JK Paper, a leading manufacturer of office and publication and packaging paper and paperboard, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with IIT Delhi to set up the JK Paper Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Paper and Packaging at the Institute. Setting up P&P CoE is expected to help India’s paper and packaging industry grow with its work on new developments and technologies.
The press release issued by IIT-Delhi, says that the CoE will include research projects, lectures by experts, and executive development programs. It will also provide training that can help students to gain knowledge of the industry.
Paper and packaging undergoing transformation
On 6 October 2021, the MoU was signed by AS Mehta, president, and director of JK Paper and IIT Delhi representatives Dr Anil Wali, managing director, Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer (FITT), professor Anurag S Rathore, dean, Corporate Relations and professor Ashwini K Agrawal, Textile and Fibre Engineering Department in the presence of professor V Ramgopal Rao, director of IIT Delhi.
Commenting on the collaboration with IIT Delhi, A S Mehta, said, “It is a privilege to embark on a collaborative journey with IIT Delhi. The paper and packaging industry is undergoing a massive transformation with an ever-increasing need for sustainable and functional products, thereby driving new innovations. The proposed CoE would combine the cutting-edge research at IIT Delhi with the application know-how of JK Paper to accelerate innovation in paper and packaging and develop solutions for a variety of end-use applications for our customers.”
While signing the MoU, Professor V Ramgopal Rao, director of IIT Delhi, said, “We are happy to be associated with JK Papers and look forward to the immense research and development opportunities this CoE will bring and are excited to work together on futuristic technologies of mutual interest.”
Professor Anurag S Rathore, Dean, Corporate Relations at IIT-Delhi, added, “It’s a matter of pride that this collaboration with IIT Delhi will benefit both the entities. The strong brand equity of JK Paper has been built through the use of latest technologies, continuous research and development, and innovation, and we are happy to embark on the path of collaborations.”
Professor Ashwini K Agrawal, CoE’s coordinator, said that the Centre of Excellence aims at developing new technologies for the paper and packaging industry in the country. “The collaboration would bring together the knowledge of IIT Delhi in emerging areas of sciences and engineering and expertise of the industry in manufacturing to create new knowledge, novel products, and train research manpower in the sector,” he added.
