Canpac was established as a small concern named Canary, 17 years ago by Nilesh Todi, managing director of Canpac Trends, and his wife, Preeti, who now helps Todi manage the company. The company did not have any printing facility except a few post-press machinery. “But we had affiliation and association with print companies, for whom we helped buy machines. They did job work for us,” says Nilesh Todi, managing director at Canpac. This continued for the next 15 years.

 

"Our customers started to demand better quality jobs," says Todi, adding, "It was difficult, because we struggled with quality, particularly with operations in different locations." The other force that drove Todi to set up this plant was the strident developments that were taking place in packaging. "There were products being made using metpet, UV and other value-additions. Hence, supplying routine cartons was becoming untenable,” he says.

 

A new era

As late as nine-months ago, Canpac converted  about 200 tonnes of paper and paperboard. However, today it converts 600 tonnes. Canpac has a state-of-the-art facility (see box) that can produce just about anything in carton packaging. 
 

According to Todi, once they were confronted with the realities of today’s packaging world, there was no point in waiting. "We went about setting up an infrastructure that could catapult us into the big league." The company invested in Heidelberg presses;  CTP system and colour management software; Bobst and Stieneman post-press machines; and some more top of the line machinery for corrugation packaging like angle slot technology for E and F flute cartons. The company also specialises in litho laminated E and F fluted carton and sees a a very bright future in this segment. "The difference of course is the quality and the capability to produce a variety of packaging products – in different shapes, sizes, finishes and volume, using automation," says Todi.

 

Attention to detail

Canpac has an impressive building site, external and internal, which Preeti says was designed after visits to few printing plants in Germany and Switzerland. "We also brainstormed our logistic requirement with the architect and machine suppliers."
 

It’s not just the scale of the factory or the kit that is impressive, but also the attention to detail. A testing lab for both input stock and finished product is in full swing, fully equipped with machines like scuff testers, bursting strength, stiffness tester, edge-crush tester, ink proofing kit, etc. 

Besides testing equipment and on-press automation, the company claims to have a proper workflow for material management, from entry of raw material through to delivery of the printed products. "There are no stoppages in the path of palletised stock movement," says Preeti. According to her, the stock goes through the process of print and post-print then through a conveyor on to the truck. The plant has a two-tier production line, with pre-press, press and part post-press operations on the ground-floor while part post-press and delivery from the first floor. "Yes, we have to rely on the lift, but then the delivery of printed products through a conveyor, loads itself onto the truck with minimal manpower," says Preeti.
 

The company is already certified for ISO 9001 and 2200 by BVQI and is also applying for BRC audit.

 

Building through initiatives

This year Todi claims, Canpac will cross the Rs 60-crore mark turnover, making it a growth of 250% over last year and for the next year Canpac has projected a Rs 100-crore turnover. Its minimum print runs are 15,000 sheets per print job and maximum 2-lakh. "We will soon start operating the second shift, though we may face a slight space crunch. This will up our converting capacity to over 1,000-tonnes." Canpac also plans to enter the second phase of development and to diversify into automatic shipper carton production. "We hope to set up the plant by end 2013."

The company employs 150 persons, including contract employees and are proud of its corporate social initiative. "We have 28 well-furnished bachelor studio apartment that can house five employees per apartment. We also provide subsidised breakfast, lunch and dinner. On the weekly off day, sports and entertainment activities are organised, and rewards are given to the best employee of the week. "All these activities keep our employees happy, brings a smile to their face. They will be real drivers of our growth," conclude the Todi couple.

Canpac Trends factfile

Established 1995 (as Canary)

Speciality Folding cartons

Equipment Esko Konsberg cutting table; Heidelberg CTP thermal plate-maker; Heidelberg Prinect workflow; Heidelberg CD 102 six-colour with UV coater; seven-colour Heidelberg CD 102 with coater; Steinemann automatic laminator; Nikko Yoco foil stamping machine; Bobst Novacut; Maxima die-cutting machine; four folder-gluers from Bobst and Paktek; two-ply automatic corrugation machine

Staff 150