Packaging industry set to grow 18%

The Indian packaging industry is expected to grow to Rs 82,500 crore by 2015 from the current Rs 65,000 crore.

“India stands at the 11th position in the world packaging industry, which is $550-billion, and with the rising consumer demand and new technologies, it is expected to grow at 18-20 per cent from the current 15 per cent,” said NC Saha, director, Indian Institute of Packaging (IIP). Saha was here to announce the launch of Indiapack-2010, scheduled in Mumbai on September 30,

Among the total packaging sources, plastic packaging is at 6.8 million tonne and growing at 20-25 per cent per annum, whereas paper packaging is 7.6 million tonne. “Glass packaging contributes to 4-5 per cent and metal 8 per cent. Forty per cent of the total paper production goes for packaging,” Saha added.

Stating that the packaging industry had become wide, Sanjay Bhatia, IIP chairman, said, “Today, whatever we use needs a packaging. Last year, our GDP growth was 8.5 per cent while the packaging industry grew 15 per cent.”

AVPS Chakravarthy, member of the exhibition committee, said, “With the theme ‘Packaging-enhancing the value’, the main focus of Indiapack will be branding not profit, as packaging has become a way of life.”

The four-day exhibition-cum-trade fair by the Indian Institute of Packaging will offer a platform for companies and packaging industries from both domestic and international market to come together. It is expected to see 400 stalls.