I had planned to write on "Tin is in ". Unfortunately most people who wrote to me or interacted with me tended to believe that we are still few years away from saying that in India Tin is in. The apprehensions remained the same -- tinplate availability , tinplate prices and overcapacity in can making. I guess I 'll postpone my writing on "Tin is in" for some later date.
Here's a bit of information for tin can manufacturers. In case you want to keep a tab on international tinplate prices and trends have a look at www.tinplateoutlook.com.
Friday, December 28, 2007
Friday, November 16, 2007
Is Tin in
I shall be next writing on "Is Tin in". Is tin can really making a strong come back in India. Can tin can ride on growing enviornmental concerns to get its rightful place in packaging industry. I hope people in trade will join in to give their inputs so that a meaningful discussion can be started . You can either leave a comment or can get me at tinplate@vsnl.com.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
TINPLATE & SITA
A hindu friend who is in tinplate trade has send this story which dates back to mid 90 s when he was just starting and had gone to England to source tinplate for his Indian customers. This friend is an extremely religious man who says his daily prayers and without fail makes four visits to various temples in a year.
He had a meeting with the Sales Manager of then British Steel ( now Corus) . After exchanging pleasantries the friend gave the sales manager the various specs of tinplate he was looking for. After seeing the specs the sales manager asked my friend " How many SITAs are you looking for ?". My friend not understanding the question just said " What ? ". The sales manager repeated his question. My friend had by now started thinking of Ramayan and how Sita could be linked to tinplate. He almost started imagining of religious slur. He just said " I 'll get back tomorrow " and walked out of the sales mamager's office. The whole of that evening was spent calling his contacts back home to find the relationship between tinplate & Sita. Unfortunately no one could help him.
The next day he told the sales manager that he was looking for 200 tonnes of tinplate. The sales manager gave him the quote and later my friend got the tinplate he wanted without knowing what " SITA " was.
For the uninitiated , tinplate world wide is sold in terms of area and SITA is an acronym for System International Tinplate Area. SITA denotes a area of 100 sq mts.
This friend now is fully aware of relationship between tinplate and SITA. He now gets all his quotes in Sita terms and then converts it to tonnes for his Indian customers.
He had a meeting with the Sales Manager of then British Steel ( now Corus) . After exchanging pleasantries the friend gave the sales manager the various specs of tinplate he was looking for. After seeing the specs the sales manager asked my friend " How many SITAs are you looking for ?". My friend not understanding the question just said " What ? ". The sales manager repeated his question. My friend had by now started thinking of Ramayan and how Sita could be linked to tinplate. He almost started imagining of religious slur. He just said " I 'll get back tomorrow " and walked out of the sales mamager's office. The whole of that evening was spent calling his contacts back home to find the relationship between tinplate & Sita. Unfortunately no one could help him.
The next day he told the sales manager that he was looking for 200 tonnes of tinplate. The sales manager gave him the quote and later my friend got the tinplate he wanted without knowing what " SITA " was.
For the uninitiated , tinplate world wide is sold in terms of area and SITA is an acronym for System International Tinplate Area. SITA denotes a area of 100 sq mts.
This friend now is fully aware of relationship between tinplate and SITA. He now gets all his quotes in Sita terms and then converts it to tonnes for his Indian customers.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Bright Finish Tinplate
This fact was sent to me by a very knowledgable user of tinplate. I have known this person both as a customer and someone you could rely on for accurate market information. For his varied product range he uses different kinds of steel like CRCA , GP , tinplate , stainless steel etc.
In India most end users of tinplate believe that for any tinplate to be classified as Prime Tinplate it has to have bright finish. This mis conception has its roots in what was being offered by domestic manufacturers in the past. The domestic manufacturers only offered bright finish tinplate. If it had any matte finish it was downgraded to waste-waste and sold as such. So if you bought waste-waste you were sure to get matte finish tinplate. Hence it became established fact that any finish other than bright finish was not prime material.
Another misconception my learned friend has shared with me is in stainless steel category.
Most of us believe that for steel to be called stainless steel it has to be non-magnetic. The truth is quite different. Stainless steel can be both magnetic or non-magnetic. Non-magnetic stainless steel is costlier ( because of nickel content) . Kitchen Utensils can be easily made out of magnetic stainless steel but an Indian consumer invariably tests the stainless steel utensil he / she buys using a magnet. No wonder stainless steel utensils are costlier than what it would be if this mis conception is corrected.
