POLYMERS Communique - 7.6 – Aug - Sep 2021 by Polymers Communique

A CUSTAGE I N I T I A T I V E Aug - Sep 2021 l Issue 7.6 l ` 150

ANNIVERSARY EDITION

Emergence of Advanced Shop Floors Open the Ace Up Your Sleeve

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POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

CONTENTS August - September 2021 Issue 7.6 l

Under the Cover

The ultimate ‘shastra’ is your shop floor. Invest in it, it’s up your own sleeve. Open

up its potential... it’s as powerful as an ace! Your shop floor originates your product

differentiation, it empowers your sales team and is the basis of your future growth. Coupled with ‘thought leadership’, it is your ultimate ‘brahmastra’!

As India comes with intent and ability, adversity always tends to present an opportunity. So, here we are, hopefully at the waning side of COVID-19 as the industry gears itself to seize the moment. So, changes at the shop floor are evident, and it is more than just updating machines and technology. It is going to be ‘Thought Leadership’ as we would witness the emergence of a new shop floor here. No time to sit back, simply take off! Best wishes for the festive season that follows. Continue to exercise prudence as we all press the pedal!

TRANSFORMATIONAL

Identifying Abilities in Disabilities: ‘Ek Nayi Sooch’ for Your Shop Floor

Nisheeth Mehta, CEO; Pathik Mehta, COO, Microsign Products, Bhavnagar

NEXT STEP

Future Shop Floors will be More Intelligent, Data-driven, Reliable and Productive

Shirish V. Divgi, Managing Director, Milacron India, Ahmedabad

Digital Gallery

An online showcase of exclusive content, opinions, research reports and global developments in plastics!

Business Redefined

The POLYMERS Communique Digital Gallery

@ Rs. 4.79/day, less than the cost of a ‘cutting chai’

T: +91-22-2520 4436; M: +91-88790 50327; E: info@custage.com POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

110

WORTHWHILE

AUTO-MATE

Invest in Your Shop Floor: Your Factory is With You for Life

Kailesh Shah, Managing Director, All Time Plastics

PEOPLE FACTOR

ON-THE-MOVE

Dr. Stefan Engleder, CEO, ENGEL Group, Austria

116

Sponsored by Amit Banga,

Managing Director, SB Packagings Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi

Industry Benefits with the POLYMERS Communiqué App

SEEING TOMORROW NOT-TOO-FAR

Future of the Moulding Industry: Highly Automated

SB Packagings and Mamata Make Sustainable Packaging a Reality

Sivakumar R. B., Proprietor, Vignesh Polymers,

Tamil Nadu

ADVERTORIAL

Industry 4.0 for Quality and Delivery at Optimised Costs

Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai

People Will be Pivotal in the Smart Factory of the Future

110

ADVERTORIAL

120

Plastics Industry Shop Floors: A Sneak Peek Into Factories of the Future

Yogesh Kumar, Chief Operations Officer,

CALCO: The Mega Factory of Performance Polymers

DiFACTO Robotics and Automation Pvt. Ltd., Bengaluru

Sivaram speaks

105 Vikas Khanna, Partner, Ajanta Print Arts,

Navi Mumbai

FORGING AHEAD

An Engineered Workplace: The Way Forward

Wood-polymer Composite: Renaissance of a Renewable Resource

Dr. S. Sivaram, INSA Senior Scientist and Honorary Professor Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune

LOOKING FORWARD

122

Automotive and Real Estate Present Opportunities for Masterbatch Manufacturers

SOFT SKILLS

110

Application Knowledge: Essential for a Successful Masterbatch Business

Sharad Rathi, Managing Director Shailesh Lahoti, Director

Blend Colours Pvt. Ltd., Hyderabad

Jimit Sheth, Director, Shri Ambica Polyfill,

A NEEDED DESTINATION Naresh J. Joshipara, Managing Director

113

PLASTINDIA 2022 to Bring Momentum Back to the Industry

Viren N. Joshipara, Executive Director

Vihan Engineering Pvt. Ltd., Ahmedabad

Ajay Shah, Chairman NEC, PLASTINDIA 2022

Hersh N. Joshipara, Executive Director

Ahmedabad

DIGITAL GLORY

126

Industry Gives a Thumbs-up to the POLYMERS Communiqué Digital Gallery

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

FONDLY REMEMBER

134

Shri Amir E. Ladhabhoy A Technocrat Par Excellence

Dr. Hiru N. Patel A Towering Example for the Plastics Industry

Shri Raman M. Patel A Doyen of the Plastics Industry

136 134

136

UPSKILL

128

138

India is Emerging as the Global Manufacturing Hub

Moving Towards World-Class Manufacturing

Prashant Trivedi, Vice President, Sangir Plastics Pvt. Ltd., Vapi

102

Emergence of a New Shop Floor from the HR Perspective

Dr. Naveen Malhotra, Senior HR Professional,

Ahmedabad

Gerhard Hemetsberger, Head of Sales, ECON GmbH, Austria

Hari Lalani, General Manager - Sales &

Marketing, ECON Machinery Pvt. Ltd., Vadodara

In series...

Transformation of Manufacturing Environment and Trends

142

Carbon Dioxide Refineries and Net Zero Emissions: Coming Sooner than Anticipated

Professor (Dr.) Ganapati D. Yadav, Emeritus Professor of Eminence & Former Vice Chancellor and R. T. Mody Distinguished Professor, Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai

152

Upcycling, Downcycling and Recycling Or Just Recycling?

Printed and Published by Manish Chawla

manish@custage.com

Chief Editor Jyoti

jyoti@custage.com

Editorial Advisory Board Arvind Mehta Chairman and Managing Director Welset Plast Extrusions Pvt. Ltd. Prof. (Dr.) N. C. Saha formerly Director at Indian Institute of Packaging N. K. Balgi formerly President & Director at Ferromatik Milacron India Pvt. Ltd. Pushp Raj Singhvi formerly Vice Chairman and Managing Director at Borouge (India) Pvt. Ltd. Rajesh Nath Managing Director, German Engineering Federation (VDMA) India 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.

Custage Marketing Solutions LLP 406, Vikas Centre, Dr. C. G. Road, Chembur, Mumbai 400 074, INDIA

Printed at

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

Advertising Sales - National Hyderabad Vani

+91-93924 28927 vani@polymerscommunique.com

Mumbai Vinisha

+91-88790 50327 vinisha@custage.com

Ruby Thapar, A Reputation and Sustainability Consultant and an Executive Coach, Mumbai

New Delhi Vijay

+91-98100 15111 vijay@polymerscommunique.com

And The Rest

Vadodara D. S. Bhumra +91-81289 90887 devinder@polymerscommunique.com

Rakesh Shah, RS Coaching and Consulting, New Delhi

The Emergence of the ‘New Collar’

S. K. Ray, Hon. Secretary & Member of Executive Committee, Indian Centre for Plastics in the Environment (ICPE), Mumbai

News.................................................................. 20

Golden PAGES...........................................148

RETRO................................................................. 62

Events............................................................ 155

Weekend Delights.................................140

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 406, Vikas Centre, Dr. C. G. Road, Chembur, Mumbai 400 074, INDIA. Editor: Manish Chawla. Domestic Subscription: Single Issue Price: Rs. 150; Annual Subscription: Rs. 1200 (including shipping) Overseas Subscription: Annual Subscription: USD 60 (including shipping)

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. The maps, if used, in this document are only a pictorial representation, not to scale and do not indicate any geographical boundaries. 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.

Advertising Sales - International Dubai Pritam

+971-5548-32330 pritam@polymerscommunique.com

USA Manisha

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

Subscriptions Bhavesh

+91-22-2520 4436 bhavesh@custage.com

Content Alliance Partners

Mind Speak Arvind Mehta

Chairman and Managing Director Welset Plast Extrusions Pvt. Ltd.

As regards the emergence of a new shop floor, future manufacturing systems will be challenged by a rising number of product variants, shorter product life cycles and needed speed to market. Competency development of employees is impo rtant for these future manufacturing systems. So also, an integrated competency development system on the shop floor of manufacturing needs to be developed. Prod uction oriented KPIs (key performance indicators) track ing is required. Smart manufacturing Industry 4.0 solut ions like IoT, machine learning, cloud computing have started to revolutionise manufacturing, and the indus try experts have started to realise the complete potential of the future digital transformation services and techn ologies to produce more at reduced cost and time. Embracing the digital transformation is no more a choic e for the manufacturing industry, but a must today. By integrating shop floor decisions and insights with the rest of the supply chain, sales and marketing, and broader enterprise through the IoT ecosy stem, organisations can not only fundamentally change production processes, but also enhance relationships with suppliers and customers.

Prof. (Dr.) N. C. Saha

formerly Director at Indian Institute of Packaging

livelihood due to has threatened the lives and , restriction of death and tion continuous increased rate of infec business and paralysed the to t effec ic drast , ment resident move r system which has caused majo situation of the entire social now. year a than more globe for economic recession across the on human psychology about fear This has also made an impact any such chaotic situation due and to make them ready to face e. This situation has compelled futur near the in emic to the pand packaging, to think about the ding inclu , all kinds of businesses tive and smart manner, with operational processes in an effec . ower limited manp preneurs and professionals are In the post pandemic era, entre plans with a lens for long-term ent looking for strategic managem and for the emergence of the dem a ed creat has This outcomes. l shop floor management digita e wher ept new shop floor conc handle any crisis. In fact, to ’ will become the ‘need of the hour classic concept of on-site the is ent gem mana floor digital shop in stabilise shop floor processes development to control and its at data ant relev of ction colle real-time. This would include the like MES / ERP system, intelligent source and its automated use ime process and performance workflows, visualisation of real-t ed calculation of source data ardis stand gh throu es figur of key ms for maintenance of shop syste ance assist and use of digital floor machineries. ation of manufacturing / Moreover, the digital transform and new value creation tries indus us vario in production trial revolution where indus an to processes would lead trial internet of things (IIoT) like automation and robotics, indus , uting and cognitive computing comp cloud g, remote monitorin floor shop new the of part a cyber security etc. will be smart factory. management system to create the

COVID-19

Pushp Raj Singhvi

Arvind Mehta

Rajesh Nath

S. K. Ray

ent (Polymers)

formerly Sr. Executive Vice Presid at Reliance Industries Ltd.

organisation. Over the no exce is try indus g ertin conv ic Plast with space this in shift igm parad a years, there has been ology techn nced adva of t optimised workflow, deploymen uctivity and improve like robotics to enhance prod of sustainability has ept conc The operational excellence. by optimising energy use also gathered momentum there in the shop floor. lighting, heating and cooling loads

Production is at the core of a manufacturing ption.

Rakesh Shah

N. K. Balgi

S. K. Ray

Prof. (Dr.) N. C. Saha

Mind Speak Rakesh Shah

formerly Managing Director Pvt. Ltd. at Windmöller and Hölscher India

improved the means for has continually invented and g rise to varied industries givin ment enjoy and survival, comfort From stone tools used by rials. and manufacturing of various mate n years ago to the ‘smart millio 2.6 2.5 some lis Habi o the Hom real similarity in the workshop plants’ of today, there is no the cutting edge of a tool or the environment any more, except ents that caused huge gains lopm deve key The hammerhead. ty and perfection of products tabili in productivity, quality, repea 1.0 to Industry 4.0 that have try Indus as up ed summ are engine, electricity, automation, showcased inventions of steam ssor, computers and robots. electronics, transistor, microproce letely autonomous, nearly comp st almo is plant t smar Today’s fully automated. Fanuc’s and ts effor an independent of hum ng, air-conditioning / heati ng, ‘lights out’ factory needs no lighti the processes. Why? for ed need is what pt exce cooling etc. is the shop floor That d. aroun ans Because there are no hum via IoT networks, backed by AI, ected conn ines mach y toda of tics etc., run by robots, with machine learning, big data analy future belongs to Industry The nd. humans only in the backgrou intelligence and ingenuity to an hum age lever to aims h 5.0 whic ency and performance of these even further improve the effici vast capabilities.

Rajesh Nath

Managing Director German Engineering Federation (VDMA) India Office

Man

The present buzzword in the industry is manufacturing getting ‘smart’ due to interconnected machines and interlinked end to-end processes. Infact, the shop floor of tomorrow woul d be central to the digital transformation journey. The transformative potential of smar t factory technology is vast. Smart manu facturing can drive operational excellenc e from the shop floor, securely connectin g the end-to end supply chain and enabling innovation around on-demand availability, customisation and personalisation of prod ucts to suit the requirements.

N. K. Balgi Pushp Raj Singhvi

formerly Vice Chairman and Mana ging Director at Borouge (India) Pvt. Ltd.

The necessity of a new shop floor emergenc e was never felt as acutely as at now. COVID-19 has forced us to adopt significant changes in shop floor planning compared to yesteryears. Emerging trend s have forced us now to emphasise on the following: Robotics, Digitalisation and Automation. Social dista ncing on the shop floor has become a watch word to avoid any unfortunate incidence. Digital transformation has been going on and which will keep increasing. Altho ugh the trends in shop floors will be the same as in the previous years, data collection, centralised informatio n and newer technology will continue to grow further. Automation of processes using robots, cobots and automatic guided vehicles (AGVs) and predictive maintenance will dominate. To address reduction of carbon footprints, companies will focus on usage of renewal / green energies or reduction of emission in the processes. Such practices will continue to dominate the scene on the shop floor.

formerly President & Director Ltd. at Ferromatik Milacron India Pvt.

g resources in sustainability as well as conservin organisations for ity prior a ming processes and products is beco products, and economic their for rence prefe umer to gain cons actions. Plant facility will be built advantage delivered by these ss es to minimise losses in proce incorporating known technologi Processing machinery air. and r wate r, powe es supporting utiliti in fit to run always, built with will be energy efficient, rema ty, tain consistency in product quali intelligence to monitor and main ts. rejec produce ‘near to nil’ l to monitor health of mechanica Machines will have intelligence ns actio ctive corre te initia and parts undergoing wear and tear, through condition monitoring. used in material feeding to Automation will be extensively and place devices will be pick ge, prevent waste through spilla quality consistency through cycle used for maintaining product scrap will remain recycled by rated gene ss time consistency. Proce up. machine granulators and, thus, used material movement, ensuring Plants will be set up for safe

Environmental

human safety.

ices will monitor plant and Adoption of Industry 4.0 pract rtunities of improvement for oppo ify machinery utilisation and ident ue. reven generating people in menial work, but Shop floor will engage less rting skills needed by the impa loyed people will remain redep new environment.

