Tuesday, February 21, 2023

6th Annual Pharma Project & Portfolio Management 2023 awaits you


Eminence Business Media is proud to announce the 6th Annual Pharma Project & Portfolio Management 2023 to the most demanding and accountability-driven teams of the Pharma Industry! The success of the previous 5 editions of Pharma Project & Portfolio Management tempts EBM to, once again, proudly announce the 6th Annual Pharma Project & Portfolio Management 2023. It is the perfect one-stop destination to learn everything from dealing with the day-to-day complexities to developing a futuristic vision within the industry.

True to its essence and intention, this year's program has been designed in the most creative sought-after method that collates and captures the most relevant and essential discussion areas to promote conversations based on provocative thinking. The sessions have been planned to cater to and solve the existing head challenges by addressing the current skill gap and lack of competitors' knowledge and analysing the pharma trends about IP and finance. 

The forum comprises expertise-based creative sessions, live-case studies, dedicated Q&A rounds, hands-on soft skill learnings, and peer-led networking. Top-level management and pharma experts from project and portfolio management teams will share their insights and present solutions and strategies that help individuals meet their organisational goals. Join us at the 6th Annual Pharma Project & Portfolio Management 2023 and witness the most intriguing and niche topic discussions with the most unique problem-solving perspectives. 

WHY ATTEND?
1. Be a part of the one-of-a-kind Pharma Auction and learn concepts with real-time competition.
2. Learn Technical and Soft Skills by the application of Game Theory.
3. Solve Live-case studies and form practical solutions and frameworks.
4. Discuss and resolve queries with the dedicated Q&A session after every session.
5. Benefit from the 6-month support of continuous learning.
6. Carefully designed interactive and creative sessions to enhance holistic learning.
7. Multiple Networking Sessions.
8. Rejuvenating activities to enhance the learning potential.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
President, Managing Directors, CXOs, Sr. VPs, VPs, GMs, Sr. Managers, Managers and Professionals from :
1. Portfolio Management Teams
2. Project Management Teams
3. IP Teams
4. Finance Teams
5. Supply Chain Management Teams
6. Academia

“For the past five editions we have thrived on our unique event format and content. In the last couple of years, we have adopted innovative ways of working learned from them and realized their benefits. At Eminence Business Media we believe learning should not stop. Hence after deliberating with the experts with immense experience in the industry, we bring to you the 6th Annual Pharma Project & Portfolio Management 2023 Mumbai where we are focusing on the challenges and opportunities thrown at the Project and the Portfolio teams in the new normal. In this edition dig deeper into the innovative technologies like AI & ML that can be leveraged to enhance our decision-making. Envisioning the future let us discuss how hybrid working will help us perform better on our projects. With innovations also comes challenges and risks so let's discuss the solutions together. On this open platform let us come together and use this opportunity to meet each other learn from the experiences of our peers and grow together,” concludes Ravnish Juneja of EBM.

For more details, log on to http://www.pharmaprojectandportfolio.com/

Tuesday, February 14, 2023

Cosmo First expands new businesses while temporary inventory corrections impact specialty sales

Cosmo First Limited today declared its financial results for the quarter ended Dec 2022. During the quarter, BOPP and BOPET industry faced excess supply caused due to bunching of new production lines and on the other hand demand disruptions in overseas markets. The contribution margin dropped below sustainable levels and impacted everyone in the industry. The Company mitigated the impact on the back of its strong presence in specialty films segment. The performance could have been better but for:

  • One-time inventory loss in Raw materials and Finished Goods (both in India and subsidiaries)
  • Planned maintenance of some of the production lines
  • Restricted flow of orders for specialty films due to festive and holiday season in Europe and USA
  • Larger funding of operating deficit in the rapidly growing Petcare vertical.

The BOPET line which was commissioned towards the end of last quarter continued to focus on perfecting recipes, processes, and quality parameters for various specialty and value-added films in line with the company’s entry strategy in polyester films. 

The company’s petcare vertical is rapidly expanding and clocked monthly run rate of Rs. 1 crore in sales revenue from its 11 experience centers in various locations and increasing online presence through its website and mobile app. 

The company’s financials remain strong with annualized ROCE and ROE at 20% and 25% respectively and net debt to EBITDA of less than one time. 

In December 2022, the company announced the Buyback of its shares from all the shareholders via the tender route with an outlay of Rs.108 crores. The offer period ended on 9th February 2023 and the shareholders should receive payment by 20th February 2023 as scheduled. 

Commenting on the company’s performance Mr. Pankaj Poddar, Group CEO, Cosmo First Ltd. said “the near-term outlook for BOPP and Polyester films is expected to be challenging though the company’s strong speciality films portfolio should deliver superior returns. Zigly is rapidly becoming well known among pet parents benefitting all pet lovers and the company’s shareholders. Specialty chemicals division should double its net revenues while actively focussing on new product launches.”

