SANJAY GHOSHAL HEAD PACKAGING DIAGEO- "THIRTY YEARS ON THE PACK!"

Pack Stories-1

Inside Sanjay Ghoshal's journey from by lanes  of Kolkata to the highways of Indian packaging Industry, and why he believes Indian Packaging Industry has a lot to give to the economic development of our country.

Sanjay Ghoshal is one of the more familiar faces on the Indian packaging conference circuit — a speaker whose sessions draw full rooms and whose career reads like a map of the industry itself. Over three decades he has moved through India Foils, Huhtamaki, Hindustan Unilever, Dr. Reddy's and Havells, and today he heads packaging development at Diageo India, the global Alcobev major. Audiences keep coming back to hear him because few people have seen the business from as many angles: sales, procurement, supply chain and R&D, on both sides of the packaging value chain.

His family's story begins with Partition of India. Ghoshal's parents moved to Kolkata from what was then East Bengal — later East Pakistan, and today Bangladesh — and both went on to spend their careers at the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL). He was schooled (during which he won two National Scholarships in 1987 and 1989) and did his undergraduate studies in Kolkata, graduating from Presidency University, Kolkata in 1994, before moving to Mumbai for postgraduate studies in Packaging which he passed with 1^st position and Gold Medal from the Indian Institute of Packaging (IIP) in 1996. An internship at Unilever followed, and — while he was still finishing at IIP — a job offer came from India Foils, that he accepted. He never went back to Kolkata. He also went on to complete Advanced post graduate studies in 2009 from Loughborough University, UK as part of the Unilever Technical leadership program.

He spent four and a half years at India Foils and six and half years in Huhtamaki- PPL, based in Mumbai, in a front-line business development role. It set the pattern for the first half of his career: roughly eleven to twelve years on the front line of business, dealing directly with key accounts/customers. He never saw a contradiction between studying packaging technology and building a career in sales. "Sales needs a lot of understanding of packaging," he says, the two, in his experience, were never really separate disciplines.

A sunrise industry, and a policy tailwind

Ghoshal traces his decision to enter packaging back to the economic reforms of the early 1990s. When the then finance minister Manmohan Singh opened up the Indian economy, it changed the country's trajectory — dismantling the License Raj and the bureaucratic hurdles that had constrained industry for decades. Packaging, he felt, stood to benefit directly from that shift.

"I was told at that time that packaging is a great opportunity. It was an emerging opportunity because India... as the then finance minister, Manmohan Singh opened up the Indian economy. So that changed the face of the country. And Packaging is great barometer of the economic development of a country. "

The logic was straightforward: as consumption and exports grew, products would need to be packaged well to sell, and the government of the day — keen to protect and promote sectors from cars to food — had every incentive to back the industry. Packaging, in other words, was less a gamble than a bet on where India's economy was clearly headed. Looking back, Ghoshal believes it was the right call — even if the institution that trained him, IIP, has not kept pace with the industry it helped seed.

Supply side or demand side — which is better?

After more than a decade in sales and marketing at companies like India Foils and Huhtamaki, Ghoshal made a deliberate switch — from the supply side of packaging, where materials and machinery are made, to the demand side, where the brand owners consume them. In the years since, he has held packaging procurement leadership at Havells and supply chain and R&D roles at Unilever, giving him a rare, full view of the value chain from both ends.

Asked which side he would recommend, his answer is candid rather than diplomatic.

"Perhaps I would have done better if I had stayed back in supply side or stayed back in sales roles. On that side, packaging is at the core of their business. In the demand side, packaging is never at the center — it is in fringes of their business."

At a company like Diageo or Unilever, he explains, the center of gravity is always the product — Alcoholic spirits in his current role or Homecare/Personal care products, when he was at Unilever —packaging remained a critical yet peripheral function. At India Foils or Huhtamaki, by contrast, packaging was not a supporting act; it was the core business. The transition between the two worlds, he adds, is not one many packaging professionals attempt, and it was not easy for him either. Brand-side companies tend to offer better compensation, he notes, but the visibility and centrality that come with being a supplier are harder to replicate.

The Big Bets – paving the patch for future.

