Packaging not only enhances the aesthetic sense of a product but also adds a recall value to the brand. At times certain colour combinations are enough to remind people of the brand associated with it. With an ever-growing list of consumer products, the need for efficient packaging has increased manifolds. The growing E-commerce industry is also contributing to the sea of changes in the packaging of products. This is also giving a boost to address labels and corrugated boxes.
The packaging is expected to go more functional than ever before. And with the current emphasis on hygiene practices, the demand for Hygiene factors of self-adhesive labels will be appreciated more in the current testing times and future as well.
Among providers catering to the Indian market, SMI Coated Products Private Limited has emerged as the largest Indian Label Stock Solution Provider. SMI started in 1993 in Daman, with a plot size of 750 square meters and a constructed area of 350 square meters. Starting with a sale of 3,00,000 square meters in the first year, the company today has a sale of over 100 million square meters.
The Journey
SMI was started with very humble goals. As a startup, the focus was on survival. SMI started with a 20-inch acrylic coating machine and a sheet cutting machine and soon realized that the roll segment is the future and worked towards making label stocks for roll applications. As time progressed, the team was able to direct its energies to make SMI into a vibrant brand capable of fulfilling the needs of the industry.
Over the years the market size has grown considerably and SMI has built its capacity based on the same adding variants like hot melt coating machines and acrylic coating machines. One of its major achievements has been providing the Label Printers excellent quality Label Stock Solutions at most competitive rates. The aim and focus have been to be recognized as a consistent quality label stock solutions provider in India and the global scenario too.
The Front-runner
Ajay Mehta is the Founder and Managing Director of SMI Coated Products Private Limited. He has been at the forefront of the Indian label industry talking to the fraternity about ways of growing printing businesses and not just in the number of presses, but increasing efficiencies at printing plants, and being profitable.
Besides his business of providing consistently relevant label stock solutions, Mr. Mehta loves to travel and meet people across the globe, absorbing their culture and understanding the similarities as well as diversity mankind endeavors through the world. Being proudly Indian he deeply supports Indian values, family traditions, and Yoga which he acknowledges to be a way of life.
Relevant Solutions
SMI provides Label Stock Solutions for different self-adhesive label requirements. There are different technical parameters to consider like, diameter, size of label, type of substrate, application temperature, service temperature, type of bond, etc. It is responsible for fulfilling the technical requirements of a self-adhesive label.
It has over 300 different types of Label Stock Solutions to take care of a varied number of applications specializing in providing customized label stock solutions. Quality Control measures have been in place since the beginning. At times, the company ends up doing over 50 tests on every roll manufactured in its units.
For the PHARMA Industry, SMI provides label stock solutions for low diameter applications for Vials and ampoules, low migration label stock solutions for eye and ear drops as well as label stock solutions for hand sanitizers.
For the FMCG industry, the company provides Label stock solutions extending from Shampoo bottles, Hand Wash bottles, Ketchup bottles, wet wipes, etc. For Cosmetic Industry it provides Label Stock Solutions for creams, Perfumes, Nail Polish, and so on.
For the Retail Segment, SMI provides Label Stock Solutions for Bar Code Labels for inventory control as well as easy billing at the retail shops. We also provide specialized Label Stock Solutions for the liquor industry to take care of the special needs of this industry.
Proudly Indian
Team SMI believes and is conscious that it not only represents its company but largely the country as well. It is proud to have contributed positively to the Make In India mission. The majority of the machines are Made In India. The team is very proud of the fact that all the machine’s concepts have been designed by the team itself as per its needs and understanding.
SMI has been at the forefront of technology while maintaining the Make In India concept right from the beginning. SMI took its knowledge of what to manufacture to getting the machines made. It was the first Company to use the water-based adhesive as well as hot melt adhesives. It was also the first Indian company to bring one meter wide machines.
Growing over the Years
SMI has been providing Label Stock Solutions for the past 27 years. It has been exporting since 2004 and is using its international experience to provide solutions to its clients in India. The company’s objective of Make in India has been widely acknowledged and appreciated by all users of Self Adhesive Material. Having world-class Label Stock Solutions made locally gives its clients the flexibility to get new products developed quickly for new challenging applications.
Continuous motivation and support by all in the industry have motivated team SMI to do better every day. The team has been growing by taking every challenge by the horn, doing a root cause analysis of how to achieve what is required, setting up systems, and ensuring everyone follows the system that has been part of the DNA of SMI.
Open to Ideas
SMI attributes its success to its employees who are very enthusiastic about providing solutions. The biggest motivator, the core team believes, has been to prove to all that Indians are equal to any in the world. The challenges presented by different applications are the source of creativity and innovations. The competition is only in providing a solution and not within the company.
An open-minded approach has led to cooperation amongst all the team members who readily complement each other and utilize their skills collectively to arrive at a viable solution. Mr. Mehta adds, “We have open discussions within the company and all suggestions are discussed, finalized, and implemented.”
Staying Focussed amid Uncertainty
Right now, the times are uncertain and the situation has changed beyond what one would have imagined. Under the changed situation, SMI is first looking forward to a post COVID19 era to enable it to implement all its plans. The team says, “Belief in what we can do has been the motivation for us. We have always tried to better ourselves and continue to learn as we grow.
Understanding the requirements of the industry and planning for the same has been another integral part of our business. Having started as a nuclear unit, we are fortunate to have built a strong dedicated team that is capable of providing technical support in the industry.
As of now, with so much uncertainty, we plan to weather this storm, take a breather before we look to continue on our growth plans. As far as PSA labels are concerned we expect it to grow, as wet glue labels will involve more human interaction at the time of production of these labels.