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Feedback POLYMERS Com muniqué is a leading m in India. It agazine for covers diffe the polymer rent aspect business as s of the pl / plastics in well as prod astics busin dustry ucts, specia ess, new de as also op l columns an velopments inions of el d sections ar in ite s in the plas e provided Communiq tics / petro for research ué has mai chemical in ntained high dustry. PO standards in LYMERS content an d print qual ity. Maharashtra

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akrishnan

Technology

uniqué ERS Comm the POLYM agazine m e th at th would say s magazine, I ards in term ry high stand ve ed in ta ty, the ali has main qu e ur ct pages, the pi the of quality of importantly, and most ts en m se n, there io in adverti op y m In e magazine. ly content of th azine current y other mag an be t no can be ich might wh s tic cially for plas iqué. in India, espe S Commun to POLYMER e bl ra ! st! be compa e th all d good work an ph Continue the

Regarding

Anthony Jose ies str

es / Veja Indu

ce for the cellent resour iqué is an ex un m m oach. It’s a Co pr S ap POLYMER with a global ns tio va no in ective, and and latest trends ge and persp stry knowled du in of ce s. ur voice reliable so ding industry ntent from lea rley has quality co Nichole Dene rd Davis Standa

Technologi Victory Plastic

d years and fin the last five out muniqué for ab m ws Co S ne d ER te M g POLY est upda I have been readinformative and satisfying, with the lat tation are well managed en in es ry pr ve d les an tic cs the ar lpful to ntents, graphi tes and is he vations. The co industry upda to ss ce industry inno ac ry easy e. It gives ve and impressiv Suresh Patel rs. eu en N new entrepr NWFI & INDINO

The magazine covers the right amalg amation of tec industry updates hnical .

topics and good insight of lates t Best thing I lik e about POLYME RS Co mmuniqué is its the erudite ind visually pleasing ustry leaders on design and vo current key topic ice of s and challenge It also covers th s. e achievers in th e po lym to others in th er industry, giv e industry. ing a lot of mo tivation and lea rning TAFE Engineerin

g Plastics & To

POLYMERS Communiqu é always stands first in provid ing information and content useful to the industry in the form which intere sts them. The sel ection of subjects is do ne on the recen t trends and writers / authors from rel evant sectors of expert ise are solicited . An Indian magazine with global taste! Prashant Trivedi

Sangir Plastics Pv

t. Ltd.

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oling Division

d like to inktec, woul r at Acme Dr un mm iqué fo POLYMERS Co vered congratulate co les tic ar e b at best. Th or doing their jo the content h related to uc m ry ve e best are th of e on is the issue. It title taken for dustry! the plastics in r fo es in az mag Jasleen Kaur Solutions LLP ec kt in Dr e Acm

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Emmbi Industries Ltd.

first r office. At the very iqué magazine at ou ke for itself. POLYMERS Commun spo the n e ctio cam du k pro bac nt rs pri A few yea quality of paper and m y professional - the ked no different fro glance, it looked ver ents, as to me it loo plim com l cia spe my got better d ine aile gaz em ma had PC I e, her tim rat , Losing no legacy still continues and ational repute. The rk! Our good wishes a magazine of intern p up the good wo Kee ! PC m Tea to os Kud r. yea g sin pas with each m PC. nish, Jyoti and Tea Deepak Mehta support are with Ma ted Leevams Incorpora

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

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Digest Flint Group Packaging Inks launches ONECode Universal Bases in Europe for ultimate print flexibility and efficiency in flexible packaging

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mulch films is setting the standard for the industry (Silver 7400 & 7430, Black 7501 & 7546).

High priced ABS in recent times made

our customers look for PS compounds with

good

gloss

and

mechanical

properties; we could quickly make

it available in a variety of custom colours. Our technicians are relentlessly

compounds to incorporate anti-ageing

with fast changeover time, drew a lot

Expansion

of accolades from the attendees. During

the live demo, the machine effortlessly

touched the speed of 450 m/min, with superb register stability even when

running an 8-micron film and a semiat the peak speed; facets such as these held the audience in absolute awe!

The Solomark-6450 boasts of several differentiated

approaches,

few

include - infeed tension control by a physical counterweight on the dancer, a

semi-flotation

drying

system

for

efficient drying with minimum solvent retention and an intelligent SCADA

control system, multiple options in pre-

registration, a multiple trolley system for a fast job changeover and operating flexibilities, etc.

upreme

The press’s capability to print on

flotation drying system that works well Mitsui Signs MoU with PureCycle Technologies to develop recycled polypropylene production project in Japan

working to expand the range of our PS

thinner and sensitive films, coupled Mitsubishi Chemical partners with University of Nottingham to explore microwave PMMA recycling technology

SPL - Moving Fast With Developments and Expansions

UV resistant properties. projects

for

increasing

capacity of PS and ABS are progressing satisfactorily at both our Nagothane and Manali complexes.

VDMA Symposium on, ‘Additive Manufacturing: The Game Changer of Manufacturing’

avenues

additive

manufacturing (AM) adoption are

emerging more and

with

industries

applications

adopting

Currently,

AM.

the

automotive and

electronics

both

industry

lead Rajesh Nath

Managing Director,

terms VDMA India

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

of overall market share as well as growth

Digest

trailed

adoption

medical,

and

industrial

architectural sectors.

are

and

Against this backdrop, VDMA India Morssinkhof-Rymoplast, the Dutch recycler and the Danish deposit system Dansk Retursystem extend the existing bottle-to-bottle loop for clear and light blue bottles to include green PET beverage bottles in line with the principle of circular economy

organised the ‘Additive Manufacturing Symposium - The Game Changer of Manufacturing’ for the second time

at Taj, MG Road in Bengaluru on 20th August, 2021.

The event covered various leitmotifs ranging from simulation, machinery, processes, industry and

Notus Composites launches new low temperature curing NE7 epoxy prepreg

imaging

products

and

materials. Over 80 delegates comprising representatives,

media

academia

participated

the

symposium. The event was conducted in collaboration with VDMA’s partner

companies - B&R Industrial Automation,

Beckhoff Automation, Festo and Carl Zeiss and our knowledge partner -

SABIC, St. Johns Packaging and Kingsmill launch world’s first ever bread packaging based on recycled postconsumer plastic

Contracts and How to Avoid Them’ was

followed by a talk of 4 speakers in the technical session. The

event

offered

good

content,

interaction possibilities and networking opportunities for both the audience and participating companies.

Silvin - Adding Magic to Additives

Silvin,

have

always

believed in adding dimensions

of creativity to any product process. One of our star performers is the Super1Pack that is a testament of efficiency and innovation.

lubricants, impact modifier and other

lighting of the lamp by the Chief Guest,

Seenivasan

CEO,

Balasubramanian,

International

Manufacturing Honour,

Aerospace

(IAMPL);

Friedrich

Guest

Birgelen,

General,

Rajesh

German

Deputy

Consulate

Nath,

Managing

Director, VDMA India and other speakers and dignitaries.

In his welcome address, Rajesh Nath outlined

the

market

impact,

analysis

manufacturing

both

This

was

benefits

and

additive

India

followed

and

short speech by Friedrich Birgelen, who

mentioned

management pandemic

the

Germany

similarities in India. The

with,

inaugural

enlightening presentation

manufacturing

impact

and

COVID-19

and

session

Seenivasan

some

concluded

Balasubramanian

with

adapting the

technical

additive

aerospace

industry. He beautifully introduced this transformative

Analysis of Disputes in Engineering

The event started with the traditional

globally.

M-S

Release of a legal paper on, ‘Root Cause

It is an all-in-one additive containing

Bangalore;

Solvay adds new thermoplastic composite capacity in the United States

applications in the aerospace industry.

BTG Legal.

Consul Scholle IPN, a global supplier of flexible packaging solutions, announces new line of tethered pouch fitments for increased sustainability

its benefits and shared some of its

process,

highlighted

stabilisers, essential

internal

chemicals,

and

external

additives

other

than PVC resin, CaCo3 (filler) and

pigments. Super1Pack is a calcium-zinc or methyl tin or metal-free stabiliser based OnePack,

depending upon

different

Our

premium

applications.

quality Super1Pack contains

the

required chemicals to produce PVC pipes, PVC pipe

fittings, CPVC pipes, CPVC pipe fittings and customised Super1Pack for PVC compounds-rigid, soft etc.

Bimetallic Technology and Specialised Screw Design Solutions from Kaivanya

aivanya

Extrusion

Technik

has

become a leading name as screw

and barrel specialist and its credit goes

to the enthusiastic team of experienced and energetic individuals who are

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

focused to reduce the wear and tear

of your machines and increase its

Digest

productivity and quality.

We use all advanced equipment and

have a widespread array of applications Stratasys Direct Manufacturing, offering polymer 3D printing solutions, announced that it has expanded its offerings to the healthcare industry to include anatomical modelling and consultative services

that

best

suit

Advance

their

biopolymers

and are constantly

Material

Technologies Pvt. Ltd. (Aquent)

launched

industry

upgrading

quent

Shatrynjaya

the need for the plastics

Aquent Launches AadiBio Functional Biopolymers AadiBio™

Aadinath

distributing

the

equipment to the

Palitana

Jain

Temple

‘prabhavna’

biodegradable

bags

using Aadibio.

our

functional

the

(prasad)

made

latest technology. We

manufacture

extruders

for

all

kinds of plastic machinery such as single screw extruders for tape plant,

Technipaq partners with Dupont™ Tyvek® and Freepoint Eco-Systems to reduce and recycle medical packaging plastics waste

lamination plant, PVC film and sheet

plant, PPTQ film plant, mono- and multilayer blown film plant, compounding extruders and recycling extruders (single and double stage), twin screw extruders

for counter rotating applications are pipe, profile, sheet, compounding and co-rotating

The Ferrero Group introduces new recyclable box for its iconic Ferrero Rocher range

Uniloy® launches new allelectric USC.E continuous extrusion shuttle blow moulding machine

Versalis to acquire technologies and plants of Ecoplastic, allowing it to accelerate developments in advanced mechanical recycling

S-V

engineering

polymer compound masterbatch and

Aquent, a speciality polymer company

and hot feed). We have developed our

solutions for the upcoming and fast-

be tailored to suit your application. We

products are unique that enhance

and

especially in the area of blending

filler, and rubber extruders (cold feed

has

own line of screw designs which can

growing

stand behind the parts we produce

performance of biodegradable plastics,

our products.

different

deliver

long-term

support

for

Screw design and patented mixers

Retrofitting projects

OEM replacement

Bimetallic

and linings NN

hard

developed

market-driven

biopolymer

polymers

industry.

Our

PLA/PBAT,

PBAT/starch, PLA/PBAT starch or for

Services we provide:

in-house waste recycling.

In addition to AadiBio, also launched were

highly

namely facing

coatings

Rebuilding and refurbishing services with inspection

At sight drawing service

Erection and installation

Turnkey project for extrusion lines

Delivering best quality to our customers by implementing latest innovations in bimetallic technology and specialised

screw design solutions polymer to polymer is what Kaivanya Extrusion stands for.

applications

differentiated

functional

PBAT

products

and

PLA

compatibiliser and PLA chain extender at the Palitana Shatrunjaya Jain Derasar

(Temple) presenting the prasad bags made of our products. We

have

next-gen in

India

installed

grafting

the

technology

using

USA

largest plant

technology

transfer. The company is focused to make for

functional

automotive,

biopolymers,

polymers wire

optic

and

fibre,

India

cable,

recycle

polymers and packaging resins. Aquent

also has specialised compounds for high-performance footwear.

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

TRANSFORMATIONAL

“It was only in 1986 that we brought in

differently-abled people on the shop floor; a

change that we do not regret it one bit! It was finally about discovering their ability in their

disability. When we analysed this, we realised that what we did not get in normal people, we got in these differently-abled people,” share Nisheeth Mehta and Pathik Mehta, in dialogue with POLYMERS Communiqué.

Pathik Mehta COO, Microsign Products, Bhavnagar

Nisheeth Mehta CEO, Microsign Products, Bhavnagar

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

Identifying Abilities in Disabilities

‘Ek Nayi Sooch’ for Your Shop Floor

Q. From establishing Microsign in 1979 to the Microsign of today, please share with us the key highlights of this journey. To be fair, this journey is more than just business. Infact, I feel that each one should tread this

journey by touching various humane facets and exploring possibilities and learn to coexist the same with business.

Modernisation, innovation and technical upgradation are crucial. For this, your customers are your best teachers. Learn from them as to what they expect from you. We did this very diligently. That put us to the crucial aspect of innovation in HR. We believed that this could be another

area of big differentiation as we feel that this was a very neglected area; especially in our kind of business. We, thus, dwelled into this and began experimenting...we began our journey of embracing differently-abled people in our organisation.

We commenced this journey with deaf and mute people. We called them to our office and with utmost love and affection, we started to try to train them. You will be surprised to know that this training turned out to actually be a test of our attitude towards them, rather than their

attitude towards us! We actually just need to standby with them to help them sustain in this new environment.

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

We,

infact,

realised

very

soon

that

was

tremendously beneficial to have these differentlyabled people working with the normal people. It was incredible when we noticed an amazing sense of job ownership that these people brought to the

group! For your information, I worked with normal

people between 1979 - 1986. It was only in 1986 that I brought this change; and I must admit, I do

not regret it one bit! It was finally about discovering their ability in their disability. Simply put, it’s all about finding their strengths! As we introspect, don’t each one of us have disabilities and still successfully execute work?

Q. Your shop floor is extremely unique in its human capital with ‘special people’. Big congratulations! Let us know more about this... and where are we today on this.

These workers are delighted at the opportunity to work, making the shop floor a very happy place eternally. Happiness is innate to them as they love their jobs more than anything else.

We have a workforce of approximately

60; out of this, about 40 are differently-abled people. To split this further, 25 are orthopedically handicapped, 5 are mentally challenged and

Checking the output of the injection moulding machine.

these people come

with much better job

ownership. They don’t

do just tasks, they take

the responsibility of the

tasks; I am really impressed.

counted

this

initiative

as our CSR initially; but within

5 years, I well realised that this is not CSR, but truly our ‘Preferred HR’!

realised that what I did not get in normal people, I

got in these differently-abled people. Most normal

Q. What kind of skill sets do you identify and bring to use in these differently-abled people to help them succeed at work?

people come with an attitude of job hopping and

their demands never end. I never see anything

Let’s analyse the orthopedically handicapped

like this in these differently-abled people. Infact,

people first. Their limitation is that they cannot move. Most of them don’t

10 are deaf and mute. When I analysed this, I

A Memorable Trip Over the years, with visits across the world, I have witnessed some of the

most glitzy shop floors! Honestly, they all seem pale to what I witnessed at

Microsign, Bhavnagar; one of the most special shop floors, made truly special with the differently-abled, yet ever-smiling people; challenged in some operation, but unchallenged in attitude.