In 2014-15, “Development of Medical device” had emerged as a mission critical task for the generic pharmaceutical companies with ambitions to launch their generic formulations in the mature markets like the US and the European Union(EU). It is not only the packaging that needed to work exactly the way the innovator drug did, but also the drug-device combination that warranted similarity from functional and human factor point of view which needed approval by the local FDA. Developing a new drug delivery device from scratch or finding one available with due “Freedom to Operate” turned out to be a serious challenge for the large Indian generic pharma industry. The challenge Ghoshal had to go through during his DRL stint was to accurately characterize innovator drug-device combination and ensure equivalence for the generic device without stepping into the minefield of patents and IP(Indian Pharmacopoeia) barriers. The work Ghoshal did on creating device readiness specifically in the space of complex peptide Injectables for US ANDA (FDA Abbreviated New Drug Application) or other market filings in those early days built the fundamentals for today’s preparedness even with a few Indian device manufacturers. The ability to learn fast- fail fast attitude and entrepreneurial mindset became his biggest companion during those challenging moments.

Mono material Sachet

It was during his stint at Unilever, he was working on creating mono material-based sachet in 2012-2013, way before the current Indian PWM(Plastic Waste Management)  mandates of recyclability, mono-materiality circularity came into being. It was an uphill task in those days to find the right solutions in terms of films, ink and over print varnish systems and tear ergonomics of the sachet at the retail just like an otherwise multilayer sachet structure based on oriented film. Understanding the science and engineering behind the seal and perforation jaw design was big deal and incorporating them into the existing VFFS (Vertical Form Fill Seal) machine was even more challenging. Though it was not implemented commercially at that time as a sustainable alternative, it built the toolbox of solutions and learnings which were put to use subsequently when the need for mono-materiality became more compelling post 2000. Passion for innovation, External curiosity and Multi Stakeholder collaborative approach were demonstrated by him at every stage of such a future forward project.

Diageo's PET Shift

His journey of transition from Glass to PET for the alcoholic beverages segment was an excruciating and exciting one at the same time. The pioneering efforts of shifting an age-old format like glass to a new age format like PET was not only technically challenging to implement at scale but also intellectually stimulating. Technological interventions through supplier collaborations to bring about the lightest PET bottle in the alcobev category without impacting the conventional consumer experience of pouring their favorite liquid from a relatively heavy glass bottle. In 2023-24, there were very few benchmarks or references for designing a PET bottle that had the potential to recruit new consumer cohort and help grow a brand beyond prevalent market growth rates. Since this was adding plastics to Diageo’s overall portfolio, ensuring that the plastic bottle is 100% recyclable, 100% recycled and has the required PCR recycled content, was a non-negotiable imperative. At that time, Diageo became the first alcobev company in India to launch a “glass bottle look alike” PET bottle with 100% PCR FCM recycled PET which was also 100% recyclable and 100% circular. This seminal piece of work lead by Ghoshal had an enormous impact and went on to inspire the future glass to PET shifts across many other brands in the spirits category. Teamwork, decisiveness, agility and focus on progress over perfection helped Ghoshal deliver such a pioneering project for Diageo India.

Looking ahead

Diageo Paper based packaging

Having reached a reasonably senior level with a large brand owner, Ghoshal is candid about what comes next. Staying on the current path, he says, is one option — but the pull toward going back to the manufacturing side of packaging, where his career began, is growing.

"If I really want to use my knowledge, learnings and wisdom  which I have gathered over the last 30 years, being fortunate to sit across both sides of the table, then I think I should go back to the packaging industry and try to serve that industry. Because that's where my heart lies."

He has not ruled out entrepreneurship — either building something of his own on the supply side or partnering with an existing player to chart new growth. What he is clear about is staying within packaging itself, rather than moving into manufacturing or brand building. "Packaging is my core skill, my core competence," he says.

Family, and advice for the next generation

Ghoshal's wife is a business leader at ArcelorMittal. Their two children — a son in class 12 and a daughter in class 10 — are, by his account, charting their own paths: the son toward engineering, the daughter toward the liberal arts. "They get to decide their future for themselves," he says.

For young people considering a career in packaging, his advice goes beyond technical training.

"Along with their packaging learning, they should also very seriously hone their skills, their communication skills, their executive presence. They should build their leadership skills and continue a strong connect with the industry alongside what they are learning at the institute."

