B&L DIALOGUE : MR. PANKAJ PODDAR, CEO, COSMO FILMS

1. Impact of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) on the Packaging Sector. Your Thoughts?

Packaging Sector has been more fortunate to not have as much disruption in their business as some others. Having said so, given that so many sectors are under shutdown, most players may not be able to ramp up their capacity beyond 50%-60%.

Running operations in these times has entailed higher costs. Packaging companies shall therefore, look towards their customers to recover some part of it.

2. How the packaging industry can navigate the Coronavirus pandemic?

There will be tough times for almost every industry – some more, some less. Packaging industry shall be in a better position to navigate in this crisis though it is also facing several challenges of costs going up, demand coming from only a few sectors is putting pressure on the prices, labour issues and other operational challenges.

It is utmost important for the Government to ensure that industry survive so that jobs survive. Government must announce a relief package for industries soon whether in terms of loan and interest waiver, GST payment waiver or such other reliefs.

3. There is saying going on, “Coronavirus may bring plastic back in favour”. How much do your agree with the same and why?

Before the COVID-19 crisis came, there was a lot of noise about plastics and their re-cyclability. We always believed that plastic usage will keep growing with more and more focus on sustainability.

The fact is, that we have to understand that plastic itself helps minimise carbon footprint in a very big way as compared to any of its other substitutes. Moreover, BOPP (Bi-oxially oriented Polypropylene films) is a very friendly material as you can recycle it many times at very low temperatures, and it consumes very less power while being manufactured. Also, several barrier films protect the inside product from infections, moisture, chemicals and oxygen; helping them stay fresh and disinfected.

Post the Covid-19 pandemic, there would be major shift in consumer buying behaviour. People would prefer buying packaged items and would probably shift to e-commerce stores to buy their daily essentials as well; which would definitely favour packaged goods manufactures. And with qualities like low transportation costs, better food safety and enhanced barrier properties, plastics would play a major role to fulfil the requirements of the consumer.

4. Consumer behaviour will alter after Covid, wherein people turning to individual packaged items to promote hygiene. How do you see your industry/business line post covid era?

As coronavirus has spread around the globe, we have seen cases/reports on how plastics materials and products are being used by the healthcare industry, as medical protective suits (PPE) for frontline staff in combating the spread of coronavirus.

In the post COVID-19 world, concerns around food hygiene could increase plastic packaging intensity. A change in buying behaviour will be seen and people would be seen shifting to e-commerce stores.

As a company, Cosmo Films is already supplying innovative packaging solutions which can provide a barrier to moisture and oxygen outside and aroma inside in order to keep the items inside fresh and aromatic for a longer period of time. We would be looking at an increased distribution of these barrier films in the future.

5. Any product innovations that Cosmo Films is doing during these times?

Research and development is at the core of innovation for Cosmo Films. We have developed a host of products keeping sustainability in mind. One is synthetic paper; where we are able to replace pulp based paper which involves cutting down of trees, while improving the life and durability for the application in question.

Secondly, to make packaging structures recyclable, we made a Heat Resistant Film for easier pouching without compromising on aesthetics, printability, machinability and user friendliness. This film has vast applications in most F&B products including noodles, soap wrappers, washing powder, tube packing, tea pouches, shampoo pouches and more.

As part of our R&D roadmap, we are working on several new technologies including intelligent packaging solutions, biodegradable materials and Direct Thermal Printable Films.

About Cosmo Films

Established in 1981, Cosmo Films Limited today is a global leader in speciality films for packaging, lamination and labeling applications. Its films offerings include biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) films, cast polypropylene (CPP) films and soon to be offered biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate (BOPET) films.

Apart from a dominant share in the Indian market, Cosmo exports to more than 80 countries worldwide. Cosmo’s customer base includes the leading global flexible packaging and label face stock manufacturers like Amcor, Constantia, Huhtamaki, Avery Dennison etc., which service brands like Pepsico, Coca Cola, Unilever, P&G, Britannia, Parle, CP, Reckitt Benckiser, Nestle, Mars etc. Cosmo also has an extensive network of channel partners across the world for distribution of its range of lamination films.