Plastics, creating exciting opportunities in packaging
Using plastics allows us to design a package which is highly customisable, easy to use, lightweight, durable, safe and unbreakable and above all, attractive with high consumer acceptance.Rajiv Dhar
By Rajiv Dhar, TNN |
Liberalisation of economies across the globe has brought packaging technology to the forefront. Packaging being pervasive, in today���s business plays an important role and each member in the supply chain looks forward ���to use packaging as a strategic tool for business development and improved business performance under the present and future needs���.
Packaging is a strategic business tool; it is the key to developing, building and enhancing product characteristics thereby increasing the value realisation. During the last decade, industry has grown exponentially and one can clearly witness radical quality improvements and better technology adoption. Today, even at town and village places, retail outlets are stacked with packaged stores, though many of them are not necessarily branded.
Why Plastics for Packaging?
This question is best answered if we note the possibilities of blending one or more polymer/co-polymer homogeneously to achieve a set of tailor made properties by well tried means. Using plastics allows us to design a package which is highly customisable, easy to use, lightweight, durable, safe and unbreakable and above all - attractive with high consumer acceptance.
Plastic as a material creates exciting opportunities in Packaging.
Evolution of Indian Plastic Packaging
With continuing growth from strength to strength some impressive developmental areas for the plastic packaging are:
l Flexible Plastic Packaging: Growth in flexible packaging, rapid innovations and increased demand ensures that no one in packaging can ignore flexibles.
Key developments in flexibles are providing customer and consumer with a better shelf-life, better functionality and better image at a better price. Selective barrier properties along with other special features continue to be an area of scientific focus with many new developments.
l Rigid Plastic Packaging: The use of PET and PP has been growing to impressive figures. In particular, high barrier multilayer containers in attractive shapes with various printing and sleeving options are finding use in many applications. Packaging has made a difference to many products for their movement from commodity to packaged goods. One such example being edible oil, which few years ago was mostly sold loose with the possibility for adulteration and reported deaths.
���Health��� and ���sensory experience��� in beverage market makes cans the ideal choice. Sensory beverages are specialty or premium products characterised by taste, exotic flair or a lifestyle image which also conveys additional quality of life. The new elegant shapes and finish of plastic cans have taken a share of this segment which was traditionally with metal cans.
Perceptions often drive both market and regulatory response. While appreciating the benefits of plastics in packaging, a quick environment impact assessment in Maharashtra plotted on a grid shows that use of packaging is not all that dangerous to mankind. It is essential for growth, value addition, employment generation and above all to prevent the distress sales by the poor farmer.
India���s true USP is not its IT Industry or massive human resource; it is the spirit of innovation which we derive from the extraordinary diversity of our people. The way we pack our milk and oil in pouches and make it available to masses, the way shampoo in sachets could be purchased by women in villages, the way we made our curries available to brothers abroad, all point towards the ���Heather Fraser���s design process.
Packaging is a strategic business tool; it is the key to developing, building and enhancing product characteristics thereby increasing the value realisation. During the last decade, industry has grown exponentially and one can clearly witness radical quality improvements and better technology adoption. Today, even at town and village places, retail outlets are stacked with packaged stores, though many of them are not necessarily branded.
Why Plastics for Packaging?
This question is best answered if we note the possibilities of blending one or more polymer/co-polymer homogeneously to achieve a set of tailor made properties by well tried means. Using plastics allows us to design a package which is highly customisable, easy to use, lightweight, durable, safe and unbreakable and above all - attractive with high consumer acceptance.
Plastic as a material creates exciting opportunities in Packaging.
Evolution of Indian Plastic Packaging
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With continuing growth from strength to strength some impressive developmental areas for the plastic packaging are:
l Flexible Plastic Packaging: Growth in flexible packaging, rapid innovations and increased demand ensures that no one in packaging can ignore flexibles.
Key developments in flexibles are providing customer and consumer with a better shelf-life, better functionality and better image at a better price. Selective barrier properties along with other special features continue to be an area of scientific focus with many new developments.
l Rigid Plastic Packaging: The use of PET and PP has been growing to impressive figures. In particular, high barrier multilayer containers in attractive shapes with various printing and sleeving options are finding use in many applications. Packaging has made a difference to many products for their movement from commodity to packaged goods. One such example being edible oil, which few years ago was mostly sold loose with the possibility for adulteration and reported deaths.
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l Semi Rigid Plastics: Blister packs which are easy to use and carry with the anti-counterfeit options are greatly employed for a variety of products ranging from lube oil to jams and jellies.���Health��� and ���sensory experience��� in beverage market makes cans the ideal choice. Sensory beverages are specialty or premium products characterised by taste, exotic flair or a lifestyle image which also conveys additional quality of life. The new elegant shapes and finish of plastic cans have taken a share of this segment which was traditionally with metal cans.
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Packaging must be in tune with the mood of the moment. Generally for ���treat yourself products���, transparent and semi transparent plastic packaging is seen gaining importance. With this background, many convenience packaging solutions with plastics in variety of shapes and sizes can be seen on shelf stands. Exciting dispensing through squeeze, flip-top, non-dripping silicon valves with innovation in shapes and designs are now available.Perceptions often drive both market and regulatory response. While appreciating the benefits of plastics in packaging, a quick environment impact assessment in Maharashtra plotted on a grid shows that use of packaging is not all that dangerous to mankind. It is essential for growth, value addition, employment generation and above all to prevent the distress sales by the poor farmer.
India���s true USP is not its IT Industry or massive human resource; it is the spirit of innovation which we derive from the extraordinary diversity of our people. The way we pack our milk and oil in pouches and make it available to masses, the way shampoo in sachets could be purchased by women in villages, the way we made our curries available to brothers abroad, all point towards the ���Heather Fraser���s design process.
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