All stakeholders of the industry, from paper mill owners to distributors to end consumers, were on the ground at Pagati Maidan in New Delhi, as the 12th edition of Paperex, the biennial international exhibition and conference on pulp and paper industry was inaugurated on 1 November 2015.

 

The event has been organised by the International Trade and Exhibition India, in association with 12 other trade bodies, including the Indian Agro and Recycled Paper Mills Association (IARPMA), the Indian Pulp and Paper Technical Association, India (IPPTA), the Central Pulp and Paper Research Institute, India (CPPRI), and Paper Engineers Association, Finland (PI), among others.

 

There are total 545 exhibitors from over 33 countries, including group participation from China, Finland, Taiwan, France and Germany. Over 28,000 trade visitors from around the globe are expected to attend the four-day exhibition, which is on until 4 November.

 

On 1 November, the exhibition was formally inaugurated by Gautam Thapar, founder and Chairman of Avantha Group, and Udo Schuertzmann, managing director, ITEI.

 

The Indian paper industry is facing the pressure of uneven demand and supply gap, competition from abroad and rising prices of pulp, among other issues. Yet, at the same time, it is looking ahead to capture the expanding packaging market and is hoping to increase the country’s per capita consumption of paper, which is abysmally low compared to other developed markets.

 

Thus, the current edition of Paperex holds tremendous significance for the industry, which will have to play a critical role in sustainable, inclusive, job-led growth and development. The fair provides a reliable and tested platform to all connected with paper industry including SME exporters, entrepreneurs and investors.

 

This was evident on the ground. Considering it was the first day of the show, the ground was filled with visitors, at almost all the stalls. Perhaps the day being a Sunday helped.

 

Speaking during the inauguration, Udo Schuertzmann said Paperex has now become the only comprehensive business platform serving the paper industry and has established itself as a “business festival of the paper industry,” supporting the overall growth of the industry in the country. “Paperex has played a major role in showcasing the strength of the Indian paper and allied industries by attracting global attention to these technological advancements. Paperex is a business platform for small and mid-size paper manufacturing units, to connect with international technology and market,” he said.

 

Gautam Thapar said that with a great resilience, the industry is attracting investors, technologist and businesses from the other part of the globe. He expected the cycle to turn positive with revival in the economy, climate change and environmental issues. He further hoped that the government would initiate a clear policy to encourage long-term sustainability and positive ecosystem.

 

Meanwhile, Harsh Pati Singhania, manager director, JK Paper, said, “Paper consumption is India is growing to grow, may be not by double digit, but there will be growth as everything nowadays comes with an outer cardboard packaging. This will influence the paper industry’s growth.”

 

Concurrently, Paperex 2015 is also hosting a four-day international conference on ‘Pulp and Paper Industry Innovations - Need of the Hour’, organised by the Indian Agro and Recycled Paper Mills Association. There is also a special segment on tissue papers, titled Tissueex.

 

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