Print behemoth Manipal and packaging specialist Utility join hands

The combined entity, to be called Manipal Utility Packaging Solutions (MUPL), will have manufacturing operations in Manipal, Ahmedabad and Chennai. It will also leverage Manipal's packaging business presence in Kenya and Nigeria. 

According to an official press release, "The coming together of India’s largest print solutions player with India’s leading and most innovative packaging solutions player will be a game changer in the packaging business landscape in India and create unbeatable customer value proposition." 

Speaking on the occasion of announcing the partnership, Gautham Pai, managing director of MTL said, “Packaging solutions is identified as one of our high growth businesses for the future, and we aspire to build a global packaging business spanning emerging markets in Asia, Africa and Middle East. The partnership with Utility Printpack provides us the capabilities to accelerate the growth and achieve our long term vision in this business.”

Founded in 1941 Manipal Technologies over the decades has evolved from being a security print products manufacturer to being the preferred outsourced service partner to the Indian banking industry. MLT’s production facilities, occupy a total of over 700,000 sq/ft of production area in Manipal, Chennai, Mumbai and Delhi, with diverse technologies and high end equipments from leading manufacturers.

 Manoj Mehta, chairman of Utility Printpack said, “The partnership with Manipal further reinforces our vision and commitment towards focused growth in the packaging business in India and globally. The new entity will unite our strengths and provide a resounding resource to our combined customers in India and over 40 countries worldwide with added manufacturing capacities, capabilities, geographic spread and an unparalleled range of innovative packaging solutions and technologies."

The Ahmedabad-based packaging specialist, Utility Printpack is headed by the father-son duo of Manoj and Jinesh Mehta. Utility is super-specialised in luxury packaging supply and has won many awards for innovative packaging solution. Utility is based out in a state-of-the-art 1,10,000 sq/ft facility.

The power players of the print industry have taken to mergers in order to reinforce their positions as elite print solution providers in the country. This merger has been preceded by other mergers likeHuthamaki and Webtech, Positive Packaging and SGRE, Interlabels and Skanem Group and Repro India and Macmillan.

With over 90 years of combined print and packaging experience, Manipal and Utility bring together "technological expertise, operations excellence, product innovation and value-creation for customers in India and globally. The aim of the partnership is to create a unique platform to provide customers with world-class technology with multi-location production facilities and offering a larger gamut of products and services together". 

It is interesting to note that most these mergers have come in the packaging sector, thus consolidating the belief that packaging is the new ‘sunshine sector’ in the Indian print industry.