In India most end users of tinplate believe that for any tinplate to be classified as Prime Tinplate it has to have bright finish. This mis conception has its roots in what was being offered by domestic manufacturers in the past. The domestic manufacturers only offered bright finish tinplate. If it had any matte finish it was downgraded to waste-waste and sold as such. So if you bought waste-waste you were sure to get matte finish tinplate. Hence it became established fact that any finish other than bright finish was not prime material.
Another misconception my learned friend has shared with me is in stainless steel category.
Most of us believe that for steel to be called stainless steel it has to be non-magnetic. The truth is quite different. Stainless steel can be both magnetic or non-magnetic. Non-magnetic stainless steel is costlier ( because of nickel content) . Kitchen Utensils can be easily made out of magnetic stainless steel but an Indian consumer invariably tests the stainless steel utensil he / she buys using a magnet. No wonder stainless steel utensils are costlier than what it would be if this mis conception is corrected.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Indian Tinplate Market Stories
My blog readers have sent a lot of interesting stories . These stories though true will need some editing so as not to hurt sentiments of various players in the market. Some stories are hilarious , some sensational and some outright boring but all have lessons for people in the trade. I will write three stories. So guys look out for these stories .
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Top Tin Can Suppliers of India
Today I am going to provide you with links to the web sites of top tin can manufacturers of India.
For the first time in many years tin can industry is poised for explosive growth. There are many pointers to this and I will briefly touch on some of these before providing prospective tin can buyer with the links.
1) Organised Retail boom
It is a well known fact that proliferation of super markets indirectly improves the quality of packaging of every produce. Tin Can is a very desirable packaging media for presentation of any product clamouring for shelf space in a store.
2) Processed food growth
Finally the Government of India has woken to the fact that too much of our agricultural produce rots . The way to prevent this loss is through processing more and more of the the produce. The most suitable packaging media for processed food undoubtedly is Tin Can.
3) Enviornmental Concerns
Terms like global warming was always known to all , its only now that this awareness is getting translated into desire to protect the enviornment. Among all the available packaging alternatives a Tin Can is probably the most eco friendly.
4) Brand India becoming strong
In earlier times India exported lot of food products in bulk which on reaching its destination was packed in smalls and branded. This activity of branding will now start taking place in India itself. This will create a great demand for Tin Cans
5) Availability of tinplate
With reduction in import duty on tinplate and increase in domestic capacity the availability of tinplate will improve in times to come. With increased availability of tinplate coupled with strong demand the service levels of tinplate manufacturers / importers will improve. In future a tin can manufacturer will no longer live at the mercy of tinplate availabality.
6) Export potential of Tin Cans / components
From enhanced quantity of production - improved quality of tin cans will emerge. Over the next few years I see a big investments by Can makers to a) improve the quality of cans b) increase the capacity . Once the quality of cans improve Can users will start sourcing Tin Can / Tin Components from Indian Can manufacturers. With enhanced steel / tinplate production in India , Indian Can manufacturers will find find the most cost effective tinplate being produced in the country and the world will find the most cost effective Tin Can / Component from India.
Now I will provide the links . If any Can supplier wants his site to be listed please get in touch with me at tinplate@vsnl.com.
1) Kaira Can http://www.kairacan.com/
2) Hindustan Tin http://www.hindustantin.biz/
3) Shetron http://www.shetrongroup.com/
4) Swastik Tins http://www.swastiktins.com/
5) Agro Dutch http://www.agro_dutch.com/
6) Evergreen http://www.evergreencans.com/
7) Zenith Tins http://www.zenithtins.com/
8) Packaging Remedies http://packagingremedies.tradeindia.com/
9) Manaksia http://www.manaksia.com/
10) Virat http://www.virat.co.in/
For the first time in many years tin can industry is poised for explosive growth. There are many pointers to this and I will briefly touch on some of these before providing prospective tin can buyer with the links.
1) Organised Retail boom
It is a well known fact that proliferation of super markets indirectly improves the quality of packaging of every produce. Tin Can is a very desirable packaging media for presentation of any product clamouring for shelf space in a store.
2) Processed food growth
Finally the Government of India has woken to the fact that too much of our agricultural produce rots . The way to prevent this loss is through processing more and more of the the produce. The most suitable packaging media for processed food undoubtedly is Tin Can.
3) Enviornmental Concerns
Terms like global warming was always known to all , its only now that this awareness is getting translated into desire to protect the enviornment. Among all the available packaging alternatives a Tin Can is probably the most eco friendly.
4) Brand India becoming strong
In earlier times India exported lot of food products in bulk which on reaching its destination was packed in smalls and branded. This activity of branding will now start taking place in India itself. This will create a great demand for Tin Cans
5) Availability of tinplate
With reduction in import duty on tinplate and increase in domestic capacity the availability of tinplate will improve in times to come. With increased availability of tinplate coupled with strong demand the service levels of tinplate manufacturers / importers will improve. In future a tin can manufacturer will no longer live at the mercy of tinplate availabality.