Founded in 1981, Cosmo First today has a presence across 100+ countries around the globe. Cosmo First is a global leader in specialty films and an emerging player in specialty chemicals (Masterbatches, Adhesive, Coating & Textile chemicals) along with digital-first Omni channel Pet care business under the brand name ‘Zigly’.

Friday, February 10, 2023

3rd Annual Pharma GMP and Quality Management to be held on 16th & 17th March 2023

Following the highly successful 2nd Edition, Eminence Business Media is planning the 3rd Annual Pharma GMP & Quality Management 2023 in Mumbai. For the constantly evolving pharma industry, this program will offer help to identify opportunities for overall growth in aspects of Quality Management and Good Manufacturing Practices as well as Risk Management, followed by unparalleled business & research opportunities, networking platforms, and access to new trends in Indian Pharma Industry.

At this forum, top quality management issues highlighted by the regulators will be addressed by the pharma experts as they share their insights, and recent advancements in pharmaceutical sciences, manufacturing, quality control aspects ensuring that products are consistently produced and controlled according to highquality standards. This is your best opportunity to arrive and meet the biggest array of members from the GxP & Quality management groups. Network with your industry peers, discuss the new trends, strategies, and solutions, and meet the apt partners to take home the most relevant learning to help you grow and meet your company goals. Let's connect and together build the 3rd Annual GMP & Quality Management 2023.

Why Attend?
1. Solve live case studies & deliberate on the shortcomings and practical solutions.
2. Learn how the innovations in Quality Management are improving compliance with evolving regulations?
3. Discuss your queries at the live Q & A sessions and reap the benefit from the extended 6-month support for continuous learning.
4. Take advantage of dedicated day 0 webinar a week prior to the in-person event, with extensive opportunities to clarify your doubts.
5. Network with the industry leaders to understand what they do differently to be successful.

Who Should Attend:
Managing Directors, Directors, CXO’s, President, Sr. VP’s, VP’s, GM’s, Sr. Managers Managers and professionals from:
 Quality Assurance
 Quality Control
 Quality Compliance
 Regulatory Affairs
 Quality Audits
 Academia
 Anyone who has to be compliant with GMP, & Quality regulations

Thursday, February 9, 2023

CII Awareness Session on Prevention of Sexual Harassment of Women at Work (POSH)

The Government of India has enacted The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (“Act”). The Act requires every employer with 10 or more employees to constitute an Internal Complaints Committee (“IC”) that will deal with complaints regarding sexual harassment at the workplace.

Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) over the years has been committed towards Women Empowerment and works closely with industries to strengthen women’s role and participation in the economic sphere and community affairs. In the forum of empowering and strengthening women, our focus areas had always been, Gender equality at workplace; Prevention of sexual harassment at workplace and Women empowerment at the community level. Sexual Harassment at a workplace is considered violation of women right to equality, life and liberty. It creates an insecure and hostile work environment, which discourages women’s participation in work, thereby adversely affecting their social and economic empowerment and the goal of inclusive growth. 

Against this background, CII WUP is organizing Session on “Prevention of Sexual Harassment of Women at Work (POSH)” from 1500 – 1700 hrs on 3rd March 2023 at Virtual platform (Cisco Webex). Please note that the POSH Training once a year is mandatory for every organisation to keep in accordance with the law

This workshop is aimed at enabling participants to develop greater understanding of behaviours that maybe considered inappropriate at the workplace in context of Sexual Harassment and the impact of such behaviours. It will also help develop deeper understanding at the leadership level about the responsibilities, impact, and risks for the organization, as a result of behaviour and complaints relating to Sexual Harassment at the workplace. Building skills and enabling the leadership team to carry out its duties as per laid down procedure and follow the law in its true spirit. 

The workshop will focus on following key area:

  • The Scope and Applicability of the Sexual Harassment of Women at the Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, Redressal) Act 2013.
  • What amounts to Sexual Harassment?
  • The importance of constituting an Internal Committee and its powers and responsibilities.
  • The redressal mechanism available under the Act.
  • Compliances required under the Act.          

The Faculty, Ms Raddhika Singh is a lawyer with over 16 years of experience and is the Managing Partner at Aletheiaa Legal a law firm she founded in August 2014. She is an Intellectual property & commercial lawyer and startup advisor. Ms Singh has worked with tier 1 law firms of India - Remfry & Sagar, K&S Partners, Luthra & Luthra. She has conducted trainings and workshops for over 8000 participants on matters pertaining to Intellectual property rights, Information Technology laws and Prevention of Sexual Harassment at Workplace and has advised over 350 start-ups on various legal compliances and policy requirements. She has done LLM in Intellectual Property Laws, Kings College London and University of London and LL.B from Delhi University.