A visit to this temple, truly brought me down to my knees, purely in salute to humanity! Life here comes with a purpose and work resembles a prayer. For the

Mehta family, torchbearers of this movement, a big bow, dil-se; I consider myself to

be privileged to meet this lovely workforce that completely changed my outlook to so many things! Many thanks to Shirish Divgi (Milacron), for making this happen! Manish Chawla

Publisher, POLYMERS Communiqué

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

have both of their legs. We give them those kinds of jobs on the shop floor so that they don’t have to move. They sit next to the machine output and are

trained to work on the produce. And, would you believe this, these people always prefer to do their

that they remain confident with newest practices on your shop floor? Training them is a long-drawn process. For example, the orthopedically impaired have their

I can surely

see immense

opportunity for

comprehending skills well in place, so it’s a

the special people

As regards the deaf and mute, I call them my

work on their missing physical faculties. Put in

and accepted

remarkable concentration levels and do not get

focus on their ‘dos’ and not the ‘don’ts’. Laying

workers! It’s because of these people that our

very useful to them.

tasks independently; rarely do they involve others.

shade easier to orient them as we need to

to be adopted

focussed people. You will be amazed...they have

perspective, for each one of them, we have to

distracted easily. A very very sincere group of

down instructions in the local language is

rejection ratio is very low...primarily due to their

As regards the mentally challenged, we give

have a plethora of

that their jobs are not of critical magnitude

them. I urge all

concentration. Normal people have more issues

due to lower focus. Will you believe it, as regards training, these people are much faster learners

than the so-called normal people like us. It’s simply because of their focus and immense ownership of their task.

As regards the mentally challenged, they are very

sharp in doing repetitive tasks – 1-stage or 2-stage. Calculation is their weakness. Let’s look at this in

another way! These people are not calculative

in their approach to work...they cannot be! For them, it’s very simple, the more I work, the more I feel happy. Our task is just to motivate them

by the plastics industry. Each

shop floor does

them roles that are secondary in nature such

tasks cut-out for

that impact the product. Quality checks and

my friends in the

verifications are already done before it reaches them; an example, for assembly. They are deliberately fit into those roles where their To know more, please subscribe to Polymers Communiqué at

subscriptions@polymerscommunique.com

plastics industry

to come forward

and accept

these wonderful

people...who are

truly special. And

trust me, they are

truly deserving!

and they would perform far better than any of us! Amazing productivity they bring to the table...a big

requirement of the shop floor is met because of them.

Q. What training methodology do you adopt for your ‘special staff’ so

L to R:

Nisheeth Mehta, CEO,

Microsign Products along with Manish Chawla, Publisher,

POLYMERS Communiqué.

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

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NEXT STEP

Future Shop Floors will be More Intelligent, Data-driven, Reliable and Productive

Shirish V. Divgi Managing Director, Milacron India, Ahmedabad

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

Q. Having carried the experience of over a century, Milacron set up its India operations. How has the journey been this far, please share with the readers some of your highs and lows. The plastics manufacturing industry has grown by leaps and bounds in

“A shop floor equipped

with smart processes and fixtures, driven by smart people to detect and

immediately correct the

variations on a permanent basis, is the opportunity for manufacturing

excellence in India for the future,” suggests Shirish

V. Divgi, in dialogue with

POLYMERS Communiqué.

the past decade in India. With 15 offices across the country and a market share approaching 30 per cent, Milacron India has been at the forefront of this growth trajectory witnessed by the industry. Our portfolio of products

includes injection moulding machines, low-pressure injection moulding (LPIM) machines, and extrusion systems which serve a variety of industries, from automotive to electrical and electronics, packaging, construction, and beyond.

We have a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Ahmedabad, including in-house part manufacturing. It’s one-of-a-kind in the country, both dustcontrolled and Industry 4.0 compliant.

The last few years have brought great opportunities for the Indian team not

only in terms of manufacturing but also in terms of leading on the technology

front. As a result, a huge expansion is on the anvil. In three years, our manufacturing capacity is expected to grow from 2,000 units a year (which is

our current output) to 5,000 machines a year. We have already started shipping

our machines to our parent company in the USA and we have also started exporting to Europe. But this is just the beginning. We want to cater to this market in large numbers and capture a significant share of the overall market.

Fortunately, we are in a business where our products go into several applications and when you make the effort to visit and talk to your

customers, you learn that there are many other opportunities for growth. We place a lot of emphasis on developing the trust of our customers.

As Milacron has grown, it has never lost sight of customer needs. We

have always been a strong systems-oriented company and I think that too differentiates us from other players in the industry.

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

Long-term benefits of shop floor upgrades include operational efficiency which ultimately reduces the cost of materials and results in overall cost optimisation for the business, reduced wastage, improved labour standards, improved governance standards and much more. It is important to onboard a team of experts while planning for such upgrades as they will be able to assess risks, estimate costs and map the runway for accruing benefits from a project of this nature.

As employee number one, I held a

forefront

plastics

from multiple players have resulted in

India. In my first such role as Head of

innovative products and technologies

products all around us. Upgrading our

variety of leadership roles at Milacron Design and Development, I oversaw the technology transfer between our American parent company and the new

Indian

manufacturing

facility.

Other key positions including Head of

Manufacturing followed, as well as a stint in sales to appreciate a different

perspective - that of the customer and

end applications. In 2010, I became

Managing Director for India, a role which was expanded to cover all of the Asian operations in 2017.

On that first day at work back in 1996, I would be joined by a core group that now constitutes the senior team. Great teamwork is the whole story of

our success. We have developed a very strong team - in technical terms as well

as systems- and customer-orientation which has really given us growth over the years.

technology.

innovation

bring

new

and

to deliver cost efficiency and high

productivity to our customers. There has

been continuous demand for innovating machines with higher speeds, low wastage, and better efficiency, especially

required by customers in the medical and packaging industries.

We have launched our new product

ranges namely, the eQ series (allelectric injection moulding machine),

N-series (entry-level injection moulding machine).

Additionally,

have

also developed the MonoSandWich technology which is highly beneficial

the

Moreover, this would also result in reduced

energy

Streamlining

time and ability to adapt to the dynamic world have been highly appreciated by our customers.

Technology is advancing at a fast pace. and

development

efforts

shop

floor

operations

to align with sustainability goals will become essential in the near future, given that the government is expected to

push

companies

ESG compliance.

when

and conservation. Our quick turnaround

and

company margins.

only

the renewed focus on sustainability

consumption

improved efficiencies, all adding to the

have been designed keeping in mind

the articles produced. These products

Research

contributes to a circular economy.

believe

Milacron

been

in our day-to-day activities definitely

Q. What role can an updated shop floor play in helping achieve the goals of sustainability and a circular economy?

always

shop floor to include these materials

for recycling and weight reduction in

Q. The needs and demands of the processing industry have changed radically in the last three to five years. How has the role of a technology supplier evolved to address these market dynamics? has

reduced wastage and more sustainable

that

adhere

redesigning

and

alignment of the shop floor will happen the

top

management

realises the positive impact it can have, both on the business as well external stakeholders and society.

the

environment

Q. A shop floor upgrade can be very capital intensive. What is your advice to businesses on how to To know more, please subscribe to Polymers Communiqué at

subscriptions@polymerscommunique.com

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

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WORTHWHILE

Kailesh Shah Managing Director, All Time Plastics Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai

Invest in Your Shop Floor Your Factory is With You for Life 46

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

“We have always believed and invested in keeping our shop floor modern

by adopting the latest technology

the industry has to offer. With good investments, you have higher

uptime and better repeatability

Q. From ‘Bombay Traders’ to ‘All Time Plastics’ as it is today, the journey covers decades of experience and milestones; please share with the readers your most unforgettable experience this far.

for moulding high quality parts with less rejection,” opines

Kailesh Shah, in dialogue with

It is difficult to pare down to one, but ordering our first 850 tonne

POLYMERS Communiqué.

machine and installing it in a small building in Daman was quite

challenging and something I cannot forget. Also being approved as a

supplier for a big European retailer in 1997 was quite unforgettable.

Q. The use of recyclate in production lines is gaining importance across the globe. How has your organisation adapted to or how will it adapt to this and what are the challenges? It is the responsibility of each and every convertor to identify the products which

can be made from the recycled stream. All Time started this journey four to five

years ago and we have converted many of our non-food contact articles which are

currently made from industrial waste. These compounds enable us to achieve product

performance and also safeguard other chemical migration-related issues. The biggest

challenge we face is cost and when you have to purchase recyclate at a higher price than

the virgin price, it is the real test of you and your customer’s conviction that comes into

play. With the increase in recyclate capacity globally, its price will drop below the virgin price

over time.

Q. Please share your views on sustainability and the circular economy. How do you inculcate these concepts in your organisation? Sustainability is not only about raw materials but a holistic approach to the entire

business. At All Time, we measure our total greenhouse gas emissions (GHG)

Industry 4.0 is

footprint. It starts with selecting the right equipment, recycling water,

rainwater harvesting, decreasing fuel consumption, using solar power and

very important,

but just getting the

machine production data

and OEE is not Industry 4.0.

You also need to capture ancillary equipment data and your entire

IT infrastructure should be capable

of processing it to help improve planning and provide key

business analytics.

using sustainable packaging both for internal handling and for the end

product. The responsibility for having a full circular economy is with all the stakeholders, including the polymer producers / converters /

supply chain buyers and end consumers so we are avidly trying to tie-up loose ends in this area.

Q. You have been a strong believer in investing in your shop floor. Share with us your thought process in this regard. We have always believed and invested in keeping our shop floor modern by adopting the latest technology the industry

has to offer. Customers come and go but your factory is with To know more, please subscribe to

Polymers Communiqué at subscriptions@polymerscommunique.com

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

PEOPLE FACTOR

“Collaboration between humans and robots will

be the future, especially

in assembly. People have realised that robots do not replace, but rather complement them in

fulfilling their tasks even

quicker or more precisely. In the smart factory of

the future, people will still play the most important role,” believes Dr. Stefan

Engleder, in dialogue with POLYMERS Communiqué.

Dr. Stefan Engleder CEO, ENGEL Group, Austria

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

People Will be Pivotal in the

Smart Factory of the Future

If I had to rebuild, for

example, our existing plants in Austria, I

would give them an even more flexible

design – as we have

Q. Please share with us your achievements that you consider landmarks in the ENGEL journey.

locations.

every

For

example,

COVID-19

brought the digitalisation of

our duo series as very important milestones.

focus, which motivates us to

One of the latest landmarks is our inject 4.0

priority, pushing digital service

framework which we consider as the foundation for

the digitalisation of our injection moulding machines. In terms of the production network and global supply chain, building a site in China was another important milestone. Back then, we were the first European company as a wholly foreign-owned enterprise to produce in China. The 25

anniversary of our Mumbai branch is our

Indian milestone.

Q. The pandemic has impacted the growth of the economies of most nations, bringing the progress of the industry to a grinding halt. How has ENGEL managed to perform in these turbulent times? We have consistently followed our plan and never stopped investing in development and in our

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

our newest plant at

there are also opportunities.

When I think of our solution portfolio, I would see

the introduction of our first tie-bar less machine and

already considered in

crisis,

Changzhou. We are

facing volatile times

the production process into

and plants must be

maintain digitalisation as top

able to quickly adapt to the fast-changing

solutions in particular. Furthermore,

ENGEL

benefitted

from serving different industries. The

medical

technology

has

circumstances. Their

ability to ‘breathe’ will

continued to grow during the crisis,

be crucial.

as the plastics industry is making an

important contribution to combating the pandemic.

Q. What are your thoughts on the Indian market, its current status and growth potential? We closed the first quarter of FY 2021-22 To know more, please subscribe to Polymers Communiqué at

subscriptions@polymerscommunique.com

A CUSTAGE I N I T I A T I V E

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THIS FAR

Transformation of Manufacturing Environment and Trends

For the purpose of this article, we will focus on the trajectory and transformational development

of modern workshops aka ‘smart

plants’, and the key events affecting

these developments from, let us say, Industry 1.0 through Industry 4.0, and now trending Industry 5.0.

istorically, the use of cutting tools dates back to prehistoric

times. Din the discoveries made in 1997, stone tools - dating

to 2.5 - 2.6 million years old - were reported from the Gona

study area in Ethiopia, then inhabited by Homo Habilis. Indian historical accounts contained in the Puranas and studies of temple architecture

reveal highly sophisticated engineering processes, some quite difficult even today, that were used in early times.

For the purpose of this article, we will focus on the trajectory and

transformational development of modern workshops aka ‘smart plants’, and the key events affecting these developments from, let us say,

Industry 1.0 through Industry 4.0, and now trending Industry 5.0. The timeline may look a little like the schematic in Figure 1.

Industry 1.0 Industry 1.0 refers to the first industrial revolution. Back in the 18th Rakesh Shah RS Coaching and Consulting, New Delhi

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

century, the development of steam power began the mechanisation of production. Invention of the steam engine by James Watt provided

a great impetus to mechanisation and development of metal cutting, woodworking and textile industries.

Industry 3.0 (1969) - Electronics - IT Systems - Automated Production

Industry 2.0 (1870) - Division of Labor - Mass Production - Electrical Energy

Industry 1.0 (1784) - Mechanical Production - Water and Stream Power

Industry 4.0 (2011) - IoT - Robotics and AI - Big Data - Cloud Computing

Industry 5.0 (Future) - Robotics and AI - Sustainability - Renewable Resources - Bionics

Human-Robot Co-working

Cyber-Physical Systems ity

plex

Com

Bio-economy

First Programmable Logic Controller

First Assembly Line

First Mechanical Loom 1784

1870

1800

1969 1900

2011

Future

Figure 1.

(Picture Credit: ResearchGate)

This led to an increase of up to 8 times in volume and productivity. Typically, in a workshop, the power from the

prime mover was transmitted to various

machine tools via a ‘line shaft’ and a set of pulleys and belts as seen in Figure 2.

Industry 2.0 Industry

Years

2000

2.0,

the

second

revolution of the late 19

industrial

and early

20th century, was triggered by the

implementation

electricity

production and the invention of the assembly line.

Ransom

Olds

Oldsmobile

Company and Henry Ford successfully

used assembly line production in their automobile

assembly

facility,

which

drastically enhanced the ability to churn out mass numbers of cars. As

electric

available,

power

the

became

industry

widely

adopted

motors to provide drive to individual machinery through belts and gearing (Refer Figure 3).