It is a message rooted in his own career — one built as much on adaptability and frontline experience as on formal packaging education, and one he clearly hopes the next generation, and the institutions training them, will take to heart.

Interviewed & written by Harveer Sahni Chairman Weldon Celloplast Ltd. New Delhi

Nirav Shah, leading Letra Graphics to excellence in labels!

Enterprising entrepreneur Nirav Shah heads one of the prominent and innovative label manufacturing companies in India Letra Graphix, headquartered in Ahmedabad. 

Over the years, Letra Graphix has  established itself as a leader in Pressure Sensitive or Self-adhesive Labels for a wide range of label products, including those for food and beverage products, liquor bottles and cans, toys, plastic items,  glass items, beauty and cosmetic products, household and durable products, nutritional supplements, and a lot more. Nirav has led his company giving credit to his team who he has mentored to march ahead with collaborative efforts. He believes that to succeed we must take care of our people. Invest in their growth, celebrate their dedication, and acknowledge their quiet hard work. A loyal, empowered team is a company’s ultimate competitive advantage. It is proving right for him.

Nirav Shah

In 1965 Nirav Shah’s father Arun Shah and his brother Kamlesh Shah initiated their maiden venture dealing in electrical industrial supplies. Eight years hence in 1973 the brothers felt the need to diversify. It was the early days for self-adhesive labels and the future looked extremely bright for the segment. The brothers took a call and started their firm Arun Agencies to trade in labels, outsourced from those manufacturing at that time. While Nirav and his elder sister were growing up in a well-knit bonded business-oriented family, the brothers Arun and Kamlesh created a platform as suppliers of labels. Nirav completed his schooling at Swastik Vidyalaya Ahmedabad, followed by higher education in the city itself followed by Fine Arts at CN Vidyalaya, which helped develop his creative understanding of design and aesthetics. To further strengthen his technical knowledge, he pursued Printing Technology studies in Wisconsin, USA. Growing up in such an environment, watching elders in the family business, he grew up with a mindset towards entrepreneurship, hard work, and a wish to indulge in manufacturing from an early age. He joined the family’s electrical business in 1994 but in his heart, he had a profound wish to start manufacturing labels. In this same year he got married to Archita.

In 1995 Nirav decided to initiate his label manufacturing business starting at home with a small set-up. Before starting his entrepreneurial journey, Nirav gained hands-on experience across multiple industries. Working in his father’s electrical business gave him early exposure to business operations and customer relations. He also worked at an advertising agency as a designer; it gave him an understanding of branding and visual communication. While he studied in  the USA , he sharpened his technical capabilities and expertise by working as a machine operator at a printing firm, gaining practical exposure to advanced printing technologies and production systems. By the mid-1990s the self-adhesive label industry started evolving at a fast pace. With active support from wife Archita, Nirav’s label business found early success. They shifted the label manufacturing business, from home to a larger commercial space at New York Tower Ahmedabad and renamed the company Letra Graphix.

Their new admin office with factory

In his first big move to enter the narrow web label manufacturing, Letra Graphix installed their first Mark Andy 4-colour label printing machine on 30th June 1997, and officially registered Letra Graphix Pvt. Ltd. as a company. It was a natural progression from trading to manufacturing after gaining deep exposure to commercial printing and label trading. There was no looking back thereafter, even though finding skilled manpower, sourcing premium materials, and convincing brands to shift from conventional sheet-fed labels to premium self-adhesive labels were major challenges. Over the years Ahmedabad has become one of India’s largest hubs for industrial packaging and label manufacturing, having everything from high-tech corporate flexographic printing plants to localized barcode sticker suppliers. The city serves massive pharmaceutical, FMCG, textile, and chemical industrial clusters across Gujarat. Inspired by situation, Letra Graphix invested in manufacturing labels for pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, agriculture, food, and international markets followed by continuous investments in technology, infrastructure, and innovation. What started as labels and printing gradually became a family business. The business started as trading through Arun Agencies eventually evolved into a full-fledged manufacturing setup. Expanding further in 2021 they began construction of a new building which was completed and began operational in 2022. According to Nirav, “The decision to keep expanding was driven by the rapid modernization of packaging in India, where brands increasingly required international-quality self-adhesive labeling solutions.” Growing up in a business-oriented family and watching the dedication, discipline, and adaptability of family, influenced him to navigate through changing business environments and evolving printing technologies maintaining commitment to quality.

