At Anuga FoodTec India Dairy 2026, held at Bharat Mandapam, Nichrome India showcased its latest advancements in dairy packaging, with a strong emphasis on sustainability, automation, and high-speed machines. In an interaction on the sidelines of the exhibition, Parag Patwardhan, senior vice president – sales and marketing, shared the company’s outlook and innovations, underlining its commitment to addressing the evolving needs of the dairy sector.
Speaking about the company’s participation, Patwardhan described the event as a key platform for engagement. “Participation in Anuga is always very special experience,” he said, adding that the company’s objective this year is “to demonstrate our talent amongst the industry leaders and organizers are putting all the efforts to establish new synergies.”
A central theme of Nichrome’s showcase was sustainability, particularly through energy-efficient solutions. Patwardhan noted that the company is “working with mission to develop energy efficient solutions,” highlighting a high-speed machine on display that can produce 15,000 pouches per hour with a power consumption of just 1.5 kW. “This technology is going to change the perspective of liquid milk packaging,” he said, pointing to the potential for significant efficiency gains in dairy operations.
Looking ahead, Nichrome sees strong growth prospects in high-speed, energy-saving packaging systems. With India continuing to lead as the world’s largest milk producer, Patwardhan observed that demand for value-added dairy products is driving technological evolution. According to the company’s market research, formats such as ESL and aseptic milk are expected to gain traction over the next three to five years, reinforcing the need for advanced packaging infrastructure.
Discussing industry challenges, Patwardhan emphasized the pressure on dairy companies to keep pace with rising demand and consumer expectations. “Every industry is trying to match the pace with industry demand. Same is the case with the dairy sector as well,” he said, noting that increasing volumes must justify growing demand while maintaining food safety compliance. He added that one of the biggest challenges lies in finding “competent, professional solution providers who can align with their automation needs,” a gap Nichrome aims to address through continuous innovation.
The ongoing shift from the unorganized to the organized dairy sector is also influencing packaging adoption. Patwardhan pointed out that there is growing awareness around energy-efficient solutions, along with increasing acceptance of high-speed machines and next-generation automation, particularly in end-of-line processes.
Positioning itself as a comprehensive solutions provider, Nichrome highlighted its wide portfolio catering to diverse dairy applications. “We are One Stop Solutions for all the need of the dairy sector,” Patwardhan said, adding that the company has over 2,000 installations across dairies in India and abroad. Its offerings span milk, curd and buttermilk pouch packing machines, curd cup filling lines, flavoured milk bottle filling lines, thermoforming machines for paneer and cheese, as well as MAP machines for sweet packaging.
Automation and digitalization remain integral to Nichrome’s approach. Patwardhan noted that as dairy volumes grow, customers increasingly demand real-time monitoring and data-driven insights. “All our solutions are built with Industry 4.0 and we provide real time data which enable the user with per hour production, machine down time analysis, provides intimation for planned maintenance,” he explained. He further added that end-of-line automation – particularly systems that eliminate manual intervention in placing pouches into crates – is gaining strong traction, complementing high-speed production environments.
