JK Paper, which currently has an annual production capacity of nearly 8,00,000 TPA, is looking forward to a significant increase in its manufacturing capability after the installation of a hardwood BCTMP plant at its Gujarat site which will be operational by the second quarter of FY 2025-26. The company is also expecting a healthy demand for various paperboard grades, and estimates the industry to grow at a rate of 8-10 percent CAGR over the next five years.
The Illustrious Growth Story
J.K. Organization is a multinational group headquartered in India with a heritage of more than 125 years. JK Paper Limited is one of the largest paper manufacturers in the country with a total production capacity of close to 8,00,000 TPA. Its state-of-the-art board machine is the only machine in India with a curtain coater facility. The integrated pulp mill ensures inhouse raw material and consistency in quality. In order to enhance operational efficiency and ensure faster service to customers, the company has established Quality Service Centers (QSCs) at Chandigarh and Bengaluru.
Earlier, JK Paper was only producing SBS and FBB grades. It now manufactures a wide range of products, including SBS, FBB, cup stock, specialty grades and sustainable board grades. Over the years, the company has come up with customized solutions for various application and developed products like antifungal board (soap packaging), sustainable solutions to replace plastic-based packaging such as aqueous coated boards, bio-PBS coated boards, liquid packaging board and other specialty grades like cigarette packaging board, cup stock and induction wad.
Moving ahead with Confidence
The products of JK Paper have a highly smooth surface; excellent shade consistency; superior strength; and exceptional quality for various printing applications such as offset, gravure and flexo. Some of its best performing products include JK Ultima, JK Platina, JK Tuffcote, JK Ivory Board, JK Tuffpac and JK Endura. They offer high value in terms of strength and optical properties. Their exceptional runnability for machine-filled cartons makes them an ideal choice for customers. These products are used in FMCG, food packaging, pharmaceutical, consumer durables, textile and several other industries.
JK Paper is supplying to almost every major brand and converter across the entire country. It is also providing customized solutions to end-user brands after understanding their packaging needs.
Watch: In Pursuit of Lesser Water Footprint
New BCTMP Plant
In order to reduce its dependency on imported pulp and address the issue of price volatility of hardwood bleach chemical thermo-mechanical pulp (BCTMP), JK Paper is coming up with a BCTMP plant worth INR 650 crore at its unit CPM in Songadh, Gujarat. The project, having a capacity of 125,000 ADMT (air-dried metric tonne) per annum, is expected to be operational by the second quarter of FY 2025-26.
Caring for the Environment
Through its Social Farm Forestry initiative, JK Paper, which has its own R&D for plantation, is providing sapling to farmers to cover over 30,000 hectares of land. This ensures enough availability of raw material (three times the requirement) without harming a single natural forest tree and aids carbon sequestration. Along with sustainability, the company is contributing towards the betterment of the environment as well as society. It has taken many steps towards energy conservation and for better waste and water management, which include the reduce, recycle and reuse method; and the installation of STP (Sewage Treatment Plant). Around 50 percent of JK Paper’s power needs are met through renewable resources (byproducts of its processes).
Also Read: Genus Paper & Boards: Eyeing 35,000 TPM Production with Sustainable Packaging Solutions
Predicting a Bright Future
Since the growth of the packaging industry is directly linked with the GDP growth of India, JK Paper is expecting continuous and strong demand in sectors like FMCG, pharma and foods. As per the company, the current market scenario is good and there would be a healthy demand for various paperboard grades across different industries in future. It says the market is expected to grow at a rate of 8-10 percent CAGR over the next five years.