Archita, Anushka, Nirav and Sahil

The entire Shah family is a support system for their label venture. While the elders laid the foundation with their trading company Arun Agencies, Nirav’s mother was a teacher and played a very important role in shaping their values and discipline at home that carved their character in industrial operation. His wife Archita actively supports him in business and manages the company’s CSR initiatives and social welfare activities. Nirav and Archita are blessed with two children, daughter Anushka, who holds a degree in B.Design. With her design background, she contributes creatively to branding, aesthetics, packaging innovation, and the visual identity of the company. While Son, Sahil, after completing his MBA  has undergone extensive on-ground training across all departments from production and operations to client servicing and business development. Today, as a key director at Letra Graphix, he plays a leading role in driving modern marketing strategies, digital growth, new client acquisitions, and the company’s participation at major national and international exhibitions. Both siblings are now actively involved in the business and being groomed to be the next generation of leadership at Letra Graphix.

Nirav with Hybrid Gallus Labelfire

They have a fully owned factory on a land area over 5000 Square Meters and employ over 100 workforce. The facility houses advanced multi-color narrow-web flexographic and combination printing presses equipped with inline embellishment technologies including cold foiling, silk-screen printing, die-cutting, and booklet label manufacturing capabilities. In 2015 they further enhanced their capabilities by installing an IML converting machine in 2016. In 2023, a Gallus Labelfire 340 hybrid flexo and digital press was added. Letra Graphix has integrated digital proofing and short-run printing capabilities to cater to the growing D2C and custom branding market. Nirav states, “The future of digital label manufacturing is extremely promising because it enables personalization, minimal setup waste, and faster turnaround times alongside traditional flexographic production.” They also maintain dust-free production environments and 100% automated camera inspection systems to ensure zero-defect quality standards.

Achievements and awards.

Over the years, Letra Graphix has won numerous prestigious national and international awards for print excellence and innovation. In 2006  they won their first AFTA award. Followed by two more Gold AFTA awards in 2007. Two years later in 2009 they were recipients of 13 consecutive awards in a single year and gained global recognition for “excellence in technical achievement in printing by “World Label Awards Association” at Chicago USA. The award winning continued when in 2011 they won 14 awards, the highest in their journey till then. In 2019  they received the “Innovative Label Printer of the Year” award by Printweek for hanger labels.

Letra Graphix actively exports premium labels to international markets and works with brands that require strict adherence to global packaging and compliance standards. As for sustainability Nirav states, “We are committed to environmentally responsible manufacturing practices. This includes waste optimization, adoption of UV-curable and low-emission inks and offering sustainable substrates such as PCR materials and FSC-certified papers. For their contribution towards corporate social responsibility 

(CSR), they regularly contribute toward educational initiatives, healthcare support for underprivileged communities, and local environmental sustainability drives around our industrial areas. Their vision for the next five years is; Letra Graphix aims to become a fully integrated smart-factory manufacturing unit, recognized globally for sustainable and intelligent labeling solutions, while continuing to uphold family-driven values of trust, precision, and quality.

 In his final words of communication Nirav says, 

“My message to the next generation of entrepreneurs and brand builders: never compromise on your product’s first impression. A label is not just packaging — it is the silent salesman of your brand. Investing in quality packaging is investing directly in your brand’s future.”

Interviewed & written in June 2026 by:

Harveer Sahni, Chairman, Weldon Celloplast Ltd. New Delhi

@labelsandpackagingworld.com 

Future of Pack, Brainstorming Retreat May 2026

India's geniuses in packaging development, initiated a thought process to define the roadmap to "Future of Pack", providing amazing inputs. Recently 40 to 45 heads of packaging or senior managers of leading brands in India across a diverse range of segments, came together at a unique event, "Future of Pack, Brainstorming Retreat". The event was conceptualised, curated and amazingly moderated by Pawandeep Sahni Managing Director, Omet India Pvt. Ltd., subsidiary of OMET Srl Italy. I have supported the event and am overwhelmed by the huge response of brands to my invite.

