RSPL Group is a diversified Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) conglomerate committed to delivering ‘value for money ’ propositions. The company has a strong presence in fabric care, personal care and home care products for over 31 years of existence. In the laundry market, its Ghari detergent is the largest brand with approximately 20% market share. The company recently installed an SP Ultraflex ROBOSLIT OHP slitter rewinder. In this interview with The Packman, SK Singh, plant head, RSPL Packaging, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, takes a deep dive into the decision-making process of choosing capital equipment. Additionally, Singh speaks about his expectations from a good slitter rewinder.
The Packman: What drives your decision-making process when it comes to the purchase of plant and machinery?
SK Singh: Whenever we plan to source a new machine, we first calculate the return on investment. Apart from the ROI, we also consider the application it is intended for and the desired quality level of the output. Second, we compare the respective USPs of different suppliers we are in discussion with to decide the type and technical scope of the machine best suited for our application.
We then incorporate both these inputs into a report which enables us to make a data-driven decision.
The factors that are key and non-negotiable to our decision-making process are – return on investment should be at least 2-3 years; minimum manpower requirement; and minimum wastage during job set up and machine operation.
The Packman: Why did you choose ROBOSLIT OHP instead of more standard versions in SP Ultraflex’s range? To what extent are your expectations met?
SK Singh: For our first slitter rewinder, we explored many options from various suppliers but SP Ultraflex offered us a solution instead of just a machine.
Our process requirement was such that we did not want the web to move anywhere near the ground. At the same time, we wanted a machine with better cutter access. The ROBOSLIT OHP from SP Ultraflex offered us both these features, apart from a dual turret rewind which increases productivity significantly as compared to machines with duplex rewinds.
I am happy to share that the machine has performed well, surpassing our expectations in terms of productivity, quality and reliability, leading to high Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE).
The Packman: What are some of the innovations in slitting technology that you are looking forward to?
SK Singh: The demand in the market changes very frequently. Being associated with an innovation-focused company like SP Ultraflex, we enjoy the benefit of staying ahead of the curve and responding quickly to the dynamics of the flexible packaging industry.
In particular, I was excited to know about the ability of the SP Ultraflex slitter to print a bar code containing job details including, job name, operator name, time of batch, production, weight of each finished reel etc. An automatic weighing system incorporated on the off-loader eliminates the laborious and time-consuming process of unloading each reel from the off-loader arms, placing it on a weighing scale and entering the observed weight into the system.
The need of the hour is productivity and by offering such features, we get the most out of each minute and utilize the machine efficiently.
The Packman: What challenges did you face in the slitting process in the past? What are the must-have features of a good slitter rewinder according to you?
SK Singh: The challenges we faced before we installed the ROBOSLIT OHP included unwind reel loading, finished reel removal, access to key areas of the machine, productivity, and last but not least, the quality of the finished reels.
We looked closely at how different manufacturers scored in these areas and decided on SP Ultraflex when we found that the offered machine had features that addressed all these concerns.
The Packman: To what extent did SP Ultraflex meet the expectations of RSPL in terms of output, quality, operator friendliness and safety standards?
SK Singh: If I have to answer this question in one sentence, it would be – SP Ultraflex is providing the best available slitters in the country at present. As an Indian, I feel proud to see our Indian machines competing with European technology not only in India but also in other parts of the world including Africa, the Middle East, and Europe itself.
The Packman: Do you have any expansion plans in the near future?
SK Singh: Since most of the jobs we are doing are for captive consumption, our expansion depends on the market for our products. We have procured land in Rania, Kanpur to support our growth plans for the next 10 years.