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A devastating fire erupted at the Jindal Poly Films Ltd factory near the Mumbai-Nashik highway in Maharashtra on Tuesday evening, causing severe damage to operations. No casualties have been reported. The company is currently assessing the material damage caused by the blaze, with the final assessment report expected to be released later. The fire was brought under control within a couple of hours. However, the company has neither confirmed nor denied the incident publicly.
Preliminary investigations suggest that a ‘short circuit’ was the primary cause of the fire. However, the company has yet to issue an official statement regarding the matter. Sources with direct knowledge of the incident said: “A massive fire broke out at the Jindal Poly Films Ltd factory near the Mumbai-Nashik highway on Tuesday evening. No casualties have been reported. Emergency services, including multiple fire tenders, police, and disaster response teams, were dispatched to the scene. Despite their efforts, the fire raged for a couple of hours, fuelled by plastic granules and films present in the facility.”
The blaze reportedly ignited around 9 p.m. following a powerful storm accompanied by scanty rains in the area. The fire was so intense that explosions were heard in nearby villages, and thick plumes of smoke were visible from a distance. All activities, including production, transportation, storage, and dispatch, are feared to have been disrupted.
Earlier incidence
On January 1, 2023, a massive fire erupted at the Jindal Poly Films factory in Mundhegaon village, Igatpuri taluka, Nashik district, Maharashtra. The incident tragically claimed the lives of two female workers and left seventeen others injured, some of whom remain in critical condition. The presence of hazardous materials further complicated firefighting efforts, requiring a cautious and methodical approach to contain the blaze.
This tragic event highlights the urgent need for stringent safety protocols and regular maintenance in industrial operations, particularly those involving hazardous substances. The findings of the ongoing investigation are eagerly awaited to provide clarity and help prevent similar incidents in the future.
The plant operation
The company is a standout in India’s flexible packaging industry, serving as a one-stop solution provider across all segments. JPFL commands the highest market share in the country, and its Nashik plant, owned by its subsidiary JPFL Films Pvt Ltd, is recognized as the world’s largest single-location facility for manufacturing flexible packaging films.
JPFL Films currently has a total BOPP production capacity of 294,200 tonnes per annum. Additionally, the company boasts a cumulative Biaxially Oriented Polyethylene Terephthalate (BOPET) production capacity of 170,000 tonnes per annum and a Cast Polypropylene (CPP) production capacity of 33,600 tonnes per annum. The BC Jindal Group, to which the company belongs, is engaged in diverse businesses, including polyester and polypropylene films, power generation, cold-rolled sheet strips, and galvanized sheets.
JPFL Films Pvt Ltd, a subsidiary of flexible packaging giant Jindal Poly Films Ltd, had earlier announced a significant capacity expansion at its Nashik plant with a capital expenditure of Rs 700 crore. As part of this plan, the company aims to enhance the production capacity of all its existing product lines, including Biaxially Oriented Polypropylene (BOPP), Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), and Cast Polypropylene (CPP).
The company plans to establish a new BOPP line with a cumulative capacity of up to 42,000 tonnes per annum (Line 10), a new PET line with a capacity of up to 55,000 tonnes per annum (Line 1), and a new CPP line with a capacity of up to 18,000 tonnes per annum (Line 3). All these plants are expected to commence commercial production within two to three years.
Sharing his views on the strategic expansion, Vinod Kumar Gupta, Chief Executive Officer of JPFL Films, said, “With this expansion, we are enhancing our ability to meet and exceed customer expectations by offering a diverse range of high-performance films, with a strong focus on sustainability and creating a greener future. Moreover, this move aligns perfectly with our goals of improving operational efficiency and positions us well to capitalize on business upturns while maintaining market leadership. This will further strengthen our capacity to serve customers with enhanced confidence and commitment.”
New lines
This capacity expansion is in addition to the ongoing new BOPP Line (Line 9), which was announced in August 2024. It is part of the company’s strategic focus on the flexible packaging segment and aligns with its goal of increasing market share amidst challenging demand-supply imbalances and ongoing pricing pressures in the sector.
The expansion follows a year-on-year (YoY) growth of approximately 43 percent in net revenue from operations during the nine-month period of the Financial Year (FY) 2024–25. It is designed to help the company maintain its market leadership despite prevailing business headwinds. Flexible packaging, or packaging in general, is considered one of the most lucrative industries due to its wide applicability in the food and beverage, personal care, and pharmaceutical sectors.
The new lines will be among the most advanced in the industry, offering superior width and output capabilities, along with exceptional reliability, equipment quality, and process efficiency. The commissioning of these lines will further bolster the company’s growth trajectory.
This initiative underscores JPFL Films’ commitment to technological advancement, quality enhancement, and customer satisfaction. As the flexible packaging market continues to evolve, JPFL Films is well-positioned to meet emerging challenges and seize opportunities, reaffirming its status as an industry pioneer and a trusted partner for businesses worldwide.
DILIP KUMAR JHA
Editor
dilip.jha@polymerupdate.com
