Highlights from the 11th Specialty Films & Flexible Packaging Global Summit

The two day flexible packaging conference at the Reliance Jio World Convention Centre invited more than hundred A-List speakers and with six panel discussions to address the 2,200 delegates on 30 September and 1 October.

Luciana Pellegrino, president of the World Packaging Organisation, said that the global packaging industry is valued at USD 1.3-trillion in 2024 and will grow at 3.7% from 2026 to 2032. She alluded to the shift in customer expectations, with many seeking same-day delivery.

Nadir Godrej, chairman and managing director, Godrej Industries gets a standing ovation for his keynote address in verse that spoke about creating a purpose-driven brand: The power of social responsibility.

Saugata Gupta, MD and CEO of Marico, highlighted the evolving role of packaging, noting the impact of e-commerce. He said that consumers are willing to pay 10% more for sustainable products and believes India can lead globally in packaging design and waste management.

Jacob Duer, president and CEO of the Alliance to End Plastic Waste, said the nonprofit has supported 80 global sustainability projects. He emphasised collaboration, highlighting work with Reliance, HUL, Uflex, and Godrej in India on the circular economy and reducing virgin plastic.

Ashok Chaturvedi, founder, chairman and MD of Uflex Group, traced the journey of plastic manufacturing and the importance of multilayer for product safety. He spoke about the role of AI in plastic waste recycling and collection of plastic waste based on real-time data. He shared an anecdote about a consultant who visited him to discuss how to dodge a government notification. Chaturvedi said, "Beware of such unscrupulous individuals. Always follow the law, not the lawyers."

Anand Kripalu, Managing Director and Global CEO of EPL, highlighted the EPL story about taking India to the world. He mentioned the greenfield project in Brazil and how the factory was set up in just 15 months. He said, "EPL is a rare example of a non-IT multinational that has made India proud across the globe."

Kripalu spoke about sustainability and the endeavor to achieve Ecovadis Platinum status. This would place the company in the top 1% of elite green factories worldwide.

Amit Chaturvedi, president of RIL (petrochemicals operations), discusses sustainability and cost-efficiency ambitions driving feedstock diversification, including CoTC and bio-based options. He highlighted the increasing shift to PCR and offers insights into the polymer industry.

Nick Vafiadis, VP of Global Polyolefins at OPIS, a Dow Jones Company, shares insights on the Indian economy, projected to grow at 6.5-7% over the next decade. With per capita consumption of PE at 5kg, 30% of the global average, there's significant growth potential. Post-Covid hygiene awareness is driving double-digit PE demand, while infrastructure development fuels HDPE pipe demand for water, gas, and 5G telecom.

On day two, Kunal Bajaj of Jupiter Group called for global standards in flexible packaging and vendor approvals based on them. Just like Hallmark for gold and FSSAI for food, packaging materials that need laminate should require quality certification.

Christoph Wachter, director of Koehler Paper's flexible packaging paper division, talked about the paradigm shift in alternative materials to paper and foil — including substrates with different barrier coatings providing protections for various products.

Ankit Jain, senior vice president, supply chain at Flipkart, provided the eCommerce perspective on packaging sustainability. The company now uses 20% of the packaging it did in 2019, by optimising the packaging to just that which is needed — what it calls best fit packaging.

Hermann Veismann, managing director, business unit, printing and finishing at Windmöller & Hölscher, talked about the company's perspective of a circular economy—which includes thinner, recyclable substrates, reduced colours in packaging design, and recycling-friendly inks.

A Appadurai, country business manager of HP Indigo India, highlighted how the HP Indigo 20000 has 40-65% lower environmental impact than CI Flexo and Gravure print systems across all categories for a 3,000 m² coffee pouch job. A more sustainable choice for flexible packaging.

Automation took precedence as Pau Xifra, managing director of Spain-based Comexi, shared the innovations the company has made in automation for packaging, with solutions ranging from automatic adhesive re-adjustment to automation in slitting.

Vasu Shrimanker of Pelican Rotoflex reports strong growth: 80%+ repeat customers, 500+ employees, 1,100+ global installations, and 2 billion Rupees revenue last year with 14% CAGR. Their Rajkot facility spans 25 acres, with 25 more acres acquired in Ahmedabad for expansion.