Akanksha Meena the global brands editor at Labels & Labeling, focusing on brand owner insights and design stories across international markets, has covered the event. Initial part of her story is reproduced below. The full story can be accessed at the link provided at the end of the first part of her writeup. 

Unpacking Future of Pack

The recent Future of Pack event that took place at Aravali Marriott Resort & Spa in Faridabad, Delhi NCR, on May 8 and 9 was attended by more than 40 brands. The event explored key challenges around sustainability, regulation, packaging and label technology infrastructure, consumer expectations and collaboration across the packaging value chain. 

Through discussions and workshops led by companies including Omet, Avery Dennison, UPM, Holostik, Kurz and Zircon, attendees explored packaging innovations and emerging technologies shaping the future of the industry. 

Harveer Sahni, chairman, Weldon Celloplast, commented: ‘Pawan and I wished to create a platform for “Future of Pack”, which was not a regular stage and audience event, where speeches are made from a stage, and the questions to the audience are largely met with silence. I am happy we created this very interactive platform, brainstorming at the same level in an open-mic format  with those geniuses who define the future of pack and solution providers who deliver capability in innovation, beautification, security, smart and sustainable packs. This endeavor is now recognized as the path to future. Pawandeep Sahni has been outstanding in keeping the packaging fraternity thoroughly engaged and moving within  their midst to create a collaborative session.’ 

Industry transformation 

The event began with discussion on industry’s transformation over the last two years. Attendees noted that the packaging industry has undergone significant changes, evolving from a simple protective container to an integral part of the consumer experience and brand engagement journey. Today, packaging acts as a digital touchpoint, enabling brands to connect directly with consumers through technologies such as QR codes and NFCs that enhance interaction and storytelling.  

Brand owners are increasingly adopting a consumer-centric approach, focusing not only on aesthetics but also on functionality, convenience and emotional connection. The speed to market has also accelerated, driven by new decoration technologies and the growing need for rapid product launches. At the same time, sustainability has moved to the forefront, with consumers becoming far more aware of environmental impact and pushing brands toward minimal, responsible packaging. This shift is particularly influenced by Gen Z consumers, who value sustainability, authenticity and minimalist design.  

Pawandeep Sahni, managing director of Omet India

The rise of e-commerce has further reshaped packaging requirements, making logistics efficiency, durability and the unboxing experience more important than ever. Additionally, startups are leveraging premium packaging to differentiate themselves in crowded markets and create stronger brand identities.  

The full story is available at https://www.labelsandlabeling.com/features/brand-owners-design/unpacking-future-pack

Click the link to watch the video: 

https://youtu.be/c4PwpOCGXmE

Feedback and comments of some of the participating Brands besides those mentioned in above article:

Priyanka Singh, Head Packaging Development, Lotus Herbals: Grateful to have been part of such a refreshing and meaningful industry interaction. Really appreciate Harveer Sahni ji and Pawan Sahni for creating a platform that encourages open, honest, and collaborative conversations across the packaging ecosystem. Looking forward to many more such discussions shaping the future of packaging together.

Jyotsana Tripathi, Cluster Packaging Head, SoA, Reckitt: It was an enriching experience attending the Future of Pack. Special thanks for facilitating an engaging and interactive forum between brand owners and packaging partners. The thoughtful discussions on current packaging challenges provided meaningful insights and highlighted exciting opportunities for a brighter, more sustainable packaging future. Looking forward to more such platforms like Future of Pack where packaging professionals can collaborate and shape a better future!

Geetal Mahajan Choudhari, Ph.D. (Tech.), Global Sustainable Packaging Lead, Kenvue: I am sure, like me, many of us reading here would have thought, how much effort can one do alone than doing it all together - but no one took that first step to drive collective effort to find a directional way forward for Sustainable Innovation in Packaging until Harveer Sahni ji, Pawan Sahni, and the entire team showed us how it is done! The retreat wasn't just something truly new but also meaningful, and in true sense collaborative. Building connections, crosspollinating that immense ocean of knowledge amongst industry peers and also bringing forth some aspects of what solutions may be was amazing to see! Pawan Sahni, you have set the benchmark too high and I am routing to see the great impact this needs to create and efforts continued..
This event stood out for me not because something extraordinary was discussed but basic & most common questions that we address/ are looking for solutions in our everyday and for the future unlike just the same set of QnA in conferences these days! “The power of collaboration and combined efforts can truly build value even across industry and eventually bring collective impact!”

