CORRUGATION

This includes advanced technology, dependable raw materials, capable people, efficient processes, and strong customer partnerships, all working together to create a long-term competitive advantage, explain Baldev Garg, general manager, technology, water-based inks, Hubergroup and Pratip Dey, business head, water-based inks, Hubergroup, in an interview with Rahul Kumar

Sustainability has evolved from a corporate initiative into a core business strategy. Consumers, investors, and regulators now expect brands to reduce their environmental footprint and adopt packaging that supports a circular economy.

The brown box, the workhorse of the global supply chain, is at a breaking point in India, and battle lines are drawn between old-guard manufacturers, nimble innovators, and a flood of Chinese kit.

Anupam Agarwal of Amity Paper & Board says the fundamental question facing the industry is whether it can transition from a volume-driven business to a value-driven ecosystem focused on performance, innovation, sustainability, and global competitiveness. The answer to this question will determine the future trajectory of the Indian corrugation industry.

For short-run production of packaging solutions, digital cutting tables can facilitate the requirement, Brijesh Puri, founder, Packnology tells Rahul Kumar

Corrugators need to focus on the long-term return on investment and the actual running costs rather than just the initial price tag, says Kunal Gandhi of CGSASP, in an interview with Rahul Kumar

This enables economical short-run productions and rapid prototyping, says Prasanna Venkatesh of Zund India, in an interview with Rahul Kumar.

It minimises production errors, reduce rework, and lower material consumption, Puranjit Sarangi of TechNova Imaging Systems, tells Rahul Kumar.

The future is a PLC controlled, sensor driven machine that takes a design file and prints it with zero manual setup, says Riddhi Shah of Printpack Engineers. She tells Rahul Kumar that, "In our experience, the cheapest option is rarely the most economical one. A supplier who's honest about what a price can deliver is worth more than one who agrees to everything."

In this exclusive writeup, Chiranjeevi Sastry, sales director, Emba Machinery, shares a first-hand experience on the evolution of the Indian corrugation industry.

Bijendra Sharma, managing director, BHS Corrugated India, shares his views on industry growth, automation, AI, sustainability, customer profitability, and why India's corrugators must focus on technology and process excellence to remain competitive, in an interaction with Rahul Kumar.

In corrugation business you can address up to a distance of 300-km or sometimes even less, and just-in-time delivery is the essence of the game, says Venugopal Menon of Bobst in a conversation with Rahul Kumar.

India's corrugated packaging industry is entering a defining phase of its evolution. Once characterised by fragmented production, manual processes and price-led competition, it is steadily transforming into an industry driven by engineering, automation, digitalisation and customer collaboration. Corrugated packaging is no longer judged solely by its ability to protect products in transit. It is increasingly expected to strengthen supply chains, enhance brand experience, improve sustainability and create measurable business value. Drawing on conversations with industry leaders from across the corrugation value chain, this report examines the twenty trends that will shape the industry's next decade

Vivek Mukherjee, manager marketing, Samadhan, explains how Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central connects finance, sales, purchasing, inventory, warehousing, manufacturing, and customer service into a single platform, and how Samadhan brings corrugation expertise and industry best practices.

After decades of investing in faster machines, India's corrugated box industry is turning its attention to something less visible but equally important: information. Sangeet Gupta and Puneet Gupta of Faridabad-based Finsys ERP Software, explain why operational discipline is becoming the sector's most valuable asset.

By implementing standardised plate-making procedures, colour management practices, and press optimisation techniques, converters can significantly improve quality consistency while reducing waste and downtime, says Roy Schoettle, vice president, sales APAC, XSYS, Thailand, in an interview with Rahul Kumar

The future belongs to converters who adopt a holistic approach towards print quality. High-quality corrugated printing is no longer determined by the printing plate alone; it is the result of optimising the entire print ecosystem, says Muralidhar Nalli, CEO, Digiflex, a flexographic pre-press solutions provider, in a conversation with Rahul Kumar

The Momentum 110 FL represents one of the company’s flagship foldergluer, which has been developed to address the increasing demand for highspeed production of straight-line cartons, crashlock bottom cartons, and four- and six-corner boxes on a single platform, says Veena Ajay Nayak, director, Boxtech Bangalore

Arundas CH, managing director, Kapstone Industries, tells Rahul Kumar, how the company is gradually adopting digital data collection and performance monitoring, enabling better decision-making through real-time production insights.

At Corrucase, the goal is to become a packaging partner rather than just a packaging converter, says Ayush Khetan, director, Corrucase, in an interview with Rahul Kumar