6) Export potential of Tin Cans / components
From enhanced quantity of production - improved quality of tin cans will emerge. Over the next few years I see a big investments by Can makers to a) improve the quality of cans b) increase the capacity . Once the quality of cans improve Can users will start sourcing Tin Can / Tin Components from Indian Can manufacturers. With enhanced steel / tinplate production in India , Indian Can manufacturers will find find the most cost effective tinplate being produced in the country and the world will find the most cost effective Tin Can / Component from India.
Now I will provide the links . If any Can supplier wants his site to be listed please get in touch with me at tinplate@vsnl.com.
1) Kaira Can http://www.kairacan.com/
2) Hindustan Tin http://www.hindustantin.biz/
3) Shetron http://www.shetrongroup.com/
4) Swastik Tins http://www.swastiktins.com/
5) Agro Dutch http://www.agro_dutch.com/
6) Evergreen http://www.evergreencans.com/
7) Zenith Tins http://www.zenithtins.com/
8) Packaging Remedies http://packagingremedies.tradeindia.com/
9) Manaksia http://www.manaksia.com/
10) Virat http://www.virat.co.in/
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
10 Things to do to reduce Global warming
Ten Things to do to stop global warming Want to do something to help stop global warming? Here are 10 simple things you can do and how much carbon dioxide you'll save doing them. Change a light Replacing one regular light bulb with a compact fluorescent light bulb will save 150 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. Drive less Walk, bike, car pool or take mass transit more often. You'll save one pound of carbon dioxide for every mile you don't drive! Recycle more You can save 2.400 pounds of carbon dioxide per year by recycling just half of your household waste. Check your tyres Keeping your tyres inflated properly can improve gas mileage by more than 3%. Every gallon of gasoline saved keeps 20 pounds of carbon dioxide ! Use less hot water It takes a lot of energy to heat water. Use less hot water by installing a low flow showerhead (350 pounds of CO2 saved per year) and washing your clothes in cold or warm water (500 pounds saved per year )
Avoid products with a lot of packaging You can save 1,200 pounds of carbon dioxide if you cut down your garbage by 10 %
Adjust your thermostat Moving your thermostat just 2 degrees in winter and up 2 degrees in summer you could save about 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year with this simple adjustment. Plant a tree A single tree will absorb one ton of carbon dioxide over its lifetime. Turn off electronic devices Simply turning off your television, DVD player, stereo, and computer when you're not using them will save you thousands of pounds of carbon dioxide a year. Spread the word
Avoid products with a lot of packaging You can save 1,200 pounds of carbon dioxide if you cut down your garbage by 10 %
Adjust your thermostat Moving your thermostat just 2 degrees in winter and up 2 degrees in summer you could save about 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year with this simple adjustment. Plant a tree A single tree will absorb one ton of carbon dioxide over its lifetime. Turn off electronic devices Simply turning off your television, DVD player, stereo, and computer when you're not using them will save you thousands of pounds of carbon dioxide a year. Spread the word
Monday, July 30, 2007
Kaira Can Company Limited
Mr. A. B. Kulkarni has taken charge as Managing Director of one of largest tin can manufacturer in India namely Kaira Can Company Limited. This elevation may have come as a surprise to many but not to people who have interacted very closely with him during the last few years. Any one who has interacted with him would have noticed how he was slowly getting ready for bigger challenges.
Mr. Kulkarni is stepping into shoes of a person who has left indelible mark both on Kaira Can and the metal can industry . He indeed has a tough act to emulate. Most people would know Mr. Kulkarni as a tough negotiator ( some might say , very tough). A man of few words he values people who keep their word. He is known for his total dislike for suppliers who fail in adhering to the agreed schedules. Being perfectionist by nature he believes in meticulous planning and this is his forte. As we all know that success in metal can business depends a lot on good planning.
Mr. Kulkarni has enough exposure in this business to make him feel comfortable in his new role. After a long time metal can industry in India is poised for growth. A person like Mr. Kulkarni will play a big role in this growth. A highly respected figure in the Metal packaging business he is sure to receive support from all the stake holders in this trade.
Kaira Can Company Ltd is in very capable hands and I wont be surprised if this company leaves all its competitors behind in the next few years.
Wishing Mr. Kulkarni all the very best in his new role.
