating at maximum capacity since the pandemic hit. The company continues to receive ever increasing orders from customers across the Asia Pacific, the USA and Europe. Eka Global made the investment in order to be well-prepared to meet with demands.
"We aim to minimize the impact of our business on the environment," said Chaiwat. "The Circular Economy concept is key for business development to achieve sustainable growth. We have introduced a 360-degree waste management policy. Our products are already 100% recyclable but we are not yet fully satisfied." "Our R&D team has been working very hard to come up with more environmentally friendly innovations. Among other research projects that we are working on is using plant-based raw materials to replace petroleum-based products. Our goal is crystal clear, that is to allow consumers to enjoy a ‘new normal’ lifestyle with food safety while sharing the responsibility for a clean environment."
