Moderated by Dr Ainian Shahidi, managing director of 4 Sixes Packaging Marketing, the panellists included Dr Rajesh Agrawal, general manager, R&D, Modi Mudipharma; Naveen Stuart, cluster packaging manager, Health, SoA, Reckitt India; Sithanshu Shekhar Bag, AVP, head packaging operation and projects, Emami Agrotech; and Dr AK Datta, packaging consultant, Indian Institute of Packaging.

In his presentation, Agrawal talked about the huge market for packaging. The Asia Pacific region is the fastest-growing one, and India is in the third position and is growing at double digits. He said global opportunities are immense for Indian professionals and entrepreneurs, and they need to focus more on innovation, sustainability, regulations, R&D and audits. He also highlighted the importance of knowledge, education, and training.

Stuart spoke about various challenges to be handled by the Indian packaging industry to encash global opportunities. These include infrastructure development, including power, logistics, and warehousing; waste legislation and environment policy; technology gap; and regulatory challenges. 

Bag emphasised the importance of supply chain and logistics costs. He said that two-thirds of India falls under two seismic zones. The warehousing facilities can be modernised by going vertical. That will also bring down the overall warehousing cost. Packaging design is a major tool which can be adapted to be competitive in the global market. Digitalisation and automation must be adapted at a fast pace to achieve accuracy, waste reduction and cost improvement per unit. 

Datta was vocal about the importance of audit. He said all the processes and specifications must be documented. Audit is generally seen as a fault-finding activity but actually, this adds value to the organisation and helps the organisation grow better and bigger. Standardisation of processes, optimisation of specifications and following the overall audit of the Indian packaging industry can help encash and enjoy global opportunities in packaging.

Shahidi exuded an impressive level of dynamism and passion as he undertook the role of session moderator. Throughout the session, his infectious energy reverberated, captivating both the panellists and the attentive audience alike. With finesse and adeptness, Dr. Shahidi orchestrated discussions, seamlessly weaving together insights and perspectives while fostering an environment conducive to meaningful dialogue. His dedication to engaging participants ensured that every moment of the session was not only informative but also stimulating, leaving a lasting impact on all those in attendance.