According to Ashwani Sharma, president and CEO, new business initiatives, Uflex, Aseptic packaging market in India is majorly classified into three segments - juices, dairy products and liquor. Packaging of flavoured milk, other dairy items and liquor in aseptic packaging material will play a key role in propelling the growth of aseptic packaging in the coming years both in India and overseas.

“Our total manufacturing capacity of seven billion packs per annum will cater to 90% of the domestic market demand. In APAC, the market growth is around seven per cent and in India the growth has been in double digits for the last three to four years,” Sharma said.

Presently India’s aseptic liquid packaging market is growing at 17-18% per annum and the market is expected to double up in the next five years to approximately 20 billion packs per annum. “Drawing parallels, China boasts of a tremendous growth story which has already reached approximately 80 billion packs. In India, with similar population, the growth potential is humungous,” Sharma added.

Asepto is derived from the word aseptic which means sterile. Aseptic packaging ensures that food remains free from bacteria and other harmful microorganisms for a period of at least eight months under room temperature.

RK Jain, group president (Corp. F&A), Uflex, said, “The aseptic packaging manufacturing plant is coming up on 21 acres of the 72 acre land parcel that Uflex has bought at Sanand, Gujarat. Remaining land may cater to any future expansion of Uflex’s existing business as well as for aseptic packaging manufacturing as the need be.”

Jain said the site is designed to be a zero discharge plant. Solar panels and passive architecture-envelop insulation have been used to preserve natural light besides conserving power energy.

The investment towards the aseptic packaging plant is Rs 580 crore (approximately USD 85 million) and once operational, it will employ around 250 people. “Our total investment over the next two-three years is Rs 1,500 crore in a phased manner. This already includes Rs 580 crore towards setting up the aseptic packaging manufacturing plant. The balance will be utilised for modernisation of manufacturing systems and processes and R&D towards yet better flexible packaging solutions using the most contemporary technology. From the current top line of USD one billion, we are very positive of doubling up in the next three-four years,” Jain added.