CMPL: Apple Flexipack brings fully integrated packaging offer

Apple Flexipack may be a first-time exhibitor at CMPL, but the Madhya Pradesh-based company is far from a newcomer to the industry. Founded in 1993 by Amay Goyal's father as an offset printing operation, the business has grown steadily over three decades into a fully integrated converter spanning three distinct product segments, each with its own in-house production infrastructure.

The company's roots lie in PP raffia woven bags, used primarily for packaging rice, grains and similar commodities. From tape line to loom plants, every stage of production is handled within the facility, a point of pride for Goyal and a reflection of the company's philosophy of vertical integration. Current output in this segment sits at around 250-tonnes per month against a total capacity of 400-tonnes, leaving meaningful headroom for growth.

The second pillar of the business is flexible laminates, covering pouch formats from 50-grammes up to half a kilogram. Here too, the company operates end-to-end, running its own blown LD plant alongside finishing and pouching machinery. All printing in this segment is carried out on rotogravure, with monthly volumes currently running at 200 to 225-tonnes against a capacity of 300-tonnes.

The third segment is offset-printed monocartons, the area in which the business was originally founded. Apple Flexipack is currently converting approximately 1.5-million cartons a day from a total installed capacity of 20-million cartons per day, suggesting considerable scope for expansion as the company builds its client base beyond its existing stronghold in the FMCG sector.

"Every product has different ratios," Goyal said when asked about the company's end market split. "The major share can be of FMCG, but it is a mix of all." The breadth of the product portfolio, combined with the depth of in-house capability, is central to how Apple Flexipack positions itself with customers.

The decision to exhibit at CMPL for the first time reflects a broader push by Goyal and his brother, who joined the business when the flexible packaging division was established in 2007, to raise the company's profile on the national stage. Goyal had visited the show twice previously before concluding that participation was the logical next step. "The experience is good," he said, measured in his assessment of the first outing whilst acknowledging that results from trade show participation tend to accrue over time. "Clients mature gradually, over one year, two years."

Beyond CMPL, the company is maintaining an active exhibition calendar with a focus on the food and gifting sectors. It is a deliberately targeted approach, concentrating resources on the shows most likely to yield relevant conversations rather than spreading efforts too broadly.

For a company making its first appearance at one of India's leading packaging events, the early signals are encouraging.