POLYMERS Communiqué Oct - Nov 2017

A CUSTAGE I N I T I A T I V E Oct - Nov 2017 l Issue 4.1 l ` 150

Experts Opine Dr. Rakesh Sinha Head - Global Supply Chain, Manufacturing & IT Godrej Consumer Products Ltd.

Sanjeev Kumar Khanna Consultant, Supply Chain Patanjali Ayurved Ltd.

Prof. (Dr.) N. C. Saha Director Indian Institute of Packaging

Vimal Kedia Managing Director Manjushree Technopack

EXCLUSIVE

Plastics Delivering Better Value

INTERVIEW Heinz Haller

Executive Vice President The Dow Chemical Company

President – Europe, Middle East, Africa and India Dow Europe GmbH, Switzerland

POLYMERS Communiqué l October - November 2017

1

CONTENTS

Oct - Nov 2017 l Issue 4.1

30

30

70

60

56

BIG PICTURE

“We must not only understand product and technology needs, but also the processes through which our products are transformed in the value chain. The full value chain must win to realise success,” articulates Heinz Haller in an exclusive interview with POLYMERS Communiqué, his first ever for the Indian industry.

Packaging and Supply Chain: Innovative Solutions with Plastics

Heinz Haller

Executive Vice President, The Dow Chemical Company President – Europe, Middle East, Africa and India Dow Europe GmbH, Switzerland

39

END-TO-END

Vimal Kedia, Managing Director, Manjushree Technopack, Bengaluru

42

Packing Food With a Punch: Plastics Make Impactful Strides in the Right Direction

STRETCHING POSSIBILITIES

Dr. Rakesh Sinha, Head - Global Supply Chain, Manufacturing & IT Dr. Sunder Mahadevan, Head - Research & Development

Pushing Boundaries to Address Changing Needs in Packaging Godrej Consumer Products Ltd., Mumbai

46

NEW APPROACH

Sanjeev Kumar Khanna, Consultant, Supply Chain

Scientific Approach to Packaging Design: Essential to Optimise In-transit Space Utilisation Patanjali Ayurved Ltd., Haridwar Managing Director, WinningEdge Logistics Pvt. Ltd., Delhi

2

42

46

39

99

66

48

ADDED DIMENSION

Prof. (Dr.) N. C. Saha, Director, Indian Institute of Packaging, Mumbai

52

OPPORTUNITY ZONE

Satheesh N., Managing Director, Lyka Packaging Pvt. Ltd., Cochin

54

BIG SCOPE

Lalit Agrawal, Director, Ostern Pvt. Ltd., Kolkata

56

KNOW MORE

Dr. Carl Olsmats, Vice President, Packaging Science and Economics World Packaging Organization (WPO), USA

60

HBR PAGES

Presented by POLYMERS Communiqué in syndication with Harvard Business Review

66

TAKE OFF

S. V. Kabra, Chairman Anand Kabra, Managing Director

Ancillary Packaging Solutions: Standing Tall

Good Investment Opportunity in Plastics Processing

Export Opportunities for Plastic Packaging Products from India

Understanding Packaging Strategies and the Supply Chain Impact

The Problem With Product Proliferation

Comprehension, Customisation and Cost-effectiveness: Basis for Customer Delight Kabra ExtrusionTechnik, Mumbai

POLYMERS Communiqué l October - November 2017

70

SIVARAM SPEAKS

Dr. S. Sivaram, Former Director, CSIR-NCL

74

Emerging Applications of Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells: Fascinating World of Invisible Polymers

Custage Marketing Solutions LLP 401, Vikas Classic Building No 4 4th Floor, Near Basant Cinema Chembur, Mumbai 400 074, INDIA

THE BUZZ

80

OUT-OF-THE-BOX

Dr. Naveen Malhotra, Group Head HR & CC

84

Industry Abuzz Due to Plastindia 2018

Chief Editor

Sintex Industries Ltd., Kalol

Jyoti jyoti@polymerscommunique.com

Prof. (Dr.) N. C. Saha Director, Indian Institute of Packaging

KALE’S KUIZ

Advertising Sales - National

N. K. Balgi formerly President & Director at Ferromatik Milacron India Pvt. Ltd.

HR: An Enabler in Building Sustainable Business Practices

87

Martin Brunner, Technical Service Manager

Calcium Carbonate as Cavitation and Voiding Agents in Biaxially Oriented Films

siddhant@polymerscommunique.com Hyderabad Vani +91-93924 28927 vani@polymerscommunique.com

David Brookes, Business Development Director Technical Polymer Applications

Mumbai Vinisha +91-88790 50327 vinisha@polymerscommunique.com

Dr. Michael Tinkl, Director Technical Services Technical Polymer Applications & Polymer Packaging

Karsten Schulz, Key Account Manager Packaging Omya International AG, Switzerland

92

LITTLE ACTIONS BIG RESULTS

Shirish V. Divgi, Managing Director

Reputation Is All About Practice and Improvement Plastics Machinery Asia, Ahmedabad

96

GOOD PRACTICE

Katja Giersch, SIKORA AG, Germany

Perfection in Quality Management as Basis for Highest Reliability

THOUGHT-OUT

Shailesh Sheth, Corporate Strategy Adviser Management & Manufacturing Technology, Mumbai

Disruption Creates Opportunities: The Case of Social Media

New Delhi Vijay +91-98100 15111 vijay@polymerscommunique.com Vadodara Devindra +91-81289 90887 devindra@polymerscommunique.com

Advertising Sales - International Dubai Pritam +971-5548-32330 pritam@polymerscommunique.com

UNPLUGGED

USA Manisha +1-908-720-3510 manisha@polymerscommunique.com

Results Declared

Subscriptions

102 Parameters Impacting Plastics Business (PIPB) 2017: POLYMERS Communiqué Survey

112 East India: Land of the Rising Sun for Plastics

EASTERN DELIGHT

Ashok Jajodia, Chairman

Indplas’18 Organising Committee, Kolkata

114 Dow India Banks on Innovation to Propel Growth in India

Bengaluru Siddhant +91-90290 32767

Technical Services, Technical Polymer Applications & Polymer Packaging

99

Editorial Advisory Board Arvind Mehta Chairman and Managing Director Welset Plast Extrusions Pvt. Ltd.

DIFFERENT STROKES

Designed by

WEEKEND DELIGHTS

76

Manish Chawla manish@polymerscommunique.com

Honorary Professor and INSA Senior Scientist Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune

Printed and Published by

IN PERSPECTIVE

NEWS

22

EVENTS

116

POLYMERS Communiqué l October - November 2017

Pushp Raj Singhvi formerly Vice Chairman and Managing Director at Borouge (India) Pvt. Ltd. Rajesh Nath Managing Director VDMA German Engineering Federation India Liaison Office Rakesh Shah formerly Managing Director at Windmöller and Hölscher India Pvt. Ltd. S. K. Ray formerly Sr. Executive Vice President (Polymers) at Reliance Industries Ltd.

Printed at

Silverpoint Press Pvt. Ltd. A-403, TTC Industrial Area Near Anthony Motors Mahape, Navi Mumbai - 400709 District - Thane

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Bhavesh +91-22-2520 4436 bhavesh@polymerscommunique.com Printed and Published by Manish Chawla, and printed at Silverpoint Press Pvt. Ltd., A-403, TTC Industrial Area, Near Anthony Motors, Mahape, Navi Mumbai - 400709, District - Thane and published from 401, Vikas Classic Building No 4, 4th Floor, Near Basant Cinema, Chembur, Mumbai 400 074, INDIA. Editor: Manish Chawla.

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Views and opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of POLYMERS Communiqué. Readers are advised to seek specialist advice before acting on information contained in this publication, which is provided for general use and may not be appropriate for the readers’ particular circumstances and so POLYMERS Communiqué does not take any responsibility for any loss or damage incurred or suffered by any of its subscribers / readers / advertisers of this magazine. The publisher makes every effort to ensure that the magazine’s contents are correct but do not take any responsibility for the absolute accuracy of the information. Subject to Mumbai Jurisdiction. Some of the images used in this issue are from Shutterstock.

No part of this publication or any part of the contents thereof may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form without the permission of the publisher in writing.

POLYMERS Communiqué reserves the right to use the information published herein in any manner whatsoever. The ownership of trademarks is acknowledged.

3

Mind Speak N. K. Balgi

Rakesh Shah

formerly Managing Director at WindmĂśller and HĂślscher India Pvt. Ltd.

diverse for different Supply chain is extremely Plas tics are playing s. erial mat and ucts prod in management, even role nt orta imp t the mos on fixed and ent end dep ngly easi which is incr e out of mad ely larg are that mobile devices id and i-rig sem , rigid g plastics. Packagin at all stages of the flexible - plays a wide role aging, bins, drums, supply chain; lumber pack ugh to variety of FIBC, liquid containers thro inates and films. lam s, tube ers, tain con , cans plant, even the ring inee eng ical han In a mec boxes. Plastics tic plas in e com s cutting tool in courier role cal criti t mos are playing the sion and smis tran on, icati mun services too. Com re plastics play a transportation are areas whe one observes that crucial role. Summing up, and everything are supply chains of anything packaging, and are great users of plastics and r applications. thei g ndin expa ively aggress

Prof. (Dr.) N

. C. Saha

Director

Arvind Mehta

Supply chain en

flow of go sures smooth and ec onomic ods from ultimate co manufactu rer to nsumer.

Welset Plast Extrusions Pvt. Ltd. Packaging and, in tu rn, plastics integral ro play an le in the whole cycl offer econ e. They omic, dura ble and alternatives attractive to conventio nal materia ls.

Plastics ha ve captured a major sh packaging as well as st are of orage and of products handling .

Films, bags , wrapper s, synthetic woven sack fabrics, s, various types of co crates, bo ntai xes and so on fo ners, irreplaceab rm an le part of the supply various prod chain of ucts.

Chairman and Managing Director

Plastics have be come an in the supply tegral part chain in th of e form of crates, contain pallets, ers, silos, ba gs Plastics bein and pouche g inherently s. a light mat keeps transpo erial rtation load low and save cost. Plastics s on play the mos t significant food packag role in ing. In its sim plest form, pl packaging m astics aterials protec t food from damage an pests, d spillage.

Multilayered packs imparte plastic d with special barrier proper preserve food ties for a long te rm light and ox by keeping UV ygen out, an d, aroma-freshne in. In additio ss n, plastic co ntainers can attractively de be signed to ca tch the atte of buyers and ntio ease of hand ling for consum n ers.

Plastics is th e most pref erred packag material in th ing e food supply chain.

formerly Presid ent & Directo r at Ferromatik Mi lacron India Pv t. Ltd.

Indian Insti

tute of Pack

Rajesh Nath

aging

or Managing Direct ineering Eng an rm Ge VDMA Federation ce India Liaison Offi

Plastics material is one of the important components of packaging and the supply chain is considered to be an integral part of the distribution network of packaged goods. In fact, in the present marketing scenario, supply chain is the heart and soul of merchandising. In other words, packaging and supply chain are complimentary.

An efficient supply chain should be able to integrate procurement, quality control, production, inventory, transportation and warehousing to reduce redundancy and increase efficiency. Every stage of a plastics supply chain depends on transportation that functions smoothly on well-managed logistics.

Hence, an effective supply chain management relies on strong partnerships with suppliers, as well as a thorough understanding of the customers’ needs.

Feedback

ea of reat id ion. G it d e ry’ iversa it. all of t ‘Ann Jain Sunil Ltd. Excellen founders. Read eers g n in li g fi n E pro Rajoo

M

agazine is good, bu t it can al include in so separat dustry sp ely ecific seg injection ments su moulding ch as , blow mo on. Looki u lding and ng forwar so d to you online ve r mobile rsions. and

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Magazine is really appreciated and very useful for the plastics industry. Paper and print quality is also excellent.

Anil Patel

Alteem Instruments

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S Comm well as uniqué inform carries ative a update busine rticles. s on th ss insig The inte e indust hts. Ov rviews ry as only lo erall a provid ok forw very go e valua a rd to, o anyone d ble p u but als blicatio connec o stron n we n ted wit ot gly rec h the w omme orld of nd to polyme rs.

Alkali M anufac K. Srin turers A ivasa ssociati on of In n dia

s of term in ople e e pe niqu is u to th test l u e la f e in g the agaz ry us e in e m v iv g is This t which ustry. It is le around th ty p li d en o a t e in u n p q t o c e e van d. Th to th e rele date to rea in th sting gy up e r lo e o t techn uiet in xcellent! and q is e world azine g r ! e ma uma it up of th hivak rprises keep S . d S n ta K. Ente e bes D&M All th

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You and your team is rea lly doing fantastic work for the plastic s industry. ‘Quality in the true sense’. ‘Knowledge is Power’ and when power is of ‘Best Quality’, it does miracles.

Umang Shah

CLARIANT Chemica

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to cover agazine unique m a industry. ly r al e This is re related to the polym stry and ics indu main top out the stry. inputs ab the indu f o s n We get la p t is n e m e p mak th evelo u should future d st that yo e g g su I would ine. ly magaz hhabra a month Rajesh C rothers B ll Conne

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FIRE PROTECTION by

News New Investment in ECON India Technical Centre

Digest

E

CON

India

has

recently

underwater

new set-up.

made

new investments in upgradation

Hybrid

applications

pelletising

with

system

this

provides

of its technical centre in Vadodara,

Arburg at the Plastimagen 2017, focus will be on packaging and automation; on show for the first time in Mexico will be the fully-electric Golden Electric entry-level series

Gujarat. ECON’s technical centre is now equipped

with

hybrid

(underwater

and air) pelletising system EWA150 on 35 mm twin screw extruder. ECON

India is capable of conducting trials for

water sensitive applications and various

Cross of the Order of Merit

W

here the UK has its knighthood,

is awarded to both, Germans and

Germany rewards its loyal citizens

is the highest tribute paid to individuals

and France its Legion of Honour,

and foreigners with the Federal Cross Ascend introduces new high performance PA66 for electrical components in unattended appliances at Fakuma 2017

of Merit.

22

political or intellectual realm.

The Cross of Merit along with the

honour awarded to individuals for their

the Federal Republic of Germany -

the Order of Merit’, the highest civilian services to the country, to Rajesh Nath, Managing Director, VDMA India. award,

also

Bundesverdienstkreuz

A-B

for achievements in economic, social,

Germany has conferred the ‘Cross of

The

Brückner goes with electromobility; for the company, this technical film is a relatively new and interesting business field in a very dynamic future market

foreigners in all fields of endeavour. It

known

or

as

Federal

Cross of Merit was instituted in 1951.

It is Germany’s only honour that

certificate signed by the President of

Dr. Frank Walter Steinmeier, was handed over to Rajesh Nath by the Hon’ble

Consul General of Germany in Kolkata -

Dr. Michael Feiner at the German Consulate on 6th October, 2017.

