Spotlight on Anant Gadre, managing director of 3D Technopack

One good thing from 2023 which you would like to carry forward to 2024?
Increased focus on sustainability.

The first step in a growth policy is not to decide where and how to grow. It is to decide what to abandon. Looking at 2023, what is the one thing that you think the packaging industry should abandon?
Abandon poaching of trained people from competition and start investing in human resources. It is good for the organisation in the long run.

Has the traditional learning curve become an extreme learning curve? As an organisation, how do you disseminate knowledge; both within and without?
With newer technologies hitting the market at a pace never seen before, everyone needs to be on their toes to learn and acquire new skills and knowledge. Learning curve has become steep. Sharing with coworkers and communicating with all stakeholders within and without is the key to disseminate knowledge.

Is the customers’ reticence to spend “beginning to fade in many areas”. What is your customer's topmost priority?
Not really. Cost savings continue to be number one priority in most cases.

Everyone is pushing the sustainability agenda. What does it really mean? Single-family polymers? Efficient recycling? Biodegradable materials? Green certifications + audits?
From a packaging material perspective, all of the above is relevant. These are means to an end. The end has to be packaging after reduction of plastic, recycle friendly packaging  and use of recyclate in packaging will truly drive sustainability.

What is the most important conversation you are having with a customer in order to be prepared for the next 12 months?
Naya Kya Hain.

How do we maximise the clout of our industry? One input for the FM which could benefit our industry?
Packaging is vital to the economy and has an allround impact on every segment of manufacturing and selling of goods. Investment in the intrinsic packaging industry coupled with strong head-winds of cost reduction plus the huge expectations by customers makes it an enormously challenging industry. Multiple companies are struggling and exiting reflects a sad story. And so, investment incentives or a lower GST rate will give a boost to the industry.