Automation was also growing alongside

as the machine tools and looms were designed

purposes. ago,

for

the

than

Chinese

sophisticated 2,000

developed

years

trip-

hammers powered by flowing water and waterwheels. The early Greeks experimented motors

with

powered

simple

reaction

steam.

The

mechanical clock, representing a rather

complex assembly with its own built-in power source (a weight), was developed

in about 1335 in Europe. Windmills, with mechanisms for automatically turning the sails, were developed during the

Middle Ages in Europe and the Middle East. In about 1801, the French inventor Joseph-Marie

Jacquard

devised

textiles

automatic loom capable of producing complex

patterns

controlling the motions of many shuttles To know more, please subscribe to Figure 2.

Polymers Communiqué at (CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=21906)

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POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

We Stretch to Meet

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Rajesh Mishrimal Jain Director, Arihant Gold Plast Pvt. Ltd. (AGPL)

It was early days in 1995 when Rajesh worked as an intern at Ramesh Plastic Industry, a blow-moulding company. This was followed by the glimmer of working at his father’s jewellery company. Carrying forward from here, Rajesh founding AGPL to manufacture plastic films and sheets.

Change being the only constant, we thought it

would be wonderful to capture this and freeze

‘time’. We associate with the ‘current look’ of

our industry colleagues and would it not be

exciting to know of their persona, decades

ago. That’s what we did, had them dig deep into their archives and share this just for your ‘read’... or should we say ‘see’!

A visual delight!

Pradeep Chowdhry MD, Gemini Edibles and Fats Ltd.

ICI, Kanpur was the place for Pradeep in 1979 when he had just started his career; a resolute performer through his long journey, he today heads Gemini Edibles and Fats company.

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

Samir Kothari

Proprietor, Jeegar Enterprises

Samir today deals in medical equipment through his enterprise which he founded in 2001. His picture in 1996 captures the time when he was in a similar line dealing with sales of surgical products.

K. Thiruvengadam Director, STAM Digital Tooling India Pvt. Ltd.

Even early days in his career, K. Thiruvengadam gathered immense knowledge relating to plastic injection mould design and overall manufacturing. He leveraged the same and it’s not surprising that today he is Director in STAM Digital Tooling India.

9 8 9

Rajiv Trivedi Owner, Trivedi Associates

A super retro picture of 1989 when Rajiv worked as a Design Engineer in Windsor Machines. While he has transformed himself and made a significant impression in this industry with his decades of superlative performance, today he runs his consulting company and continues to guide the industry. POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

NOT-TOO-FAR

Future of the Moulding Industry Highly Automated Q. With over 60+ years of experience in the printing industry, your company is witness to the paradigm shift in print technology; please share with us your experience so far in the industry and your key learnings. There have been drastic technological advances in the printing industry and it was paramount for us to keep updating ourselves with time. The UV printing technology

was a game-changer for the print industry in the last few years. It has helped us to provide a lot of value-addition in the packaging space as it gave us the ability to print on metallic as well as plastic substrates which was earlier a huge challenge.

The most defining moment was our decision to stop doing commercial printing (i.e.) brochures and catalogues, and move on to packaging only. It reduced our dependency on a fluctuating demand, moving towards a more perennial market.

As regards to a difficult phase for us, undoubtedly, it is the pandemic. It has been the most testing phase in the last ten years. The challenges faced were at multiple levels;

it was about people, supply chain, cash flows and more. We had to really think out of

the box to find solutions for everything. The upside of this was the opportunity for a few to take more responsibility and shine through such demanding times.

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

“To add, IML has played a

very important role in the

European markets and other

developed markets due to its

positive impact on sustainability. Especially due to the fact that in IML, one can regrind the

container and the label and

process it altogether without

any separation being required,” elucidates Vikas Khanna, in dialogue with POLYMERS

Vikas Khanna Partner, Ajanta Print Arts, Navi Mumbai

Communiqué.

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

Q. What prompted the transition or rather adding the IML to the portfolio of the company?

Q. IML, a boon or bane for sustainability and circular economy; your views on the same.

IML was the requirement of one of our packaging customers,

Hershey’s.

Globally,

they

were

manufacturing their bottles with IML and when

they launched it in India, they wanted to continue

the same standard of packaging. They had done some experiments in India, but were not very

successful and had started importing bottles from China.

By the time we got into the project, we were

given very tight deadlines and we had to do

our learning quickly as the subject was new for

IML has played a very important role in the European and other developed markets due to

its positive impact on sustainability. In case of self-adhesive labels / shrink sleeves, the label /

sleeve has to be separated from the container or the bottle and then recycled. Whereas, in IML,

we can regrind the container and process it

altogether without any separation being required. There is energy saving as in-mould labelling uses the heat of the moulding process to fuse the

label on the container. No post labelling or sleeving is required.

us. We got into it with an idea that this is

Overall it reduces the carbon footprint for brand

opportunity to enter into a new market which

paper needed for self-adhesive labels.

something new; we felt that there was an

India did not have. Hershey’s introduced us to

owners as there is no requirement of the silicon

the IML segment which was the start to a good journey. There were other customers as well,

Q. Impediments for the growth of IML in India. Your views.

with

brands

their

India is an evolving market and there are

rolled on beautifully. We have learnt a great

challenges,

take adaptation both at the manufacturing level

whom and

worked

products

into

IML

develop and

just

deal in the last ten years. IML, technically, is a very challenging product. We realised that

there has to be a good partnership between

the label manufacturer, the robot manufacturer and the moulder. Implementation of the initial IML projects was a huge challenge. However, we

rather

than

impediments.

will

as well as that of the thought process.

Q. The importance of machining, tooling and application of automation and robotics in IML production lines; your comments on the same.

believed in this business, created an in-house

Mould

labelling

automated

process,

our

crucial. Over the last few years, this has been

team and studied the subject well, developing

and application of pick and place robots is

implementation at the customer’s end.

gaining momentum and a lot of companies are

own

parameters

for

production

and

upgrading

themselves.

manufacturers

are

Even

domestic

successfully

robot

implementing

projects allowing for greater reach. Knowledge of mould development and modification

We have identified

IML as a great opportunity over

the next few years and we have

invested in a core team for marketing and technical support. We have also invested in advanced

equipment, tailored to produce in-mould labels.

for IML applications is more accessible now. The ecosystem is building up for IML applications.

Q. Is there something like the most versatile material used in IML? What about compatibility with new materials being developed? IML

not

material

dependent,

To know more, please subscribe to Polymers Communiqué at

subscriptions@polymerscommunique.com

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

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FORGING AHEAD

L to R: Hersh N. Joshipara, Executive Director Naresh J. Joshipara, Managing Director Viren N. Joshipara, Executive Director Vihan Engineering Pvt. Ltd., Ahmedabad

“As regards the market, we foresee

a very healthy growth for the Indian PVC industry with the western

players setting up operations in India and Indian companies growing at

a phenomenal pace,” share Naresh J. Joshipara, Viren N. Joshipara and

Hersh N. Joshipara, in dialogue with POLYMERS Communiqué.

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

An Engineered Workplace

The Way Forward Q. Please share with our readers your journey of 25 years in achieving a position of eminence from a non-entity, and building your brand exclusively on one product of PVC pipe jointing system for application in irrigation, building construction, sewer systems, telecommunication etc. I consider myself very fortunate to have had the opportunity to work - at the very beginning of my career in 1981 - in two reputed organisations - Crompton Greaves Ltd. and Klockner Windsor Ltd.

(presently known as Windsor Machines Ltd.). The era of participative management using JIT, Kanban methodology etc. were gaining traction with several managements, who wanted to discard

contemporary British era hierarchical management control systems. Consequently, young engineers

were encouraged to experiment, learn and reinvent ways of managing the business. In retrospect, those 14 years were transformational and laid the foundation for the future.

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

My choice to build a career in plastics was the

Having said that, blending of recyclate generated

similarities. First, at IIT-Delhi, we learned the

telecom ducts and electrical conduit pipes are

outcome of two events spaced in time, but having potential of polymer to replace metal application

and that the next industrial revolution would

occur around the inventions related to applications in this field. I decided to take a plunge in this emerging technology in the year 1986 by joining Windsor Machines Ltd.

Second, my visit to the Windsor facility located in

Thane, Mumbai in 1986 opened a new chapter

in my life and, thus, began a new journey

that led to fulfilling my dream of setting up

By 2022, we would have

of an organisation that upholds values of

integrated

I founded the company in 1993 and dithered

innovation, integration and execution.

successfully

at several steps post which I decided to

corrugated

focus on product development in pipe

pipes auxiliary

jointing systems.

equipment into

our portfolio. With such exciting

into the business, we are planning

plastic

pipe

industry

with an emphasis on achieving consistently proper

socket

dimensions.

Sustained

efforts paid off and we were able to bring

sewer

and

drainage

system,

layer (foam) constitutes of the foaming agent and the recyclate along with PVC virgin material.

Recyclate is widely used in applications like PVC flooring and applications where human hazards are not envisaged.

Belling of PVC pipes with higher content of recyclates requires special attention in equipment design and process control technology.

engineered

workplace

factory

with

is tailored to the product being manufactured, would

increase

productivity,

reduce

manual

fatigue and have a positive impact on the employees. The major consideration here in the Indian context is the price of the land and, hence, at times, compromises are made.

the attention of the entire industry to an

I have witnessed a slow, but steady shift in

quality PVC pipe could be branded as inferior

professional guidance in preparing factory and

important element of their success - ‘Good if the joint leaks in the application.’

We take pride that we have stalled the monopoly of European suppliers of similar equipment by our perseverance and sustained efforts.

Q. World over, the use of recyclate in production lines is gaining precedence; what are the challenges faced whilst designing and manufacturing lines for using recyclates? Firstly, usage of recyclate for potable water and irrigation application is not permitted due to health hazards.

material handling and storage system, which

technologies

automobile and

FY 2022-2023.

such

stormwater system etc. Composition of the middle

used by western countries for several

contemporary

offer solutions for PVC pipe jointing systems

sectors during the

areas

adopting

We, at Vihan, sensed an opportunity to

semiconductor

two layers of virgin PVC, find wide application in

installation. The industry was also lagging

automation for the

middle layer (foam) is sandwiched between

streamlined material flow along with robust

the

past decades.

to diversify into

Multilayer PVC foam core pipes, wherein the

that

engineering practices were not followed

next-generation

limit mentioned.

in the preparation of joints as well as in its

compared to western countries and correct

the advent of

permitted by respective standards with the upper

Q. Your thoughts on the importance of the contribution of factory layout and material flow systems in enhancing the productivity and human safety, and your analysis / status of Indian organisations vis-à-vis global business practice in a similar industry.

Several interconnected events enlightened

India during the late ’90s was evolving

progress and

within the premises in specific applications like

management

perception

towards

seeking

workplace layouts appropriate to local conditions and products at the very inception stage of the project.

Q. What is the importance of auxiliary equipment in plastic pipe processing industry for improvement of productivity and quality - to what extent is this relevant in the present context? To know more, please subscribe to Polymers Communiqué at

subscriptions@polymerscommunique.com

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

LOOK OUT

The Emergence of

the ‘New Collar’ The rise of ‘new collar’ jobs can help redefine jobs and create new ones, which can be

a win-win for companies and employees, marking the future of manufacturing.

“We have been paying people for their hands

for years when they would have given us their

heads and hearts for free...if we had just known how to

ask.” - Bob Chapman, CEO, Barry-Wehmiller

According to the World Economic Forum, the First Industrial Revolution used water and steam power to mechanise production. The Second used electric power to create mass production. The

Third used electronics and information technology to automate production. The Fourth Industrial Revolution, built on the Third,

is a digital revolution that has been occurring since the middle of

the last century and is characterised by a fusion of technologies that is blurring the lines between the physical, digital and biological spheres.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution was already reshaping the future of work. Ruby Thapar A Reputation and Sustainability Consultant and an Executive Coach, Mumbai

With the pandemic, we are now going through a disruption that has fundamentally altered the way we live, work and relate to one another. In its scale, scope, speed and complexity, the transformation has been unlike anything you and I have ever experienced before. The breadth and depth of

these changes signal the change of entire systems of production, management and governance.

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

The next decade will continue to build on this makeover. As individuals and organisations, it’s an

opportunity to shape the future we want, rather than simply manage the future that comes.

While a lot has been said and written about

technological transformation, what does it mean when rubber hits the ground?

Two trends that one needs to make a note of The

every

digital

transformation

company

into

including manufacturing. NN

workers behind it must evolve too. The

‘new

collar’

manufacturing

jobs

are

already being called upon to be safer, more

intellectually challenging and may end up possibly commanding better pay than the traditional blue

collar jobs. As industries are being reshaped by data

science and cloud computing, jobs are demanding

Ground Reality NN

to new platforms and ways of doing business, the

has

tech

turned

company,

This new world order of digitisation is calling

upon some new, some upgraded and some

different skill sets. The people with these new, upgraded and different skills will be neither the traditional blue collar workers nor the white collar, they will be the ‘new collar’.

The term ‘new collar’ was introduced by Ginni Rometty, CEO, IBM in 2016. According to her, “A new-collar worker is an individual who

new skills - which, in turn, requires new approaches to education, training and recruiting.

“I am convinced of one thing - that in

The ‘new collar’

represent the critical factor of production.

jobs are already

manufacturing

the future, talent, more than capital, will In the end, it all comes down to people

and values. We need to shape a future that

being called upon

works for all of us by putting people first and

to be safer, more

empowering them. In its most pessimistic,

intellectually

Revolution may indeed have the potential to

and may end

dehumanised form, the Fourth Industrial ‘robotise’ humanity and, thus, to deprive us of our heart and soul. But as a complement to the best parts of human nature -

challenging up possibly

commanding

develops technical and soft skills needed

creativity, empathy, stewardship - it

better pay than

industry through non-traditional education

collective and moral consciousness

blue collar jobs.

to work in the contemporary technology

can also lift humanity into a new

paths.” This is not about white collar v/s

based on a shared sense of destiny.

blue collar jobs, but about the ‘new collar’ jobs that employers in many industries demand. It’s clear that employers today are not only looking for skills and competencies, but also

It is incumbent on us all to make sure

the

latter

prevails.”

Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman, World Economic Forum.

work ethics.

the traditional

As industries are being reshaped

by data science and cloud

computing, jobs

The hiring strategies for are demanding The New Hire selecting ‘new collar’ workers new skills - which, Ginni Rometty also stated that Hiring for a ‘new collar’ would involve looking new collar jobs in many industries in turn, requires job means shifting beyond the information on remain largely unfilled. “The new approaches your strategy from the the resume and seeking surprising thing,” she stated, “is to education, traditional methods of potential and experience that not all of these positions seeking college education in areas such as training and require advanced education or degrees and former job ability to learn recruiting. require a traditional college degree. experience. The hiring strategies and process new What matters most is that these for selecting ‘new collar’ workers information, a employees have relevant skills, often would involve looking beyond the growth mind-set, a obtained through vocational training.” information on the resume and seeking technical aptitude, potential and experience in areas initiative and With the pandemic and the hybrid such as ability to learn and process problem solving. world we will continue to live in, the new information, a growth mind-set, This may possibly ‘new collar’ worker has already been become a boon for lending themselves to many industries, To know more, please subscribe to India’s emerging including manufacturing. It’s clear Polymers Communiqué at workforce. that as businesses go digital, and new regulations and technologies give way

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

subscriptions@polymerscommunique.com

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AUTO-MATE

Industry 4.0 for Quality and Delivery

at Optimised Costs Sivakumar R. B. Proprietor, Vignesh Polymers, Tamil Nadu

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

Q. What was your motivation behind starting your own initiative in 2005? I hail from an agricultural background and my family was heavily into farming back in those days. My father tried

setting up a business, but failed; this motivated me to pursue injection moulding in an academic setting and

work for nearly 15 years. Once I had enough experience in the field, I started my own business in Pondicherry back in 2005.

Q. What made you choose your current line of business - injection moulded products for the FMCG / automotive sector? After finishing my studies, I worked in the same field in

which I now do business; since I was familiar with both

FMCG and the automotive sector due to prior experience,

I proceeded to choose the same as my line of business when my startup was incorporated.

Q. You have one of the famed shop floors in the industry. What according to you has contributed to this distinction? Our shop floors are based on benchmarks from around the globe, as a result of my visits to countries with leading

industrial presence such as South Korea, Taiwan and Germany. They are well-organised and systematic with

clean process flows and process mapping. Our layouts are

designed and based on the need at hand and customised To know more, please subscribe to Polymers Communiqué at

subscriptions@polymerscommunique.com

“An automated shop floor focuses on

quality and precision while ensuring the required output at the right time. Our

shop floors are based on benchmarks

from around the globe. Standards were

set when I began the business and we’ve been adhering to them from day one to produce high quality output ever since,” shares Sivakumar R. B., in dialogue with POLYMERS Communiqué.

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

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BROADER PERSPECTIVE

n today’s business scenario, especially

production, there are a lot of factors

Every business dreams

of having a world-class

manufacturing facility, but

there are many parameters to be taken into account, including the economic

and social scenario of the

concerned region, highlights Prashant Trivedi.

needed to bring down or optimise manufacturing

costs. There are some fixed costs and some variable costs that can be worked upon to further optimise manufacturing costs without affecting output or efficient manufacturing.

Business: International Versus Indian The global scenario is veering towards the use of high-end technologies and automation to bring in efficient manufacturing, sustainability and repeatability, low

manufacturing costs and more importantly, the outlook of the plant (neat, tidy and

well-placed layout). Every business dreams of having a world-class manufacturing facility although there are many parameters to be taken into account. We also need to understand the economic and social scenario of the region in detail.

In western developed countries, there is lack of manpower or the manpower cost is too high. In such a case, automation becomes essential. Further, customers are

ready to pay for quality and tend to insist on the same. With automation, you bring in a lot of discipline in the work culture as well as the shop floor management and

outlook. The plant looks more organised, it is clean and tidy, work flow is defined and systematic, and you are able to implement all production management systems in a Prashant Trivedi Vice President (Head Operations & NPD), Sangir Plastics Pvt. Ltd., Vapi

convenient manner. But as mentioned earlier, you need to look at the economic and

social environment of the country or region. It is quite different in India as compared

to other countries as we have huge manpower resources, comparatively though, there is a lack of qualified resources (there is need for training at work). Qualified

people are always better in terms of knowledge, application, troubleshooting and execution of duties. However, we need a work environment that supports manual

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

Moving Towards

World-Class Manufacturing intervention while providing job opportunities to many.

lean management systems along with other good practices for making shop floor activity world-

class. We are successfully balancing automation

Emerging State of Indian Manufacturing

with optimum utilisation of manpower which

is needed in a developing country with a large

Having a large team on the shop floor does not

young population like ours.

mean chaos or mismanagement or a bad or

Emerging Indian Shop Floor

the work area functional and efficient with a

We Indians are good learners and also implement

Indian manufacturing is to provide maximum

the conventional business sectors are improving

use

the required systems to make their work area more

crowded work area. Even a large team can render

world-class outlook, and the emerging state of

good practices immediately on the shop floor. Even

employment

automation,

their work scenario and have been following all

cost computation to be a global economic

efficient with the latest in global technologies and

with

advanced

appropriate

technology

and

balancing

solutions’ provider.

outlook. This is a game changer for the overall

India has now become the most preferred location

competent manufacturer for the national and

for global manufacturing and we see many companies coming to India owing to factors

such as young, energetic and knowledgeable teams; ease of communication which is a constraint in other locations; business-friendly government policies; and many new vertical skills’ development

facilities and institutes that are providing a manufacturing-related curriculum.

Now in India, we see many industries following

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

industry in our country as we would become a global market.

A world-class manufacturing site does not mean that the plant needs to be air-conditioned or has to have the highest level of automation or well-

qualified team members at all levels etc. as this will To know more, please subscribe to Polymers Communiqué at

subscriptions@polymerscommunique.com

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in this lockdown, we have received stupendous response and feedback and we

are extremely delighted to share some with you. We are overwhelmed with your responses. In all humility...a big thank you!

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I was habitual of reading the magazine, but the new digital format of PC has

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I would recommend everybody in the plastics industry to have the POLYMERS Communiqué app on their mobile devices. 94

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financial trends with industry know-how.

your memories with industry experts’ advice / suggestions as well as you

and

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Subhash Naik Sales Manager PCS - Indian Subcontinent, Datacolor Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

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Ramkumar S. Rangaswamy Industry Consultant

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

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SEEING TOMORROW

Plastics Industry Shop Floors

A Sneak Peek Into Factories of the Future

chieving higher process reliability, consistency and enhanced quality at the highest possible cost reduction and improved speed

and safety is every industry’s challenge. This is exactly the reason

new generation shop floors are employing automation and robotics and

Yogesh Kumar Chief Operations Officer, DiFACTO Robotics and Automation Pvt. Ltd., Bengaluru

enabling industries to remain sustainably competitive.

Plastics Industry Readying for Automation and Robotics With advancements in hardware and software technologies, robotics and automation are becoming more prevalent in the plastics industry. The shop

floors of the plastics industry are already gearing up to welcome advanced

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

manufacturing industrial

technologies

robot-based

and

automation

to minimise dependency on human resources,

enhance

output

and

consistency, and positively leverage the benefits of automation.

The annual global robotics revenue is

estimated

upwards

US$ 50 billion (installations include

prime applications: NN

Injection moulding part insertion

Injection moulding part extraction

Degating, cutting, flash removal and profile trimming

Robotic machining and routing

Quality checks and inspection using

robots, robot systems, software and

vision systems - both, presence /

International

inspection

absence of features and dimensional

peripherals). As per reports from the Federation

Robots

(IFR), despite the pandemic and global

tensions, the operational stock of robots

has more than doubled in the last six years as compared to the previous

three decades. As of 2019, there was an installed base of more than 2.7 million

units of industrial robots. The plastic and chemical industry alone had an 8% YoY growth contribution during the year.

Painting and coating applications

Assembly of inserts post moulding

Material handling

Packaging

Palletising

Intra-company logistics

Warehouse

floors of tomorrow

will boast industrial robots,

collaborative systems, flexible

lines, intra-logistics, warehouse and storage automation, and digitalisation among other

futuristic features, visualises Yogesh Kumar.

carry out most of the above mentioned tasks,

the

deployment

newer

technologies is becoming more popular

and widely accepted. The following

automation

automated storage solution

developments are increasingly expected and

Scope of Automation in Plastics

Future Factory Shop Floors of the Plastics Industry

Automation has substantial scope in

While a standard industrial robot can

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

The factory shop

the plastics industry for the following

in future factory shop floors of the plastics industry:

To know more, please subscribe to Polymers Communiqué at

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RADICIGROUP HIGH PERFORMANCE POLYMERS Founded in 1981 in Italy on the cornerstone of RadiciGroup’s polyamide upstream integration, RadiciGroup High Performance Polymers has grown into a global manufacturer of a complete range of engineering plastics to meet the needs of many industries including Automotive, Electrical & Electronics, Furnishing, Consumer Goods.

WE ARE GLOCAL: GLOBAL THINKING, LOCAL ACTION. This has been our motto for the last 20 years’ growth. Today, with eight plants strategically located in 4 continents and 7 countries, and a worldwide sales network, RadiciGroup High Performance Polymers provides high-quality product standards on a global scale, besides offering state-of-the-art support in research & development and processing technologies. RadiciGroup’s Upstream integration in polyamide, coupled with the high flexibility of its polymerization plants has represented the basis for the continuous expansion of our polyamide-based product range, from long chain to high temperature polyamides. Expansion is a keyword for our future. We keep exploring new horizons, by expanding our product range and global presence, to promote the growth of RadiciGroup High Performance Polymers.

, , PPA A6.12 nd P , 0 a .1 , PA6 rature PA e PA6.6 PA6, igh temp h s other l PA blend ia spec

ial PA

Spec

nd o

a PA6.6

re PA

eratu

temp

PBT

poun

d com

ase 6.6-b

TPEs

POM

and d PA6

cycle

ial re dustr

-in Post PA6.6

igh ther h

e T flam nd PB

PA a

PPS

MAIN APPLICATION SECTORS

Automotive

Electrical/electronic

Technical Industrial

RADICI PLASTICS INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED 501, DLF Tower, Shivaji Marg, New Delhi - 110015 – INDIA. Tel. +91 11 41638170 E-mail: info.plastics@radicigroup.com

Sport

dants

retar

PEOPLE FACTOR

Emergence of a New Shop Floor

from the HR Perspective Introduction Future manufacturing systems are being challenged by a rising number of product variants, shorter product lifecycles and the need to address

employees’ demographic change, along with the trend for a knowledge

society, the competency development of employees is important for these future manufacturing systems. Especially, the competencies needed

for systematic problem solving and continuous improvement are crucial.

However, competency development (internal and external) is time and

cost expensive and releasing shop floor employees for dedicated training is not always possible - especially for small- and medium-sized enterprises. Thus, an integrated competency development system on the shop floor of

manufacturing environments needs to be developed. To integrate such a competency development system through the shop floor management

method appears to be a promising approach. However, since the basic concept of shop floor management is present in most companies, it could be enhanced for systematic competency development; and thus, the new Dr. Naveen Malhotra Senior HR Professional Ahmedabad

102

shop floor management.

Shop Floor Management and Its Objectives Having understood that the shop floor being a participant of the production

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

With the emergence of shop floor people management, the aim is to improve

operational figures by systematic control, improve the quality, efficiency and reliability of order fulfillment.

phase, its management requires dealing and

handling all those factors which are directly involved

enable fast information flows. Thus, by reducing

in production. Before we move to the objectives

the hierarchy, the shop floor personnel receive

of a new shop floor, let us briefly understand shop

wider responsibility, both in function

floor management.

Shop floor management can be defined as management at the point where things happen.

Managers and production employees meet daily at this place of value creation to carefully analyse the

equipment, inventory, storage and manufacturing processes in order to identify any disturbances or

deviations in the value-added processes - and to

initiate counter-measures where necessary. These daily meetings, more commonly known as the shop floor management meetings, are an integral part of the management process.

Emerging objectives in today’s management of the shop floor: NN

Lean production for value creation.

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

Shortening communication channels in order to

and discipline. NN

This means supervisors have to execute

more of the planning and organisational work; therefore, less time of managerial

staff is spent on the shop floor. Even if

One of the

objectives of

shop floor

management is

some managers cannot spend their

the development

have to assist their workforce in a

supervisors to

whole day on the shop floor, they methodical way. Consequently, one of

the objectives of shop floor management is

the

development

shop

floor

supervisors to ‘methodical coaches’ for

of shop floor

‘methodical

coaches’ for their

co-workers.

To know more, please subscribe to Polymers Communiqué at

subscriptions@polymerscommunique.com

103

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SIVARAM SPEAKS

Wood-polymer Composite Renaissance of a Renewable Resource Superior understanding of the complex hierarchical composite structure of wood and our ability to

manipulate these structures has resulted in two

significant discoveries; namely, an optically transparent wood and a wood capable of elastic behaviour.

ood has been known to mankind for several millennia and is one

of the oldest materials in continuous use. Wood is a widely used building material of natural origin; it is also widely found in art

and architecture to create aesthetically pleasing shapes and forms. Wood has its origins from renewable resources (trees) and is widely employed

due to its building tradition, low cost and good material properties such as

low density, high modulus, high strength, high toughness and low thermal conductivity. In spite of its long history of use, a full understanding of the

structure and properties of wood remains incomplete. Recent research has shown interesting possibilities to modify wood and endow it with advanced Dr. S. Sivaram Former Director, CSIR-NCL Honorary Professor and INSA Senior Scientist, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

functional properties. Superior understanding of the complex hierarchical

composite structure of wood and our ability to manipulate these structures

has resulted in two significant discoveries; namely, an optically transparent wood and a wood capable of elastic behaviour.

Wood’s excellent mechanical properties arise due to its unique structure.

Depending on their types and geographical origins, different woods display great diversity of meso-structures in terms of porosity or density.

105

The most outstanding property of wood is their

also shows excellent structural properties due to

of many aligned vertical channels. Anisotropic

OTW was fabricated by bulk infusion of either pre-

structural anisotropy on account of the existence structures are ubiquitous in biological materials. The

structure of a tree consists of a large number of

Transparent

vertically aligned channels (i.e., lumina, fibres

wood is obtained by selective

removal of lignin combined with infusion of the

cellulose fibrils

with a polymer of tailored

refractive index

without altering the hierarchical structure of the wood.

and vessels) along the longitudinal direction. These channels are used to transport ions,

water and other nutrients through the trunk by capillary action for meeting the need for

photosynthesis. These channels are formed by

wood cell walls consisting of highly aligned narrow cellulose fibrils of about 3 - 5 nm in diameter. Such a hierarchical structure of a

tree makes wood intrinsically anisotropic. In

addition, the strong interactions between cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin contribute to the excellent mechanical properties of

wood. While cellulose and hemicellulose are optically clear, lignin on account of

the phenolic groups has a dark colour.

