Packaging firm Alpla opens technical centre in Hyderabad

Austria-based euro 3 billion product packaging systems and solutions provider Alpla on Friday launched its India Technical Centre at its manufacturing facility near here. Globally, this is its seventh technical facility.

The centre will work towards developing customised product package design solutions and testing among others. For India, the company said customised solutions would be the key growth driver for it, while the near term focus would be towards stabilisation in existing segments.

Vagish Dixit, managing director of Alpla India Private Ltd, said, "as against the earlier product package design shelf-life of 7-10 years, big brands like Unilever, GSK are now switching to 3-5 years."
 

Understanding the changing market environment and need-specific demand of FMCG brands, the company is looking to partner with them in package development in the product life cycle.

It has invested Rs 350 crore so far in five facilities in India. Growing at 20-25 per cent annually, the company sees great potential for PET products in here.

In the calendar year ending December 2012, total sales of the company from Indian operations stood at Rs 320 crore. This year, it expects sales to touch Rs 400 crore. Exports accounted for seven per cent of this.