Swati Gupta, Senior Manager Open Innovation and Packaging Development, Amway: Thank you Future of Pack for providing the opportunity to be part of these wonderful sessions with fellow Packaging Professionals across categories. The collective wisdom, the infectious energy and passion for packaging is worth the time and effort to brainstorm on future of packaging. Looking forward to the focused areas for Industry to initiate and ignite the wholistic collaboration between brands and Packaging Solution Industry.

Varun Bajaj,  Maruti Suzuki India Limited, Senior Manager Packaging: Had the privilege of being part of the “Future of Pack – Brainstorming Retreat” an incredible journey filled with unfiltered ideas, candid conversations, and collective thinking from some of the brightest packaging leaders in India.This wasn’t a typical conference. There were no presentations, no hierarchies — just honest, energetic dialogue  among peers passionate about reimagining packaging that is:
🔹 Sustainable – reducing impact while enhancing value
🔹 Smart – intelligent and connected through technology
🔹 Beautiful– elevating aesthetics and consumer delight
🔹 Secure – protecting brands and ensuring authenticity
What stood out for me was the depth of collaboration— brands, converters, and solution partners discussing real challenges and co-creating pathways for a better, more responsible packaging future.
A few takeaways:
✅ Innovation thrives in open conversations.
✅ The future of packaging is not built in silos — it’s built in synergy.
✅ Sustainability, technology and design must move together, not in isolation.
Grateful to Harveer Sahni for creating such a powerful platform for dialogue and to  Pawandeep Sahni for his outstanding vision and moderation that kept the energy high and ideas flowing.
Events like this reaffirm that our industry’s progress will come not from competition, but from Collaboration— where passion meets purpose.

Bhupesh Mittal, Technical Packaging Program Lead, Bayer: What happens when some of the sharpest minds in packaging sit together in one room - without hierarchy, without filters, and with complete openness?

- You don’t just get discussions.
- You get a glimpse into the real Future of Packaging.
“Future of Pack - Brainstorming Retreat” was one of the most intellectually enriching packaging forums I have attended in recent times.
What made this experience special was the quality of conversations happening inside the room?
✨ No passive audience
✨ No conventional presentations
✨ Just open brainstorming among packaging leaders, innovators, converters, and technology experts
The discussions covered critical themes shaping our industry:
🔹 Sustainable Packaging
🔹 Smart & Connected Packaging
🔹 Consumer Experience & Premiumization
🔹 Packaging Security
🔹 Print & Technology Innovation
🔹 Supply Chain Challenges
🔹 Future role of packaging in business strategy
What personally stayed with me was the depth and honesty of the discussions.
When experienced professionals openly discuss real challenges, failures, innovation bottlenecks, and future opportunities, it becomes a masterclass beyond any presentation deck.
👏 A special thanks to Harveer Sahni for creating such a meaningful platform and bringing together the right minds under one roof.
👏 Congratulations also to Pawandeep Sahni for conceptualizing and moderating the retreat with tremendous energy and clarity.

Yogesh Bambal, Regional Category Lead - R&D Packaging, Asia Pacific Region - Chocolate Category, Mondelēz International: What happens when industry leaders come together with complete openness, intellectual honesty, and a shared intent to shape the future?
You don’t just exchange ideas — you create direction for the industry; It was a privilege to participate in the Future of Pack – Brainstorming Retreat, an exceptional gathering of some of the most forward-thinking minds across the packaging ecosystem. What stood out was not only the depth of discussion, but the quality of perspectives being shared across sustainability, smart packaging, consumer experience, supply chain resilience, technology integration, and the evolving strategic role of packaging in business growth. The conversations reflected a clear reality — the future of packaging will be driven by collaboration, innovation, agility, and collective intelligence.
My sincere gratitude to Harveer Sahni for envisioning and building such a high-impact platform that encourages meaningful industry dialogue beyond conventional conferences. Special appreciation Pawan Sahni for curating and moderating the retreat with remarkable clarity, energy, and purpose. Forums like these are critical for accelerating transformation across the packaging industry and inspiring the next wave of innovation-led growth. Proud to be part of an ecosystem that continues to challenge convention and collectively shape the future of packaging.

