Plastic Surgery
Jindal morphs into a global player
Jindal Poly Films Limited (JPFL), part of the Rs. 15 billion B. C. Jindal Group, has rapidly emerged as a major global player in the Oriented Films business with operations in the manufacture of both Biaxially Oriented Polyester (BOPET) and Biaxially Oriented Polypropylene (BOPP) films.
JPFL was originally in the business of making Polyester Yarn. Their initial expansion of activity was a backward integration into the manufacture of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) chips. Their first foray into the Packaging business was a diversification into the manufacture of BOPET Films in 1996 with the setting up of a new line at Nasik. In 2003, they further branched into the manufacture of BOPP Films at Nasik and also set up a vacuum metallising facility.
In November 2003 they made their first overseas acquisition by buying out Rexor, France for 8.5 million euros. Rexor is a very well known European manufacturer of coated and metallised BOPET films for niche applications like tear tapes, stamping foil, security threads for currency notes and specialised films for applications in packaging, decoration, insulation, aeronautics, and sun protection. Rexor has an annual turnover of 28 million euros and also holds proprietary technologies in laser demetallising for threads and other bank note security applications and micro-slit films in widths down to 0.20 mm. This acquisition enabled JPFL to take a worldwide leadership position in value-added coated BOPET films.
JPFL has concentrated on making a major dent in the export market and is poised to become (by September, 2006) the world’s 5th largest BOPET Film producer in less than 10 years of starting up. Its Nasik factory also has the distinction of being the world’s largest single facility for manufacturing oriented films. The present capacity at Nasik is 86,000 MT/yr. of BOPET Films (including one 8.7 metre wide line that turns out 25,000 MT/yr.), 45,000 MT/yr. of BOPP Films, 24,000 MT/yr. of Metallised Films and 9,000 MT/yr. of Coated Films.
JPFL is in the process of installing an 8.2 metre wide 45,000 MT/yr. BOPP line, which is the largest ever single plant supplied anywhere by Bruckner – the world’s largest supplier of BOPP lines. This is expected to go on stream in September 2006. They are simultaneously adding 9,000 MT/yr. of coating capacity. Their PET chips capacity is also being increased from 121,175 MT/yr. at present to 171,175 MT/yr. by September 2006.
All production lines are state-of-the-art plants supplied by world leaders, like Dornier, Bruckner and Kampf. All metallisers are equipped with plasma treatment and the two latest BOPP lines incorporate India’s first 5-layer coextrusion capability.
In February 2005, Deutsche Investitions und Entwicklungs GmbH (DEG), one of Europe’s largest development institutions, acquired a 9.5% equity interest in JPFL.
JPFL have been to achieve their dominant status as India’s largest producers of both BOPET and BOPP films by sheer dedication and sharp focus on their fields of activity. According to Mr. Samir Banerjee, Director – Marketing of JPFL and one of the prime movers of the Packaging operation, ‘’It has been a hard but immensely satisfying climb. We are committed to doing even better in the years to come.’’
