Senior Box Factory reduces manpower dependency with Bobst equipment

The company services the packaging industry, especially spices and tea cartons, along with publicity materials like posters and danglers. On average, per month, the company converts around 400 tonnes of paper and board, and other substrates. Of these, around 60 to 70% is duplex, and the rest is corrugation.

According to Arpan Mehrotra of Senior Box Factory Ramji Press, the kit from Bobst have been a big help for the company as it reduces the need for manpower and increases productivity with accuracy. Also with higher productive machines, cost per unit of production also comes down. “The amazing thing is whether it is new or old, the machines work well,” he adds.

According to Mehrotra, Kanpur is a city where one cannot invest on a continuous basis because of its limited market reach. “We added a liner carton machine two years ago. However, unhealthy competition, especially the price war, has troubled us a lot,” he says. 

This is because the industry value chain in Kanpur is largely unorganised. It’s more so in the case of the printing industry. 

Another reason is despite cost going up following GST implementation, which led to the increase in raw material prices, the customers are not ready to pay extra. “Earlier, both volume and payment were good, but now we get neither volume nor payment,” he says.

It’s not that there’s no work, but it’s seasonal. “Once the season begins, we would not have the time to sleep,” he adds.

The Mehrotra family is in the industry from 1929, with the fourth generation in the helm today, including Amarnath Mehrotra, Dwarka Nath Mehrotra, Ram Nath Mehrotra, Arpan Mehrotra, Sparsh Mehrotra and Abhishek Mehrotra.

And the family hasn’t given up on the industry. “Packaging industry is growing and it will continue to do 

so, as there is a tremendous scope for packaging in India and the neighbouring countries,” says Mehrotra.

There are also plans of expansion, as the company is planning for a new setup with liner and folder-gluer along with corrugation. 

At the end of the day, Mehrotra feels, in a city like Kanpur, printing industry needs support from the government. “Until or unless there are other industries in the immediate geography, the demand for printing and packaging products will not increase,” he says.

Therefore, the company, which earned Rs 30 crore last year and is working towards 30% growth, is planning to open a marketing office in Delhi-NCR.