You can learn more about Kaira Can Company Ltd at http://www.kairacan.com
Mr. Kulkarni is stepping into shoes of a person who has left indelible mark both on Kaira Can and the metal can industry . He indeed has a tough act to emulate. Most people would know Mr. Kulkarni as a tough negotiator ( some might say , very tough). A man of few words he values people who keep their word. He is known for his total dislike for suppliers who fail in adhering to the agreed schedules. Being perfectionist by nature he believes in meticulous planning and this is his forte. As we all know that success in metal can business depends a lot on good planning.
Mr. Kulkarni has enough exposure in this business to make him feel comfortable in his new role. After a long time metal can industry in India is poised for growth. A person like Mr. Kulkarni will play a big role in this growth. A highly respected figure in the Metal packaging business he is sure to receive support from all the stake holders in this trade.
Kaira Can Company Ltd is in very capable hands and I wont be surprised if this company leaves all its competitors behind in the next few years.
Wishing Mr. Kulkarni all the very best in his new role.
You can learn more about Kaira Can Company Ltd at http://www.kairacan.com
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
The most eco friendly metal container in India
No Indian whether living in urban , semi -urban or rural area could have missed a rectangular metal container which is used for packing edible oil , ghee or vanaspati. Yes I am talking of the ubiquitous 15 kg tin container.
I am of the firm belief that this 15 kg tin container happens to be the most ecofriendly metal container in India. I will give some basic characteristics of this container and the fabrication method which will justify the statement.
How many of us know that the shape and the dimensions of this container has almost remained unchanged for the last 75 years. Similar shape and dimension was of the container used during the first world war to pack kerosene. That container was used to pack four gallons of kerosene.
India sees approximately 125 - 145 million 15 kg containers being fabricated every year. The technology being used by most are outdated but the process of fabrication is so simple that more often than not every fabricator is able to meet the quality aspirations of his final customer.
If we go back 10 yrs the average thickness of tinplate in use that time was 0.29 mm and today the the average thickness of tinplate in use is 0.27 mm. So there has been reduction in use of raw material for making the container.
Till 15 yrs back all 15 kg containers made in India was soldered. Soldering was not only a costlier option but the presence of lead in solder was a avoidable thing. Sadly more than 15 % of these containers are still being made using soldering method though the quality of solder has improved considerably in this period. . For the majority of fabricators soldering has given way to cheaper welding and rubber solutions. In earlier times it was not uncommon to see a 15 kg fabrication unit full of fumes emanating from fire places used for heating the solder. The point I am making is that whole fabrication is now happening in cleaner atmosphere by using cheaper resources. Just imagine from a double body container ( all using solder ) we have moved to single body ( mostly using welding). The shift from double body container to single body container has ensured tremendous saving on tinplate usage. Today 3.2 % less tinplate is used for making the same container after this shift.
The shape of the container is such that there is hardly any scrap generated at fabrication stage barring a circular scrap. This tinplate circle scrap is generated at the time of punching the top for a hole. Today , sadly this circle has no regular use. I am happy to report that a couple of enterprising fabricators are working on modifying this punching operation on presses so that this circle can get converted into handle clip ( also called chapdi). They are working closely with chapdi welding m/c suppliers to get it right.
What makes it qualify for the top spot in eco friendly packing is its ability to be reused for the same purpose i.e packing edible oil.
There is a ban on use of second hand containers for packing oil. This ban has been there for quite sometime but somehow the authorities haven't succeeded in having it implemented.
I wonder , rather than having a ban which is not easy to enforce why can't they design a system of cleaning and quality testing these containers before reuse ( similar to what exists for soft drinks bottles). This process will ensure that only containers which passes the test by the approved cleaners will be reused. My guess is that more than 30 % of the containers which come to these cleaners will get rejected on various grounds. ( This estimation is based on my observations I have made during my various visits to container cleaning and repairing places). This in turn increase the demand for new containers.
Every metal container is recyclable and that's one reason why metal container are so much more eco friendly as compared to any other substitute packaging material.
Please put your comments. If I need to make correction anywhere I will most happily do so. If you feel that there is a metal container which is more eco friendly than this one please share it with your reasons.
If you are unable to post your comments please mail it to me at tinplate@vsnl.com
Monday, July 16, 2007
Tinplate Market in India
A fortnight back a large India steel company got in touch with us and wanted us to do a report on tinplate market in India. When we met, we realised that they were already in possession of a report on the Indian market for tinplate and wanted us to work out the details of sizes so they could finalise their tinning line. They briefly showed us the report and wanted our views. They were in real hurry. By the time we finished the third meeting with them we had finalised the scope of our work, the time frame and our fees.
