“BIRLACare is not only a brand but our commitment to consumers to provide them with affordable and nature-friendly hygiene & wellness solutions.”
Mr. J.P. Narain, Chief Executive Officer, Century Pulp and Paper, in an exclusive interview with Paper Mart, talks about the company’s new brand — BIRLACare, motive behind the launch of hygiene & wellness products, and sheds light on how the company is using social media to spread awareness among people on the effectiveness and affordability of tissue papers amid the pandemic.
Paper Mart: Firstly, kindly brief us up about the new launch by Century Pulp and Paper – BIRLACare and the vision behind the launch of the brand?
J.P. Narain: There is an increased awareness of hygiene and wellness. As a responsible player in the hygiene segment, we thought of providing hygiene solutions to the consumers which would take care of the hygiene of the consumer, his/her family, and at the same time, the solutions should be eco-friendly too. BIRLACare is a brand that would provide these hygiene solutions through tissue paper ranges, wipes ranges and other hygiene-related products that are in the pipeline.
PM: Could you please guide us through the features of the range of wet wipes and tissues offered by the brand? What will be BIRLACare’s biggest USP that differentiates it from its competitors in the segment?
JPN: Recently, we have introduced various tissue paper products and wipes under the brand — BIRLACare. We have launched tissue papers in various consumer-friendly packing in all the segments like facial tissue, toilet tissue, napkin tissue and kitchen towel. We have also launched pocket tissues which is a very handy tissue pack that is small enough to fit in one’s pocket or handbags for on-the-go use. These pocket tissues have a unique refreshing fragrance for that feel-good factor apart from its cleansing attributes.
“Recently, we have introduced various tissue paper products and wipes under the brand — BIRLACare.”
Century Pulp and Paper has also launched various products in the wipes segment like baby wipes, refreshing face wipes, multi-purpose disinfectant wipes and bath wipes. These wipes are made from 100% viscose biodegradable fabric.
Each of the above products is well researched, instilled with unique fragrances for the feel good factor and made to provide hygiene solution.
Further, all these products are eco-friendly, biodegradable, and are end-to-end controlled right from sourcing of pulp from sustainable & responsible forestry, manufacturing of base materials and conversion into finished products. Even the fabric of non-woven for wipes is 100% biodegradable viscose Birla Purocel from Birla Cellulose.
PM: How have you strategized the growth plans of the brand – in terms of the initial market reach and the plans of expanding your presence?
JPN: Our main aim is to create consumer awareness on hygiene & wellness. We will be majorly concentrating in north market then gradually moving to the other markets.
PM: Where does the manufacturing of BIRLACare products take place? What are your expansion plans?
JPN: We have only recently ventured into this market. At present, we are only catering to the north Indian market as our manufacturing facility is located at Sonepat, Haryana. Further, we are planning to initiate the 2nd facility in the western part of the country and then will gradually expand our footprints across the country. However, I would stress again that we diversified into consumer brands with the primary aim to create awareness about hygiene.
PM: In our conversation two months ago, you had asserted that the primary aim with which Century Pulp and Paper had entered into the tissue paper segment is to create awareness about hygiene – could you please shed some light on the strategies with which you would like to attain this purpose?
JPN: We have been diligently working to enhance our reach through various social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin and Twitter. We have been promoting content to create consumer awareness on hygiene & wellness and how tissue paper & wipes could be a very handy, affordable, and immensely effective mode of maintaining hygiene. We are also contemplating broadening our reach through electronic media as well.
“We are planning to initiate the 2nd facility in the western part of the country and then will gradually expand our footprints across the country.”
PM: How are you seeing the surge in awareness about hygiene and related trends evolve in this time of the pandemic? Also, what is your outlook about the future of tissue papers and wipes segments in the country?
JPN: Awareness about hygiene and related trends is going to stay — pandemic only highlighted the necessities of the same. We have become more conscious about our own hygiene, as well as more respectful about Nature. Moreover, we have become more conscious about the products we use and their effect on environment. Hygiene and wellness products that are also eco-friendly will be the future. Affordable and user-friendly tissue paper and 100% viscose wipes that provide hygiene solutions, and are as well biodegradable, will be the preferred choice of the consumer in times to come.
PM: Having a pre-established presence in the tissue paper segment; however, this is a new venture for Century Pulp and Paper in terms of BIRLACare being a distinct brand for hygiene and wellness. How do you view this product diversification in the overall growth strategy of the Company?
JPN: BIRLACare is not only a brand but our commitment to consumers to provide them with affordable & nature-friendly hygiene & wellness solutions. Tissue paper and wipes are only a part of that commitment. We will continue to work on creating awareness of hygiene through affordable means.
