At a time when sustainability has moved from being a talking point to a business imperative, Trident Group’s paper division is positioning itself as a distinctive player by embedding circularity right at the raw material level. Speaking on the company’s approach to sustainable paper manufacturing, Rajnish Gera, CEO of Trident Group, outlines how the use of agro-residue fibres, process innovation and long-term investments are shaping the future of Trident’s paper business.
Trident’s paper portfolio today caters to a wide spectrum of applications spanning printing, packaging and specialty grades. The company manufactures paper suited for high-quality 4-color and 8-color printing, coating base paper, wedding card applications and soap wrapping base paper. According to Gera, the defining factor is that these grades deliver performance comparable to wood-based paper, despite being manufactured using wheat straw as the primary raw material. “The quality of the product is on par with wood-based paper while utilizing wheat straw as raw material,” he says, underlining that sustainability is not being achieved at the cost of performance.
Technology plays a central role in this equation. Trident has adopted shoe press technology, which improves sheet consolidation while simultaneously reducing steam consumption. This not only enhances product quality but also improves energy efficiency. Gera points out that sustainability is not a recent addition to Trident’s operations. “Since Trident paper is manufactured by wheat straw as raw material, we have sustainability imbibed since the beginning,” he notes.
In a global environment marked by fluctuating fibre prices and supply chain uncertainties, Trident’s reliance on agro waste provides a measure of insulation while reinforcing ethical sourcing. The company primarily uses wheat straw, but it is also actively evaluating other agricultural residues such as sarkanda and sabai grass as alternative fibre sources. This diversification strategy reduces dependence on conventional wood pulp and aligns with broader goals of responsible sourcing and rural waste utilisation.
Cost pressures from logistics, energy and raw materials have been a challenge across the manufacturing sector, and paper is no exception. Trident’s response has been to focus on process improvements and new technologies rather than passing costs downstream. Gera explains that energy strategy is a key lever. More than 50% of the company’s energy consumption is already met through biomass, significantly reducing exposure to fossil fuel volatility while supporting emissions reduction goals.
Strengthening the sustainability roadmap remains a priority for the paper division, particularly in the areas of water, carbon and chemical usage. Trident has implemented white water recovery systems that recycle process water back into pulping, leading to a reduction in specific water consumption. On the emissions front, the company has committed to reducing Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 42% by 2031. This involves steadily reducing dependency on coal and transitioning further towards biomass-based fuels, with a long-term ambition to move away from fossil fuels altogether.
Market demand, meanwhile, is increasingly reinforcing these sustainability-driven decisions. Gera confirms that there is strong and growing interest from brands seeking recyclable and compostable paper solutions. This demand is being driven by a combination of heightened consumer awareness and tightening government regulations, particularly around single-use plastics. He points to macro trends indicating that the global paper and pulp market is projected to reach USD 384.34 billion by 2033, with recyclable materials gaining share due to e-commerce growth and eco-conscious consumer preferences. In India, the momentum is even more pronounced, with the paper packaging market expected to grow at a CAGR of nearly 19.5% to reach USD 46.43 billion by 2030, supported by regulatory bans on plastics and a broader sustainability push. “The demand for recyclable paper is also driven by consumer preference,” Gera adds.
Despite these tailwinds, the sustainable paper industry continues to face structural challenges. Energy intensity and carbon emissions remain a concern for an industry that relies heavily on continuous processes. Water usage is another critical issue, especially in regions facing resource stress. Raw material sourcing, particularly the sector’s historical reliance on wood pulp, raises concerns around deforestation and biodiversity. Waste management and recycling inefficiencies further limit circularity, while increasingly stringent regulatory standards require ongoing investments in cleaner technologies.
Trident’s strategy to address these challenges is multifaceted. The company is investing in sustainable technologies and energy-efficient processes while continuing to use wheat straw and other agro waste as primary raw materials. Recycling initiatives and circular economy principles are being advanced internally, alongside efforts to diversify fibre sources, improve energy efficiency and enhance supply chain transparency. These measures, according to Gera, are essential to building resilience while meeting both regulatory and market expectations.
Looking ahead to 2030, Trident’s vision for its paper division is ambitious. Gera describes a future that is “self-sustainable, green and efficient,” with operations contributing meaningfully to the organisation’s circular economy goals and aligned with global sustainability benchmarks. The roadmap includes eliminating coal-based power generation, developing additional agro-residual fibres as viable raw material options, and promoting sustainable paper manufacturing practices across the value chain. Automation and digital integration are also central to this vision, with plans to transform operations into a fully automated, digitally enabled factory.
Supporting this long-term strategy is a series of planned capital expenditure projects over the next two to three years. These include rebuilding the paper machine to enhance production capacity and broaden the product portfolio, setting up an on-site precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) plant to improve pulp and paper quality, and implementing advanced automation and digitalisation systems to drive efficiency and tighter process control.
As sustainability increasingly shapes procurement decisions across packaging and printing markets, Trident’s agro-based paper model positions it at a strategic intersection of performance, responsibility and scalability. By aligning technology investments with alternative fibre sourcing and long-term environmental targets, the company is signalling that sustainable paper manufacturing can be both commercially viable and environmentally credible.