The meso-porous structure in wood also leads to scattering of light in the visible

range. Therefore, wood always appears coloured and opaque.

polymerised methyl methacrylate (MMA) or liquid

epoxy in a nano-porous wood template obtained by removal of the strongly light-absorbing lignin

component. High optical transmittance of 85% and

haze of 71% was achieved at a wood thickness of 1.2 mm. The cellulosic wood-polymer composite could be compressed in order to control the

volume fraction of the reinforcement. Mechanical properties of transparent wood revealed high

compatibility between de-lignified wood and poly (methyl methacrylate, PMMA). The individual components showed lower mechanical properties than the optically transparent wood. The elastic

modulus of transparent wood with a 5% cellulose

volume fraction was 2.05 ± 0.13 GPa. This is higher than for both PMMA (1.80 ± 0.18 GPa) and the de-

lignified wood (0.22 ± 0.08 GPa). The de-lignified wood was compressed so that cellulose volume

fraction increased to 19%. This process increased the tensile strength to as high as 90.1 ± 10 MPa

with a modulus of 3.59 ± 0.27 GPa. These values are more than twice as high as for neat PMMA

(44.1 ± 9.5 MPa). The low modulus and strength

The Making of OTW

of the de-lignified wood is due to its nanoscale

Now researchers report an interesting strategy

porosity and the lack of strong load transfer

Transparent wood is obtained by selective removal

nanofibres. MMA infusion and polymerisation to

fibrils with a polymer of tailored refractive index

composite

for generating optically transparent wood (OTW).

mechanisms

of lignin combined with infusion of the cellulose

PMMA results in a nanostructured wood-polymer

without altering the hierarchical structure of the

nanofibre

wood [1] (Refer Figures 1 and 2). Transparent wood a

the oriented cellulose nanofibres in the cell wall.

between

resulting

interaction

and

the

enhanced strongly

cellulose

improved

inter-fibril load transfer. The hierarchical and

longitudinally oriented cellulose nanofibre structure improves modulus and strength. Therefore, this

nanostructured bio-composite is both, a structural and a functional (optically transparent with haze)

40 µm

4 µm

40 µm

lightweight, low-cost, light-transmitting buildings and transparent solar cell windows.

4 µm

Figure 1: De-lignification of wood: (a) An optical image of wood before (up) and after (down) de-lignification. Low magnification (b, c) images of original wood (OW) cross-section showing the microstructure of wood. Low magnification (d, e) images of de-lignified wood (DLW) cross-section supporting the presence of a well-preserved wood structure.

(Source: Reference 1)

106

material. The material has potential applications in

Making the Wood Bounce The structure of natural wood, however, is generally rigid and non-compressible. Scientists from the University of Maryland, College Park, To know more, please subscribe to Polymers Communiqué at

subscriptions@polymerscommunique.com

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

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SOFT SKILLS

Application Knowledge Essential for a Successful Masterbatch Business Sharad Rathi Managing Director, Blend Colours Pvt. Ltd., Hyderabad

110

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

“Circular economy is an emerging application since materials once used lose their mechanical

properties; the role of additives

will be most important in order

to help converters achieve close to virgin-grade properties of

materials,” explain Sharad Rathi and Sailesh Lahoti, in dialogue

with POLYMERS Communiqué.

Q. From the establishment of M/s. Sri Gopal Trading in 1948 to Blend Additives of today, please share with us your experience and key learnings in this success story. Innovate to sustain. Adapt to expand. Unlearn to grow. As a group, our first generation was part of

many different types of businesses. In the whole

Shailesh Lahoti Director, Blend Colours Pvt. Ltd., Hyderabad

process, our experience has taught us to remain humble in our approach & value people who are part of our growth.

Q. What do you consider as the major milestones in this fantastic journey? We consider establishing ourselves as the top exporter of MB from India (as per import-export data); building our brand which resonates with quality; and growing year-on-year at a CAGR of 20+% as our major milestones.

To know more, please subscribe to Polymers Communiqué at

subscriptions@polymerscommunique.com

Innovate to sustain. Adapt to expand. Unlearn to grow.

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

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A NEEDED DESTINATION XXXXXXXX

to Bring Momentum Back to the Industry

“This is the first in person exhibition after a gap of two years and we, thus, see a huge opportunity

for the polymers industry to showcase their

products and the latest techniques. This show shall give the industry

the much-required boost to innovate, sustain and grow their business,”

explains Ajay Shah, in

dialogue with POLYMERS Communiqué.

t has been over 18 months since the onset of the pandemic, and there has

been virtually no exhibition that is held in person or face-to-face. The new developments and exchange of new ideas over the period of two years or more

have not got the required platform to display or communicate to the industry, which is extremely essential for the polymers industry to sustain growth. Due to the pandemic, there is this pent-up demand that remains to be unleashed and PLASTINDIA (PI) 2022 would provide an ideal timing and platform for the polymers industry. The global dynamics of trade have changed significantly due to

geopolitical situations, opening up new opportunities for alliances and sourcing.

The brand new Pragati Maidan offers a world-class exhibition-

cum-convention facility to PLASTINDIA 2022, which in turn would

provide a significant momentum and bring back the zest and zeal of the polymers industry.

PI 2022 is very confident that with all the government

support

and

all

the

necessary

protocols in place, we should be able to hold the event and make it a grand success.

I eagerly look forward to meeting you all at the fairgrounds!

Ajay Shah Chairman NEC, PLASTINDIA 2022

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

113

The Industry Enthusiasm Reflects in Their Opinions... XXXXXXX

M. P. Taparia Managing Director, The Supreme Industries Limited

Looking to Establish Business with International Buyers Through PLASTINDIA 2022

ur company has got an opportunity to display its vast product range in the 11th

International Exhibition of Plastindia Foundation which is going to be held at the newly built exhibition ground at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, in February 2022.

Raj Kumar Lohia Chairman, Lohia Group

PLASTINDIA Exhibitions, Impressive Since 1990 - Its First Edition

LASTINDIA exhibitions have played a key role in developing awareness and promoting the use of plastics in India. We, at Lohia,

have participated in the exhibition right from the first show which

Our company is very excited about this exhibition. There is a huge flavour in the international market

to source plastic products from India. We expect that we will be able to establish business relations with

several

this exhibition.

international

buyers

through

was held in 1990. Even though it was the first show, it was still very

This exhibition is going to be a harbinger of

remained for more than a decade as the 3rd most important plastics

our company.

impressive. Few would imagine that the Plastindia exhibition has trade show after the Kunststoffe exhibition ‘K’ at Düsseldorf and NPE in the United States. It is only after 2005 or 2006 when Chinaplas,

because of its size, has reached its heights where it is today. The

big growth in exports of plastic products from

We wish the organisers of this exhibition great success!

growth of PLASTINDIA had a bottleneck of not having a proper exhibition centre comparable to the exhibition centre in China; but,

with the construction of the new exhibition site at Pragati Maidan, I am pretty sure that PLASTINDIA would hopefully regain its 3rd position amongst plastic exhibitions again in the world.

R. Rangarajan Sr. Vice President Supreme Petrochem Ltd. Shirish V. Divgi Managing Director, Milacron India, Plastics Machinery Asia

MILACRON INDIA, Eagerly Looking Forward to PLASTINDIA 2022

e, at MILACRON INDIA, are eagerly looking forward to the

Our Customers and Partners Always Like to Meet Us at PLASTINDIA

look

forward

participate

PLASTINDIA 2022 in the renewed Pragati

Maidan. Our customers and business partners

PLASTINDIA event in February, 2022. It will be the first major

in India and outside India always anticipate to

bring in a fresh wave of enthusiasm and confidence in this industry.

exhibitions. This event gives us an opportunity

exhibition in the plastics industry after COVID-19 disruptions. It will Milacron has a tradition of bringing out new and innovative products

at every exhibition. Despite the pandemic, this time too, we will

introduce our new offerings to the market. These ‘Made in India’ products has best-in-class components that cater to the global needs and would bring better energy savings, higher sustainability and cost efficiencies to the users. 114

visit

every

three

years

edition to

PLASTINDIA

showcase

various

developments we make in our product offerings

to our customers. We look forward to also meet our suppliers of raw materials, equipment and

additives in this event. We wish the exhibition and the associated events great success.

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

XXXXXXXX

Mahendra Patel Chairman Mamata Group

S. V. Kabra Chairman & Managing Director Kabra Extrusiontechnik Limited

Ramesh Varadan Director, Yizumi HPM

Recognising the Importance of PLASTINDIA 2022, Mamata has Become the Gold Sponsor to the Event

PLASTINDIA - The Most Important Event for the Indian Plastics Industry

PLASTINDIA 2022 to Help Revive Business Relations and Create a Camaraderie

amata

pioneered

indigenously

affordable,

LASTINDIA is the most important event

for

the

Indian

plastics

developed

industry. At the time of its inception, the

machinery for India to be ‘Atmanirbhar’!

an international exhibition regularly to

converting

and

flexible

packaging

It is, thus, natural for Mamata to be at

PLASTINDIA,

which

pioneered

exhibitions for the plastics industry.

Mamata has a wholly owned, subsidiary manufacturing company in the USA to

serve NAFTA markets. Mamata routinely exports more than 60% of its production from India to more than 75 countries.

industry to promote their products, showcase

indigenous

technological

capabilities and latest developments,

attract foreign visitors and exhibitors and to promote exports all over the world. Even at that time, the concept of

at New Delhi. Having recognised its

has become Gold Sponsor to the event.

PLASTINDIA 2022 in February next year.

importance to the industry, Mamata

PLASTINDIA

packaging

applications.

Mamata

amongst very few global companies

to have such advanced, patented and

exhibitions

showcase

are

technical

needs of end users converting plastics

and reputation for the Indian plastics

first in person major show to take place

polymer, multilayer films for flexible

provide a platform of global standards

to our futuristic outlook.

and converting fully recyclable, mono-

platform

developments on plastics processing

PLASTINDIA 2022 (PI 2022) will be the

advanced technology for processing

LASTINDIA

industry stalwarts thought of holding

‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ was evidently clear

At PI 2022, Mamata will showcase its

have

always and

participated

look

forward

machinery to address the challenging

for various applications. It also provides an opportunity to meet customers

and prospects at a common place and understand their expansion plans. Also, it gives us a chance to get acquainted

with the developments carried out by co-manufacturers in the industry. Last, but not the least, it offers to revive business relations and create a camaraderie.

I hope and pray that the exhibition will be held as planned and the COVID

pandemic situation will not adversely affect the exhibitors and visitors.

My best wishes for a fruitful, successful and world-class event!

home-grown technology.

Prafull Jhalani Managing Director Devanshi Electronics Pvt. Ltd.

PLASTINDIA Provides an Excellent Platform to Showcase Our Products to Thousands of Customers

e have been associated with PLASTINDIA for over 30 years now. We have never missed out on the

opportunity to showcase our products and solutions in

the last 30+ years. The best thing about PLASTINDIA is that it attracts crowd from all

over India and abroad; it gives us an excellent platform to showcase our products to thousands of customers at the same time.

Over the years, it has helped us to gather more and more inquiries which

Gaurav Sharma Marketing Manager Galaxy PackTech Pvt. Ltd.

Galaxy to Launch Its Recyclable Converting Line at PLASTINDIA 2022

xhibiting

PLASTINDIA

has

always been outstanding. As the

focus will be on a sustainable future

this time, we have decided to launch our ‘Recyclable Converting Line’ during

PLASTINDIA 2022. I am sure the quality of

prospects will exceed our expectations like always.

have eventually resulted in huge orders. We are eagerly waiting for PLASTINDIA

We look forward to a fantastic exhibition,

hope that this platform keeps on expanding and our association with them

opportunities that PLASTINDIA 2022 will

2022 as it’s one of the first flagship events after the unfortunate pandemic. We keeps on growing.

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

brilliant conversations and exciting new bring for us.

115

ADVERTORIAL

SB Packagings and Mamata

Make Sustainable Packaging a Reality “The circular economy can happen only if packaging material is made from fully recyclable mono-polymer packaging with a clear rule to put at least 20% recycled material in all non-food packaging. This will enable more recycling plants to come up, creating demand for plastics waste and thereby collection and segregation will become profitable businesses, making the entire EPR programme redundant,” explains Amit Banga, in dialogue with POLYMERS Communiqué.

116

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

Hygiene packaging segment is a sunrise industry and should grow in double digits every year over the next decade.

Amit Banga Managing Director, SB Packagings Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi

Q. With industry experience spanning over 30 years of the first generation managing the company, please share with us the most memorable phase of your corporate journey. While our parentage goes back over 40 years, I have been involved with SB Packagings since its inception in 1992 and the most memorable times have always been the fun I have had during the parties and celebrations with my team.

Q. Being a dominant player in the packaging industry, supplying to major players in the food, hygiene and the pharmaceutical industry, what are the three major attributes that have contributed to this tremendous growth in business?

Mamata has been a champion of polyethylene and has constantly supported us in our growth with sustainable products. We have a huge variety of PE bags, the best in the country, where a major contributor has been Mamata.

It’s amusing to be called dominant since we just make around

1,000 tonnes per month. But yes, I am proud to say that we are

the best at what we do. There’s no rocket science to that - perseverance, focus and faith in God are a recipe for success for everything in life.

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

117

Q. What is your take on sustainability and circular economy? I am proud to say that we are the most environment-friendly

Perseverance,

focus and faith in God are a recipe for success for

everything in life.

packaging

company

the country and maybe one of the most in the world as well. For me, it has been a passion for the last almost two decades, much

before

these

buzzwords

being

equally

misused

became

popular. As popular as they are, they are also stakeholders government

multi-polymer

who

into

are

unscrupulous

misleading

believing

packaging

that

the

even

recyclable.

This is preventing the right kind of sustainable packaging

from

coming

into

vogue

and

preventing plastics waste from being collected,

segregated and recycled profitably. The circular economy

can

happen

only

packaging

material is made from fully recyclable mono-polymer packaging with a clear

rule to put at least 20% recycled

material in all non-food packaging. This will enable more recycling plants

come

up,

creating

demand for plastics waste and

thereby collection and segregation

will become profitable businesses,

making the entire EPR programme

redundant. All multi-layer / non-

recyclable packaging should be taxed

heavily as is being done in Europe.

Q. Mamata has been a leading player in the industry providing an array of new developments - some of them industry first. How do you see the value of such support in India following the ‘Atmanirbhar’ concept that the country is striving to follow? Amongst all the polymers used in flexible packaging, polyethylene is the most versatile and scores the highest in the life cycle assessment, since it can

be recycled endlessly if 20 - 30% recycled material is used along with virgin material in the primary

packaging for non-food FMCG products. Mamata

has traditionally been one of the most prolific producers of PE processing machines for the

flexible packaging industry, one of the best in the world. We have been buying machines from

them for over 30 years now, which itself is a strong testimony.

