Uflex’s poland unit operations

India’s largest flexible packaging company Uflex Ltd had invested $ 80 Million to set-up 30,000 tones polyester film unit in the Polish city of Wrzesnia. It was announced on the occasion of completion of one full year of operation of Uflex’s plant in Poland that since the commencement of its operation in July, 2012, the company has achieved revenues of USD 90 Million. The Polish plant is operating in its full capacity and is utilized to meet demands for flexible packaging solutions from within Poland and neighboring countries of Europe.

Uflex has plans for a major corporate revamp wherein the company plans to bring its overseas plastic film business under an umbrella company based in Dubai. Plans are also in the pipeline to list the said company overseas to part-finance future expansion plans.

Uflex has its presence in over 140 countries across the world with plastic film manufacturing facilities in India, Dubai, Mexico, Egypt, Poland and Kentucky, U.S. and packaging products facilities at multiple locations in India.

With the company’s vision to ‘Progress with Distinction’, Uflex brings a variety of value added flexible packaging material and sophisticated products like BOPET, BOPP and CPP, state of the art converting machines, rotogravure cylinders giving the company an edge over its competitors. The company also specializes in a wide variety of packaging machines like Vertical Form-Fill-Seal Machines, Horizontal Wrapping Machines, Special Purpose Machines, High Speed Pouch Making Machines.

In the last financial year 2012-13, plastic films contributed nearly 60% of the company’s revenue. Value added products contributed around 53% of the earnings having 40% share in the revenues. Uflex Ltd offers complete packaging solutions for a wide range of FMCG goods, dairy products, pharmaceuticals, pet food, sugar, automotive oil, lubricants and components.

Speaking to journalists who were touring the Uflex plant in Poland Mr. R.K. Jain, Group President for corporate finance and strategy stated: "We have pursued global investment in both greenfield and brownfield projects. This has been our consistent strategy. In this regard, we have successfully invested more than $500 million. This has given us the strength to address our dual commitment: To the investors, by creating incremental value on their investments, and to clients, by offering products that add value to their go-to-market strategy. The first full year of operations of Uflex in Poland saw a contribution of $90 million to the revenues. We also witnessed favorable demand trends for our innovative flexible packaging solutions. This saw an increased uptake from clients globally. Let me also add, the profit margins are showing improvement quarter-over-quarter during the current financial year."

Future plans

Uflex plans to consolidate its position as a truly Indian MNC. The strategy of global expansion includes capacity expansion and adding manufacturing lines for various product categories in existing and new locations to increase proximity to the markets and also to include the broad portfolio of value added services to clients.

In the coming three years beginning 2014-15 the company has plans to go in for a major capacity expansion to diversify their products range, grow revenues and improve margins.

For the financial year ended March 31, Uflex recorded 14% growth in consolidated net revenues at Rs.5,161 crore, against Rs.4,516 crore in the previous year. For the six-month period ended Sep 30, 2013 consolidated revenues were Rs.2,914 crore, against Rs.2,626 crore in the corresponding period last year.

While the higher revenue growth is attributed to new capacity added by the company since the manufacturing facilities in Poland and Kentucky in US commenced commercial production over the last year and also witnessing favorable demand trends for its innovative flexible packaging solutions, which saw increased uptake from clients globally whereas the profit margins are showing improvements quarter over quarter during the current year.

Vimlesh Rai is researcher in flexible packaging solutions and having more than 5 years of experience in same filed.