Ketki Sute, currently the deputy general manager of sales and marketing at Jupiter Laminators, wasn’t always a part of the packaging world. She started her career as a banker and transitioned to the packaging industry. She started as a purchase executive and moved up to be a sales coordinator. Packaging has been a part of her life since then. She said, “There is a need for packaging in our everyday lives, and that is what attracted me to this industry.”

Navigating a brand-new industry is often a challenge. Sute hit the ground running. When asked what skills helped her advance in her career, she said, “Working in packaging sales is all about developing and cultivating relationships with people, understanding the prospects of brands, and being updated with the latest trends in the market.”

Jupiter Laminators is a packaging company that has a footprint across the country. The company is backwards integrated, and in the future, according to Sute, it is planning a lot of sustainable developments related to post-consumer recycled and polyisocyanurate laminates. She said, “Pyrolysis, machine direction-oriented cast polypropylene, and polyethene films are on the horizon.”

What does the day-to-day of such a woman look like? Sute said, “Every day in the packaging industry is a new learning and a task by and of itself. It is a demanding industry with lots of expectations from brand owners. I need to be up to date to be able to answer the customer’s queries and suggest new things to them which can make their product stand out on the shelf.” 

She said that her day starts with a review with her team to understand the jobs in the process, cash flow, cost-saving projects, new customer developments, new products, and commercial closures, among many other things. She said, “Without close coordination with the team, it is not possible to manage the show.”

Finally, when asked about the challenges she has faced as a woman in a male-dominated industry, Sute said, “There will always be some challenges in the industry when you see a lady moving ahead. But yes, my dedication, focus on positivity, and willingness to accept any challenge have made me successful in the flexible packaging industry. I am fortunate to have a supporting team and a good mentor to make this journey possible.”