Q. With the recent news on Premji Invest acquiring a stake in the company, your thoughts. I think it is quite encouraging for a group like Premji to invest in the plastic packaging industry and it

shows the strong potential that plastic packaging has. They have a strong focus on sustainability and

belief in our capability to strengthen our business model around the society’s needs and keep growing profitably, both organically and inorganically.

Q. What do you see as future trends in food security and safety as regards food

Mamata has traditionally been one of the most prolific producers of PE processing machines for the flexible packaging industry, one of the best in the world. We have been buying machines from them for over 30 years now, which itself is a strong testimony.

118

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

packaging? What measures will enhance customer confidence? The FSSAI has already sounded the

bell

toluene-based

discouraging

packaging

for

food. I will digress from here

to say that consumers are beginning to hate plastic with

also design and customise

They have a fantastic array of bag-making machines and are one of the best in the industry. They can also design and customise the machines to our needs.

the machines to our needs.

Q. Mamata offers solutions for sustainable packaging through their technology platforms. What are your views and suggestions for the way forward?

all that anti-plastic propaganda

Mamata

perpetuated by the plastics waste

around us. Most of this waste is caused by

sachets and low unit packs (LUPs) which are made

of multi-polymer packaging. The government is

unfortunately not including them in the definition

of single-use plastics. Recently, we have seen proliferation of sachets for sanitisers. This is further encouraging use and throw habits. I feel that

sachets should be banned. I know they encourage consumption, but if the consumers are not educated to handle the waste, then what is the point in creating more waste and bringing a

bad name to plastics. So, we need to take some strong measures to instill consumers’ confidence in

plastics.

Here

again,

the

mono-polymer

packaging, which is fully recyclable, will encourage the collection system, including the rag pickers, to collect the waste profitably.

Q. Mamata has been a partner with SB in its business of flexible packaging; please share with us some memories that you cherish the most about this long-standing relationship. Mamata has been a champion of polyethylene and has constantly supported us in our growth with sustainable products. We have a huge

variety of PE bags, the best in the country, where a major contributor has been Mamata. Their reliability and support have always been very good.

Their machines are robust and designed well

and the after-sales service is good too. They have some strong pillars in their team who have supported us all along. We cherish the long partnership with them.

Q. Any highlights, with reference to the products manufactured by Mamata that you wish to share with the industry. They have a fantastic array of bag-making machines and are one of the best in the industry. They can

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

two

decades

and

long

way

has

improved

come

the

their

past

blown

film lines drastically. They should now try to acquire

technology

affordable

for

machine-direction

orientation (MDO) to enable the Indian industry buy

machines

for

sustainable

packaging. Their other converting machines are

also very good, though we have purchased only the bag-making machines.

Q. As regards the hygiene packaging segment, what sub-sectors could fuel its growth in coming years? People want to socialise and travel. Due to COVID there would be more consumption of hygiene products and therefore packaging, though

work from home will depress some demand. But overall, it is a sunrise industry and should grow in double digits every year over the next decade.

Q. Erratic supply chains have increased challenges for the packaging industry. Your thoughts on this. They have. The last two years have brought

about a paradigm shift in the way we live, work

and travel, and the world is still trying to evolve post the COVID aftermath. Hope I can use the word aftermath, since vaccination has brought some relief. Some of the logistic issues related

to ships and containers are understandable, but some seem to have been created for pecuniary gains.

Q. Whom do you consider as your role model and why? I don’t have just one role model. Anyone who

inspires is a role model. Different attributes of different people have inspired me over my life - My father, other family members, colleagues, friends and even competitors.

119

advertorial

CALCO

The Mega Factory of Performance Polymers From a greenhorn to a towering example of sustainable business growth, CALCO has scripted its success story

through acclaimed infrastructure, state-of-the-art technology, bespoke customer solutions and people empowerment.

t CALCO, it’s never been just about realising a dream, it’s always been about the belief of the management in the dream. This belief has translated into the creation of a gargantuan infrastructure

for business success. An installed capacity of 35,000 MTPA clearly makes CALCO one of the largest independent engineering compounding companies in India; and, in

Be it

fact, the largest Indian company!

churning out 2 bags a min

Over 1,000 customers have relished the technical

at the output or handling 100 kgs

acumen and support, something that is trademark of

of material a minute at the

the way CALCO goes about its business. The application

development centre (ADC), spread over a sprawling

input, the 1,00,000 sq. ft. facility

10,000 sq. ft., is the cornerstone of the CALCO success.

produces world-class products

On the path of an NABL accreditation, the ADC is

and contributes to the vision

equipped with some of the finest technologies and products, purely to enhance customer confidence

of Atmanirbhar Bharat.

and delight!

To mitigate the vagaries of supply chain, the manufacturing is

this

well

backed

sector

FIFO basis.

120

that

can

one

hold

the

3,000

largest

tonnes

warehouses of

product

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

of Atmanirbhar Bharat. Likewise, when we talk about today, the CALCO facility

has built in all that it takes for remote

operations; it works equally well even when you work from home. For the

address, the company is headquartered

installed capacity

out of Delhi, with two plants located

of 35,000 MTPA

in Sonepat, Haryana.

clearly makes CALCO one

Differentiated Focus

of the largest independent

CALCO

company

engineering compounding

perhaps

that

the

has

only

retained

its focus on the business of

companies in India; and, in

performance

fact, the largest Indian

polymers;

nothing

commodity about its produce!

company!

Technical supremacy, comprehending

design needs and crafting innovative processes continue to excite the group. Sustainability,

Optimised Manufacturing

connectivity

for

CALCO

value-add

the

To take its differentiation to another

automotive, electrical and electronics,

automation way beyond even the

The sectors’ demands continue to

Guided by the framework set by Industry

motivate CALCO to deliver! So, be it the

across most of its operations to add

5G era or conceiving, running or

level,

CALCO

has

implemented

telecommunications

and

more.

thinking of companies in the sector!

challenge the plastics industry and

4.0, the company has implemented IoT

challenge

unparalleled efficiencies.

charging the EV...it’s endless possibilities

The

result

productivity,

requirement, economies

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lowest

levels

manpower

unprecedented

manufacturing,

all

resulting in the highest quality of

product at the lowest prices. The huge investment

infrastructure

comes

with a purpose; CALCO quickly realised that it was not just identification of the right automation technology, it was more about its implementation and still

more about its integrations. ‘Integrated Automation’ is thus a standout feature

of the CALCO processes and is today the

basis of its leadership position. To add, the modern infrastructure and capacity prides itself as one of the leanest outfits.

Be it churning out 2 bags a min at the

output or handling 100 kgs of material a minute at the input, the 1,00,000

sq. ft. facility produces world-class products and contributes to the vision

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

safety,

and mobility is the route forward

miniaturising

the

with plastics at CALCO.

Tech Smart ‘Smart

Decisions’

have

been

the

game-changer for CALCO. Smart in

technology, smart in design, smart is implementation

and

smart

integration. This is now a way of life at CALCO as they continue to commit

a sizeable percentage of profits into

innovation and technology investments; all for sustainable business for their customers and themselves. To

sum,

CALCO

company

strives to strike the right balance between human endeavour and the environment.

That

infrastructure,

appliances,

aspirations

across

fuels

the

human

automobiles, electrical

and industrial arenas by designing high-performance

polymers

and

technologies, to build a future that we all want!

121

LOOKING FORWARD

“Upcoming sectors that also excite me are engineering

thermoplastic compounding, antimicrobial solutions and

biodegradable compounds,”

shares Jimit Sheth, in dialogue

with POLYMERS Communiqué.

Jimit Sheth Director, Shri Ambica Polyfill, Ahmedabad

122

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

Automotive and Real Estate

Present Opportunities for Masterbatch Manufacturers

Q. Please share with us your major milestones since inception in 2008 till date and key learnings from the journey so far. The Ambica Group - established in 1994 as a textile processing house in

Ahmedabad, Gujarat - was a 100% export-oriented unit in 2000. In 2008, the Ambica Group shifted from textiles to plastics and started

manufacturing woven sack bags and tarpaulins. In 2010, we

started manufacturing filler compounds and colour masterbatches,

with an annual production capacity of 4,000 MT. In 2011, the

group started manufacturing non-woven fabrics and bags. In 2014, we

increased the annual production capacity of fillers and masterbatches to

6,500 MT. In 2017, we installed two German-make twin screw machines for the

production of fillers and three twin screw machines for the production of colour

masterbatches, and the current annual production of the unit is 20,000 MT. Our

production

and

technical

teams

have

been

consistently

developing

cost-effective and quality products for our customers. What we have learnt from our

journey so far is that one has to constantly upgrade technology and stay in tune with time to achieve success.

Q. What are your thoughts on the importance of a skilled research team and its contribution towards adding value to the product portfolio? To know more, please subscribe to

Polymers Communiqué at subscriptions@polymerscommunique.com

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

123

DIGITAL GLORY

Digital Gallery An online showcase of exclusive content, opinions, research reports and global developments in plastics! Hiten Bheda Managing Director, Vinit Performance Polymers Pvt. Ltd. The Digital Gallery is most apt and innovative

approach by POLYMERS Communiqué to bring

data, knowledge and perspective to the door step

of a reader with ease of click of a button. This is in sync with

the need of gen-next entering the industry and will provide essential resources and food for thought to be future-ready.

Kaushik Naik Designated Partner, Naik Engineering Solutions LLP POLYMERS Communiqué has created a

premium space as regards its content The Digital Gallery is another premium platform focused on the plastics

value

chain

the

country.

Popularly

known

POLYMERS Communiqué, this bi-monthly publication reaches out

to more industry readers through its digital edition. While adhering to the

highest

editorial

standards,

provides

content

updated, cutting-edge, informative, interesting and useful. It covers a wide range of industry-relevant topics including circular economy, recycling, material innovations, technological advancements and so on. Abhay Saxena Freelance Consultant

that

for polymer processing professionals.

Digitising the contents has not only

increased its reach, but also made it

readily available to refer and use; big utility for users.

Hope the quantum and quality will continue to enhance the much required data

and

information

polymer processing.

vacuum

This is important since the industry

is spread across a large number of entrepreneurs, mostly SMEs.

Founding Advertisers

126

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

To share your

feedback about the DIGITAL GALLERY, please write to:

opinion@custage.com

The Digital Gallery enables the reader to get Saravanan President - India Operations, Venture Automotive Tooling India Pvt. Ltd. As the name nailed; this magazine

and its digital platforms are unique

by itself. It has set a unique standard in

B2B media within the plastics industry foray.

The lookout for sustainable business and futuristic synergy with the core polymer expertise among the fraternity are well acclaimed.

Polymer professionals across the globe would nourish as well as cherish with the content of the media. Nevertheless, the print quality and pictures are added feather to the magazine content. I would appreciate the

efforts put forth by Custage Marketing Solutions LLP, in

full access about the global content related to the plastics industry. It proves to be a great help for referring articles or topics from which we can procure information related

to latest advancements. The compilation of the information and news updates from the professionals is available with a single click.

The concept is very nuance and

innovative.

appreciate the efforts of PC team members!

Vinay Rawal General Manager Mumbai Office, JH Welltec Machines India Pvt. Ltd.

bringing up the POLYMERS Communiqué Digital Gallery.

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

127

UPSKILL

India is Emerging as

the Global Manufacturing Hub

Hari Lalani General Manager - Sales & Marketing, ECON Machinery Pvt. Ltd., Vadodara

128

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

Gerhard Hemetsberger Head of Sales, ECON GmbH, Austria

“Indian entrepreneurs are now focusing on higher capacity

compounding plants. Therefore, the trend will come in the near future to use fully sophisticated and automatic underwater pelletiser systems to avoid running production loss,” explain Gerhard Hemetsberger and Hari Lalani, in dialogue with POLYMERS Communiqué.

Q. Being specialists in the field of pelletising systems and now pioneers of innovation, please share with us the major milestones in your growth. ECON is an owner-managed company started in 1999 by our Founder and CEO, Gerhard Hehenberger, with the vision to develop the

most robust, reliable and efficient underwater

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

pelletising system to serve customers to the best. Utilising his experience in polymer processing, we have developed dozens of patents in underwater pelletising systems and now, we are the global technological leader in this field. Patented thermally insulated die plate design helps process a wide range of material, while pyrolysis furnaces are used for cleaning major components. Many universities and

129

organisations are using our laboratory machines

subsidiaries and our research and development

and development purposes.

kind of material processing challenge to upgrade

(output 1 to 10 kg/hr) for their in-house research

Q. What technology advancements in underwater pelletisers would significantly impact the industry?

developed an underwater pelletising machine

highly efficient water treatment and drying system

progressing.

That’s

why

ECON

have

ECON’s thermally insulated die plate design and

that can be started and controlled by a mobile

ensures processing a wide range of post-consumer

device. Certainly, such equipment is integrated into

India to Austria in June, 2020.

For the first two shipments, we

have had some

good suggestions to incorporate and then

match quality

requirements.

Our supplies are

perfectly running and in operation in the European and American markets.

the PLC of the customer and communicates with all other devices in the production line.

Moreover, modern machine development

and post-industrial recycling applications like PET recycling. We are able to process various IV grades of recycled PET at 35 to 40% crystallisation.

to the lowest requirement for cooling the

Q. Keeping in mind the changing market dynamics, how do you see the changing trends as regards your customers’ shop floors?

start / stop process as well as hydraulic locking

hub and entrepreneurs are ready to grab this

needs to reduce energy consumption. Thanks to ECON’s patented thermally insulated die

plate design, we reduce energy consumption process water. Our fully automatic one-point

India is emerging as a global manufacturing

system ensures zero human intervention

opportunity. Plant automation will be the future

and, thus, the greatest safety for operators. Automatic blade advancement via servo helps maintain consistent pellet quality.

Q. Please rate the Indian market on a scale of 1 to 10 in terms of sophistication of pelletisers bought. How do you see this changing in the coming years and why? We launched an advanced robotic underwater pelletising system, ‘ECONia’ in 2019. It is equipped with a robot which helps in automatically operating and changing the

knife arm, cleaning of the die surface etc. and has had great success in developed plastic

processing markets for higher production lines. India is emerging as the global manufacturing hub

and Indian entrepreneurs are now focusing on

higher capacity compounding plants. Therefore,

the trend will come in the near future to use fully sophisticated and automatic underwater pelletiser systems to avoid running production loss. We are ready to serve these requirements as well.

