UFlex, India’s largest multinational flexible packaging and polymer science company and first Indian manufacturer of aseptic liquid packaging, will double its aseptic plant’s production capacity from 3.5 bn to 7 bn packs per annum, in Sanand, Gujarat. The capacity expansion will be completed within the next 10 months approximately.
According to UFlex, the expansion is in response to the new contracts and increasing demand for the company’s aseptic packaging laminates. Driven by a strong and healthy order book and consistent market growth, this initiative doubles the production capacity and will allow creating company’s expanding operations team by adding more workforce, which will strengthen the company’s expansion plan.
Ashwani Kumar Sharma, president and CEO, Aseptic Liquid Packaging Business, UFlex, said, “Asepto expansion is part of the growing need for aseptic packaging, and I am excited that our team and state-of-the-art facilities are well-positioned to respond to the increasing demand for our services and innovative technology in aseptic packaging. Despite the pandemic, we have continued to deliver services without a pause and carried on with innovative thoughts to deliver expected results from our customers.
“We have been working on taking Asepto globally, and our expansion takes a leap to enlarge the brand’s horizons to different continents. We remain the most innovative packaging company when it comes to aesthetic rejuvenation in aseptic packaging space. The expansion steps in our operations reflect Asepto’s strong position in the marketplace and positive outlook for the future.”
Once the commissioning of the project is complete, the company would take steps for global expansion. Ashok Chaturvedi, chairman and managing director of UFlex, said, “Asepto has now grown and entering into its next phase of life cycle with the first expansion plan announcement. This expansion of production capacities is our natural progression, addressing our rapid growth in the aseptic liquid packaging space, and stepping strong footsteps into the global arena. Asepto is taking one step at a time, and that’s the best way I foresee to imbibe growth approach in the given global economic scenario.”
The first phase of expansion will focus on adding new machines to the existing line i.e., the best-in-class new generation Gallus printing line. The new-age machine has progressive features, loaded with sophisticated technologies that make it extremely efficient and sound in operation. The machine prints at a speed of 500 mpm.
The slitting line is high-performance machine from IMS technologies, Italy, with speeds up to 1200 mpm. In addition to increasing the capacity, the company has also added doctoring line and over 8 new tools/formats as part of its expansion. This is targeted to be completed within approximately ten months, adding Asepto’s capacity to address the increasing demands.
