ITC-PSPD has launched ‘Sign-Up Green’, a solid board for indoor branding, aligning with the growing demand for sustainable alternatives to plastic. The company has also invested in Green Technologies, including a high-efficiency recovery boiler at its Bhadrachalam unit, which sets global emission benchmarks and increases renewable energy use to 51%. Additionally, ITC has developed a renewable, wood-based value chain to reduce reliance on imported pulp, supporting the ‘Make in India’ initiative. Its extensive afforestation efforts have greened over 1 million acres and contribute to large-scale carbon sequestration.
With sustainability becoming a global priority, businesses are ramping up investments in green technologies, demonstrating their commitment to environmental stewardship and playing a pivotal role in building a more sustainable society.
As the world shifts towards sustainability, companies are embracing green technologies, driving eco-friendly innovations that contribute to a healthier planet and a brighter, more sustainable future for all.
ITC’s Paperboards and Specialty Papers Division (ITC-PSPD) is one such company that is taking meaningful steps toward sustainable packaging and helping create a positive impact on society and the planet.
ITC-PSPD is amongst the leading names in the business worldwide, offering innovative and sustainable paper and paperboard solutions for a variety of applications, including packaging, communication, graphic, and specialty applications.
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Manufacturing Setup
Starting operations in 1978 in Bhadrachalam, Telangana, ITC-PSPD today operates four manufacturing facilities, all of which have world-class assets, practice TPM methodology (Total Productive Maintenance) and have adopted Industry 4.0 techniques with increasingly data-driven processes. Their Bhadrachalam unit is their biggest factory with an integrated pulp and paper/board manufacturing facility and features India’s first and only BCTMP mill. The unit also features an in-house NABL-accredited lab for quality testing, and has seven paper machines, producing high-quality virgin paper and paperboards. The company’s other unit is located in Kovai, Tamil Nadu that manufactures high-quality recycled paperboards, and its third unit in Tribeni, West Bengal, has three paper machines, out of which 2 of are dedicated to manufacturing of décor papers and the third machine manufactures a range of speciality papers for niche applications. The Bollaram unit, situated in Telangana, is a value-addition plant involved in extrusion coating for PE coated and sustainable packaging boards, in addition to production of solid boards. All four of the manufacturing units are ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 certified.
The company has made several significant investments in Green Technologies, the latest one being a high efficiency recovery boiler at unit Bhadrachalam.
Apart from the growing investments and focus in green technologies, ITC-PSPD has a bandwidth of products that has increased continuously and moved up the quality scale so much that today, the company is one of the most preferred choices for any discerning customers across the globe.
The Filo’ series of sustainable paperboards has gained significant traction in the industry, both in India and abroad.
Product Portfolio
The company manufactures a wide range of packaging and graphic boards, accompanied by a diverse range of fine papers and specialty papers fulfilling a variety of needs. From high-quality FBB and SBS boards, to liquid packaging boards, cigarette boards, playing card boards, top-liners, C2S boards, recycled boards, solid boards, the company has almost covered the entire spectrum of paperboards.
Apart from its paperboard segment, the company also manufactures high-quality fine papers for writing, printing & industrial applications. It has become the largest producer of décor papers for the laminate industry in the country and also offers specialty papers, including thin printing papers and food wrapping papers. With a diverse product range, the company serves a wide array of sectors, including pharmaceuticals, FMCG, publishing, apparel, food & beverage, consumer durables, and laminates.
Bhadrachalam unit is the biggest factory with an integrated pulp and paper/board manufacturing facility and features India’s first and only BCTMP mill
Recent Innovations in the Company
Recently, the company has leveraged its R&D capabilities to launch several paperboard alternatives to single-use plastic. Their ‘Filo’ series of sustainable paperboards has gained significant traction in the industry, both in India and abroad. They are an active replacement to LDPE-coated packaging/disposables in the F&B industry.
The company has also launched Sign-Up Green, a solid board that caters to the indoor branding industry. Capturing the demand of paper and paperboard, the new product is a sustainable alternative to plastic, providing innovative solutions for packaging and branding.
These innovations are not only replacements to single-use plastic but also a strategic initiative towards the growing trend of sustainability.
ITC’s ‘Well-being Out of Waste- (WOW)’ initiative promotes awareness about the importance of source segregation and recycling.
The Common Thread of Sustainability
A common thread that runs across all the operations is the company’s focus on sustainability. This has enabled the firm to develop a renewable wood-based value chain that serves as a substitution to few grades of imported pulp, contributing to the ‘Make in India’ initiative of the government. ITC’s sustainable paper value chain has also led to extensive afforestation, cumulatively greening over 1 million acres and generating over 210 million person-days of employment last year alone, in addition to large-scale carbon sequestration.
The company has also made several significant investments in the area of Green Technologies with its latest development at Bhadrachalam unit, where the company has acquired a state-of-the-art high efficiency recovery boiler. The boiler boasts of high energy-to-renewable fuel ratio and sets a global benchmark in emission standards, saving substantial amounts of coal and increasing the company’s share of renewable energy to 51%.
In the area of solid waste management, ITC’s ‘Well-being Out of Waste- (WOW)’ initiative promotes awareness about the importance of source segregation and recycling, and establishes systems to ensure effective practice. It collaborates with local municipalities to train waste workers and rag-pickers in these concepts and to provide an efficient collection system. The company also leads in sustainable packaging products in India, launching recyclable, compostable and eco-friendly paper-based alternatives as a replacement to single-use plastics.
Also Read: JK Paper Coming up with INR 650 Crore BCTMP Plant
Awards and Recognitions
The units of Bhadrachalam and Kovai have been awarded the highest recognition for water stewardship (platinum level) by the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS). They have also achieved the highest rating (Platinum Plus) under the CII GreenCo Green Company Rating.
Conclusion
As India’s largest virgin paperboard manufacturer, ITC-PSPD supplies to almost all major packaging converters catering to varied brands and consumer needs across the country.
The company’s commitment to innovation and sustainability is evident in its diverse range of eco-friendly products and technologies. By investing in green technologies, reducing reliance on plastics, and enhancing its product offerings, the company is not only contributing to environmental preservation but also setting a benchmark for others to follow. As sustainability continues to shape the future, the company is well-positioned to lead the way in creating a more sustainable and responsible world.