Q. A great research team gives you an edge over other players in the market. What are your thoughts on this? We have an in-house technical lab centre in all our

130

friendliness, and ease of use.

emerging to mature markets, but it is inevitably

production companies around the globe from

shipments from

machines in terms of energy savings, environmental

Q. What changes in terms of machine functionality and attributes have been made / need to be made when pelletising recyclates?

Industry 4.0 is still just a shallow phrase in many

We have started

team constantly engages in being ready for any

trend to avoid machinery downtime and reduce dependency on huge manpower. With the focus

on energy saving, ECON underwater pelletising systems are the right solution. Another area we see having good opportunities is PET recycling.

Q. What are your plans for the expansion of the ECON India plant? ‘Make in India’ is the key to ECON’s success in India. Now our team is fully geared to start an

in-house production facility. We are expanding and restructuring the organisation and hiring

talented engineers to develop ECON India as a manufacturing hub for various ECON products. India

can

deliver

subsidiaries globally.

machines

all

ECON

Q. An important aspect of customer service is providing technical support and having adequate spare part inventory. How do you manage this across the organisation and specifically for India operations? On time customer support is a key tool in any industry to retain customers. Each of our subsidiaries To know more, please subscribe to Polymers Communiqué at

subscriptions@polymerscommunique.com

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

Same result. With recyclate. Recycled material is naturally subject to greater batch fluctuations than virgin material. Our intelligent assistance systems and technologies ensure a constant melt volume and thus consis-tently high product quality despite fluctuating raw material quality.

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XXXXXXXREMEMBER FONDLY

Shri Amir E. Ladhabhoy 14.04.1929 - 29.09.2021

134

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

XXXXXXXX

Shri Amir E. Ladhabhoy A Technocrat Par Excellence

hri Amir E. Ladhabhoy will forever occupy pride of place as an Advisory Member of the first IPI-GC held in 1985. A man who

shared among the longest associations with the Indian Plastics

Institute (IPI) and its parent body, PRI, he was elected as the Honorary Secretary of the PRI Indian Section in 1984-85. A year later in 1985-86, he became a member of the Publication Committee of the IPI and

published several technical articles in IPI’s official publication, now known as IPI Journal (then IPI Transactions) in his tenure as

Technical Guide / Author. He also handled the expert page - questions and answers; his forte being the field of extrusion.

He completed his Masters in Plastics Technology from the University

Department of Chemical Technology (UDCT) - now ICT, Mumbai, in 1956.

Shri Ladhabhoy started out small with the likes of Eko Plastic, UK-ICI Plastic Division and ICI India, Kolkata. Over the course of his five decade-long professional career, he was also associated with heavyweights such as

Caprihans India Ltd., Gujarat Propack, Reliance Industries and Plastiblends India Ltd. He also served as UNIDO Expert on assignments in Kenya and Iraq; and as a Shri Bhagubhai Mafatlal Polytechnic Visiting Faculty for its

Diploma in Plastics Engineering course are among the highlights of his professional journey.

In 1993-94, Shri Ladhabhoy was nominated Committee Chairman of the Extrusion Group. IPI conferred upon him the ‘Meritorious Service Award’ for outstanding contribution to the IPI and the plastics industry.

He was among those who were bestowed the ‘Distinguished Service Award’ for outstanding contribution to the advancement of the

industry in line with the IPI’s prime objectives. Shri Ladhabhoy won the

Award and rightly so for having dutifully served as Technical Advisor

to the IPI Governing Council for many years. Plastindia Foundation conferred upon him the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ for his outstanding contribution to the plastics industry.

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

135

XXXXXXXREMEMBER FONDLY

Dr. Hiru N. Patel 19.09.1919 - 11.09.2021

136

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

XXXXXXXX

Dr. Hiru N. Patel A Towering Example for the Plastics Industry

ne of the oldest plastic technologists of repute and a highly

educated one at that, Dr. Hiru N. Patel, left the non-descript village of Danilimada near Ahmedabad in Gujarat at just

18 years of age for Imperial College, London, where he obtained his

Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering and Masters and Doctorate in

Aeronautical Engineering in the middle of World War II bombings in 1945. The first Indian to receive the London University post-graduate scholarship, Dr. Patel continued to receive many other scholarships from India and the UK over the course of his life and career.

At the age of 26, Dr. Patel had a chance interaction with Bakelite,

UK, a world pioneer in thermosets, that commissioned him to establish

their India activities that he ably did in 1946. He then started a jointventure manufacturing operation with the Nizam Industrial Trust Fund Hylam Ltd. for resins and industrial as well as decorative laminates.

In 1969, the two entities were merged to form Bakelite Hylam Ltd., a pioneer in thermosetting plastics in India, which he helmed as

Managing Director till 1974. When Union Carbide India took over Bakelite, he was appointed Director for Corporate and Strategic Development, a position from which he retired not before 1977. He was also the Director at the Bright Brothers Group of Company. After

consulting for numerous companies, he, along with his son Sunil, established Interplex India, a pioneer in specialised multilayer extrusion of cellulosics and polyesters.

Always at the forefront of various plastics associations and the Indian plastics industry, Dr. Patel became the first Indian member of the

Plastics and Rubber Institute, London, in 1946, and later its Vice President, going on to promote the institute’s India chapter in the

1950s. A founder-member of Plexconcil in 1955, Dr. Patel was its Chairman for three terms and successfully organised its maiden

participation in an overseas exhibition in London in 1963. A Founder Governing Council Member of CIPET Madras, he finally assumed office as Founding President of the IPI in 1985.

Fittingly, the IPI conferred upon him the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’, also felicitating him as the ‘Pioneer of IPI’ in recognition of

his lifelong contribution to the Indian plastics industry. Plastindia

Foundation honored him with the Plasticon Award for outstanding contribution to the Indian plastics industry’.

A man of many interests including golf, music, travel, photography and philanthropy, Dr. Patel will continue to be remembered for his

enthusiasm,

entrepreneurship

and

undying

service

the

plastics industry. An institution in himself, the Indian plastics industry remains forever indebted to him.

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

137

XXXXXXXREMEMBER FONDLY

Shri Raman M. Patel 21.11.1928 - 11.09.2021

138

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

XXXXXXXX

Shri Raman M. Patel A Doyen of the Plastics Industry

very

forward

thinking

plastic

technologist

his

time,

Shri Raman M. Patel, was instrumental in getting the Indian plastics processing and products industry up-to-speed with its

global counterparts.

Having completed his B. Sc. from the University of Bombay, he went to the ‘Big Apple’ and obtained a Post-Graduate degree in Polymer Science from the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn under the tutelage of

Prof. Herman Marks. While in the US, he trained in PVC coating,

especially artificial leather, and even did a short stint at BE Goodrich Co., the then leader in PVC resins.

Upon his return to India, Shri Patel took up an assignment in PVC-coated

fabrics, namely leather cloth at the Dharampur Leather Cloth Company, where he had to subsequently take up responsibility of running the entire

factory at just 23. Soon after, he joined biggie, Bhor Industries. As luck would have it, the British Manager he was assisting had to return to

England after which the company’s Managing Director too passed away landing in Shri Patel’s lap the one-in-a-million opportunity to take charge

of the organisation. He strongly believed that the future belonged to exports. After the first big export commitment in 1964, there was no

looking back and Bhor went on to become one of the 10 leading Indian exporters to be conferred the first National Award for Exports by the Government of India. For the first time in India, several new products

such as films, coated papers and fabrics, non-woven fabrics and insulation tapes; and new processes like calendaring, spun bonding, sheeting, coating and laminating were introduced by Bhor under the leadership of Shri Patel.

Over the course of his career, Shri Patel served as President / Vice-President of notable associations such as the AIPMA, OPPI, Plexconcil and PRI (predecessor of IPI). He was the President of the

Productivity Council and Member of the Development Council of the Government of India for a long time. He was also associated with the Bombay Chamber of Commerce and All India Management

Association, apart from being a member of the SNDT senate and an active Rotarian.

Shri Patel’s success mantra was to always remain ahead of others in technology. Not surprisingly, the IPI conferred upon him the

‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ for his yeoman service and immense contribution to the Indian plastics industry. IPI also felicitated him as ‘Pioneer of IPI’ for his long association with the institute. A man

who remained grounded despite his tall reputation, his advice for newcomers was to adopt the latest technology at a much faster pace and view the entire globe as their market.

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

139

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 this section called ‘WEEKEND DELIGHTS’. Live life...

Nipul Patadia Director, Electro Tech Inc

I like giving a fresh start to my weekend with an energetic morning walk in the lush green lawns. Then carry on with a lot of reading and binge watching my favourite TV shows and movies. Spending time with family and reconnecting is what rejuvenates me. Being a foodie, I like to explore new restaurants and indulge in flavours from across the world. And, the perfect getaway for my weekend is going for a short trip, surrounded by nature, soaking in fresh air and giving a fresh new start to the week.

Rakesh Patkar

Business Development Executive, JP Extrusiontech Pvt. Ltd.

Weekend is my me time, wherein I like to indulge myself in activities that I love, for which I don’t find time during the weekdays. I like to read books and content mostly related to business, finance, economics, self-help and motivational books. This is a big booster for me on a personal as well as professional front. I also try to keep up with my German language skills by watching some German movies or shows. Besides that, I love gardening, taking care of my plants and sometimes taking an excursion to explore and seek adventure in nature. It gives me a sense of freedom, an open mind and express my gratitude to everything that I have and helps me relax, both physically and mentally, and refocus on my long term goals.

140

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

Pankaj Vora

CEO, Vora Packaging Pvt. Ltd.

Sailing is an invigorating sport that offers many rewards, not the least of which is that it’s simply so much fun. Sailing aficionados often say that sailing is more than a sport - it’s a lifestyle. While sailing is a great way to enjoy the outdoors, it also requires you to be an active participant more than almost any other type of boating. When you learn how to sail, you’ll not only become intimately familiar with all aspects of your boat, but also how your boat relates to its environment. This is why learning how to sail can be so fulfilling and can foster such a sense of accomplishment. It practically goes without saying that the active nature of sailing means that it can be a terrific exercise for both, you and any passenger who is inclined to help out. While sailing is an active endeavour that can involve its share of physical work, it can also be an incredibly relaxing pastime as well. Sailboats can be a terrific space for onboard entertainment, whether it’s enjoying a light lunch or simply passing time with family and friends.

Sandeep Agarwal

Director, RADIX Dies & Moulds Pvt. Ltd.

Sunday to me comes as a boon. It is such a relief from the hurried mornings of weekdays. I get up late on a Sunday morning and laze around; I read the newspaper accompanied by a cup of tea which may not seem like a lot, but helps me relax quite a bit. Playing cricket with family, catching up on some work and enjoying watching my favourite movies or TV shows fill up my noon. Subsequently, it is spending time with my friends, talking, having a game night and more.

Pramod Sancheti

MD, CEO, Winley Polymers Pvt. Ltd.

Weekend calls for ending the hectic work schedule and preparing your mind and body for the new challenges ahead! My weekend starts with walking, some cycling, followed by yoga and pranayam. I make sure to spend quality time with my family and enjoy my favourite pastime (i.e.) singing; after all, ‘Health is Wealth’.

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

141

POLYTHINKING

Carbon Dioxide Refineries and Net Zero Emissions Coming Sooner than Anticipated

Carbon dioxide refineries are not far

away to be seen and to be believed. Net zero should happen much

before 2050 during the lifetime of many readers. Believe me!

et me begin by stating that the refiners in the future will use

carbon dioxide as a raw material for making fuels, chemicals and

polymers / materials, and not the ubiquitous crude oil. The year

2020 was horrible for humankind. Strange it may sound; however, despite the slowdown in economy, the carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere still went up by 2 ppm. We are all used to the carbon-

based economy - luxury, comfort, longevity - which has revolutionised our lifestyle for over a century or so, but alas it will bring miseries too if

we do not tackle the carbon dioxide emissions through technological interventions. The energy needs of the world are increasing day by day

and use of carbon-based fuels will continue to rise. To meet the requirements of international treaties, the use of renewable resources

is advanced. In fact, during the US Presidential election, the netProf. (Dr.) G. D. Yadav

Emeritus Professor of Eminence, and J. C. Bose National Fellow (GoI) Former Vice Chancellor & R.T. Mody Distinguished Professor, and Tata Chemicals Darbari Seth Distinguished Professor of Leadership & Innovation Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai

142

zero (carbon) economy by 2050 was hotly debated and advanced by Mr. Joe Biden, who also held a Climate Summit in April, 2021 in which

India also participated. The European Union revised its 2030 targets of reducing carbon dioxide emissions from 40% to 55% below 1990 level to achieve the net-zero carbon goal by 2050. Whether the carbon is coming from fossil fuels or biofuels, there is a need to convert carbon dioxide into fuels, chemicals and materials to make a net-zero

economy. Among all greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide and methane

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

are the principal constituents of greenhouse gases

energy sources, since converting carbon dioxide

greenhouse effect and climate change. Future

energy input. Another challenge is to find new

(GHGs) which contribute most to the man-made processes or concepts that undertake this carbon

dioxide reduction must consider the life cycle to guarantee that additional carbon dioxide is not

produced beyond what is already being removed

from or going into the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide

sequestration is widely recognised as an important option to reduce increasing levels of its atmospheric concentrations. However, carbon dioxide storage

technology is criticised for permitting continued use of fossil fuels. Carbon dioxide utilisation

into fuels and chemicals would require substantial reaction

paths,

including

new

catalysts

and

enzymes. This is important for many approaches in using carbon dioxide to make new products.

Presently, only a few developing technologies

can find industrial applications. Therefore, there is a need for concerted indigenous research to

assess the viability of these promising exploratory technologies rationally.

Material Performance

technologies are rapidly emerging as a practical

Plastics

refining

to various important industrial compounds and

production are projected to expand by 34%

concepts of catalytic chemistry, and chemical

chloride (PVC) is a widely used thermoplastic

greenhouse-gas

Carbon

feedstock materials bringing to the core the

between 2015 and 2030. For instance, polyvinyl

change. Several challenges exist in using / reusing carbon dioxide in an economical way. A major challenge involves determining how best to tap

emissions

from

intensive.

solution that involves recycling of carbon dioxide

engineering and technology to mitigate climate

dioxide

ethylene

To know more, please subscribe to Polymers Communiqué at

subscriptions@polymerscommunique.com

TELE/FAX : +91 79 2687 1367 / 2687 2347 / Mob: 90161 05605 l E-mail: sales@mifasystems.com, info@mifasystems.com

POLYMERS Communiqué l August - September 2021

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