SIG has confirmed it will construct its first aseptic carton plant in India, the world’s largest milk market, and one of the largest juice producing countries globally.
The plant will be in Ahmedabad, in the state of Gujarat. SIG entered the Indian market in 2018 and has seen a rapid expansion of its business. The plant will supply its growing filler base, which now serves all leading dairy and non-carbonated soft drink players.
The investment will cover state-of-the art production capacity, for the printing and finishing of aseptic carton packs with high environmental standards. Construction will commence in Q1 2023, and commercial production is expected towards the end of 2024. Phase one of construction is expected to create around 300 jobs.
SIG will invest approximately €60m over the period 2023–2025, to reach production capacity of up to 4 bn packs per annum. Subsequent investments could increase capacity up to 10 billion packs per annum. Land and buildings will be financed through a long-term lease with an NPV of approximately €30 million.
Angela Lu, President & General Manager Asia-Pacific South at SIG, said, “India is fast becoming the world’s most populous country and has a low per capita consumption of entry level packaged food and beverage goods. Since entering the market five years ago we have grown exponentially. We are looking forward to further expanding our presence and driving our market share. An established local infrastructure, will allow us to fast-track innovations and build strong and long-lasting partnerships with our customers.”
Vandana Tandan, Head of Markets for India and Bangladesh at SIG, said, “We are thrilled to announce that soon we will have locally produced Made in India aseptic carton packs. With this plant we will be able to further develop the range of products available to Indian consumers. Our long shelf-life packaging increases access to vital nutrition and avoids food waste through an array of sizes to suit all consumption occasions at affordable price points.”