Rajesh Nath has 27 years of experience in Indo – German trade working with

several reputed German and Indian

companies in various sectors. During this period, the export of German machinery

to India has increased almost 6 folds

and the number of VDMA members in India now stands at around 550.

Since 1999, he has been working with the

German Engineering Federation (VDMA) which he is heading as Managing Director. He has played a pivotal role

in promoting and strengthening the

business and economic ties between India and Germany.

POLYMERS Communiqué l October - November 2017

flexibility, with few modifications. One

along the jet, hot runner and cavity.

and air pelletising. In just a few minutes,

injection pressure curve is characteristic

system can be used for both, underwater

Digest Celanese announces global capacity expansions to support significant growth in engineered materials business

China Array Plastics selected to prototype and manufacture Jana Care’s Aina mobile blood monitoring system

the machine can be converted from air to underwater pelletising and vice versa.

ECON welcomes Indian masterbatch and compounding companies to visit for trials.

iQ Weight Monitor to be a Standard Feature on All ENGEL Injection Moulding Machines

C

yclically determined performance indicators are used to monitor and

optimise injection moulding processes.

In the past, the focus was on axle

movements and the forces and times that these required. Today, iQ weight monitor goes one big step further.

ENGEL’s monitoring software generates

Clariant, and its healthcare packaging business unit has featured an expanded line of equilibriumstabiliser products at CPhI Worldwide 2017; these solutions deliver customised humidity control in all phases of the drug-product development cycle

performance indicators that provide direct information on the component quality to be expected.

Due to the many influencing factors, the to the respective application - and therefore unique. Fluctuations in one or several influencing factors that occur

in practice affect the part quality as

well as the pressure curve. Therefore, the pressure-time curve is suitable as an indirect quality monitor. iQ

weight

monitor

provides

three

performance indicators for each shot: the injection volume, the change in

viscosity of the melt and the congruence between the pressure curve and the reference curve.

Nordson BKG - Precision Pelletising for Every Process

N

ordson’s BKG® pelletisers Type AH

and AH D with hydraulic blade

pressure regulation are available for throughputs ranging from 2 - 35,000 kg/h

and provide superior and constant cutting quality for all viscosities. Designed

for maximum flexibility, one can combine them with any of our tempered water system in our product portfolio.

The BKG®Master-Line, our entry-level

underwater pelletising system convinces with its modular and clear easy-clean design.

Adding

the

optional

belt

filter, the BKG®Master-Line eliminates fines Comexi expands its position in Africa; the group has recently installed a Comexi F2 MB at Natpak facilities in Zimbabwe

C

and

requires

even less operator intervention while In the development of iQ weight monitor,

increasing productivity.

ENGEL’s particular focus was on the

The BKG®Optigon is a self-cleaning

movement in the speed-regulated filling

filtration area and an extensive range

starting position, a speed profile and a

be energy-saving and very economic,

screw

tempered water system with a large

phase, the machine operator enters a

of optional features and is designed to

switchover point as target values. The

especially at higher outputs.

filling

of

cavities.

For

the

machine control uses these to calculate a target value specification, which the

injection regulator then fulfills as best as possible. In addition to the speed, the resulting injection pressure curve

depends on the amount of melt in the

screw vestibule, the flow properties of the material and the flow resistance

24

automatically

The

high

level

of

automatisation

increases the lifetime and reduces the

Digest

maintenance effort to a minimum.

Nordson’s

patented

BKG®CrystallCut®

technology allows for a highly economical Covestro’s INSQIN® proves to be a more sustainable way to produce coated textiles than conventional technologies, highlights a recent life-cycle assessment (LCA) study

pelletising and crystallisation of PET in

one single process step without the need of additional energy.

L

partnership with Husky Injection

High Barrier Polyester (HBP), a recyclable,

innovative line of high-performance polymers

that

will

enable

a

new

further as the international centre

programmes. Commemorating 5 years

of TTRC’s services, the 2nd Alumni

Meet was organised wherein TTRC’s alumni of different programmes -

Operators, Supervisors and Engineers participated in large numbers. Over 200 TTRC Alumni gathered on the

occasion in a function graced by Lohia

Alumni from Egypt, Qatar, Vietnam and

Republic of Guinea also joined through video connect.

Recalling the announcement made during

2008,

Chief

Guest,

Raj

Kumar Lohia informed that it was his dream to fill the gap present

in the skill training for plastics

woven sack sector by creating an institution like TTRC, exclusively

26

in

Molding Systems, is launching Verian™

completed its 5 years of operation

During the function, around 40 TTRC

C-K

Polymers,

500 in 2017. He desired that in the

Centre (TTRC) based at Kanpur,

Group Chairman, Raj Kumar Lohia.

KraussMaffei presents MaXecution, the new MES system customised for small injection moulding companies

Specialty

ohia’s Technical Training & Research

through its unique portfolio of training

4JET Technologies GmbH extends its product offering for laser surface processing systems by a new range of handheld laser cleaning systems

S

olvay

Alumni Meet at Lohia’s TTRC

of serving the raffia industry, globally Eastman highlights innovations in insoluble sulfur and performance resins as focus of Eastman technology presentations at a recent International Elastomer Conference

Solvay Partners with Husky to Develop Verian HBP

to serve the raffia sector, globally.

He expressed his happiness that in 5 years, Lohia’s TTRC has transformed

from a ‘Plant’ to a ‘Tree’ with scaled

training capacity from only 50 to

coming years, Lohia TTRC grows for raffia sector drawing trainees

from different countries, including

India. Addressing the TTRC Alumni, Raj Kumar Lohia gave the mantra of success through becoming an

‘expert’ from the level of ‘skilled’ in any job or assignments through hard

work, sincerity and dedication. He

distributed ‘Certificate of Excellence’ to the top 60 performers from TTRC

Alumni in all categories - tape plant operator, winder operator, loom

operators, supervisors, maintenance technicians etc.

Speaking in the function, Rajeev Kumar

Dwivedi, Director, TTRC gave an account of the progress made by TTRC in the last 5 years. He thanked the patronage

and guidance provided by Lohia Group Chairman, Raj Kumar Lohia in steering

TTRC to newer heights. He informed that Lohia’s TTRC helped the Textile

Sector Council (TSC) in formulating 03 Qualification Packs (QPs) which have

been approved by QRC and shortly these 03 QPs may be recognised as National Qualification Standards.

POLYMERS Communiqué l October - November 2017

A complete array of after sales services

GLOBAL REACH

Assured services by experienced engineers

EXPERT GUIDANCE | CONSULTATION

SUPPORT

Prompt response to ensure hassle-free operations

Consultation on technology & product upgrades

SPARES

TECHNICAL TRAINING

Efficient spare parts management for faster deliveries

Training to improve productivity and lower operations cost

MAINTENANCE

KABRA EXTRUSIONTECHNIK LTD. Fortune Terraces, 10th Floor, B Wing, Link Road, Opp. City Mall, Andheri West, 400053, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India Website : www.kolsite.com | Contact : 91-22-26734822, 91-22-26734823 Email : info@kolsitegroup.com | CIN : L28900MH1982PLC028535

SketchPlay Media

Smoother functioning with higher up-time

generation of sustainable

The

for

Managing Director, VDMA India. He

packaging

Digest LyondellBasell begins production at new PP compounding plant in Dalian, China

solutions

polyethylene

terephthalate

(PET)

bottles and films. The

new polymer expands Solvay’s

portfolio

of

speciality polymers for barrier packaging.

“Working together with Husky, the

development of Verian HBP highlights our robust capability to design cutting-

Meusburger makes a live presentation of the new GMT 6000 precision cutting and grinding machine at FAKUMA 2017

spoke about the history of VDMA starting from its inception in 1892 and

is celebrating 125 years in 2017. VDMA

India had organised business forums in major cities in India and has been

playing an active role in spreading

awareness on Industry 4.0 among the Indian industry.

products

and

by VDMA for the first time in India. The

the German companies was conducted

technology that will play a major role in

high performing sustainable packaging solutions of the future,” says Augusto Di Donfrancesco, President, Solvay’s Specialty

with Solvay and the potential that Verian HBP presents in minimising the impact

PET packaging has on the environment,” says John Galt, Husky’s President and open new growth opportunities for the next generation of high performance engineered

PET

packages,

while

ensuring compatibility with existing recycling streams.”

6 VDMA Mechanical Engineering Summit th

L-S

a

The Business Climate Survey among

CEO. “We believe this development will

SABO to increase its capacity for hindered amine light stabilisers and related intermediates; the expansion is scheduled to come on-stream during Q3 2018.

with

and

game-changing

“We are excited about our partnership

SABIC introduces new LEXAN™ resins for LED automotive lighting

commenced

edge

Polymers GBU. Polyone anti-fog additives help reduce food waste in agriculture

summit

welcome address from Rajesh Nath,

T

he 6th VDMA Mechanical Engineering

outcome was; 47% of the participants said the climate is good, whereas 48% considered it normal and only 5% termed it slower than last year.

The Chief Guest, R. V. Deshpande, Minister, Large and Medium Scale Industries,

Karnataka

congratulated

VDMA on its 125 years celebration. The Minister requested for more German companies

to

start

operations

in

Karnataka keeping in mind that India will be having the largest population in the world by 2025.

Margit Hellwig-Boette, Consul General,

Federal Republic of Germany, Bangalore considered

VDMA

as

an

excellent

platform of providing network for German

companies and helping them to establish their businesses in India.

Summit was held on 8th September,

Ulrich Ackermann, Managing Director,

which was attended by over 220 people.

Frankfurt was extremely delighted to

Asia for the German engineering industry.

on the history of VDMA along with an

2017 at Sheraton Grand Bangalore Hotel,

Foreign Trade Division within VDMA

India is the second-largest sales market in

meet the members and gave an overview insight on the present status of German machinery industry in his presentation.

The summit had varied technical sessions during the day. The post lunch technical session began with the release of the report ‘Key Sector Overview in India’ prepared by Market Research Partner

BDB India Pvt Ltd. The final session of the summit was the panel discussion on

‘Coping with Growth and Overcoming Challenges in Manufacturing’.

28

POLYMERS Communiqué l October - November 2017

APPL

TM

PLASTIC ENGINEERING

PP Compounds Engineering Plastics MasterBatches

APPL ULTRA series

Pune | Delhi | Uttaranchal | Chennai | Gujarat | Thailand

BIG PICTURE

Packaging and Supply Chain

Innovative Solutions With Plastics “We must not only understand product and technology needs, but also the processes through which our products are transformed in the value chain. The full value chain must win to realise success,” articulates Heinz Haller in an exclusive interview with POLYMERS Communiqué, his first ever for the Indian industry.

Q. According to you, the basic ingredients required for a corporate to have an innovation based ecosystem. Any specific example at Dow?

metrics, productivity focus and customer intimacy

Our company is an innovation powerhouse due

INNATE™ precision packaging polyethylene resins; our

to our breadth and depth, and the reach and the resources we have. Most important are the people;

having top talent and a critical mass of key skillsets to solve problems. We also continually develop state-of-the-art capabilities, such as high-throughput

workflows and advanced computing to maximise productivity and competitive advantage. Innovation

tracking and metrics drive decision making so that our valuable people focus on the right problems.

Collaboration, both internal and across the value

chains where we participate, identifies the right

problems. We are customer focused, working with our partners to insure rapid development and commercialisation. Together, people, collaboration,

30

set us up for success.

At Dow, innovation product examples include breakthrough resin designs as exemplified by our new expanding collection of RecycleReady technologies (such as RETAIN™ recycle compatibiliser resins) which enable recyclable film structures with leading performance; advanced modelling enabled packaging design such as our PacXpert™ packaging design solutions; advanced silicone materials which deliver best-in-class home and personal care solutions; worldleading

integrated

high

throughput

capabilities

and approaches for fully formulated solutions in areas such as home

POLYMERS Communiqué l October - November 2017

Heinz Haller Executive Vice President The Dow Chemical Company President – Europe, Middle East, Africa and India Dow Europe GmbH, Switzerland

POLYMERS Communiqué l October - November 2017

31

We attempt to address customer needs in

My Biggest Learning

the most effective and sustainable ways.

Make sure you really understand what your customer wants. Stay close to the market and seize opportunities as they present themselves.

We evaluate the market opportunities

and the range of options before working on any solutions.

Q. Understanding consumer needs is a specialised science. Do you believe in this?

Predictions are always difficult, especially for the future, as they say. I am not sure it is a specialised science. I believe that we’ve demonstrated that customer and

value chain leader intimacy, and a seat

at the design table lead to success. It and personal care as well as coatings; first-in-class

platform

of

rheology

modifiers, binders and hiding solutions

for coatings (examples include EVOQUE™

pre-composite polymers, AVANSE™ acrylic resins and ROPAQUE™ opaque polymers) and breakthrough polyurethane system designs for unprecedented advances in foam performance (such as VORA Zzz™ breathable foam technology). Our

technologies underlie so many of the products that consumers rely on every

day, and we continue to advance the science and applications of materials which are critical to today’s challenges.

Q. A lot of innovation must be felt and cannot be seen; how should a company market such solutions?

Innovation is invention turned into productive

use.

Truly,

innovative

products solve critical problems and

sell themselves. Intimate connections to the value chain are critical to hone

in on impactful challenges and solutions.

strategies to innovation should one adopt?

requires effort, but I am not sure it is a

science in a classic sense. Of course, we are increasingly taking advantage of new

We are strongly metrics driven and work

digital tools in artificial intelligence and

processes to ensure success. Our metrics

data. Fundamentally, customer and value

projects

will always be critical.

with customers early in the development

other areas to gather more and better

allow us to tailor the portfolio to those

chain relationships and communication

with

the

highest

return,

adjusted for risk. We are able to focus

modelling into our approach, we are

Q. It’s time to redefine customerhandholding to be successful in delivering technology solutions for process transformation. What is your belief?

Another avenue is to fully align the

leaders as key partners in innovation.

ensure that technological success results

advancing with new tools and new

resources towards success. We have

also invested to improve our success

rate. By increasingly incorporating high throughput capabilities and advanced able to solve problems faster and better.

We view our customers and value chain

company with value chain leaders to

The innovation process is continually

in a commercial success.

technologies. However, fundamentally

Q. What drives innovation for companies like Dow? Are customer aspirations and affordability, the parameters that you would consider before deciding to innovate?

will always be required despite all the

strong partnerships and communication

trends to digitalise; which make processes efficient and transparent, but are no

replacement for human interaction. We must not only understand product and technology needs, but also the processes

Problems come when the buying public

Customers always want more; but

through

innovation. We sell most of our products

we must prioritise those innovation

value chain must win to realise success.

does not know that it needs a particular

to other companies, not directly to

consumers. We market our innovations by partnering across the value chain to focus in areas that are ripe for innovation.

