KPL International is a professionally managed chemical marketing and distribution company with a strong pan-India presence along with a warehouse in Dhaka, supporting their reach to the paper industry in Bangladesh as well. In an exclusive interaction with Paper Mart, Mr. Rahul Ambardar, Director, KPL International Limited, shared that the company has recently introduced PFAS-free additives under the ‘Daikin’ brand for paper coating applications as well as for pulp-moulded fiber products. The company has also recently entered into new partnerships, adding starch, cellulose and ethers to its portfolio. Looking ahead, KPL International plans to expand its portfolio with innovative and sustainable solutions aligned with the evolving needs of the packaging segment.
Paper Mart: Please tell us about your company, its history, and milestones.
Rahul Ambardar: KPL International is primarily a chemical marketing and distribution company with over three decades of active presence in the Indian market. Paper is one of our key focus segments. Our participation at Paperex has been very consistent over the years, as it provides an opportunity to connect with industry peers and showcase new products and solutions relevant to the Indian paper industry as well as the overseas market.
At Paperex, we represent companies from Asia, America, and Europe. This event allows us to closely align with global developments happening in the paper industry, in terms of latest technologies, chemistries, and solutions available internationally. By bringing these advancements to India, we help Indian paper manufacturers stay competitive and aligned with global best practices.
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PM: What is your product portfolio?
RA: We can be described as one of the catalysts in the paper manufacturing industry, primarily as a raw material supplier to the pulp and paper industry. Our portfolio is broadly divided into two distinct categories. The first category is commodity products, which are supplied in bulk and are largely price-driven. This includes materials such as minerals, kaolin, and bentonite, which form an essential part of paper manufacturing. The second category comprises specialty products. These are advanced, technology-driven solutions that are introduced in the India market and evaluated by Indian manufacturers for adoption. This segment focuses on innovation and performance enhancement rather than volume alone.
As part of this expansion strategy, we have onboarded new partnerships this year, adding starch, cellulose and ethers to our portfolio. These additions bring a new dimension to our offerings and allow us to serve a wider range of applications within the paper industry.
PM: Can you tell us about your market footprint in India and outside India?
RA: We have a strong market presence pan-India, with warehouses strategically located across the North, West, South, and East regions, ensuring comprehensive geographic coverage. Our offices and dedicated sales teams are spread across the length and breadth of the country, allowing us to respond efficiently to customer needs.
Beyond India, we also have an established presence in Bangladesh, with a sales team and warehouse in Dhaka. Through this setup, we actively cater to the paper industry in Bangladesh as well.
PM: What are the new product developments happening in your company?
RA: We have recently launched a PFAS-free additive that includes non-fluorinated oil and grease repellent chemicals for paper coating as well as for pulp-moulded fiber applications. Earlier, such functionalities were largely achieved using fluorinated compounds. However, this year we have introduced non-fluoro alternatives specifically for the paper industry, addressing both performance requirements and evolving regulatory expectations.
This newly launched product from ‘Daikin’, with grade names XP8001 and XP8802. XP8001 is primarily designed for size press applications, while XP8802 is intended for pulp-moulding applications. These two grades are being showcased at this exhibition and we are actively engaging with paper mills and coating units to conduct trials, and gradually sell and establish these products in the Indian market.
PM: Please tell us about your experience here at Paperex?
RA: There has been a lot of interest from the pulp and paper industry, with very reasonable responses throughout the exhibition. We have received a decent number of inquiries not only from our customers that we have engaged with or are pre-informed, but also from several walk-in visitors who have shown keen interest in these products. In particular, manufacturers focused on exporting their products to developed markets such as the US and Europe have shown significant interest in our portfolio, as the products are well-aligned with the regulatory and compliance requirements of those regions.
We have a strong market presence pan-India, with warehouses strategically located across the North, West, South, and East regions, ensuring comprehensive geographic coverage. Beyond India, we also have an established presence in Bangladesh, with a sales team and warehouse in Dhaka. Through this setup, we actively cater to the paper industry in Bangladesh as well.’
PM: Sustainability has been a key focus area in the paper industry. How is KPL International supporting the paper industry in this domain?
RA: Sustainability has become a key focus area for us, as paper is gradually being used as an alternative to traditional materials derived from plastics. A good example of it is cup stock, which has conventionally relied on polyethylene (PE) lamination. With our new products that we are distributing, we offer solutions that not only support essential properties such as water resistance/retention (WTR) and grease resistance (GR), but also provide heat-seal capability to paper. These advanced additives enable paper-based products to meet performance requirements without relying on plastic-based laminations. Through our product portfolio, we aim to help the paper industry move towards recyclable, more environmentally friendly products, supporting the broader transition to sustainable packaging solutions.
PM: How do you see the paper industry evolving in India especially in the packaging segment?
RA: The paper industry today can be divided into two segments: traditional grades (such as writing and printing and newsprint) and the packaging portfolios. The packaging segment is witnessing rapid growth, especially in India. This growth is driven by innovative and specialty products having varied applications. As the packaging sector continues to develop, India increasingly requires support from the paper industry as well as new supply chain partners to meet quality, performance, and sustainability expectations. On the other hand, traditional grades such as writing and printing paper, and newsprint represent relatively mature markets with limited growth momentum. While they remain important, the primary growth driver for the paper industry going forward will clearly be packaging. This perspective is also reflected in the exhibition, where we see significantly higher interest and demand coming from packaging-related applications.
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PM: A lot of expansions are happening in the chemical sector. Are there any product expansion plans in the pipeline for your company?
RA: As I said earlier, we are a chemical marketing and distribution company and do not have a production base of our own. Expansion, for us, does necessarily mean capacity additions, but to build new partnerships and strengthen our portfolio. As part of this expansion strategy, we have onboarded new partnerships this year, adding starch, cellulose and ethers to our portfolio. These additions bring a new dimension to our offerings and allow us to serve a wider range of applications within the paper industry.
PM: What are your future plans?
RA: Our future plan is to bring in new innovative and sustainable products that are aligned with the evolving needs of the packaging segment, which we believe will be the primary driver of growth for the paper industry.
We will continue to work proactively to bring new technologies to Indian paper manufacturers. Even if certain innovations are ahead of their time, we remain committed to introducing them, as we believe there is no such thing as bad timing for meaningful innovation. Ultimately, it is about demonstrating the right value to the end user and helping the market recognize its long-term benefits.
We have recently launched a PFAS-free additive that provides non-fluorinated oil and grease repellent chemicals for paper coating as well as for pulp-moulded fiber applications.
