Prem Engineering is shaping the Indian pulp and paper equipment industry with a focus on affordable, modern solutions. At Paperex 2025, the company highlighted its expertise in agro and wood-based pulp mill equipment, EPC projects, stock preparation for recycled paper, effluent treatment, and recovery systems. In an exclusive interview with Paper Mart, Mr. Pryank Thukral, Managing Director, Prem Engineering, identifies the existing monopoly in technology and EPC solutions as a major challenge for the industry and is determined to offer mid-market alternatives, giving mills more options, breaking monopolistic control, and making advanced technology accessible without compromising quality.
Paper Mart: Could you please introduce yourself, your role in the company, and tell us in brief about Prem Engineering?
Pryank Thukral: I have been leading the business for the last 7 years. I am the second generation; my father started this company in 1985.
We specialize in pulp mill equipment manufacturing for agro and wood-based mills, which has been our core focus for the past 35 years. Over the last five years, we have expanded into EPC projects, stock preparation for recycled paper, effluent treatment plants (ETPs), and recovery equipment for agro and wood-based mills, including plasticizers and slackers.
Moreover, we are developing new technologies used in Europe, which we are bringing to India. We expect to showcase these innovations by the next financial year.
Watch: Top Paper Companies 2023
PM: What are you displaying here today at Paperex, and how has your experience at the exhibition been so far?
PT: I have been associated with Paperex since 2021, so this is my fourth year. The experience has been very positive, productive, and informative, and a great platform for networking. People visit, interact, and share their thoughts, which helps us understand upcoming technologies in the market. At our booth, we are showcasing equipment and solutions for pulp mills, reflecting our expertise and innovation.
I want to bring this technology to India at reasonable prices, so mills don’t have to pay excessively for advanced solutions.
PM: How does Prem Engineering help mills modernize stock preparation and effluent treatment?
PT: Our core business is agro and wood-based pulp mills, with customers across India and exports to over 10 countries. We develop equipment based on customer needs, customizing designs according to their requirements. We focus on ease of operation and maintenance, ensuring that our customers can manage the equipment themselves. Customer perspective is central to our design process.
PM: Are there any innovations in the pipeline that you would like to share?
PT: Recently, we completed an EPC project for an Indian oil refinery, which included a 22-meter clarifier as a turnkey EPC project. It has been successfully commissioned and is running smoothly.
Our core business is agro and wood-based pulp mills, with customers across India and exports to over 10 countries. We develop equipment based on customer needs, customizing designs according to their requirements.
PM: What are the major trends and challenges that you see in the pulp and paper equipment industry today?
PT: The market is constantly evolving, making it difficult to predict customer requirements. Our equipment primarily generates pulp, and pulp requirements keep changing, so we continually adapt and improve our equipment.
For example, we developed dilution screws that can handle 12–14% material at the inlet and deliver 2–2.5% at the outlet. Previously, such equipment had to be imported from Europe or China, but now we manufacture it in India.
I see challenges as opportunities. Currently, there is a gap in the market– customers seeking EPC projects usually consult only large suppliers. Agro and wood-based mills are highly CAPEX-oriented, and investment decisions often overlook profitability. My goal is to provide affordable alternatives and create more options in the middle market, reducing dependency on a few big vendors.
Also Read: PPI Pumps Driving Energy Efficiency in the Paper Mills
PM: Being a second-generation leader, younger management often sees things differently from previous generations. Has this been a challenge or opportunity for you?
PT: I wouldn’t call it a challenge. I see it as an opportunity to bring change. We are willing to work with anyone who is open to innovation. My aim is to break monopolies in the market by giving customers more choices. Technology is concentrated in the hands of a few players globally, but I have been visiting China and Europe to study modern pulp mill technologies. I want to bring this technology to India at reasonable prices, so mills don’t have to pay excessively for advanced solutions.
Currently, there is a gap in the market– customers seeking EPC projects usually consult only large suppliers. Agro and wood-based mills are highly CAPEX-oriented, and investment decisions often overlook profitability. My goal is to provide affordable alternatives and create more options in the middle market, reducing dependency on a few big vendors.