Q. While innovation is necessary and risky, what risk mitigation

32

together with the value chain leaders,

areas which will be impactful and will

which

our

products

are

transformed in the value chain. The full

chain and the consumers. When you do this analysis, you are more likely to be

Q. Which are the emerging markets for Dow; any specific strategies for these markets?

successful. Certainly, cost continues to be

a driver, but in recent years have added

Major consumption centres for the

sustainability as a customer desire.

chemical

Asia with nearly 60% of the world’s

deliver value to our customers, the value

industry

have

shifted

to

POLYMERS Communiqué l October - November 2017

population residing here. Asia-Pacific,

business processes, this reform widens

society in our history, but also an

rapidly evolving markets in Africa will

a formal ecosystem and creates a level

growth with sustainability, leaving a

including India and China along with

continue to be the focus for our company.

the tax net, brings informal business into playing field for all.

The Middle East has emerged as the

These are exciting times and there is a

advantages of low cost feedstock.

as an innovation hub for the region. On

global chemical companies, such as

technology - ‘sustainability’ will be at the

in Asia and Africa, and remains the

poised to integrate sustainability into its

global production hub with natural

clear opportunity for India to emerge

This

for

the backbone of chemistry, driven by

ours, to be closer to our consumers

heart of this innovation story. India is best

backbone of our strategy to serve these

growth story in comparison to other parts

emerging markets.

of the world.

Our growing presence in this region has

Q. As you have tripled your business in India in equal years; your next milestone here is...

presents

an

opportunity

seen us invest in the Sadara Chemical Company (Sadara), a joint venture with Saudi Aramco. Sadara is an investment of

about USD 20 bn and houses 26 different

plants - some of these mega projects involve investments close to USD 2 - 3 bn.

The facility will enable us to have PE trains including LDPE, elastomer trains, PU, MDI /

TDI, amines and glycol ethers - the

building blocks of modern day chemistry and essential for emerging markets such

Our presence in India spans over

60 years, present in 12 locations,

contributing materials and providing solutions for infrastructure, transportation,

agriculture, energy, health, amongst others. Over the last decade, the

growth story has been driven by vast

improvements in domestic consumption.

as India, given the feedstock limitations.

Dow India’s revenues are at a billion USD

Cement Group facility in Map Ta Phut,

our revenues over the next three years.

like

host the wealthiest and most advanced

Additionally, our joint venture with Siam

today and we are looking at doubling

Thailand will supply olefin derivatives

By 2050, India will have the privilege to

plastomers

and

elastomers

consumers in the Asia-Pacific region.

to

Expertise that Delivers

eyes, I have visited India 15 times

in the last 30 years and in each

better world for following generations.

We are dispelling the traditional ‘makeuse-dispose’ model (linear economy) to one that redesigns, recycles, reuses and remanufactures to keep materials

at their highest value use for as long as

possible. This should be the milestone for communities and companies across

the world - where we redefine the role of business in society.

Q. Circular economy, is a necessary approach for the packaging industry. Your opinion.

Many of our planet’s natural resources are increasingly in short supply - fresh

water is scarce and fossil fuel supplies are finite creating burden on businesses, government and society. Packaging plays

a key role in keeping products fresh and safe.

Governments addressing

impetus

towards

and

investments pouring into local infrastructure

transportation.

I

and

packaging

packaging, or imposing tax to finance waste-management even

schemes,

or

extended

producer

Three Broad Tenets Driving Value to the Value Chain

As

material

solutions

a

provider, we are dispelling the

traditional ‘make-use-dispose’

model (linear economy) to one that redesigns, recycles,

must

congratulate the Government of

their use

highest for

as possible.

as

value

long

To give you an example

economic profile has changed with

and

of

the materials which can be used in

Network for Innovation

facilitating businesses, India’s socio-

manufacturing,

exploring

to keep materials at

government’s

developing

issue

reuses and remanufactures

With vast pools of talent, emerging and

are

waste by introducing restrictions on

visit, I have seen definitive progress. technologies

the

responsibility policies.

Q. How do you see the India story in today’s times?

India has evolved before my very

enormous responsibility to measure

Capabilities that Connect

from

packaging,

our

Energy Bag Pilot Programme

in Citrus Heights, California,

India on the recent successful roll-

out of the Goods and Services Tax.

In addition to easing operations and

34

POLYMERS Communiqué l October - November 2017

END-TO-END

Packing Food With a Punch

Plastics Make Impactful Strides in the Right Direction Research and market report forecasts for the period 2016 - 2021 show that

soft drinks and food industry will be the highest packaging market share gainers (by units) with a share growth of 3.4% and 1.3%, respectively. As modern

consumer habits are increasingly being tuned around convenience and food safety, plastics play a key role in delivering safe food from farm to table.

I

ndia is among the top five markets for packaged food in the world, as reported by market research

firm,

Euromonitor

International.

Predictive statistics also point out that by 2020, global packaged food sales will touch 47 million tonnes with India touted to become the thirdlargest market after China and the United States.

Packaging of processed food represents around

48% of the Indian packaging industry, which is worth USD 17 billion today. This growth is fuelled

by evolving food palettes and changing consumer lifestyles that are triggering novel opportunities

for food and beverage packaging. Adding to it, rapid expansion in FMCG as well as food and beverage (F&B) retail segments is bolstering packaging and other allied industries.

Though metal, glass and paper are still used to pack food consumables in various segments of the F&B industry, there is a visible, growing

shift

towards

plastics in its various forms.

Vimal Kedia Managing Director Manjushree Technopack Bengaluru

POLYMERS CommuniquÊ l October - November 2017

PET (polyethylene terephthalate) packaging is the most popular among them.

For many years, PET has been the preferred packaging

material

for

bottled

water

and

carbonated soft drinks. More recently, it has

seen increased adoption as a packaging solution for liquid dairy products, beer and other food products, such as ketchup.

Compared to glass, aluminium and several plastics, PET is the most environment-friendly.

It is known to produce less greenhouse gas emissions and its easily recyclable properties

reduce

the

carbon

footprint of plastics packaging.

Another benefit

processed food represents around 48% of the Indian packaging industry, which is worth USD 17 billion today.

bottles, but also weighs only 60 grams as against the traditional 700 grams

Packaging of

glass package.

Special Packaging Needs of Edible Oil Edible oil is another segment that

has special packaging needs because

edible oil has high nutritional value, provides nourishment and reduces the

is that PET can be recycled more than

of oxygen and moisture, the two main

food bottles etc.

the degradation of all food products and

once and can be turned into fibre, non-

organic substances.

Multi-layer Technology to Increase Shelf-life of Food Products Multi-layer

packaging

Multi-layer technology increases the shelf-life

technology

has caught on with many brands, especially perishable food like ketchup,

sauces, powders and dairy products which are being packed in multi-layer

containers. These containers are formed by the integration of various plastics within a multi-layer structure, which combines

their

distinct

properties.

Set together, this multi-layer structure is an ideal alternative to glass, tin or aluminium-lined

paper

cartons,

natural elements which play a part in

as

contents

of

products

fresh

and

keeping

retaining

the

their

natural colour, taste and aroma. Multilayer containers are transparent, allowing clear visibility of the products stored

inside. This also provides scope for

brands to explore special branding and labelling opportunities. While multilayer

packaging has made its mark among

global brands; in India, its impact on packaging efficiency, retail sales and

consumer experience is a fascinating story that is unravelling.

there is a minimum of three layers,

One of the notable designs in the

layer of EVOH (ethylene vinyl alcohol)

Technopack

if not more. These containers have a in between, which is an inert material with properties that prevent the ingress

40

multi-layer

category is

the

by

Manjushree

Kissan

Tomato

Ketchup pack that not only introduced Indian consumers to ketchup in plastic

likelihood of diseases. In recent times,

Indian edible oil brands have become as image conscious as their western counterparts.

PET

bottle

packaging

which has gained popularity in recent

years, ensures that triglyceride levels are adequately maintained in the oil.

PET also keeps the oil free from any contamination and retains its healthyheart qualities. Brands of Adani Wilmar like Fortune, Emami’s Healthy & Tasty

Oil, Karnataka Oil Federation’s Saffola Oil

and many others have made a conscious shift to PET packaging over the last few years.

PET offers the safety, convenience, re-sealability

and

recyclability

that

consumers seek in edible oil packaging.

One of the greatest advantages of PET bottles is its transparent feature, where

reveals the colour and viscosity of the

oil, thereby establishing trust between the manufacturer and the consumer.

Manjushree has been offering PET

POLYMERS Communiqué l October - November 2017

packaging solutions to edible oil brands

Packed in a one-of-its-kind fusion jar

Robinsons Fruit Shoot, endorsed by both

them is a special patented short neck

first time in India where an FMCG

the growing market for child-focused

for over 10 years. Notable among preform and cap which gives over

15% lower weight bottles to ensure cost optimisation. With more edible oil brands looking to compete in the market

with

sustainable

packaging

solutions like PET and an enhanced user experience, Manjushree expects a growth of 30 - 40% in the PET packed oil bottles.

Plastics Boost Packaging Innovation and Design Upholding its legacy of innovation, Tata

Global Beverages, the second largest

player in the world in the branded tea category, introduced a premium

product - Tata Tea Fusion. It gives tea aficionados a delightful experience of

blending superior Assam tea with Kenyan

tea and Green tea taste enhancers to create a customised brew.

designed by Manjushree, this is the company has used two jars fused into

one. The exclusive compartmentalised packaging with its innovative dual storage facility, can store two different types of tea in a single pack, preserving the freshness of each.

Packaging and Marketing of Children-focused F&B Products

mothers and children, is testimony to products, especially in the beverage category. The innovative PET bottle is a hallmark of its success.

Children respond to emotional stimuli

more than adults; it is thus important for brands to connect with them at all

levels. They are more likely to reach for

products

that

have

attractive

Children are an important consumer

packaging shapes, sizes, convenient

and

solutions

and aesthetics also attract attention

approach. To stand out among the

of the product’s characteristics. Parle

children today, brands turn to packaging

drink among children during the 90s,

segment for marketers. Designing food

closures etc. Packaging design elements

for children calls for a multi-faceted

of children and generate expectations

plethora of product choices targetted at

Agro’s Frooti, which was a defacto fruit

to draw attention, create differentiation

introduced a new packaging design

beverage

packaging

and gain customer loyalty. As the most

tangible aspect of a brand, packaging

plays a very important role in influencing

consumer choices across all age groups.

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POLYMERS Communiqué l October - November 2017

41

STRETCHING POSSIBILITIES

Pushing Boundaries to Address

Changing Needs in Packaging Q. E-commerce was one of the initiatives that you pioneered at Godrej. That brought in a new dimension to supply chain. How did innovation in packaging help you address this new business?

RS: Primary packaging of our products is typically designed for omni-channel sales. As a result, we don’t need to design it separately for e-commerce.

However, since assortments in e-commerce are

sometimes customised, we need to design secondary packaging for such offerings accordingly.

SM: Customisation of secondary packaging is central

to e-commerce supplies which can be addressed

by standardisation of packaging materials. Use of

simulation software helps us design packaging for assortment of products and enables a quick turnaround in sample production which can be done with automatic sample makers.

Q. How different is it to setup a global supply chain and a local supply chain?

RS: Both, global as well as local supply chains are set

up using the same design principles. As a result, both

continue to be consumer-focused and optimised for flexibility and responsiveness. The only difference is in terms of lead times involved.

Since global supply chains work on longer lead times,

RS: Plastics are gaining higher importance in supply chains due to their several unique properties like light weight, mouldability, non-corrosive nature, thermal and electrical resistance etc.

SM: A significant migration for us was from glass bottles to plastics for our car perfume brand that helped us reduce the overall packaging material and product weight. Our dream is to move from metal cans to plastic containers for aerosols, keeping the product safety intact.

This will bring in significant reduction in weight of the material used and secondary packaging specifications.

Q. Any recent innovations in plastics packaging that have impressed you?

RS:

Recent

bio-degradable

advancements plastics

technology

is

not

yet

quite confident that technology would progress at a fast pace to help increase its adoption.

SM: Though not related

uncertainty inherent in global supply chains, we

one of the interesting

also need to have alternate sourcing and alternate routing paths to protect consumers from natural disasters or political uncertainties.

Q. What role has plastics played in making your supply chain successful? Any specific migrations to plastic that have had an

cost

effective, it is sustainable in terms of its environmental impact. I am

to innovations in plastics, discoveries recent the

heard

times

in

was

polyethylene

devouring wax moth larvae.

Basically,

if

the current polymers that are classified as

in

are

truly impressive. Although the

we need to provide for higher strategic inventory buffers in the system. Moreover, in view of higher

42

impact on the efficiency / cost of your SCM?

“Supply chains of tomorrow will be focused on sustainability, flexibility and fast response.

Therefore, both primary and secondary packaging need to be sustainable, lighter,

stronger and cheaper,” opines Dr. Rakesh Sinha (RS) in dialogue with POLYMERS Communiqué.

In addition, while sharing his dream to move from metal cans to plastic containers for aerosols, Dr. Sunder Mahadevan (SM) addresses some key questions.

Dr. Sunder Mahadevan Head - Research & Development

Dr. Rakesh Sinha Head - Global Supply Chain Manufacturing & IT

Godrej Consumer Products Ltd., Mumbai

POLYMERS Communiqué l October - November 2017

43

non-biodegradable can be degraded with some help from nature. While this research has a long way to go to reach logical conclusion, the current solutions

in bio-degradable plastics don’t offer much help functionally and economically.

have a role to play in building an efficient supply chain?

RS: These technologies are still evolving at a fast pace. While robotics is already deployed in many supply chains and artificial intelligence is finding its

Q. How do you see supply chain of tomorrow and the changing role of packaging there?

right place, I am sure virtual and augmented reality

RS: Supply chains of tomorrow will be focused on

Q. Stretching packaging possibilities with plastics. Any feedback to the material and technology providers?

sustainability, flexibility and fast response. Therefore,

both primary and secondary packaging need to be sustainable, lighter, stronger and cheaper.

SM: On one side consumer perception of packaging is changing due to environmental concerns, while on the other side differentiation is leading to a lot of variants. This means we may have to look for capabilities that can deliver packaging with shorter

cycle times, reduced or no wastage and materials

will also get usefully deployed.

RS: Since plastic is so versatile, I am quite sure

new technology will make them even lighter,

stronger and cheaper. Let’s work towards making plastics more sustainable to minimise their adverse environmental impact.

SM: We have used both, processing and material

with better strength to weight ratio.

Q. Do you see whether artificial intelligence, virtual and augmented reality and robotics

44

POLYMERS Communiqué l October - November 2017

NEW APPROACH

Sanjeev Kumar Khanna Consultant, Supply Chain, Patanjali Ayurved Ltd. Haridwar Managing Director WinningEdge Logistics Pvt. Ltd. Delhi

Scientific Approach to Packaging Design

Essential to Optimise In-transit Space Utilisation

Q. Over 50% of food packaging is plastics. As a packaging and supply chain expert, what more can the plastics industry offer to enhance operations?

