Vishakha Polyfab Pvt. Ltd.
A Fresh Approach To Flexible Packaging

In Conversation

Polymerupdate : Tell us something about your early business endeavors ?

Mr. Jigish Doshi : We started business in April 1981 with a small size factory for flexible packaging. This was a one mono layer film plant which we operated till 1989. From 1989 till 2000, imported LDPE, LLDPE and PVC from Hungary and Romania and companies like Mobil and Sabic.

Polymerupdate : How did you move forward after the end of the 90s ?

Mr. Jigish Doshi : The year 2000 was a turning point for us. We took the agency of Haldia Petrochemicals Limited in the year for entire Gujarat. Towards the end of 2000, we planned to enter the manufacture of flexible packaging and finalized a 5 layer film plant from Brampton Engineering Canada through their collaborator Mamta Brampton. At that time in India, only 4 manufacturers of 5 layer film were operational. This was a great step for us wherein we diversified from trading into manufacturing.

Polymerupdate : What were your expansion plans from there ?

Mr. Jigish Doshi : I can say with pride that in 2003, for the first time in India I put up a 7 layer film plant. This plant used a combination of EVOH and Nylon for increasing the shelf life of food products.

Polymerupdate : What is your production capacity ?

Mr. Jigish Doshi : In 2001-02, we are a manufacturing capacity of 300 metric tonnes which increased to 1200 metric tonnes in 2002-03. During 2003-04, we are a manufacturing capacity of 1350 metric tonnes. Currently, our manufacturing capacity stands at 3600 metric tonnes.

Polymerupdate : Which is the export market for your products and what is the quantum of your exports in relation with your total production?

Mr. Jigish Doshi : We export to Middle East, UK and other European countries. 10 percent of our total production volume is exported.

Polymerupdate : Have you received any honours for your service to the plastics industry ?

Mr. Jigish Doshi : We have been awarded the award for excellence in creative packaging by the PlastIndia Foundation during Plasticon 2006. This award has been in recognition of outstanding excellence in development of a multilayer film with innovative use of substrates in T layer imparting gloss, scalability, tear, pierce and flex resistance with excellent barrier properties.

Polymerupdate : What is the speciality of your crate manufacturing unit ?

Mr. Jigish Doshi : We have the largest injection moulding machine in India with a capacity of 3800 tons. We are manufacturing big size plastic crates of 700 litres storage capacity each from the machine for storage of fruits and horticulture items. The crates are supplied to corporates in the agricultural sector.

Polymerupdate : What are your future plans ?

Mr. Jigish Doshi : We intend to start a 3 layer film plant with a capacity of 2340 metric tonnes per annum by September 2007. We are also in plans to manufacture pallets of 17 kg from PP, a plant for which will be set up in September. This is a new concept in India of manufacturing pellets from injection moulding.

Polymerupdate : What are the other activities you have been involved in ?

Mr. Jigish Doshi : I have been the former President of the Gujarat State Plastics Manufacturers Association and the Chairman of PlastIndia for Gujarat region. Currently I am the Chairman for Plaxpo 2010.