Spotlight on Ashish Pradhan, President Asia, Siegwerk

One good thing from 2023 which you would like to carry forward to 2024?
We have seen a significant increase in the penetration of toluene-free inks in the Indian market in 2023. I would like to see this trend continuing in 2024.

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?
The packaging industry should abandon an uni-dimensional pursuit of financial improvement. Instead it should look at a more balanced approach towards sustainability, circularity, safety, underpinned by financial results.

Has the traditional learning curve become an extreme learning curve? As an organisation, how do you disseminate knowledge; both within and without?
I believe there is nothing like over-communication, so one needs to communicate, communicate and communicate. Communication leads to learning. The channels of communication have significantly changed over the last few years going from physically printed media like magazines, pamphlets etc. to more electronic media like e-zines, podcasts, digital and online communication, that can be used to disseminate knowledge within the organisation and also outside.

Is the customers’ reticence to spend “beginning to fade in many areas”. What is your customer's topmost priority?
Our customers look for safe and circular products which are competitive to their current solutions. Therefore we can say their topmost priority is to be more circular and safe without being at a disadvantage from a financial perspective.

Everyone is pushing the sustainability agenda. What does it really mean?
Sustainability has many dimensions. Here I would just focus on recyclability and circular economy. It means to make our packaging recyclable to a point that the recyclate can be reused in the food packaging chain.

What is the most important conversation you are having with a customer in order to be prepared for the next 12 months?
The most important conversation we are having with our customer is on how to make circularity affordable.

How do we maximise the clout of our industry? One input for the FM which could benefit our industry?
The finance ministry and the government should understand that the packaging industry is an irreplaceable cog in the overall food chain. Packaging is essential for the food chain. I feel the ministry has to recognise the macro-economic factors impacting our industry and how we can make our industry financially robust to be able to accept additional costs related to circularity and sustainability.