Pallets and collapsible crates can prove to

be much more cost-effective and easier way

for distributing FMCG products for within

“At an average in India, 5% to 20% space in a closedbody vehicle is lost due to improper or unplanned

the city, especially for reverse logistics and storage. Similarly, collapsible trollies can

carton-sizes,” enunciates Sanjeev Kumar Khanna in dialogue with POLYMERS Communiqué.

46

POLYMERS Communiqué l October - November 2017

ADDED DIMENSION

Innovative ancillary packaging is

necessary for effective supply chain management in order to achieve benefits, at a minimal cost.

P

ackaging plays an important role in logistics and supply chain management. Packaging has a significant impact

on the cost and productivity of logistics. Inventory control

depends upon the accuracy of manual or automatic identification

systems keyed by product packaging. In fact, accuracy and

efficiency of distribution network and supply chain management systems of packaged goods are greatly influenced by package

identification, configuration and handling ease. Handling efficiency is also affected by package design, unitisation capability and

techniques, and communication or information transfer between channel partners. Transportation and storage costs are driven by

gross weight, size and density of the package. Similarly, effective customer service does depend on the quality of packaging as a

package has to withstand the rigors of the distribution channel.

In India, packaged goods are mainly handled manually. This leads to damaging of packages during handling, storage and

Ancillary Packaging Solutions

Standing Tall

Prof. (Dr.) N. C. Saha Director Indian Institute of Packaging Mumbai

48

POLYMERS Communiqué l October - November 2017

transportation. In order to avoid damages due to

mishandling during distribution and transportation of packaged goods, proper training and education is to be provided to the concerned people in the dispatch section of the company and also to the

manual workers who would be involved in handling operations, storage and the transportation system.

According

to

FnB

News,

supply

chain

management is always considered to be the

central goal of customer satisfaction. Packaging is considered to be an integral part of supply chain

management system. Packaging of goods always affects the quality of the distribution channel.

Business as well as supply chain management

can be enhanced using product traceability.

In the current marketing scenario, traceability becomes highly relevant and important during the entire distribution channel to overcome

the problem of duplicacy and thus to avoid the

distribution of adulterated goods in case of food, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.

In the beginning of 1990s, the rise of internet and other technological advancements led to a sea change in the supply chain management

networks. Due to this, companies started realising the importance of supply chain management

(SCM) and the need of powerful array of strategies which could help companies to implement the

supply chain management system effectively for enhanced visibility and traceability, minimised

wastes and costs, streamlined and integrated operations,

accelerated

‘time-to-customer’

concept and help to avoid ‘stock out’ situation and thus, to improve the overall performance. As a result, companies started investing in supply chain management solutions such as Enterprise

Resource Planning (ERP) to break information silos and to ensure ‘data accuracy and availability’ and also to integrate all the functions of supply chain management system.

Innovative Ancillary Packaging for SCM In order to improve upon the efficiency level of

supply chain management of packaged goods, a number of ancillary packaging innovations like

collapsible crates and bins, slotted angles made

of metal and plastics, slip sheets, collapsible pallet

Returnable Collapsible Plastic Crates The plastic crates are mostly developed from high density polyethylene (HDPE) by means of injection

moulding process. These materials are available in

the Indian market for a long time. These crates are mostly used for storage and transportation of fresh fruits and vegetables. The plastic crates are moisture

resistant, durable and also having advantages for stackability. However, the limitation is that after the dispatch of goods to the destination,

the empty crates are to be returned back to the factory premises for re-use. This causes excessive

transportation cost inspite of the crates being

stacked. In order to reduce the transportation cost, an innovative development has been done wherein

all 4 perforated sides and the base of the plastic crates are dismantled, which occupies less space

and thus, reduces the transport cost substantially.

While reusing, the crates can be fabricated again by using slotted knots as provided in the design. These

crates are used for storage and transportation of large number of goods like milk pouches, fresh fruits

and vegetables, automotive components etc. The crates are reusable and can be used multiple times before they are discarded. Plastic crates come in different varieties such as completely closed crates,

side perforated bottom closed crates and totally

perforated crates. In recent days, the popularity

of plastic crates has increased for fresh fruits and vegetables due to perforations, as perforations

allow ventilation and keeps the product fresh for longer time. Major Indian brands providing

plastic crates are Nilkamal, Aristoplast, Supreme, Time Technoplast etc.

Slotted Angles The slotted angles are also considered to be another

tool for effective supply chain management system.

Slotted angles are also sometimes termed as slotted iron angles. Slotted angle is a system of reusable

metal strips used to construct shelving, frames, work benches, equipment stands and other structures.

The name derives, first, from the use of elongated

slots punched into the metal at uniform intervals to enable assembly of structures fixed with nuts and

bolts and second, from the longitudinal folding of the metal strips to form a right angle. The slotted

bins have been developed and these are also being used in the distribution channel to improve upon the supply chain management system.

POLYMERS Communiqué l October - November 2017

49

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17-81843

OPPORTUNITY ZONE

Good Investment Opportunity

in Plastics Processing The expected per capita

plastics consumption for

2020 is 20 kgs. This statistic

invites attention to the very high growth potential of

plastics packaging industry

in India. Packaging industry

is growing at a pace of 15% per annum and plastics

packaging capture a major share of this.

F

ood being the basic need of

the demand of plastic packaging in India.

food remains as a thrust area for the

due to increase in per capita income,

mankind, any activity related to

society. Governments in power provide all possible support to this segment.

Support

extends

to

production,

preservation, storage and distribution of

food. Plastics play a vital role in storage of food. The storage activity starts immediately after harvesting of the food

grain or fruit. Thus, bulk stored food

then goes for processing and repacking.

In repacking, the role of plastics is more predominant.

Satheesh N. Managing Director Lyka Packaging Pvt. Ltd., Cochin

52

Spending on packaged food is increasing

urbanisation and increase in working woman population. Take away food packs and long duration cold storage

of plastic packs are very commonly seen today.

Plastics have got excellent barrier to oxygen, water and carbon dioxide

and are inert towards acids, alkalis and most solvents. It ensures freshness

and hygiene of the contents and high durability of the items packed. Plastics

As per industry estimates, 35 - 40% of

can be made resealable, reusable, they

wasted due to deficient infrastructure

rigid packs, innovative designs etc.

Plastics find applications in packaging

packaging

the food products produced in India are

can be moulded into desirable shapes,

and lack of food processing capabilities.

thus

which

handling,

protects

the

longevity

and

resulting

that

in

consumer-friendly

provides

disposal,

ease

storage

in

etc.

quality of food and can reduce the post-harvest losses.

Since packaged food is the fastest growing segment, it is expected to fuel

POLYMERS Communiqué l October - November 2017

BIG SCOPE

Export Opportunities for Plastic Packaging Products from India

T

he two basic product types offered

Rigid packaging has led and is expected

are rigid and flexible packaging.

packaging market. However, one of

by global plastic packaging industry

There is a huge export

potential for plastic packaging products out of India to the international market which

is vastly untapped and China occupies a predominant

position. The major market for plastic packaging products is

USA, Europe, Middle East and Australia; while competition being mainly from China,

Turkey, Vietnam and Malaysia.

The products can be produced by any manufacturing process; be it injection,

extrusion, blow or roto moulding. Blow and roto moulded products have very little export potential due to the high

volume they occupy. Thus, the freight

component will make them unviable to be shipped across the globe.

Export of packaging products essentially comprise

of

injection

or

extrusion

based. They find application in food and

beverages, industrial packaging, household

packaging market currently is the

growing demand for flexible packaging.

This form of packaging is finding greater scope of use in multiple applications; thanks to developments that have

increased their tensile strength and

toughness. Flexible packaging also offers

storage of greater volume of products in smaller spaces as it takes up minimum space and weight when compared to its content.

The Global Scenario

is the driving force for the global plastic

expected to expand at a CAGR of 5.3%

Expansion of food and beverage industry packaging market. Plastics offer a cleaner, tougher and more appealing form of

industry; thereby, generating quick rate

54

the key drivers augmenting the global

products, personal care, medical etc.

packaging for the food and beverage

Lalit Agrawal Director Ostern Pvt. Ltd. Kolkata

to continue leading the global plastic

of growth in demand worldwide. The

The global plastic packaging market is within a forecast period of 2013 - 2020, in terms of revenue. The revenue is expected to touch USD 370 billion by the end of 2020. Therefore, there is a huge export

physical advantage that plastics provide

in terms of strength and durability cannot

currently be equated by any other material for the same price.

POLYMERS Communiqué l October - November 2017

KNOW MORE

T

o discuss the topic of packaging strategies and supply chain impact, it may be adequate to start

with some definitions. First one may ask what

supply chain management is. There are several definitions

available. A broad and commonly accepted definition is provided by the Council of Supply Chain Management

Professionals and states, ‘SCM - Supply Chain Management

encompasses the planning and management of all activities involved in sourcing, procurement, conversion and logistics management. It also includes coordination and collaboration with channel partners, which may be

suppliers, intermediaries, third-party service providers and customers. Supply chain management integrates supply and demand management within and across companies.

The loosely coupled, self-organising network of businesses that cooperate to provide product and service offerings Dr. Carl Olsmats Vice President Packaging Science and Economics World Packaging Organization (WPO) USA

has been called the Extended Enterprise’.

What is packaging in this context? Packaging can be described as the technology of enclosing or protecting products for distribution, storage, sale and use. From a functional point of view, packaging contains, protects, preserves, informs, sells and enables handling, storage

Understanding Packaging Strategies

and the Supply Chain Impact

Supply chain integration is a key packaging strategy to fulfill the holistic packaging mission to save more resources than it costs.

56

POLYMERS Communiqué l October - November 2017

and transportation. Packaging can also

to optimise the total packaging solution.

components and materials are moved

used as a carrier in manufacturing

used, contribute to sustainability at

adequate packaging size, type and

have extended functions like being

processes, offering convenience and

facilitating consumption, and being a part of security solutions to s afeguard

tampering,

product

quality,

pilferage

and

prevent theft.

Packaging can also be described as a coordinated system of preparing goods for transport, warehousing, logistics, sale and end use.

Packaging may be of several different types.

For

example,

transportation

or distribution packages, retail and consumer packages. They come in many different shapes like bottles,

boxes, bags, sacks to adapt both, the product being packed like liquid or dry

food, consumer goods, pharmaceutical, building

materials,

bulk

goods,

cosmetics, machinery and so on, and

to adapt to the logistics, manufacturing

and consumption environment. Plastics is often combined with other materials such as paper and

board,

metal, glass and wood

POLYMERS Communiqué l October - November 2017

Ultimately, packaging can, if adequately a higher level like product, company,

sector or society and can also, in line

with WPO mission, contribute to better quality of life for more people.

downstream in the supply chain, the function will change. Components or sub-assemblies, as an example, can

be shipped in primary and secondary packaging

between

a

first-tier

supplier and an assembly plant. This

Relevance of Packaging in SCM

packaging

is

then

removed

(and

presumably later recycled or reused)

In the supply chain context, it is also

relevant to categorise packages by layer or function: ‘primary’, ‘secondary’,

‘tertiary’ etc. Primary packaging is the material that first envelops the

product and holds it. This is usually the

at the assembly plant where a new

primary and secondary pack will be added at some work station in the assembly line, to suit the assembled product

and

the

distribution channels.

anticipated

smallest unit of distribution and is the

So, what role can packaging play in a SCM

the contents. Secondary packaging

packaging is typically an item that is out-

package which is in direct contact with

is outside the primary packaging and may be used to prevent pilferage and/

or to group primary packages together for more efficient distribution. Tertiary packaging is typically used for bulk handling,

warehouse

storage

and

shipping. The most common form is a

palletised unit load, sometimes shrink or stretch wrapped.

As

products,

context. Firstly, we can conclude that sourced to a very large extent and involves

integration and communication within

and across companies, i.e. key aspects of SCM. Supply chain networks have also

evolved over the years to become more international, larger and more complex.

This development has been boosted

by a number of factors such as political developments and trade agreements

reducing tariffs and barriers, business

57

development

within

logistics

and

transport, and technical development in

IT

and

remain

telecommunications.

competitive,

actors

such

supply

as

To

chain

manufacturers,

brand owners, component suppliers, intermediaries, logistics service providers

packaging and

A

for

obtained by

specialisation To

the to

this

a

and

market.

pre-requisite is

efficient

where

packaging and logistics

must be smaller than the

gains in

packaging

the

adequate manner.

58

supply

on

a

key role. The costs for

support

provide

to

packaging can play a

the supply chain. potential

business,

extent

logistics,

specialisation in

electrostatic discharge, compression and temperature.

the

obtained supply

efficient

system

following

by

chain.

logistics,

needs

in

an

vapour, dust, bacteria etc. Some packages or oxygen absorbers to help extend shelf-life, others use nanotechnology.

Modified atmospheres or controlled atmospheres

are

also

maintained

in some food packages to extend shelf-life

Contents

and

should

preserve be

kept

quality. clean,

fresh, safe and also sterile in some

cases. Packaging barriers may also enable and to

room

transport

resource

and refrigeration.

Small objects are typically grouped together in one package for reasons of handling, storage and selling efficiency.

Barrier Protection

are even active and contain desiccants

core

operate

demand

potential gains

Agglomeration

from e.g. mechanical shock, vibration,

and

global

smaller than the

It needs to provide physical protection

Barrier protection against oxygen, water

larger

logistics must be

liquids, powders and granular materials.

and retailers focus on their

The costs for

Physical Protection

The product and component multiples

will have to vary across the supply chain for best efficiency and effectiveness.

This is also related to manufacturing processes where, in many cases, batches

of products are produced in economic order quantities. Multiples must also be adopted to turnover in different retail channels, where hyper market stores require larger multiples than small service stores.

Information Transmission

temperature

storage

Packages

consuming

cooling

or dispose off the package or product.

as

an

alternative

Containment This is necessary for some products like

and

labels

communicate

how to use, transport, handle, recycle In some sectors like pharmaceuticals, food,

medical

legal

requirements.

products,

there

and

are

chemical

typically

also

Information

is

POLYMERS CommuniquÊ l October - November 2017

sometimes used for track-and-trace purposes, and many items include their serial and lot numbers on

the packaging. An expiry / best-before date is also very common. Information may be printed or more

sophisticated technologies such as RFID maybe used to create ‘smart and intelligent’ packaging.

Marketing Packaging

and

labels

are

often

designed

to

reflect the brand’s message and identity using both, graphic and physical design. Marketers use packaging as a tool to encourage potential buyers to purchase a product.

Security Packaging can play an important role in reducing the security risks of shipment. Packages can be

made with improved tamper resistance to deter

manipulation and they can also have tamper-evident features. Packages can be engineered to help

reduce the risks of package pilferage or theft and re-sale of products.

Convenience Packages can have features that add convenience in distribution, handling, stacking, display, sale, opening, reclosing, using, dispensing, reusing, recycling and ease of disposal.

