IndiaCorr: Rediscovering the power of corrugated packaging

Rushikesh Aravkar (RA): What is your gameplan for IndiaCorr 2016?
Anuj Mathur (AM): Over the last three editions, IndiaCorr has evolved as the exclusive platform for the corrugated packaging industry in India with a wide range of solutions on display by Indian as well as international companies with corrugated packaging sector in full participation. This year, we have tried stretching our reach to Indian sub-continent with several key buyers coming in from Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh. This strategy is designed to facilitate export business opportunities for our exhibitors. We are also pre-fixing B2B meetings of these international buyers with the exhibitors displaying the products of their interest. This also ensures generation of business leads for our exhibitors even before the show opens.

RA: Why should the Indian corrugators visit IndiaCorr? What are the applications that are driving businesses for corrugators?
AM: Corrugation has always been a small zone in large packaging events with a negligible sector penetration and low marketing visibility under the umbrella brand. IndiaCorr Expo has provided the right platform for both suppliers and buyers to meet, network and explore business opportunities within corrugated packaging sector. Each segment within the supplier profile has been penetrated enough to provide wide options for each product in the show for buyers to make choices. The very successful, ICCMA Congress is the best networking and knowledge-sharing platform for corrugated industry professionals and is being attended every year by over 400 corrugators from across the country. This year, we are trying to get in more attendees to take this number up to 500. Also, we have a large number of international companies exhibiting in India for the first time from USA, UK, Italy and Germany with the latest technology in corrugated box making as well as printing. All in all, IndiaCorr Expo is a must attend event for all corrugators to keep themselves updated in the industry.

RA: This time, we see there is a collaboration with the BMPA. Tell us more.
AM: Folding carton is the next big thing to evolve in the packaging sector. There are several printers providing folding cartons as well as corrugated boxes and vice versa. India Folding Carton focuses on the printing and converting of paperboard cartons with several international and Indian exhibitors. BMPA being a leading printing association in the western India and a prominent association on the Indian printing industry map has carved out a separate folding carton group with several of their members being the leaders in the industry. We have formed a strategic partnership with BMPA in order to give the much-needed boost to folding carton industry and cater to the emerging requirements of the sector. Together with BMPA, we intend to create a platform for this niche but the very potent segment in the packaging sector.

RA: Explain the exhibitor profile for 2016. Has it changed from the previous edition?
AM: IndiaCorr Expo represents the entire value chain of corrugated box manufacturing and printing. The core of our exhibition is machinery for corrugation and printing with suppliers of allied equipment and raw material covering the sector. The show has new solutions like carton making machinery, pre-press equipment, printing machinery, adhesive dispensing systems, laminators, die-making solutions etc.

RA: Thousands of Indian corrugators are going to attend the show, what are the different product launches that should excite them?
AM: IndiaCorr Expo has been the chosen platform for leaders to launch and display their machines and solutions for the corrugated packaging industry. This year the show has several new companies and solutions on display. The show has companies from world over, with several first-time exhibitors like Valco Melton, Adroit Straps, C & T Matrix, Dongguan Qide Machinery Co, Dongguang Jixing Carton Machinery Manufacture Co Ltd, Fibro Source USA, Gayatrishakti Paper & Boards Ltd., Hsieh Hsu , K & H Machinery, Latitude Machinery Corp, Littleberg Offset, Mark Engineering Services, McSparr Test Systems, MOSCA, Percept Print Solutions, Real Boilers Pvt. Ltd., Robatech, Samadhan India, Senior Packaging Machinery Manufacturing Co, Shanghai UPG, etc.

RA: There is a theory that trade shows are focused too much on technology rather than application. What is IndiaCorr doing to remedy this trend?
AM: The corrugated packaging industry is a technology driven sector with launches of new equipment and supplies taking place year on year globally. Apart from technology, cost minimisation and mitigating wastage and risks are other key areas of interest of the industry. Our show covers all these important aspects and is made to be the one stop shop solution for all corrugated packaging manufacturers.

RA: Do you think that the demand for corrugation technology is enough to support the number of vendors now flooding the market?
AM: Market consolidation is the need of the hour for this sector to grow. Co-incidentally, this is the theme of this year’s ICCMA Congress as well. There is a paradigm shift in the demand from quantity to quality of produce. With several international brands coming into the market, focus on the safety of products while shipping and brand management has incubated the need to produce world-class packaging for products. Market penetration has been on the growth for a decade now with several new entrants in the industry setting up their modern plants near industrial clusters. This has thrown up a big challenge of a price war and undercutting which in turn hits the industry margins and result in an inferior quality of produce. Market consolidation would help in standardising the price structure as well as quality standards to take this industry forward.

RA: You are in constant touch with the corrugation fraternity. What is the mood?
AM: Industry mood is never constant and in line with general perception. State matters and local situation matters a lot for industry players to do business. Like I mentioned in the earlier, price war is a definite dampener of industry mood and motivation for further investments. I hope we, in our limited capacity, may help the industry to move forward in the right direction by providing a platform to share knowledge, networking and business development.