PETpla.net Insider 04 / 2011

PREFORM PRODUCTION 20 PET planet insider Vol. 12 No. 04/11 www.petpla.net Stars old and new in the heavens When we visited Manjushree in Bangalore India in 2008 the company belonged to the lead- ing PET processors in the jars and non-food items sector (see PETplanet Insider 09/08). By way of a highlight, the Kedia family, the proprietors, have installed a multi-level plant for ketchup bottles. In those days there was no sign anywhere of PET for beverages. Today – a mere five years later - Manjushree is the largest manufacturer in India of preforms for the beverages industry. They have outshone all their competitors by far with what currently amounts to an overall consumption of PET of 36,000t/a. “We invest first and then get the orders in from the big multi-brands, Coca Cola and Pepsi Cola, whereas our competitors would rather have an order in the bag before making any investment“, is how Rajat Kedia, the son of the founder of the company Vimal Kedia, explains his company’s success. They wer e the first company to put pressure on Coca Cola in Bangalore to introduce the weight-saving Neckfinish PCO 1881. “We have funded the invest- ment in the new moulds out of our own pocket; we didn’t receive any subsidy from Coca Cola“ Rajat went on. “Don’t go out looking for more money, look to enhance your sales volume“ is Kedia’s secret. They are the first and only company in India to have their own preform tools. Coca Cola in Bangalore converted in June 2010 and are very satis- fied. As Coca Cola in India featured slightly higher levels of carbonisa- tion, it was not clear whether other countries’ experiences with the 1881 could be transferred without any problems. Now, however, Coca Cola is looking to convert 3-4 plants in India each year. Beer packed in PET is no longer just a remote possibility in India and because the bottler has also adopted the weight- saving neck finish PCO 1881, beer is also poised to become a major topic as far as the Kedia family is concerned. In order to be able to manufacture preforms in these quantities, Manjush- ree has opted for Husky HyPET 96– cavity systems. “When we started out, two years ago, with the 96-compart- ment, everyone thought we were mad, today Coca Cola prefers to concen- trate its enquiries solely on suppliers with 96-cavity moulds“ says Rajat. If the market continues to develop at this rapid pace, the first 144-cavity machines will be springing up in Bangalore. But not on the old premises any more. Manjushree is planning a new building close to Coca-Cola in the suburb of Bidad. A 40,000m² tract of land has been earmarked for develop-