Sizing and Portion Control Single serving or single dosage packaging has a precise amount of content to control usage and match needs. Package sizes has to be adopted to various

demands

the supply chain.

and

user

requirements

across

Volume and Weight Efficiency Lean packages need to be in adequate modular sizes to adapt to carriers and storage facilities so as to obtain

high volume and weight utilisation. This implies that the primary pack is correctly designed so as to maximise

shipping container utilisation bearing in mind also secondary pack sizes. Packaging pallet configuration design systems can be very useful in this context.

Understanding Changing Dynamics of Supply Chain Performance Purchasing strategies have also changed over the

POLYMERS Communiqué l October - November 2017

HBR Pages

The Problem With

Product Proliferation Unmanaged innovation leads to excessive operational complexity. What’s needed is product integration. An honest assessment of your customer and employee difficulties will indicate which way you are headed.

R

oyal Philips, the Netherlands’ most valuable brand, has long been a leader

Presented by POLYMERS Communiqué in syndication with Harvard Business Review

60

in product innovation. But in the first 10 years of the new millennium, the

company’s revenue plunged 40%, profits for the decade were wiped out,

and its market capitalisation fell significantly. What went wrong?

The problem, it turned out, was excessive innovation. In the early 2000s, executives expanded the company’s product portfolio, through in-house

POLYMERS Communiqué l October - November 2017

development and acquisitions, to encompass an extraordinary array of new

products and services. In 2003, Philips was the top patent filer in Europe and

among the top 10 in the United States. Innovations included energy-efficient

light bulbs, medical scanners, web-enabled cameras, chipsets for in-car entertainment systems, software offerings and product-related services. By 2011, Philips was active in over 60 product categories.

However, since Philips had allowed business leaders in various product lines and geographies to design stand-alone systems to support their products and customers, business complexity - in supply chain, sales and marketing, product

development and administrative processes - increased significantly, leading to much higher expenses. Complexity also led, not surprisingly, to greater customer and employee difficulties. For example, healthcare customers buying medical

scanners and related software and services had to work with multiple account

managers and received multiple invoices. Employees struggled to navigate the over 10,000 information and technology applications, including 60 enterprise resource planning systems, that had sprung up.

What Hurts the Company Most?

Welcome to the dark side of innovation. Every time customers have to enter the same data twice, have inconsistent experiences when interacting with different

parts of the business or are forced to contact multiple people to get something done, it hurts the company. Every time employees cannot access important

customer information or have to wait for decisions and approvals by multiple

people in multiple departments, it hurts the company. It can even destroy a business, as almost happened with Royal Philips.

Customers and front-line employees are well aware of the problems that product variety can introduce. Leaders, however, tend to focus exclusively on

Executive Summary Innovation is often seen as the engine of growth, but there is a dark side: Authors Martin Mocker

Professor of Information Systems

Reutlingen University’s ESB Business School and

Research Affiliate

Unmanaged innovation frequently leads to excessive business complexity - in

supply chain, sales and marketing, product development, IT and administrative processes - leading to higher expenses and difficulties for customers and employees. Every time customers are asked to enter the same data twice, have

inconsistent experiences when interacting with different parts of the business or are forced to contact multiple people to get something done, it hurts the

MIT Sloan Center for Information Systems

company. Every time employees cannot access important information or their

Jeanne W. Ross

destroy a business.

Research

Director of and a Principal Research Scientist Center for Information Systems Research MIT Sloan School of Management

© 2017 Harvard Business School Publishing Corp.

POLYMERS Communiqué l October - November 2017

decisions get derailed by silos, it hurts the company. Excess innovation can even The authors offer three guidelines to address this problem: Focus on product integration rather than proliferation, make sure that product developers are in close touch with customer-facing employees, and define your purpose in a way that will guide decision making.

61

switching channels?

the potential benefits. The desire to be first to market with a new product - or to quickly replicate

a competitor’s offering - blinds companies to

the potential downside of adding to the product portfolio. Most companies do assess the potential for cannibalisation of other products, but few consider the costs of added complexity.

Is Your Business Too Complex?

The dark side of innovation may not be immediately

reflected in financial performance indicators. So, we recommend that you track difficulties your

customers and employees face as a leading indicator of financial performance.

To gauge the level of complexity in your business, ask yourself the following questions. ‘Yes’ answers signal brewing problems.

Cross-functional teams provide

Employees NN

insights into end-

to-end processes,

Do employees have to access several systems or use manual workarounds to accomplish a task?

NN

Do they have to contact multiple people to get their jobs done?

which can greatly ease customer

NN

difficulties.

NN

Do they have trouble identifying the appropriate in-house experts when needed?

and employee

Do they frequently have to stop tasks to wait for decisions or seek approval?

Customers NN

Do customers have to contact multiple people or call centres for each product and service?

NN

Are different logins required to access different

NN

Is the customer experience inconsistent from one part of the enterprise to another?

The Survey To examine this problem, we surveyed 255 senior executives and studied seven companies in depth

through interviews with 72 executives. We found that on an average, product variety is not correlated with company profitability - but it is correlated with customer and employee difficulties. The bottom line:

The more potentially value-generating innovations you add to your company’s product portfolio, the more value-destroying complexity you are likely to

embed in your business. We offer three guidelines for addressing this problem. Refer figure below.

Focus on Integration, Not Variety Our research shows that product integration, unlike

product variety, is related to better performance and does not create challenges for customers

and employees. There are many ways to integrate

products: Cross-selling and bundling are obvious

options. Companies can also integrate by enriching products with information and offering services

that help solve customers’ problems. We found that efforts to provide integrated customer service had the potential to limit complexity.

Integration-focused innovation demands more internal coordination than siloed approaches do,

but when systems and processes are designed

products and services online?

NN

Do customers have to provide the same data multiple times during interactions or when

It’s our country, let’s keep it clean!

62

POLYMERS Communiqué l October - November 2017

Polymers Communique: 10 Yrs - 26 cm (H) x 18 cm (W)

Celebrating

Years 10 years back we started with a Vision of providing “COMPLETE SOLUTIONS� to plastic processors worldwide.

Today; our 25 product groups with more than 100 variants and 10,000 plus installations encourage us to strive more.

We sincerely thank every one for their continued support

Nu-Vu Conair Pvt. Ltd. Plot No. 147 & 148, Devraj Industrial Park, Piplaj-Pirana Road, Piplaj, Ahmedabad - 382405 T: +91 79 2970 8147, +91 97129 28201, +91 90990 76206 E: marketingindia@conairgroup.com | W: www.conairgroup.com/india www.facebook.com/nuvuconair

buildbrand 09426051465

during these 10 glorious years.

R

TAKE OFF

Comprehension, Customisation and Cost-effectiveness

Basis for Customer Delight “One has to be always

innovative, bring in latest developments, remain

updated and introduce new features at a very fast pace,” conveys S. V. Kabra (SV) in dialogue with

POLYMERS Communiqué.

Q. Kabra has embarked on a slew of expansions and diversifications. Any specific reasons on this approach.

SV: We have been in business for over 5

decades

and

achieved

several

milestones in terms of technology offerings

and

new

developments

based on demands of the industry.

We

developed

several

applications

which have been commercialised very successfully. We looked at possible opportunities in two separate areas -

our own product portfolio and new growth markets.

S. V. Kabra Chairman Kabra ExtrusionTechnik Mumbai

66

We are expanding in product range of raw material automation management,

double wall compound pipe machinery

and pipe socketing equipment to support

POLYMERS Communiqué l October - November 2017

“The major differentiation

is our ability to understand basic processes very well and offer customisation

based on precise needs of

our customers,” says Anand Kabra (AK) during

an interaction with

Anand Kabra Managing Director Kabra ExtrusionTechnik, Mumbai

POLYMERS Communiqué. our larger customer base in the plastic

Pipe socketing machines are offered in

in terms of business volume over the

these joint ventures bring state-of-the-art

pipe market who have grown significantly years. They need equipment that can support further expansion and take their own efficiency to the next level.

The packaging market is growing rapidly

and, therefore, the masterbatch industry has also been growing. Our experience

in machinery building for compounding industry offers high-end machinery at competitive

prices.

Additionally,

we

decided to offer plastic sheet extrusion

lines in addition to our established range of blown film lines.

In the end, expansion will help our own growth by addition of new products.

Q. For the benefits of the readers of POLYMERS Communiqué, can you please summarise on these new advances?

AK: We have collaborated with Unicor

collaboration with Mecanor, Finland. All technology to India.

Q. With the JVs planned, is technology transfer the way forward?

AK: No. Technology transfer limits the improvements and innovations. Therefore,

all our co-operations are manufacturing JVs taking care of new developments as joint efforts with partners, not only for Indian sub-continent market, but also for rest of the world markets.

Q. The three biggest benefits that you think your customers will enjoy with these initiatives?

SV: High-end technology available at affordable prices, higher efficiency and

excellent after-sales service backup due to our valuable resources.

Q. What is your vision on the raw material automation solutions? What is your product differentiation?

AK: Indian industry has transformed into

a high-volume industry in most market

segments. Handling larger volume is

labour intensive and material wastage can be higher. With labour costs rising

under given fierce competition in the industry, it is important for plastic

processors to focus on reduction of costs and smart management of raw

materials. Several large companies have already installed such solutions either sourced within India or from overseas.

However, these solutions also need to be efficient from the technology viewpoint. Our Joint Venture Company,

Penta Auto Feeding India Ltd. brings this benefit. Being supplier of major machinery for extrusion for decades, for us this is an extension of service to

customers and commitment to work

equipment for double wall corrugated

Q. How do you see the market responding with KABRA Extrusion getting into newer areas?

as well as other markets. Penta Auto

SV: Initial interactions are very promising.

The major differentiation is our ability

with Penta S.r.l. Italy for automation in

larger companies to develop these

and offer customisation based on precise

GmbH, pipes

Germany

for

the

for

manufacturing

Indian

manufactures

Feeding India Ltd. is a joint venture storage and conveying for all powder applications

for

PVC,

masterbatch,

food and pharmaceutical industry. We have a long association with Battenfeld

Cincinnati and in their collaboration, we are offering sheet extrusion lines for polypropylene, polystyrene and PET.

POLYMERS Communiqué l October - November 2017

We were being approached by several capabilities and they are very happy with

our foray into these segments. Especially for pipe extrusion segment, we have now

a complete end-to-end package solution

towards offering efficient solutions as they also grow.

to understand basic processes very well

needs of our customers. I foresee that

raw material management will become

mandatory like testing equipment for any

for our customers under one roof and this

is very interesting for our clients in India as well as overseas.

67

SIVARAM SPEAKS

T

he principles underlying fuel cell operations at low and high temperatures for converting hydrogen and oxygen to electricity were

discussed in the earlier issues of POLYMERS

Communiqué magazine (June - July 2017 and August - September 2017).

Emerging Applications of Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells

Fascinating World of Invisible Polymers

Fuel cells extract electricity from the chemical reaction of hydrogen and oxygen to generate

water. This is a redox reaction which occurs when a positive anode is connected to a negative cathode

through an external circuit. When hydrogen is oxidised at the anode and the oxygen is reduced

at the cathode, electrons flow through the circuit.

Fuel cell requires a continuous supply of ‘fuel’

which is hydrogen and oxygen, unlike a battery which merely stores the electrical energy. Fuel cell

The biggest barrier to widespread

deployment of fuel cell is its cost. Both, technology improvements as well as

manufacturing scales will be needed to bring substantial cost reduction.

Dr. S. Sivaram Former Director, CSIR-NCL Honorary Professor and INSA Senior Scientist Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune

70

Figure 1: 1 MW power generation facility using PEM fuel cell at Solvay, Belgium.

POLYMERS Communiqué l October - November 2017

use a polymer membrane which serves two functions: it selectively transports the ions between the electrodes and

the space shuttles and UTC has been the sole suppliers to NASA1.

Fuel Cell Applications

mixing can be detrimental to the

three types of applications, namely,

through so that they do not mix. Such

Fuel cells are essentially targeted for

performance of the fuel cells. Polymers,

NN

fuel cell.

and

technology received its largest impetus Electric developed the first commercial fuel

cell

jointly

with

NASA

and

McDonnel aircraft for the Gemini project between 1965 - 68. Pratt and Whitney (United

Technologies

Corporation,

UTC) licensed a technology developed

by Professor Francis Thomas Bacon of the University of Cambridge in UK and

mounted a development effort with over 1000 scientists and engineers and

over USD 100 million R&D cost in 1960 to

Stationary power needs, ranging from a few kW to hundreds of kW,

Commercial development of fuel cell

from the US space programme. General

Small and portable power needs in the 0.1 to 200 W range,

NN

NN

Mobile

power

needs,

ranging

from 50 - 100 kW for automotive applications2.

Depending on the targeted applications,

the configuration of cells, stacks and systems

are

substantially

different.

Several trade-offs must be considered while

optimising

the

design

of

the system which includes system

complexity, parasitic power, durability needs, size, weight and cost per kW.

Small and Portable Power Needs

take the historic ‘small step’ on the

fuel cells, much attention was paid to

enabled

Neil

Armstrong

to

In the early years of development of

moon on 20th July, 1969. The fuel cells

their applications in portable devices

delivered 400 kWh of power along

with drinking water for the astronauts and humidifying the atmosphere of the spacecraft. Fuel cells have been

the staple power supply mode for all subsequent NASA missions, including

like self-powered sensors, cell phones,

cameras, laptops and power tools

(Micro Fuel Cells). They use methanol as the fuel (also called Direct Methanol Fuel

Cells,

DMFC).

However,

this

application has failed to deliver on its promise on account of two reasons; rechargeable lithium

ion

or

or

non-rechargeable

zinc–air

batteries

have proven to be more convenient energy storage system for such

applications and

secondly,

DMFC has been plagued

persistent yet

by

a

and

unsolved

problem

crossover

performing polymer membrane which

does not allow methanol to pass

through from the anode compartment to the cathode is still awaited.

Stationary Power Needs Stationary and auxiliary power needs constitute the next major potential for deployment of fuel cells. They can be employed as stand-by or back-

up power sources requiring rapid

switching of power. In locations where surplus hydrogen is available, fuel

cell offers a method to create value out of hydrogen. A chlor-alkali plant

which generates caustic and chlorine is a case in point (Refer Figure 1).

Such applications will need thousands

of hours of continuous operation at fairly high cell voltages and modest current densities. By the very nature

install three power plants for Apollo 11 which

fuel utilisation efficiency and voltage

losses at the fuel cell cathode. A better

prevents hydrogen or oxygen to pass

thus, form a critical component of the

polymer membrane, resulting in poor

of

of this application, stationary fuel cells will demand high energy efficiencies,

reliability and long lifetime. This will require

polymer

materials

exhibit minimum degradation.

which

Mobile Tower Power Needs In

the

Indian

context,

fuel

cell

applications in this area are slated for replacing diesel generators (poor conversion efficiency to power and high

environmental

pollution

due

to emissions of sulfur and nitrous

oxides) in stand-by power applications in areas such as mobile towers, apartment and office complexes (Refer

Figure 2), commercial establishments and the like. The use of fuel cell as auxiliary

power

supply

system

is

already attracting the attention of mobile tower operators in India. India has about half a million mobile towers

today which is rapidly growing in

of

m e t h a n o l across

the

Figure 2: 1 kW combined heat and power generation facility for residences (Panasonic).