Compiled and put together from individual messages received and Linkedin posts, by Harveer Sahni, Chairman Weldon Celloplast Ltd. New Delhi with support from Labels and Labeling UK. May 2026

 Some images from the event: 

 

Compiled and put together from individual messages received and Linkedin posts, by Harveer Sahni, Chairman Weldon Celloplast Ltd. New Delhi with support from Labels and Labeling UK. May 2026

“Sicon Packs,” a journey of resilience between Mumbai and Nigeria!

Yudhviram Solanki

At the Labelexpo Europe, Brussels in 2007, Tarsus UK, the owners of labelexpo group, announced the acquisition of India Label Show, founded by the husband wife duo Anil and Neetu Arora. It was time to celebrate for Anil, who with industry friends that included the author, industry veteran Amit Sheth and a few others were doing the rounds in the bars and eateries at Grand Place. Grand place in Brussels had a nostalgic connection for the label industry at large, where the printers and suppliers partied each evening after the day-end at the show. The show has since moved to Barcelona in Spain in 2025. That evening, Amit Sheth had brought along a customer, a tall quite man who did not talk much but was extremely attentive, he had business in Nigeria and had finalized his first purchase of a label press from Amit’s company Intergraphics, at the show. He had a unique name, Yudhviram Solanki, which in real terms means ceasefire.

According to Yudhviram, “People are often fascinated by my name which also carries a small story. I was born on 20th September 1965, during the height of the Indo-Pak war. My grandfather was in the Indian army during the war and stationed in Jodhpur. My arrival, I have been told, brought a moment of calm amidst chaos, and just three days later, on 23rd September, a ceasefire was declared by the prime minister of India Lal Bahadur Shastri. That is how I came to be named Yudhviram by my grandmother, it means the end of war.” Yudhviram grew up in a humble family living in the Mafatlal Colony in Thane District of Mumbai. To support a family of six, his father Harisinghji Solanki took on part-time business besides his regular job. His mother Kanchan Solanki was the binding force and a pillar of strength for the family.

As a young boy, Yudhviram Solanki would often watch his aunt sell tiny tidbits to students from her small stall near their school. The way she spoke to customers, the little tactics she used, the energy she carried with each transaction, resulted in profound wish to be a businessman. The joy of creating value, one sale at a time, awestruck him at a very young age. As founder director of Sicon Packs Pvt. Ltd., his journey has been one of resilience, balance, and meaningful relationships built with ambition to grow.

His initial schooling was from St. John, The Baptist High School Mumbai followed by a B.Sc. Degree from BNB College Thane in 1987. Prior to taking up a steady career in the multinational Phillips in 1989, he took up various odd jobs to supplement the family income. The years spent at Phillips were his training ground and learning the fundamentals of achieving excellence in sales, that eventually supported his entrepreneurial journey later. Though Solanki made many friends, one of his college friends Shridhar Prabhu, owner of Dolly packaging, manufacturing corrugated cartons, encouraged him to initiate his maiden venture as an entrepreneur of manufacturing carbon paper in 1995 and supplying to industry leaders like Kores and Camlin, later adding stationery to his range of offerings. They even developed their own brand of carbon Paper “Swan” and “Sailing Boat” to sell in Middle East, European and West African markets. Manufacturing was from the two factories they set up, one measuring 10,000 square feet at Navi Mumbai and the other 20,000 square feet at Mumbai. Despite carbon paper being a product that was losing market share fast, Solanki successfully ran it for the next 15 years, gaining experience as an entrepreneur. The receding demand for carbon papers made the decision to exit carbon paper manufacturing in 2013. During this time another friend Milind Deshmukh, who was his colleague in Phillips and had moved to Nigeria in 1998, mentored him to start exports to Nigeria. Solanki travelled to Nigeria in 2001 and as life would have it, he suffered a malarial attack on arrival there. He almost decided not to come back to that country, but once he recovered and started working, he was thrilled to find success in shape of an order for two container loads of carbon paper. This was his beginning of business journey in that country. This taught him the nuances of doing business in the West African markets. It was a country with personal safety concerns and lacking infrastructure like power. He started to import stationery from Mumbai and sell there and during the course he also started to trade in labels imported from Mumbai.