So are we going to see another tinplate producer in India. Maybe. Will this be the fourth one ? I really dont know , the guys we met felt that someone else is also in hurry ---- just like them.
There may be many other players thinking of getting into this line. These fence sitters will be helped by this note.Today I will compare the current three producers on three broad parameters viz top management , product quality and their respective marketing teams.
The oldest tinplate producer remains the best. Their top management team is focussed and have shown great results in past. The current chief executive is a dynamic and hard working person. He is very result oriented . His record speaks for itself. He has good relationship with almost all customers. He is a highly respected figure in this trade. The marketing team is young and with lot of energy. The marketing team for domestic sales is ably led by a young guy with tremendous knowledge about the poduct. They have marketing offices located in all important consuming centres. Their product is of international quality. They are the only one among the three who understands both the product and the market.
The second manufacturer is a government owned organisation. They haven't been able to make the market feel their presence. The top management for some reason haven't looked at this division with seriousness it deserved. Their product is of inferior quality . The marketing team has to look after two other products other than tinplate as a result this product has lost focus. This giant of an organisation neither knows the product nor the market nor are they concerned about it.
The new entrant in this business has the best location i.e close to the consuming centers. Their poduct is good but the real test will come when they use their own produced CR. The top management has been too occupied with project implementation to really leave their mark in the market place. The marketing team doesn't have a settled look which really annoys the customers. But it is too early in the day for anyone to comment on their strengths . For them today is only about survival and not about understanding the market.
If you need any specific detail , you can get me at tinplate@vsnl.com.
My next writing will be on "The most eco friendly metal container in India"
Please do not hesitate to post your comments .
So are we going to see another tinplate producer in India. Maybe. Will this be the fourth one ? I really dont know , the guys we met felt that someone else is also in hurry ---- just like them.
There may be many other players thinking of getting into this line. These fence sitters will be helped by this note.Today I will compare the current three producers on three broad parameters viz top management , product quality and their respective marketing teams.
The oldest tinplate producer remains the best. Their top management team is focussed and have shown great results in past. The current chief executive is a dynamic and hard working person. He is very result oriented . His record speaks for itself. He has good relationship with almost all customers. He is a highly respected figure in this trade. The marketing team is young and with lot of energy. The marketing team for domestic sales is ably led by a young guy with tremendous knowledge about the poduct. They have marketing offices located in all important consuming centres. Their product is of international quality. They are the only one among the three who understands both the product and the market.
The second manufacturer is a government owned organisation. They haven't been able to make the market feel their presence. The top management for some reason haven't looked at this division with seriousness it deserved. Their product is of inferior quality . The marketing team has to look after two other products other than tinplate as a result this product has lost focus. This giant of an organisation neither knows the product nor the market nor are they concerned about it.
The new entrant in this business has the best location i.e close to the consuming centers. Their poduct is good but the real test will come when they use their own produced CR. The top management has been too occupied with project implementation to really leave their mark in the market place. The marketing team doesn't have a settled look which really annoys the customers. But it is too early in the day for anyone to comment on their strengths . For them today is only about survival and not about understanding the market.
If you need any specific detail , you can get me at tinplate@vsnl.com.
My next writing will be on "The most eco friendly metal container in India"
Please do not hesitate to post your comments .
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Making the right purchase
How many times have we bought a product which we thought was either the best one available or that it provided the best value ( quality features/ price ratio). Its not uncommon for people to start regretting about their purchase when they see a better product in someone else's hand which has more features and a lower price. Invariably this intelligent buyer has visited http://compare4.us and done the purchase.
My experience with compare4.us has been very fruitful and rewarding. I recommend this site for anyone planning a purchaseof any product and is not sure which one gives the best value proposition. Visit compare4.us and do all the comparisons between similar products.
compare4.us will help you in reaching a decision , mind you it doesn't take decision for you. It can be confidently said the chances of making a decision about the purchase is minimised once you have visited this site. Happy shopping and buying what is best for you.
My experience with compare4.us has been very fruitful and rewarding. I recommend this site for anyone planning a purchaseof any product and is not sure which one gives the best value proposition. Visit compare4.us and do all the comparisons between similar products.
compare4.us will help you in reaching a decision , mind you it doesn't take decision for you. It can be confidently said the chances of making a decision about the purchase is minimised once you have visited this site. Happy shopping and buying what is best for you.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Personal Details
Hi ! I am Mahendra Rai. I am based in Mumbai. I have interst in enviornment protection and metal packaging. Currently I am going through a long period of inactivity which is not what I wanted. I will use this period to write my thoughts on enviornment and metal packaging. So keep visiting my blog.
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