POLYMERS Communiqué l October - November 2017

71

Weekend Delights Friday night to Monday morning, a time to unwind, rejuvenate and be geared to face another grueling week. Each one of us use this ‘my time’ is different ways. And why not, weekend is a time for expressing ourselves. We all have known the personalities featured here as astute business stalwarts; as life is more than just business, we at POLYMERS Communiqué, have started a new section called ‘WEEKEND DELIGHTS’. Live life...

Vijay Merchant Chairman

Polycraft Group

I look forward to being with dear friends, all senior citizens, who slog it out on weekends on the CCI tennis courts. We try to forget all the highs and lows of the working week, focus on playing hard to win and sweat it out for 2 or 3 hours under floodlit courts. This is followed by a refreshing shower and then stepping out smartly dressed for drinks and dinner. It is 8 or 10 of us chatting away, sharing our perceptions of the week’s events around the globe, laughing it out with our two-bit opinions, many times outrageous, till the club dims the lights to tell us, ‘Go home now, it is bedtime!’.

Anurag Jain Director

APPL Industries Ltd.

It’s the weekend that clears the rust of the week!!

Saturdays are working for me and so is sometimes Sunday too. But, generally on weekends, the best part is that I can be out of my office formal attires. Phew!

And often I do Sunday brunches with friends and family.

Sometimes I add activities like golf, kick-boxing and joining my friend on his Harely Davidson for Sunday rides. Yes! I do indulge in retail therapy which is essential for all the gentlemen and advisable for PC (POLYMERS Communiqué) readers. Sometimes, on weekends, I drive down to my second home in Lonavala, close to Pune and make the most of it.

Ajay Shah

President - Polymer Chain Reliance Industries Ltd.

Weekend relaxation is transformed from the office desk to tables of a different kind - table tennis with friends on Saturday and a ‘Bridge Game’ on Sundays!

It is refreshing to keep both the physical and mental faculties sharpened. Inconsistency in this weekend schedule is the only regret. Rest of the weekend is family time.

Ashok Jajodia

Managing Director

Uma Cosmoplastics Pvt. Ltd.

The hobby I developed over the years with my son is playing pool. We used to play together at games centre and later decided to have a pool table in our own weekend home. I love spending time on the pool table which gives me concentration and I get relaxed with no mobile phone around. Have passion of cooking Thai and Italian dishes and occasionally, the entire dinner is cooked by me at home.

Jayesh Khimji Rambhia Managing Director

Premsons Plastics Pvt. Ltd.

I learn one new skill every year. You grow old when you stop learning. I am PADI certified adventure scuba diver. I have learnt skiing recently.

Archery is another activity that I am fond of. These activities make up for my free time and weekends.

THE BUZZ

Industry Abuzz

Due to Plastindia 2018 T

he excitement is palpable within the plastics industry as Plastindia Foundation presents the next edition of its marquee event, ‘PLASTINDIA 2018’ to the world.

With just about 100 days remaining for PLASTINDIA 2018, most

surely, every exhibitor will be striving heard to showcase their best

to the sea of visitors who would be converging at Ahmedabad -

Gandhinagar to stay abreast of the latest in the plastics industry. It is an event that the world waits for, due to the plethora of opportunities that India has to offer.

The feedback from the exhibitors and stakeholders clearly implies that Plastindia exhibitions mean a lot to them, as it means a lot

to their business! The brand and the nostalgia attached with the brand is amazing; it is an event that binds people, while propelling

the industry into newer orbits. Right from its inception, Plastindia

exhibitions have been more than just a mere event for the industry - to some it is the platform to launch, to others it is the platform to network, for still others it is the platform to finalise ventures and to most, it is the platform for business; the common line clearly being that Plastindia events provide ‘the platform’.

For stakeholders of the plastics industry, Plastindia exhibitions have always been the ‘Mecca’ to visit, interact, connect and transact!

76

POLYMERS Communiqué l October - November 2017

PLASTINDIA is an internationally acclaimed

event drawing large number of visitors from India

has

been

incredible

across the globe. We look forward to this

for

mega event to showcase our products that are

Reifenhäuser in many aspects. The

packaged with technological advancements. We have

culture, people and the way how

been a regular exhibitor in this show for over 2 decades.

business is being taken forward are

Being a machinery manufacturer, our expectation from

exceptional and inspiring. At PLASTINDIA, all of

the organisers is better visibility to our exhibits. Also,

these things come together. Over the years, the

we hope for better promotion of the event to larger

exhibition has grown constantly in all of these

audience in order to attract serious business visitors not

aspects, which also translates into growing

only from Gujarat owing to proximity of the exhibition

business. Therefore, Reifenhäuser is looking

location, but from other parts of India as well.

forward to be a part of another great show at

Kailas P. Managing Director Toshiba Machine (Chennai) Pvt. Ltd.

the upcoming PLASTINDIA in 2018.

Eugen Friedel Director Sales Reifenhäuser Blown Film GmbH

Borouge has participated in PLASTINDIA since 2000, even before we commenced production in Abu Dhabi and it was here

where we first announced to the Indian

plastics industry that Borouge was on the map.

It’s a wonderful place to showcase new products.

During the 2018 exhibition, we will present Anteo™,

our new Borstar® bimodal terpolymer film sealing

solution which we launched globally in October with our parent company, Borealis. As usual,

PLASTINDIA 2018 promises to be a great show for

Borouge. We invite your readers to visit our stand and learn how we can support them.

Laurence Jones VP Marketing Centre Packaging Borouge Pte. Ltd.

PLASTINDIA

exhibition

is the No. 1 exhibition in India and probably,

globally 3rd best after

K Fair and CHINAPLAS. It

provides the largest platform

for all plastics fraternity: raw material

producers, processing machinery manufacturers,

additive

and

masterbatch suppliers, tool makers

and finished product manufacturers to meet and network their latest

innovations in their respective fields.

IndianOil

would

be

showcasing

grades from the polymer basket with special focus on recently introduced value-added grades. The new PP plant capability which is coming

up at Paradip, Odisha would also be displayed at the IndianOil stall.

PLASTINDIA is a platform which not only impresses the exhibitors,

but the visitors too. Probably it’s the only show of its kind in India,

Dhananjay Sahoo Dy. General Manager (TS) Petrochemicals, IOCL

ensuring the quality of footfall inspite of chargeable entry.

We have blocked our calendar towards participation being a multinational, fully integrated flexible and packaging material and solution company.

Looking forward to effective utilisation of this platform so as to showcase

our ever-increasing range of converting machines; not only to Indians, but to foreign delegates too.

POLYMERS Communiqué l October - November 2017

Sanjay M. Sabharwal Executive Vice President Uflex Ltd. (Engineering Division)

77

OUT-OF-THE-BOX

Human resource plays an indispensable role in promoting a

corporate culture that is receptive to sustainable business practices leading to economic, social and environmental sustainability.

An Enabler in Building

T

Sustainable Business Practices

he term sustainability is broad, forwardlooking

and

stakeholder-oriented.

Historically, sustainability practices is not a

future and moving towards a sustainable and inclusive business.

core component of business strategy. However,

Often, organisations fail to implement sustainable

of organisations identify sustainability as a key

sustainable

acknowledge its role in building brand value and

and involvement of employees at all levels as

attracting capital, increasing competitiveness,

institutionalise sustainability and integration with

as well as achieving long-term sustainability.

make a commitment and form a sustainability

in the present-day scenario, increasing number

business practices. Key challenges for implementing

differentiator for competitive advantage. They

support from leadership, limited understanding

reputation, ensuring public and stakeholder trust,

well as absence of systems and processes that

driving innovation, attracting and retaining talent

business strategy. Although many organisations

It

strategy, its implementation, measurement and

encompasses

this

convergence

without

compromising the needs of the present as

well as taking into account the needs of the

business

practices

are

lack

of

integration often becomes difficult.

Considering these, HR can be a key enabler in driving sustainable business practices at all levels of the organisation.

Dr. Naveen Malhotra Group Head HR & CC Sintex Industries Ltd., Kalol

80

The Practices How HR and Sustainability are connected? What

are Sustainable Workplace Practices? And How Can They Benefit the Company’s Bottom Line?

POLYMERS Communiqué l October - November 2017

HR plays a pivotal role in implementing

of the ‘best and brightest’ across every

setting the right examples and direction

business

companies that put ethics over profit

leadership to drive the sustainability

sustainable

practices.

practices’

consideration social

and

to

‘Sustainable

means

the

giving

economic,

environmental

impact

of a company’s business practices -

industry are interested in working for

and work to create a better world. This may enrich the talent pool.

for the organisation. HR must align their

agenda. It is important for HR to create

a leadership pipeline aligned to the

sustainability philosophy to carry forward

both, internally and externally - when

making business decisions. It differs

HR - An Enabler to Integrate Sustainability

from the term ‘sustainable workplace practices’,

HR can set the momentum for adoption

and maintaining a safe, healthy and

of more sustainable practices. Since recruitment, onboarding, and training are

Creation of an Appropriate Organisation Structure

integral functions of HR, HR professionals

An organisation structure, to drive the

can make sure that sustainability is

sustainability

ingrained into new employees’ view of

clear accountability, performance and

the company from the very beginning.

deliverables to be instituted by HR in

HR can also encourage sustainable

line with the sustainable business goals.

practices

Creating Agile Organisation

which

means

creating

functional workplace.

Workplace Practices To sustain a safe, healthy and functional

workplace, an organisation must put in place, practical and efficient work processes to minimise the impact on employee

production.

Sustainable

throughout

lifecycles and daily tasks.

employee

HR Practices Have an Impact

and overall well-being of the workforce.

the sustainability of a company. HR can

Practices of this nature include wellness programmes

and

stress-reducing

strategies, providing wellness-related benefits etc. Maintaining a sustainable workplace

also

means

minimising

external environmental impact.

HR practices can have an impact on engage employees with sustainability

by introducing programmes, asking for employee feedback and ideas. Thus, creating a culture where employees are really living sustainably.

Create a Sustainable Vision and Mission

Employment Practices Examples of sustainable employment

Vision, mission and values identify an

programmes

enduring success, maintain a strong

balance

organisation. Organisations that enjoy

working hours, career development

sense of purpose and core values

a motivated and engaged workforce

business strategies driven by an external

with competencies.

for organisations to incorporate the

practices

include

programmes, and

work-life

such

initiatives

empowering

as

to

flexible

the future.

agenda,

incorporating

Sustainability itself involves a change

workplace practices go beyond what is required by law and ensure longevity

the organisation’s vision and mission in

in

the

need

to

organisation’s

continuous change

create

mindset.

mechanisms

learning

management

and

HR for

effective

within

the

organisation. Transparent and extensive

communication for an agile and open organisation

as

well,

creating

the

employer brand. HR to ensure that the

following two important capabilities be incorporated in the culture of the organisation: NN

Ability of the organisation to learn from the environment and past experiences.

NN

Ability to quickly adapt to changing

maintain

around sustainability despite changes in

employees

environment. Hence, it is important

Developing Employees to Enhance Their Skills for the Future

sustainability agenda into core values,

Employees expect to increase their

To begin with, an organisation cannot

for an organisation. They believe that

The HR and Sustainability Connect Sustainability Affects Morale Companies that focus on sustainability are often viewed more favourably by a

potential employee, which can affect the way that employees feel about

working for the company and even

purpose and the envisioned future. implement

sustainable

business

practices if it does not espouse them

in its ethos and philosophy. It needs

to define a vision and mission that describes

its

commitment

sustainable business practices.

towards

about interacting with the company.

Building of an Aligned Leadership Pipeline

may also help to attract top talent. Many

employees and hence, play a key role in

the way that customers or clients feel Touting sustainability as a core value

POLYMERS Communiqué l October - November 2017

internal and external environment.

knowledge and skills while working employers training

should

provide

programmes

to

formal

them

to

address any skill gaps. The HR function can play a key role in identifying skill gaps, if any, in the organisation and

devise training programmes that can

Leaders are role models for other

81

FABRICATION PROCESSES

Choose Your Best Answer

Mastermind: Prof. (Dr.) D. D. Kale

A quick check on how updated you are, a few not so difficult questions.

A 3-minute quiz...give it a try!

1.

Bottles and other simple hollow shaped parts are generally

5.

made by...

above melting point of resin

The parison forming from

6.

may result in...

d) Blowing air through a pin

1: d; 2: a; 3: a; 4: b; 5: d; 6: a; 7: c; 8: d; 9: b; 10: c; 11: c; 12: b;

viscosity of resin

moulding is excessively high, it 7.

84

11.

8.

The thermoplastic raw material for thermoforming process is generally...

a) A number of small strips b) Pellets of larger size with adhesive

c) Injection moulding

c) Bundles of fibres

d) Blow moulding process

d) Finely ground powder

minor axis is 5 R.P.M., the can be...

hollow tanks are generally made

d) Thermoforming

If the rotational speed around speed around major axis

Seamless and stress-free large

c) Rotational moulding

blowing needle

b) Thermoforming process

take place

a) 5 R.P.M. b) 10 R.P.M. c) 18 or 19 R.P.M.

b) Injection moulding process

d) May pose difficulty in inserting the

a) Extrusion process

d) Lubricating of mould can

a) Extrusion process

it is blown

generally by...

damage to the part being made

by...

c) Moulded part may rupture as

be shaped into discrete parts

during heating and it prevents

the cavity

If the temperature of the blow

The thermoplastic sheets can

c) Air pressure does not build up

b) Injecting the hot resin into

b) Part may stick to the mould walls

4.

b) Weight of the mould is reduced

heated material is pushed into

c) Gravity flow of resin due to low

provided in the mould so that... fill the mould completely

In thermoforming process, the

a) Vacuum

d) Casting process

In rotomoulding, air vent is

a) Vacuum can be applied in order to

the cavity with the help of...

process

become very thin

10.

melting point of resin

c) Reaction injection moulding

a) Wall of moulded part may

d) Pressures above 20 atmospheres

temperature, but below the

molten resin is usually carried

b) Thermoforming process

3.

c) Pressures above 10 atmospheres

c) Heated to the temperature 50° C d) Heated above glass transition

out under...

b) Around atmospheric pressure

above melting point of resin

d) Blow moulding process

Rotational moulding is carried a) Reduced pressure or vacuum

the resin

c) Injection moulding process

a) Extrusion process

9.

b) Heated to the temperature 30° C

b) Thermoforming process

out using...

sheet or film is...

a) Heated to the melting point of

a) Extrusion process

2.

In thermoforming process, the

d) 25 R.P.M.

12.