Nigeria factory

Soon he became aware of an increasing demand for labels in the country which was largely being met by imports. He started to sell labels on “stock and sell” basis to provide ease of purchase for customers by buying and paying in local currency instead of imports and dollar remittances. The success this brought, Solanki took the next landmark step in his entrepreneurial journey from trading to manufacturing by establishing Perfect Packaging Ltd.(PPL), one of the first roll form label manufacturing company in Nigeria. Earlier people were producing labels in sheet form, and the quality was not good. Their first order came from Mr. Shekhar Ghate, former Director of Holborn and now Managing Director of Apple and Pears Nigeria. Nigeria has been a difficult market. Over the last decade, the local currency Naira’s drastic devaluation has posed a constant challenge. In 2015, 1 USD was equal to 150 Nairas, and today it stands at nearly 1,600 Nairas. This volatility made expansion and reinvestment incredibly difficult. Additionally, being an import-dependent economy, Nigeria’s planning and payment cycles are complex and unpredictable. Yet, despite these hurdles, the resilience and warmth of the Nigerian people kept the PPL team motivated. The first major breakthrough came when PPL successfully cleared the SMETA 6-Pillar Audit, an achievement that opened doors to multiple international clients. Within just two months, they onboarded one of Nigeria’s largest alcobev brands as a premium customer, setting the tone for many successes that followed.

Sicon Packs Mumbai

Following the success in Nigeria, the yearning for replicating it back home, Solanki with advice from industry leader Mahendra Shah of Renault Paper Products Pvt. Ltd. returned to India and with Gautam Shah of Atlanta Forms as a partner, he established his Indian venture Sicon Packs Pvt. Ltd. He reminisces it as a memorable start, the first order for a promotional label came from pharma giant Cipla, though what followed in operations in India had other challenges. These included rising input costs, complex labour laws, intense competition, taxes, and sustainability norms, all of which demand careful navigation.

Manjiri Solanki

Early in his career when he started carbon paper business, he married Manjiri in 1995 who has been a support and part of his professional journey. Since the carbon paper business entailed vigorous travel, Manjiri held the fort for him, managing the factories while he travelled for over three weeks every month from 2001 onwards, providing much-needed support. 

Solanki family

They are blessed with two children. Their son Devendra is a qualified computer engineer. Devendra started his career at “Teach for India” where he met Shivani and the relationship flourished leading them getting married, Devendra now leads Sicon Packs into diversification and expansion. Their daughter, Kashish Solanki, holds a Master’s in Analytics and Management from the London Business School and currently works with Apple in Mumbai. Her husband Pratik Dubal is a Research Engineer at Meta.

With Amit Sheth of Intergraphics

Sicon Pack’s operations in Nigeria and India have grown. In Nigeria, they operate out of a 40,000 sq. ft. facility with 5 flexo machines employing over 100 people. The Indian plant is spread over 30,000 sq. ft. more than 40 employees and 2 letter press and 3 flexo label presses. Both units specialize in the manufacturing and conversion of self-adhesive labels. The India plant is ISO 9001 & 14001 certified and recently achieved the GMI certification from SGS, enabling them to serve premium brands with strict color and shade compliance standards. Solanki says, “I am grateful to Amit Seth of Intergraphic, who has been a supporter since 2007. All label presses and finishing equipment have been sourced through him. Their quality has been rewarded with LMAI label awards consistently since 2010.

Expansion remaining a key focus they are actively exploring opportunities in Ghana, a neighboring market to Nigeria, and even evaluating possibilities in the United States with an innovative technology base, though this is still at an early stage. They are also contemplating expanding their range of products to include shrink sleeves, IML (In-Mold Labels), Wet glue labels, Mono cartons and eventually, digital label printing at both locations. Committed to sustainability, they aim for at least 20% of total production to use eco-friendly, sustainable label stock. They look at a lot of diversifications in the next 5 years that may also include B2C products.

Outside of work, Solanki’s biggest dream is to go on a 145-day world cruise. He has always loved cruise travel, having been on three cruises already. The last cruise through Alaska in 2018, has been the longest yet. A world cruise looks like the next big adventure and an exciting challenge!

Written by Harveer Sahni, Chairman Weldon Celloplast Limited, New Delhi December 2025