Scholle IPN, a global leader in flexible packaging solutions has opened a new, modern facility in Palghar, India. The 6,000 square meter facility is equipped with 25 injection molding machines and automatic bag-making machines for manufacture of aseptic bag-in-box packaging. A key purpose of the new facility is manufacture of aseptic, 220-liter drum bags for the tropical fruit juice industry. The facility will also produce spouts and custom products for flexible packaging components such as connectors, caps, and dispensing fitments.

Scholle IPN president and CEO, Eli Carmeli, anticipates the new facility will bolster Scholle IPN’s larger corporate vision. “We’re dedicated to serving world-class brands in the best way possible. By producing innovative fitments and bag-in-box packaging in regions where our customers are growing, we support our overall strategy of providing safe, natural, economic, and sustainable flexible packaging solutions with a focus on total performance.”

This expansion comes at a time when the Indian packaging industry is experiencing record growth, with the central government predicting an increase from $25 billion to $35 billion USD over the next three years. The country is a major producer of mango and other tropical fruits which require aseptic packaging. However, before the Palghar plant opened, all aseptic drum bags were imported. The new facility will allow aseptic packaging requirements to be fulfilled locally. “By building a facility in India, we’re basically cutting out an ‘import middleman.’ We are able to produce bag-in-box packaging with a variety of film structure properties including: aluminum foil, metalized polyester, and co-extruded nylon. Now our customers can receive high-quality flexible packaging with the shortest supply lead times, fastest responses, and ultimately begin to build confidence in local support,” said Dhandutt Shah, managing director of Scholle IPN India Packaging Pvt. Ltd.