Bosch’s new manufacturing facility inaugurated in Goa

• To make world class German technology affordable and easily available to the Indian market while increasing localization of new packaging machine production
• To doubling the production capacity in next three years from the capacity of 200 machines per year

Bhargava Rotopack: featuring self capabilities to maximise profitability

Built on 33,000 square meters land at Verna in Goa, the new manufacturing facility of Bosch Packaging Technology India was recently inaugurated. With an investment of Rs 34 crore (about 5 million euro), the new plant will fulfill capacity expansion and meet the increasing demand of India’s fast growing packaging market as well as international markets. With the state-of-the-art technology, the new plant will aim at increased localization of new packaging machine production and make world class German technology affordable and available to the Indian market.

Forceful growth plans…
Setting up of the plant is a significant milestone for Bosch Packaging Technology India that commenced its operations in 2007. The subsidiary in India brings the global expertise to the Indian market. Today, the company designs, develops, manufactures and markets form, fill and seal machines for flexible bag packaging, flow wrapping machines for confectionery and food applications as well as filling and closing machines for liquid pharmaceuticals. Till date, Bosch Packaging Technology India has sold over 1,200 packaging machines to leading names in the food, confectionery and pharmaceutical industries in India and international markets. The current production capacity of the plant is 200 machines per year which is expected to double in three years. “We will strive to fulfill growing market needs with the best-in-the-industry solutions strengthen our existing leadership position,” said Ashok Gourish, general manager, Bosch Packaging Technology, India.

The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services. Based in Germany, the Bosch Packaging Technology division is one of the leading suppliers of process and packaging technology. About 4,700 associates at over 40 locations in over 15 countries worldwide develop and produce complete solutions for the pharmaceuticals, foods, and confectionery industries.

In entrepreneurship, every one seeks to minimize cost for maximizing profitability. But it needs extraordinary skills and strategies for realization of the concept into actual business. Under the guidance of ‘real genius’ Vijay Shankar Bhargava, jt managing director of Bengaluru-based printing company Bhargava Rotopack Pvt Ltd has aptly been managing to do so, while operating only with self-developed customised and efficient machines as well as using inks made in-house on every day basis.

One can trace the origin of Bhargava Rotopack from Chandausi, a city in Sambhal district, Uttar Pradesh, where Vijay Shankar Bhargava, a qualified print technologist started the business as paper converters under the name and style of ‘Bhargava Packaging Pvt Ltd’ in the year 1967 before establishing a newer setup to Bengaluru in 1988. Today, Bhargava Rotopack has established itself as one of the most dependable gravure printers leveraging its ‘unique strengths’ to reach at the level of rupees ten crore company.

Presently, the printers mostly depend on how well they are equipped with sate-of-the-art branded machinery. But this is not a reality with Bhargava Rotopack who solely relies on their self-developed machines as well as inks to execute any type of jobs. Known for his exceptional intellectual ability and originality, Vijay is capable to develop efficient machines as per the job requirements.

“We made first single colour gravure printing machine (width 30’’) in the year 1987, which is still working effectively, providing speed around 100 mpm. Seeing the increasing needs, we developed a six-colour machine (width 30”), equipped with print defect detection/web inspection system with a speed of 75 meters per minute. A four-colour gravure machine (width 26”) was made for paper (25-100 gsm) printing, incorporating Dynaspede tension control on feeding and rewinding system,” conveyed Vijay proudly, in a conversation with SK Khurana, editor, Print & Publishing who recently visited their facility in Bengaluru. “Having two agitators, we have capacity to produce 50 kg inks in just three hours, to fulfill our consumption of 200 kg each day.”

They are well equipped with necessary infrastructure to catering their valued customers from various segments. One of their most favourable jobs includes copier paper wrappers for Tamil Nadu Papers Ltd, which is delivered in rolls for auto packing at mill’s facility. Printing is done on ten micron BOPP and laminated with 80-100 gsm white cream wove paper. Slitting is also facilitated online while the printing machine is running upto 100 mpm speeds. For Karnataka Soap, they are producing 5-6 crore soap wrappers with hot melt coating per year, and of course using their self-developed system.

Among other interesting products for which the company has proved its expertise using again self-made machines are tube light sleeves and chef caps. They have been producing up to two lakh such sleeves per day for Wipro; however with the increasing trend of using CFL lamps, the demand has come down drastically. However, Bhargava Rotopack is producing chef caps regularly which are used in prominent hotels or restaurants. The company also has a facility of corrugation cartons, etc with most of the operations done off line. Extra ‘large size boxes’ is their yet another USP. On an average, various categories of substrates consumed each month by them include: kraft paper – 30 tones; white paper – 40 tonnes for conversion activities. Whereas for lamination process over 10 tonnes of film and 50 tonnes of paper are additional consumption every month.

The organisation structure at Bhargava Rotopack comprises a close knit three-member family team which include Vijay himself, his young and energetic son Ashish having joined in the year 2003 looking after sales and brother Mukul Bhargava, who holds MSc in Chemistry and MBA, overseeing as managing director. As per Vijay, he enjoys his most of the time in the well equipped tool room, brain storming for the newer ideas to come up with further efficient solutions. Kudos to Vijay!

“Bosch sees India, Middle East and Africa as a high potential market for packaging technology particularly in the pharmaceuticals and foods segments. This state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Goa will meet the growing needs of the region through appropriate products and packaging solutions. The new facility will also generate good growth and employment opportunities for the people of Goa,” conveyed V K Viswanathan, managing director of Bosch Ltd and president, Bosch Group in India.

“This new facility will bring our new global offerings to India. It will also contribute greatly in pursuing our future plans and consolidating our leadership position in the Indian and international markets. Hence, this is not just a milestone for the Packaging Technology division of Bosch in India, but a global one, too,” said Friedbert Klefenz, president, Bosch Packaging Technology, Germany, commenting on the development at the inaugurating ceremony.