Orient Paper Mills, considered as the leader in India’s paper manufacturing sector, has major sustainability plans to develop new innovative products in plastic substitution & hygiene segments. Mr. Saikat Basu, Head of Marketing and Sales, Orient Paper Mills had a conversation with Paper Mart during Paperex 2023. He also discussed the capacities of OPM’s manufacturing facility at Amlai in Madhya Pradesh, which will increase to 400 TPD+, following capital expenditure of INR 475 crore.
Paper Mart: Tell us about your journey and crucial milestones.
Saikat Basu: Orient Paper Mills (OPM) has maintained its position as a leader in India’s papermanufacturing sector for more than 87 years. Being part of the prestigious CK Birla Group, OPMis one of the oldest and most sustainable players in the paper industry. OPM was the first paper mill of Odisha established at Brajrajnagar in Jharsuguda of Odisha in 1936.
Our major facility is at Amlai in Madhya Pradesh, which presently is an integrated pulp and paper unit delivering approximately 300 TPD. Despite being moderate in our growth plans in between, the company is currently embarking on a journey of technology-driven sustainable transformation. The financial results have grown drastically after 2022. We have established new standards of product quality, ethical business practices and social responsibility.
I am very excited and glad to share that very good people have joined our company – good minds both in the technical and marketing side. Mr. Ashwin Laddha, MD and CEO of Orient Paper & Industries Limited (OPIL), is a powerhouse of energy and has given a healthy direction to the organization. We all feel empowered in his presence.
We are not believers of volume expansion in the paper industry, but we strive to be the best in customer service and innovation. There are many other aspects in our future plans, which have not yet been contemplated by any other paper manufacturer in the paper industry in India. In the next two years, we plan to debottleneck our capacities and add to our production volumes.
PM: Throw light on the INR 475 crore capex announced in March 2023.
SB: We had announced in March this year that the board of Orient Paper and Industries Limited has approved a capital expenditure of INR 475 crore. The capex will be used to modernize manufacturing facility at Amlai in Madhya Pradesh. The project will improve our operating capacity to 400 tonnes per day plus and is likely to be completed in 24 months.
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PM: What are the sustainability measures taken by Orient Paper Mills?
SB: The biggest sustainability drive in the paper industry right now is to have farm plantations within 200-300 km radius of the pulping facility, robust enough to cater to maximum pulp requirements. OPM is currently working in that direction.
We have brought in new product variants like bamboo tissue for the first time in India. Since bamboo is a grass and not wood, the variant is a highly sustainable option in the health and hygiene sector. We have launched bamboo tissue in all our sub-categories like kitchen towels, napkins, toilet rolls, facial tissue etc.
OPM is not just offering products, it’s offering solutions. In our Paperex stall, we have highlighted the themes of plastic substitution and the work that we have done in the sectors of health, hygiene and education.
The company has brought in substitution products against plastic such as paper Carry bags and Cupstock. We have made our pulp mill elemental chlorine free (ECF), which has increased brightness, opacity, smoothness and strength in our products such as Cupstock, Carry bags, Writing & Printing paper and Tissue. We are also providing value-added services to our customers by ensuring FOR deliveries to the customers end locations.
PM: Elaborate on your product line and the markets you serve.
SB: Orient Paper Mills is one of India’s major players in paper with a wide range of writing, printing, industrial and specialty papers. Our tissue offerings range from napkins to facial tissues, toilet rolls to towels. Our export market has expanded and currently includes Africa, Sri Lanka, Nepal, the Middle East, and the US.
This year, the company got in touch with 250 customers in the tissue, writing & printing, and plastic substitution sectors. We are having regular tie ups and conversations with customers directly, servicing their needs through our extensive dealer network across the country. Previously, the company worked with a limited distribution structure, which we have revamped now and reached every nook and corner of the country, and the sub-continent.
PM: Where do you see Orient Paper Mills 5 to 10 years from now?
SB: We are moving from normal to specialty grades in writing and printing. We will be completing a centenary after 13 years and we have huge plans for that. We will reach certain capacity levels, as already briefed, and try to position ourselves as a specialty paper supplier.
In sync with our aim to become the most respected specialty paper manufacturer in India, we are exploring all opportunities through modernization of our plants, plus capacity augmentation. Our marketing and product development teams are working to develop specialty products in all segments. Our present location in Amlai is quite suitable and attractive in terms of availability of wood, coal and water.
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PM: Apart from the tissue market, what are the other segments that Orient Paper Mills envisions entering?
SB: We are one of the largest producers of virgin tissue. We want to remain number 1 in tissue in India, both in terms of quality and quantity. In non-tissue categories, we are closely watching the packaging and plastic substitution segments. Presently, the Indian packaging market is a little overcrowded.
PM: Give us details about your market strategy.
SB: We have embarked on a project called Mission Khushi. It is an ambitious endeavor, which resonates with our unwavering commitment to build a customer-centric organization. Under the project, we plan to bring all customers within a framework and resolve their problems at a lightning speed.
We also get into meaningful thought-provoking discussions with customers on how to grow their business. We aim at spreading awareness on the need for tissue over other alternatives in health and hygiene.
Mission Khushi embodies our drive to comprehend the evolving needs of customer. It is an embodiment of our unyielding passion and a collective endeavor encompassing every department of our organization. It calls for steadfast dedication, a mindset shift and a complete overhaul of our practices.
