Ganesh Cartons: offering quality products with a niche market

-relies majorly on Indian equipments for post print operations Two youngsters, with printing in their blood, technically well qualified, dedicated, and experienced, found out one-and-a-half decade back that there was an opportunity waiting for them in specialised cartons segment. And look, as of now they are specialists in this field, operating under the name and style of ‘Ganesh Cartons India Private Limited’ in Chennai, majorly supplying cartons to renowned international shoe brands in India. How such entrepreneurship could succeed in this niche segment, finds out D Ramalingam from P&P. N Kumara Perumal, BE (Printing) from Anna University (1989) and KS Jagadeesan, DPT from IPT (1987) both cut their teeth in Newman Press, Chennai, a family concern specialised in packaging, managed by KS Venkataraman (of AIFMP fame) and family members. Later, for grasping the rudiments of running a printing press, the both energetic young print professionals gained experience working in different presses. And finally, they came together to start Ganesh Cartons as a partnership firm. The year 1996 was a major turning point in their entrepreneurship when P Suresh Babu, a science graduate, joined them as managing director to incorporate Ganesh Cartons India Private Limited. Slowly progressing adding unit by unit for different operations in Royapuram and Tondairpet locations, the northern industrial complex in Chennai, they finally shifted to one industrial unit in Madhavaram, about eight kilometers west of their office in Royapuram, where all operations are now performed under one roof.

Carton samplesBeing experts in making higher gsm cardboard and microflute cartons, Ganesh Cartons has been supplying packaging materials made out of paper and board, especially producing boxes for shoe exports and auto ancillaries. The shoe cartons are made for international brands, having their shoe manufacturing facilities in India. About 60 percent of such shoes are produced in Ambur, near Vellore, situated in Tamil Nadu on route to Bangaluru. They are also major suppliers of auto ancillaries’ boxes for TVS group. For all these, Ganesh Cartons is equipped with one Akiama 4-colour CPTronix 28”x40”, one Heidelberg single colour 25”x36”, one Heidelberg 102ZP 28”x40” two-colour, and one Ultra MAN 38”x50” 2-colour. In their post-press, seven Printograph punching machines; five Printograph corrugated E, F, C flutes; one YOCO automatic punching machine; five Printograph corrugated sheet pasters; two semi-automatic sheet pasters; one laminating and two varnishing units both from Printograph; apart from pinning, creasing, and dummy making equipments. The whole production is done under the sharp eyes of Jagadeesan. Controlling the administration, finance and marketing, Kumara Perumal also gives logistics and QC supports to production. Suresh Babu as MD, takes care of overall proceedings.

They are approved suppliers of shoe cartons to world renowned shoe brands like Hush Puppies, Claeks, Bugatti and Kickers. Ganesh Cartons also posses ISO certification, CRISIL Rating and 2008 ISF Award. They make ‘REACH’ compliant products which specify restricted substances to be pollution free. Adhering its quality policy ‘to be a partner in customer’s progress by providing value addition in innovative packaging and timely delivery to customer’s delight’ as stated under recertification of ISO 9001-2008 through BSCIC Certifications Pvt Ltd, the company is presently marking an annual turnover of Rs 175 million. Having production capacity of about 40,000 shoe cartons or 1 to 2 lacs inner cartons per day, the output is achieved as of now, stands as approx. to 60 percent. The trio yet wish to produce more as they are fully capable in reaching to next level.