At interpack 2014, participation of packaging professionals from Asia-Pacific reached a new record with 425 exhibitors and more than 20,000 visitors. The number of exhibitors from China and Korea increased considerably, to 210 and 37 (from 112 and 26 in 2011), respectively. Not counting the companies represented by their European distributors, Taiwan had a presence of 48 booths (down from 70 in 2011), Japan 28, Thailand 14, Malaysia 7, Indonesia 7, Vietnam
5, Australia 5, Singapore 4, Pakistan 1. The Indian presence was slightly stronger than in previous years — 60 exhibitors (from 56 in 2011 and 51 in 2008) and around 5,000 visitors. Compared to any other trade fair, this is only second to
K Düsseldorf with 145 exhibitors and 10,000 visitors from India in 2013.
About half of the Indian exhibitors were newcomers to interpack, as companies keep changing their strategy between booth occupancy and mere visits. The other half consisted of regulars such as Dhiman, Dodia, Electronics Devices, Gabbar, Gemni, Ghiya, Jindal, Lead Edge, Manish, New Era, Nichrome, Pakona, Penguin Engineers, Plastene, Powerband, Sodaltech, Technofour, Uflex and Wraptech. Not to forget the dozen or so Indian sales representatives at the booths of Bobst, Huhtamaki, KBA, Windmöller & Hölscher and those moving between the different brands they are distributing, such as Spinks and Vinsak. Apart from the Indian Institute of Packaging with two large booths, 32 exhibitors showcased packaging substrates and semi-finished products such as printed films, pouches, bottles and caps, and 25 equipment manufacturers spanned the entire range of packaging and
processing machinery including dosing, filling, sealing, converting, wrapping, baling and marking equipment.
Jindal Poly Films had its full range of BOPET and BOPP films on display, including PP coated with PVDC, acrylics, and low-temperature sealants for packaging of confectionery, snacks, bakery products, meat and tobacco overwraps. Jindal’s Nishak plant in Maharashtra is the world’s largest film producing plant, and, after stepping up its own capacities in BOPP and BOPET and taking over Exxonmobil Films last year, Jindal is currently the largest manufacturer of oriented films for flexible packaging, with outputs of close to 500,000 metric tonnes of BOPP and 150,000 metric tonnes of BOPET per year. At Interpack, Jindal also presented a range of labelling and packaging components producing equipment.
Agra-based Vacmet, with a total capacity of 100,000 metric tonnes (to be doubled within the next few years), showcased its Vacopp BOPP films, Vacopet polyester films, Vacomet metallised films, Vacocoat high barrier films, and a number of specialised applications.
Plastene India, a subsidiary of the Champalal Group, presented its range of flexible packaging materials, mainly flexible intermediate bulk container (FIBC), tarpaulin and woven bags, LDPE film and reprocessed granules. After some major investments, the ISO 9001 certified company now has a production capacity of 100,000 metric tonnes annually. The company also showcased its fill and seal machinery for flexible packaging and rigid containers.
Safepack provided a product application guide and promoted its range of substrate combinations, such as anti-corrosive VCI, aluminium barriers, multilayer and poly extrusion laminates, crepe paper and specialty coated packaging solutions. Other plain and printed laminates were offered by Ansapack, Bagla, Chiripal, Damati, Ghiya, Lead Edge, Manish, MM Polytech, NPF, Paharpur, Parekh, Rajiv, Sanjeev, Shrinath, Uflex and Vishaka, among others. Caps, pouches, tubes, bottles, cans, straps and bags were on show from Alpha, Brajesh, Creative International,
Dodia-Decap, Ebullient, Globus, Kaira, Multitech, Nipra, Sanex, Skypack, TSCS and Vora. Huhtamaki showed pre-shaped pouches from its plant in India.
Japanese packaging machinery manufacturer Omori focused its presentations on the S-5015A-3BX, a re-closable film feeder with a processing line from Selo Pack Holland. On the separate Omori India stand, a Multipack 5115 was shown in a similar configuration geared at the bakery industry. Omori India was started as a distribution entity in a joint-venture with Food & Pharma Specialities based in Noida who are holding a 20% share, but according to Omori CEO Toshio Omori it is intended to turn the company into a 100% Omori subsidiary from next year.
Bossar showcased three new developments, the BVH vertical horizontal, the BMS full servo, and the CBS caroussel filling and sealing lines. It also showed a carton filling line marketed in conjunction with its joint-venture partner Wraptech. Wraptech at its own stand showed a number of dosing and FFS machines for bags and flexible packaging. Pakona Engineers, like Bossar and Wraptech based in Mumbai, introduced the PK-70 twin pouch packaging machine, a full servo- driven vertical FFS complementing the company’s horizontal PK-96 and PK-100 series, with software from Rockwell Automation.
Pune-based Nichrome had several filling and weighing machinery at its stand, with special emphasis on the Totpack series of pouch fillers and sealers. Penguin Engineers from Coimbatore staged a collection of wrapping and braiding equipment, including palettizing, reel wrapping, hose wrapping and unwrapping, yarn and wire winder and braider machines as well as an automatic carton box packing line. N-Tex from Ahmedabad presented an assortment of machinery for the production and printing of woven bags, tarpaulin and corrugated boxes. Gabbar also from Ahmedabad brought a variety of heavy duty bag closing machines to the show.
New Era from Ludhiana presented a range of dosing, filling, moulding and packaging lines for the bakery industry. The Dhiman Group from Jalandhar in Punjab showed various confectionery machines at its two stands. Mumbai-based ACG and Jitsan showcased their respective series of blister packaging and inspection systems for the pharmaceutical industry. Delamination technologies were offered by Ashutosh Mukhopadhyay, also from Mumbai. The next interpack will be held
in Düsseldorf from May 11 to 17, 2017.