In mould casting process, the liquid resin is...

a) Injected into the mould b) Poured into the mould at atmospheric pressure

c) Pushed into the mould using vacuum

d) Stretched into the mould under high pressure

POLYMERS Communiqué l October - November 2017

Editor: Prof. (Dr.) N. C. Saha (Director - IIP) - 9819996630 For Advertisement and Articles Contact: Asst. Editor: Bhushan Surpur (Assistant Director) - 9821022112 Email: director-iip@iip-in.com/infoiip@iip-in.com Website: www.iip-in.com

DIFFERENT STROKES

Calcium Carbonate as Cavitation and Voiding Agents

in Biaxially Oriented Films Calcium carbonate as cavitation agent in white cavitated

BOPP films is well established and known since many years.

The use of calcium carbonate in BOPET and BOPLA films to

create white voided opaque films is a new application and is now introduced into the market of oriented films.

Calcium Carbonate CaCO3 in Several Oriented Film Applications Raw material resources as marble,

chalk, limestone and dolomite are used

in order to produce calcium carbonatebased

mineral

modifiers.

Calcium

carbonate is widely used in the plastics

market, especially in different film applications. As far as polypropylene

films are concerned, large quantities of calcium carbonate are consumed in

oriented

polypropylene

films.

These films can be stretched in the machine

direction

(MDO)

for

use

as polypropylene tapes, which are

manufactured into bags, tarpaulin, large-scale bags and adhesive tapes. By

stretching in the transverse direction

(TDO), the properties of cross-oriented polypropylene are enhanced, especially in terms of transparency. These films

are mainly manufactured in order to produce shrink-sleeve films, where only a small quantity of CaCO3 is used.

The principal reasons for using CaCO3

in PP tapes are to reduce splitting Martin Brunner Technical Service Manager, Technical Services, Technical Polymer Applications & Polymer Packaging

Dr. Michael Tinkl Director Technical Services, Technical Polymer Applications & Polymer Packaging

Omya International POLYMERS Communiqué l October - November 2017

David Brookes Business Development Director Technical Polymer Applications AG, Switzerland

Karsten Schulz Key Account Manager Packaging

on oriented polypropylene tapes, to enhance

productivity

and

additive

dispersion, and to reduce final costs by replacing polymers.

87

Mag= 500 x 20 μm mic17_18363

EHT = 5.00 kV WD = 5.0 mm

Photo No. = 1 Signal A = SE2

Figure 1: Cross-section of BOPP film containing CaCO3 as cavitation agent, magnification: 500 x

Mag= 5.00 kx 2 μm mic17_18376

EHT = 5.00 kV WD = 5.0 mm

Photo No. = 4 Signal A = SE2

Figure 2: Cross-section of BOPP film containing CaCO3 as cavitation agent, magnification: 5000 x

BOPP – Biaxially Oriented Polypropylene Films

films, are used in a wide variety of applications such as packaging, electrical and industrial

For decades, the use of CaCO3 for cavitation in

products. Besides the known use of barium

in this application. CaCO3 has to first be

recently tailor-made calcium carbonate grades

a standard compounding process in order to

advantage of calcium carbonate as voiding agent

let down during the production of BOPP films.

(2.7 g/cm3) against BaSO4 (4.5 g/cm3). This leads to

Both, the dispersion and moisture content have

in lower overall film weight costs. Stretched films

detrimental effects during film production, such

Additionally, also the film productivity is increased

for masterbatches is between 65 and 75%, and

used in the BOPET film production can easily

favoured masterbatches instead of focusing on

calcium carbonate.

biaxially oriented films has been well employed

sulfate (BaSO4) as voiding agent for BOPET films,

predispersed in a polypropylene matrix during

have been developed for this application. The big

utilise the produced masterbatches for a further

over barium sulfate is the lower density of CaCO3

The quality of the masterbatches is essential.

lower film densities of the stretched film resulting

to be stringently controlled in order to avoid

containing calcium carbonate have a high opacity.

as die build-up or plate-out. A typical filler loading

due to solubility of CaCO3 in acidic media. Filters

it is recommended to prioritise the quality of

be cleaned due to this specific property of

higher filler loading.

Also for this application, the masterbatch quality

Figures 1 and 2 show a cross-section of a

is essential. The typical filler loading is in this case

CaCO3 particles that generate the vacuoles are

content has to be very low, else hydrolysis of

cavitated BOPP film in different magnifications.

between 35 - 45% in the PET resin. The moisture

well visible.

the polyester will occur and the melt viscosity of

Well-known applications using cavitated films

resin flow.

are pearlised and white films for applications such as food packaging, ice cream wrappers,

labels, lamination, synthetic paper, catalogues,

the resin will be reduced, which increases the The cross-section of a BOPET film voided with calcium carbonate is shown in Figure 3.

packaging bags and maps.

BOPET – Biaxially Oriented Polyester Films Biaxially oriented polyester films, such as biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate (BOPET)

88

POLYMERS Communiqué l October - November 2017

BKG® Pelletizing Systems

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BKG® Master-Line™ Water Filtration System with Modular Belt Filter Performance - Convenience - Flexibility

Improved water filtration level (up to 150μm)

Systems available for throughputs up to 2 t/h

High level of automation, reduced operator intervention

Designed for material and color changes

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EXTRAORDINARY TECHNOLOGIES FOR TODAY’S PLASTICS

LITTLE ACTIONS BIG RESULTS

Reputation

Is All About Practice and Improvement We, as professionals, are part of an ecosystem where

we are responsible for ourselves, our organisation and our nation, at large.

A

s a nation, we are marching

around us and our seniors who imparted

manufacturing. As we all put our

in the right direction. Looking back on

towards global leadership in

best strategies and efforts together, we

need to clearly understand that people

and our values in relation to them will be the base of our success. There are many

successful people around us and when we watch them closely, we invariably see the following 3 characteristics very strongly emerging as their strengths

amongst many others. I have come

across several wonderful people who

have made a lasting impression on me in the journey of life. Some are great

teachers, sportsmen, businessmen and

common men like a passionate rickshaw driver. For instance, some of our great

sportsmen and sportswomen come from a humble background, but their

passion and determination made them representatives of our country. When

92

all these learnings, I think the below

3 Ps are the ones which stand out as our roots of success.

Passion In a cricket-loving country like ours, we

see stars like Kapil Dev, Sachin Tendulkar, V. V. S. Laxman or Virat Kohli and their thirst of getting better and better inspite

of all the obstacles and challenges they

faced when they were young and struggling. When we watch the movie M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story, we can

cle arly see the passion of a young boy struggling to excel in the game, making

all the sacrifices and working hard to

achieve excellence. This is the epitome of passion.

we started young, our parents and

Look at some of the big business

and continuously taught us good values

founder struggled a lot in his early days,

teachers made us walk the right path Shirish V. Divgi Managing Director Plastics Machinery Asia Ahmedabad

wisdom to us to take our own decisions

to follow. I am sure every person today

dedicates his success to his mentors and role models. As we stepped into the

world of responsibilities, it was people

organisations of today and you see the but his passion and conviction led to success and today, they are the best in the country and even one of the best,

globally. Even in our day-to-day life, we

POLYMERS Communiqué l October - November 2017

End to End Solutions End to End Solutions for flexible for flexible woven plastics End to End Solutions woven plastics for flexible Extrusion, Winding, Extrusion, Winding, Weaving, Printing, wovenCoating, plastics

Weaving, Coating, Printing, Conversion, Yarn Spinning Conversion, Yarn Spinning Extrusion, Winding, Weaving, Coating, Printing, Conversion, Yarn Spinning

Flexible woven plastics offer light-weight, economical and Flexible woven plastics offer light-weight, economical environment-friendly solution for packaging of dry bulkand solid environment-friendly solution for packaging materials, and for infrastructure applications.of dry bulk solid materials, and for infrastructure applications.

Flexible plastics offer light-weight, economical and With overwoven 35 years of experience in designing and manufacturing With over 35 of solution experience designing environment-friendly for in packaging ofand dry bulk solid to machinery foryears production of woven plastics and formanufacturing conversion machineryand for production of woven plastics and forcapacity conversion to materials, for infrastructure applications. packaging systems, we have delivered processing of nearly packaging systems, we have delivered processing capacity of nearly 3.0 million tonne/annum of PP & PE to our customers in around 80 With over 35 years of experience in designing and manufacturing 3.0 million Our tonne/annum of PPassures & PE toproficient our customers in around 80 countries. global network after-sales-service, machinery for production of woven plastics and for conversion to countries. Our assures proficient after-sales-service, optimizing the global cost ofnetwork ownership for our customers. packaging systems, we have delivered processing capacity of nearly optimizing the cost of ownership for our customers.

3.0 million tonne/annum of PPsatisfaction & PE to our is customers in around 80 Leadership through customer the passion we pursue Leadership through satisfaction is the after-sales-service, passion we pursue countries. globalcustomer network assures proficient at Lohia. Our at Lohia. the cost of ownership for our customers. optimizing Leadership through customer satisfaction is the passion we pursue at Lohia.

lohiagroup.com lohiagroup.com

D-3/A Panki Industrial Estate, Kanpur 208022, India T: +91 Panki 512 3045100 +91 512 3045299 | E: sales@lohiagroup.com D-3/A Industrial| F: Estate, Kanpur 208022, India T: +91 512 3045100 | F: +91 512 3045299 | E: sales@lohiagroup.com

lohiagroup.com

D-3/A Panki Industrial Estate, Kanpur 208022, India T: +91 512 3045100 | F: +91 512 3045299 | E: sales@lohiagroup.com

and, more importantly, the trust of the customer.

This is often due to the importance not given to

f Our Roots o Success

Passion Planning Persistence

planning right at the very beginning. Any project

or work needs to be planned in detail for its

execution, and also for its risks and the mitigation

plans. As many people get involved in a project, everyone has a different understanding and they

may either contribute positively or miss many important things. A well-defined and detailed plan

come across many

individuals who strongly

believe in their unique abilities and relentlessly try to improve and succeed. Passion takes the person to the next level, as they strive to get better

continually, inspite of all the successes and failures encountered. I believe each person is blessed with a

unique character and working hard on it passionately achieves excellence, which makes him not only

successful, but also a role model for others to follow.

Can we put a little more passion in our responsibilities and have a positive attitude towards our work? Wouldn’t it lead to a big difference from mediocrity to excellence?

Planning With advances in digital communication, everything

is moving at a fast pace. We all want fast results and

always checks for the progress, ensuring time and cost while keeping the team members’ morale high. If we see failed projects or cost overruns, we

invariably see that we could have planned it better.

It is always better to have a ‘Precise Plan’ and then go for a ‘Fast Execution’. I strongly feel, if there is one thing we can do better to deliver better

results is to plan in detail on the resources, timing, budgets and risks. Also, it is good to have a Plan B in place and then monitor the

same for the course corrections as we go forward.

These days we have so many tools and gadgets

available with us, we can use them to our advantage to a great extent for better planning.

Spending a day in planning can avoid wasting a month in reworking backwards later.

Persistence We are always tested for our patience in our day-

in this pursuit, we fail many a times. While delivering

customer needs, we often come across last minute mistakes and omissions which not only makes the

customer unhappy, but also make us lose money

94

POLYMERS Communiqué l October - November 2017

GOOD PRACTICE

Perfection in Quality Management

as Basis for Highest Reliability Monitoring of the

achieved product quality is a prerequisite to meet

customers’ requirements regarding a product

or service. This article

presents a typical approach analysing and recording

business processes within the company, identifying

responsibilities and potential weaknesses.

Raising the Bar of Quality An efficient quality management system (QMS) ensures the quality of

the measuring, control, inspection, sorting and analysis technology is

ensured by) and results in continuously improvement. A typical QMS comprises of defined performance indicators in order to monitor and control processes. The availability, for instance, is a figure of a technical system. It is the time value in which the machines and technical

measuring devices can be in use without downtime or maintenance.

Generally, the intention is to ensure high availability values of a system.

For calculation of the availability, two factors are being considered:

Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) and Mean Time To Repair (MTTR).

The first factor, MTBF, describes the mean time in which a device can

be in use without the need of a repair or downtime for maintenance.

With the help of MTBF, the quality progress can be evaluated and it can be monitored as to how long devices operate without failure.

The MTBF Factor MTBF is calculated by using the information from the CRM (Customer Relationship Management). This is where all devices are registered

and their events are recorded. CRM also serves as data source for the creation of event diagrams for the different types of devices. The event

diagram is a graphical illustration for quick and clear visualisation of events and their chronical order. Furthermore, the event diagram Katja Giersch Head of Corporate Communications SIKORA AG Germany

96

provides details concerning the type of individual events for a certain

POLYMERS Communiqué l October - November 2017

2018

Supported by Founder Members

THOUGHT-OUT

Shailesh Sheth Corporate Strategy Adviser Management & Manufacturing Technology, Mumbai

Disruption Creates Opportunities

The Case of Social Media

Social media on one hand and India’s

demographic profile on the other, provide a

powerful tool to Indian entrepreneurs to firewall their companies from disruptive forces as well as go further on the path of growth arising

out of new opportunities that open up. So, be ‘tech savvy’, be ‘social media-active’ and be ‘connected’...may the ‘force’ be with you.

“It is not the strongest species that survive, nor the most intelligent; but the ones who are most responsive to change.” - Charles Darwin

World is changing fast. It is Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous (VUCA) world, all at the same time. Disruptions are

occurring everywhere. New technologies are disrupting businesses based

on

existing

ones

(e.g.

Additive

manufacturing),

alternate business models are chasing down ‘Kali Peelis’

(e.g. Uber), assertive consumer power is giving established brands a run for their money (e.g. Patanjali). More game changers

are on the anvil. Electric cars, cobots, reusable rockets, bitcoins

are just some examples. The sheer speed with

which all of this is happening is overwhelming. It demands that entrepreneurs move with extreme agility and speed or else they would be looking up at the world, from bottom of the heap.

Two recent examples can be sited of disruption

of such magnitude that even global players

in each case had not anticipated. The ban

Marketing is no

longer about the

stuff you make, but about the stories you tell...

- Seth Godin

99

Disruptions are

on Maggi Noodles in 2015

resulting

from

4.43 lakh conversations on social media, 61%

Daily Occurrences

Volatility of

measurable

of which were negative

Another crucial aspect

indices

in

recall

and

Uncertainty of

Complexity of

events

Maggi Noodles and a staggering

problems

2.5 lakh subscribers on YouTube and

the plastics industry, commodity plastics

brought a stunning election victory to

and engineering plastics in the B2B

as the first ever Social Media PM in the

manage social media to create newer

that in such disruptions, the GenNext

these steps:

352 million views on Google Plus

would be covered in the B2C segment

BJP and Narendra Modi who is billed

segments. So, how does one effectively

world! It is becoming increasingly certain

opportunities? You may wish to pursue NN

Twitter, YouTube, Blogs etc.

their hands.

