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Cold response to International Pack Tech India 2008, platform for companies selling packaging machinery
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Saturday, 22 November, 2008, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Our Bureau, Mumbai
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International Pack Tech India 2008 Congress (conference) and Exhibition is open at Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai, from November 19 and will close on Saturday, November 22. Organised by Messe Duesseldorf India Pvt. Ltd, subsidiary of Messe Duesseldrof GmbH, Germany, International Pack Tech India 2008 was arranged to serve a business platform to the packaging industry particularly the companies selling packaging machinery. "Meet the technology" was the theme of the conference, premeditated to attract business clients in the industry. However, the attempt by the organisers to strengthen the business tie-ups for the participant companies saw a mild response from the industry as the attendees from the decision makers of the companies were almost close to nil.
This was evident from the session of the conference that began on November 21, where a request to the factory owners to raise their hands found no hand rising. The final day of the conference began with Davide Pizzocaro from Italy based Veripack Packaging Division FNC, Italy, speaking on 'Developments in Thermoform-fill-seal technology." Davide introduced the audience to thermoforming and tray sealing machinery. Davide said that thermoforming could prove to be a leading area for machinery. He came up with interesting solutions for sliced meat and sandwiches in semi rigid filling. He highlighted the execution of flexible, semi rigid and vaccum packaging on which the entire concept of packaging revolves around. While flexible packaging has accurate control of vaccum and MAP level for longer shelf life and holds the liquid back to the product for better presentation before the consumer, the semi rigid packaging prevents the product from any physical damage. He said that the next demand of the industry would be skin execution in packaging. Davide said, "Skin execution gives the skin impact to the products."
On concluding remarks Davide announced a joint venture with Wonderpack Industries Pvt Ltd in India.
Next to take the dais was Shailesh Sheth, CMD, Kris Flexipacks pvt. Ltd.
Shailesh said that Indian packaging needs were very different and required uniqueness in technology and process. "While on one hand we need to fast replicate the technology that is the US and Europe and on the other hand we also need to develop our own technology."
Ian Dovey from the UK division of the US based Automated Packaging Systems Inc, which is in a partnership with Kris Flexipacks, introduced the new " Open-fill-seal-" technology of the company. Dovey said, "England introduced cricket to the world but now it has to take cricketing tips from India, technology wise similar exchange is required."
He said that the genius of "Open-fill-seal" technology lies in its flexibility and automated speed. The technology has been recently introduced in India. Ian distributed a few samples of the bags created with the technology to the audience, which could be air-blown for easy placement of products.
Further the OFS can print text, bar codes, add graphics (overprinting) in any colour efficiently. The technology is more of industry use but can also be executed in food packaging like packing dry fruits.
Moving from the conference to the exhibition hall, feedback from the participants, exhibitors in particular, got even colder. Apart from lack of advertisement, events like India Pack 2008 preceding and CPhI India 2008 following Pack Tech 2008, gave an overall cold response from the visitors. Adhikar Jaitly from Super Pack Industries said, 'The event is new born, we were expecting great response, unfortunately that couldn't happen." Similar feedback was echoed by Shabbir Badami of ACG Worldwide. He said, "Since the event is being organised for the very first time in India the response is not that great. We have spent 10-12 lakh but the response could not match that amount. One reason could be that the organisers must have treated the event lightly thinking that its international rank would replicate in India too attracting crowd in the desired number. But that does not happen. Look at CPhI it may not be popular elsewhere but is popular in India. So you need to understand the needs and psychology of the region where you organise." Shabbir's stall introduced ACG's products. Shabbir introduced the popular unit dose packs for single use to the visitors. The packs have been created also for food products like cheese and chocolate sausages.
Shashikant Singh from WIMCO Ltd explained the advantages of semi automated clipping mechanism for net packaging produced by WIMCO. He said, "It is a retailer's product as it is beneficial in handling fruits." On an optimistic note, Suhas Ingle of the Samarpan Group said that Indian packaging machinery had progressed a great deal. Nobody could think of producing 100 packs per min 5 years back but now we have crossed that count. Samarpan Group provides packaging machinery for cosmetics, food etc. The company currently has export relations with Middle East and Asian countries. On expansion in the West, Suhas said, "We still need to fill the gap in terms of safety and product expectations. The export laws of the West are so stringent that our cost in the machinery would have to be raised manifold."
The event passed throughout the day with a moderate response. Whether it was the ongoing recession that was to be blamed or the "business only" attitude of some stall representatives, who were bent on talking to clients only, is not clear. All we can say is, guys, hope for a better next time.
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