NN

NN

tool ahead of managing men, money, bandwidth of social media is such that it

NN

their

clutter.

to

brands Latest

examples are B2C businesses

Understand

your

relevant

customer’s

Continuously search traffic on Google Study Apps that are relevant to

Consumer etc., all of whom actively

enhance traffic on social media to build their brands. Conversely, a strategy

needs to be put in place to protect your brand as well. Similarly, there have

been instances that companies have not effectively countered negative views

generated by this medium. One must carefully and regularly watch social

media to sense out any chatter that is

damaging to your brand and, effectively and immediately counter it.

Managing Your Social Media: A Crucial Aspect If and when ‘managed’ well, social media can throw up new opportunities as well.

For example, technology disruptions like IOT and artificial intelligence can be

your industry.

not only impacts B2C companies dealing

100

understand

around select keywords.

materials, machines and methods. The

search for new market segments. For

and

behaviour on social media.

NN

influences B2B companies dealing with

Study

community sites.

For businesses not to get disrupted,

with mass markets, but also heavily

Study competitor’s social media presence on Facebook, LinkedIn,

media is becoming a potent weapon in

managing social media is an imperative

the

have

it

Day, Samsung Smart Phones, Godrej

On the other spectrum, 13.7 million

Social Media, The Game Changer Today

distinguish

from

used

like Tanishq, Patanjali, Café Coffee

loss of half a billion US$ to the company!

is playing a significant role and social

social

brand. Many startups /

companies

effectively

destruction of 38,000 tonnes of

Twitterati, 29 million likes on Facebook,

leveraging

media is to build your

situations

for Nestle (lead content) resulted

of

Ambiguity of

NN

Decide on your social media strategy.

Promote traffic on atleast three social media platforms.

POLYMERS Communiqué l October - November 2017

Exhibition area 320,000+ sqm 4,000 exhibitors Exhibition 320,000+ sqm 4,200+ setsarea of machinery on display 4,000 exhibitors pavilions 13 country/region 4,200+ sets of machinery on display 13 country/region pavilions

UNPLUGGED

Parameters Impacting Plastics Business (PIPB) 2017 Results Declared

T

o gear itself to the next level of growth, to meet the ever-growing competition, to keep abreast of market changes,

companies continue to grapple with the questions as to ‘What parameters would have a higher impact on business

for the plastics industry?’ Well, POLYMERS Communiqué has made this task simpler by conducting the Parameters

Impacting Plastics Business (PIPB) 2017 Survey. Experts from the industry shared their minds by well-participating in this POLYMERS Communiqué initiative, to give a direction to the industry. Thank you for your overwhelming response.

Sample Size: 102

l

Format: Electronic Forms

l

Response Tabulation: Singular

l

0.64%

1.28%

Not At All Minimal

26.28%

71.79%

Significant

Very Significant ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY IN BUSINESS SUCCESS No questions here! A whooping 98%+ opine that with investment in technology one cannot go wrong. So, it’s time

for the industry to buy in the latest machines, technologies and up the ante. Better quality, lesser rejections, better productivity would only ensue. Technology will definitely make every company feel more ‘empowered’.

102

POLYMERS Communiqué l October - November 2017

0.00% Not At All Minimal

Significant Very Significant

3.92%

54.90%

41.18%

MIGRATION FROM FAMILY HELD COMPANIES TO PROFESSIONALLY MANAGED COMPANIES

IMPORTANCE OF NICHE SKILLS It’s speciality times ahead. Tailored solutions,

An endless debate! But the writing is clear on the wall; the passion

complex products, demanding customers!

of the owners is not what is being challenged. The industry

The industry clearly feels that these can

opinion is that this migration is crucial for business tomorrow for

only be met by niche skills. So, team HR, it

this industry. Look for ways and means that best suit you, your

is time to identify these skills or invest in the development of these skills. You are sure to

soon be run-out without them. The verdict is clear, >95% find importance of niche skills as

culture and your mindset; this difficult step has got to be taken.

Very Significant

significant or very significant. Please treats this as an investment and not an expense!

Very Significant

Significant

Minimal

Minimal

31.37%

Not At All

16.67%

50.98%

0.98% Not At All

Significant

35.92%

16.50%

47.57%

POLYMERS Communiqué l October - November 2017

0.00%

EMPHASIS ON EXPORTS Exports are going to rule the roost. You have to take the first fight overseas; well, that’s what the experts suggest. Newer markets, a better

contribution, risk mitigation strategy; it all works with the exports! For some reason, 15% of the

market still believes that impact of exports will be minimal; they too would change soon, we guess!

103

3.96% Not At All Minimal

Significant Very Significant

21.78%

45.54%

28.71%

ADOPTION OF AUTOMATION BY PROCESSORS

INCREASED BUSINESS AGGRESSION FROM CHINA

As expected, no awards for guessing this. Close to 93% verdict

that the processors will have to adopt automation. We believe

While the majority believes that business

that the processors are well aware of this and a number of them

in the future, a sizeable 25%+ believe

their legacy operations. With India showing all signs of being the

impact. So, we logically infer, that while

only remain a distant dream.

aggression from China will play a key role

have chartered out plans to seamlessly marry automation into

that this parameter will not have a big

processing hub of the world; without automation, this would

some businesses are directly impacted

by China, others are relatively ring-

Very Significant

Minimal

fenced. Most certainly, everyone is well monitoring the moves of the ‘dragon’.

Very Significant

Significant

Minimal

43.69%

Not At All

6.80%

49.51%

0.00% Not At All

Significant KNOWLEDGE-BASED SELLING A surprise of sorts! While this is the latest buzz word; but

55.34% 104

41.75%

1.94%

0.97%

the industry response to this being a univocal 97%+ did come as a surprise. The writing on the wall is clear; no longer

can one sell what is produced and sustain that business. A

buyer is clearly on the prowl looking out for better value

POLYMERS Communiqué l October - November 2017

Quality in its purest form.

Offline inspection and analysis of pellets With passion, we develop future-oriented inspection and analyzing devices for offline quality assurance of plastic pellets, such as the PURITY CONCEPT Systems. A modular solution, which combines advanced technology with first-grade analyzing routines. A technological innovation significantly increasing the quality of raw material and end products resulting in saved costs.

Remarkable highlights - Offline inspection and analysis of pellets, flakes, films/tapes, injection moulded parts - Modular concept with X-ray and optical technologies for numerous applications - Monitoring and data logging for maximum process optimization

www.sikora.net/purityconcept

Visit us February 7-12, 2018 at Plastindia, Gandhinagar, India.

8C21

EASTERN DELIGHT

East India

Land of the Rising Sun for Plastics Be a part of

T

he per capita

consumption

polymers

of

in

major

India

is

11 kgs, with East India

accounting for a mere 3.6 kgs.

The statistics are dismal, but the outlook for the polymers industry in East India is bright and bullish. Reason being that the

~ 8 kgs deficit in per capita consumption itself is one of the main drivers of growth for the plastics industry in the east. How?

Well, the shortfall induces the east to depend heavily on other states for its

“There are multiple factors

compelling the development of the polymers industry

in the east. As per industry estimates, the plastics industry in the east is

currently worth nearly INR

8,500 crore, and is growing at the rate of 8 to 10 per cent, per annum”, shares Ashok

Jajodia, Convener, Indplas’18.

supply of finished plastic products.

Potential investors in the polymers

industry in the east need only to look at the opportunities opened up by the possibility of manufacturing there.

Further, the per capita consumption of major polymers in the east maybe much less as compared to the entire

country, but total consumption of all

polymers in the east is 1 million tonne

per annum, which again presents a big opportunity for potential plastics

investors. There are multiple factors

compelling the development of the

polymers industry in the east. As per industry estimates, the plastics industry

in the east is currently worth nearly INR 8,500 crore, and growing at 8 to 10 per cent, per annum. The likes of

Haldia Petrochemicals, and the newlyAshok Jajodia Chairman Indplas’18 Organising Committee Kolkata

established Brahmaputra Cracker and

Polymer Limited (BCPL) in Assam are making raw materials available locally. This

rd cember, 2018 30th November - 3 De und Eco Park Exhibition Gro ia Ind Kolkata,

Paradip and Kolkata - are easily accessible.

Taking it a step further, the east coast enjoys greater proximity to the Far East and South East Asia, making it a likely

base for plastics exports to neighboring

countries. Moreover, the east, is witnessing a wave of growth with agriculture, roads, housing and retail on the rise. East India is on the road to development with FMCG

majors like Emami, Dabur, Patanjali and

Marico already present with new entrants such as Cello, Supreme and Nilkamal.

All of this, will only positively impact the polymers industry in the east.

Across India, there are approximately 35,000 plastics processing units (PPUs), of which, the east accounts for only

around 2,500 PPUs i.e. less than 10 per

cent. However, with ambitious projects like ‘Make in India’, it is very likely that the government will promote public and/

or private investment in downstream plastics production / processing units, throwing open a world of opportunities for the plastics industry in the east.

Looking at it differently, West India is home to 22 per cent of the country’s population and 47 per cent of the

polymers processing industry. Whereas, East India houses 26 per cent of the

country’s population and a measly 9 per cent of the polymers processing industry.

will further be accelerated once the new

IOCL plant at Paradip is commissioned.

Speaking of enabling infrastructure, 3 major ports along the east coast - Haldia,

112

POLYMERS Communiqué l October - November 2017

NEW RS 6003C HS

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Plastindia | 7 – 12 February 2018 Gandhinagar | India | Hall 8 stand C63

www.bobst.com

Watch the Gravure Innovation Open House video

IN PERSPECTIVE

Company collaborates with over 300

customers to outline next generation priorities. Emphasises on local R&D

and collaboration across government, industry and academia.

On looking panel discussions; global business leaders and customers convene.

D

ow

India

held

the

second

edition of its marquee event,

India Innovation Day 2017, in

Mumbai on 5 October, 2017. The event th

witnessed global and local leaders of the organisation coming together with over

300 key customers and stakeholders in India. With a focus on ‘Creating the Future

Together’, the event aimed to discuss

innovation, sustainability and material science solutions that can contribute to

the changing manufacturing and industry landscape of India’s growing economy.

Over the last 60 years of its business in the country, Dow India has been driving innovations at the intersection of

material

sciences

to

address

challenges such as need for sustainable infrastructure,

recyclable

packaging,

need for clean water, clean energy generation increasing

and

conservation,

agricultural

and

productivity.

The event was a step forward in this collaborative growth journey, with its

customers in the country. The event saw

leaders from industries like infrastructure, agriculture, consumer goods, personal

care and pharmaceuticals ideate and brainstorm on the ways of making India the innovation hub of the world.

114

The keynote address was delivered by

in the country, were joined by the top

of

event included three panel discussions

Rajeev Kapoor, Secretary, Department Chemicals

and

Petrochemicals,

Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers,

Government of India. In his address, he highlighted the importance of

innovation in an era of disruptions

and the need for pushing the growth levers of manufacturing in India to the next level. Rajeev Kapoor said, “The

Indian chemical industry needs to create an ecosystem that promotes

research and development (R&D). We,

as a country, have unique challenges -

brass of leadership of the company. The on

themes

of

‘Circular

Economy’,

‘Breakthrough Innovations: Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid’ and ‘Innovation Ecosystem of India’. The panel discussions alternated with Dow global leaders

sharing best-practices from across the world in their area of expertise.

Asserting his optimism for the country,

Heinz Haller, Executive Vice President and President, Dow Europe, Middle

and addressing these will require local effort, resources and investments. One

of the most important areas of focus should be reducing import dependence for feedstock.”

Rajeev Kapoor called out to Dow

India and its peers present in the

audience and encouraged them to bring their technological expertise into

the country. “It is important that the Government and industry collaborate

to outline the sector priorities and work with each other in addressing oncoming challenges.”

Over 300 eminent CXO-level leaders from

top

manufacturing

companies

Dr. A. N. Sreeram, Chief Technology Officer, The Dow Chemical Company, sharing trends in global innovation.

POLYMERS Communiqué l October - November 2017

Dow India Banks on Innovation

to Propel Growth in India Heinz Haller, Executive Vice President of the Dow Chemical Company and President of Dow - EMEAI during the opening speech at Dow India Innovation Day 2017

East, Africa and India (EMEAI) said, “From

and Chief Technology Officer outlined

processes, products, business models

renewable sources of energy, digital

and showcased how the company

India, we are witnessing a convergence

clean water to safe food-packaging, communication,

efficient

transport,

energy saving insulation and agriculture -

chemistry is one of the centrepieces of any economic activity. India being the

bright-spot of global economy will need

continued inflow of feedstock. Our jointventure with Saudi Aramco - Sadara, will

provide an outstanding opportunity

for India to drive competitive and sustainable growth in the sector.”

Dr. A. N. Sreeram, Senior Vice President

POLYMERS Communiqué l October - November 2017

the key areas of focus for innovation keeps pace with evolving formulation

needs across various businesses. He

shared examples from various sectors that showcased how circular economy

will be the underlying trend in creating a sustainable future.

Speaking

on

how

Dow

India

is

and solutions for us at Dow India. In of

local

demands

with

renewed

focus on manufacturing. I believe this trend will benefit the chemical industry significantly and we see

merit in coming together to co-create

sustainable solutions for India and the subcontinent.”

meeting the development demands

of the country, Sudhir Shenoy, Country

President and CEO, Dow India said, “Innovation cuts across the realms of

115

Events PLASTIMAGEN MÉXICO 2017

PLASTINDIA 2018

Non Woven Tech Asia 2018

7th – 10th November, 2017 Centro Citibanamex, Mexico City, Mexico

7th – 12th February, 2018 Gandhinagar Ahmedabad, India

7th – 9th June, 2018 Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai, India

Plastic Pipes 2017 23rd – 24th November, 2017 The Leela Hotel, Mumbai, India

Indplas’18 30th November – 3rd December, 2018 Eco Park Exhibition Ground, Kolkata, India

11th PLASTIVISION INDIA 2019

CHINAPLAS 2018

Argenplas

24th – 27th April, 2018 National Exhibition and Convention Center Hongqiao, Shanghai, PR China

11th - 14th June, 2018 Centra Costa Salguero, Buenos Aires, Argentina

4th Plastivision Arabia 2017

NPE 2018

11th – 14th December, 2017 Expo Centre Sharjah, UAE

7th – 11th May, 2018 Orlando, Florida, USA

20th - 23rd June, 2018 BITEC, Bangkok, Thailand

28th February – 4th March, 2019 India Expo Centre, Greater Noida, NCR Delhi, India

Interplastica

PLAST 2018

IPLEX 2018

K 2019

23rd - 26th January, 2018 ZAO EXPOCENTR Exhibition Center, Moscow, Russia

29th May – 1st June, 2018 FIERA MILANO, Italy

3rd – 6th August 2018, Hitex Exhibition Centre, Hyderabad, India

16th – 23rd October, 2019 Düsseldorf, Germany

116

InterPlas Thailand 2018

28th February – 4th March, 2019 Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, India

Indiaplast 2019

POLYMERS Communiqué l October - November 2017