NDigitec introduces benefits of Catena exposure technology to the Middle East


A new ThermoFlexX Catena-E 80 exposure unit from XSYS has allowed the UAE-headquartered company to elevate its plate-making capabilities to new heights. By integrating this innovative UV LED technology, NDigitec can now supply customers with higher-quality digital flexo plates and enjoy faster processing times than before, while reducing plate waste and energy consumption.

Namma Int’l Digitec FZ LLC – known as NDigitec – is a family-run business founded in 2005 in Dubai (UAE). As the industry leader in the MEA region in terms of production facilities, staff members, and square meter consumption, the prepress division of the company supplies a complete package of services – from file reparation to final processed flexo printing plate.

Employing a total of 125 staff across two branches in Dubai, a facility in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), and an office in Yerevan (Armenia), NDigitec also offers digital printing solutions, e-commerce, creative media production, and fabrication of exhibition equipment. Some 500 customers in 25 countries avail themselves of the company’s many high-end competencies, which also include Online competencies: the DUBAIPRINT.COM web-to-print platform with solutions for the widest variety of print applications, and FLEXOEASY.COM, an unprecedented digital platform that makes flexographic plate-making easy and allows customers to access high-quality Prepress and Premedia services from anywhere in the world.

Plate innovation leader with big ambitions
NDigitec Prepress is known as an innovation trailblazer, always seeking out the latest plate-making technologies to stay ahead of developments and to deliver leading solutions to its global brand owner customers. Some 55% of the annual 50,000 sqm plate output is supplied to the flexible packaging industry, another 25% goes to the corrugated segment, while the remaining 20% is divided between folding cartons and labels.

“We were the first prepress company in the region to bring in LED exposure technology for making flexo plates with the Flint Group nyloflex® NExT system back in 2016,” said Shahe Kavlakian, Executive Manager for Prepress at NDigitec and brother of the company’s CEO Vatche Kavlakian, who as a pioneer of integrated prepress and printing services, laid the roots for the business in the early 1990s.

“Now we are once again taking the lead as the first to install the XSYS ThermoFlexX Catena-E system; an investment we have made because we believe that this solution will best support us in responding to the many varied customer demands we are currently facing and to allow us to continue our global expansion.”

Improving quality and reducing waste
Providing high-performance LED exposure for precise image reproduction, the ThermoFlexX Catena-E 80 is an open system that can process plates in sizes up to 1270 x 2032mm (50 x 80”) and all thicknesses for any type of flexo printing. With a very high level of automation, the unit can also be combined with a ThermoFlexX imager and Catena washer, dryer, and light finisher units for a full end-to-end plate production line, an option that NDigitec is closely evaluating as part of its future strategy. While the Catena-E 80 has been installed in Dubai, there are more immediate plans to upgrade the company’s exposure hardware across the other sites.

“The effect of the new Catena unit has been very noticeable,” said Shahe Kavlakian, who explained more about the team’s criteria in evaluating the technology. “We are looking for standardization, durability, efficiency, and stability in plate production; these aspects are key to maintaining productivity and quality. Particularly in flexible packaging, consistent solid ink density with perfect highlights is a challenge, but with the Catena system and our own micro surface screening, we can deliver results that are much better than with other LED solutions.”

Among the other immediate benefits enjoyed in Dubai was a reduction in waste compared to the existing system. “The Catena-E is definitely helping to improve the sustainability of our plate-making operation because we can combine different jobs on the same plate. By our latest estimations, plate waste has gone down from around 26% to 16%, and we know that with the latest LEDs in the machine, energy consumption will also be less. So, from an environmental point of view, as well as in terms of costs, this is a great improvement.”

Quick and effective implementation
With any new technology, there is inevitably a learning curve, but the near plug’n’play nature of the Catena system meant that the unit was in full production at NDigitec within a week. Mr. Kavlakian praised the simplicity of the design and the user interface, and in particular, highlighted the ability to access the unit controls remotely.

“The Catena is very easy to operate with straightforward instructions and options, so training was pretty quick. It also comes with remote capabilities which means that calibration and regular maintenance checks can be done without having anyone coming on-site. This is of course a fantastic feature as we can avoid unwanted downtime because we don’t have to wait for an engineer to attend in person,” he said.

Supporting future growth
Looking to the future, NDigitec has major plans to take more of the global market share. To further this goal, it opened a new state-of-the-art 50,000 sqm factory in Dubai Production City in 2020. Another 3,000 sqm facility operates as an incubator for joint venture projects aimed at advancing innovation in flexo print production, complemented by more investment in best-in-class imaging, processing, and screening technologies.

“In addition to the immediate benefits we have already experienced, the ThermoFlexX Catena-E 80 exposure technology will give us a stable platform to build our future plate-making infrastructure, stay competitive, and support our ambitious growth strategy,” concluded Shahe Kavlakian.

Register Now to Visit Pamex 2023 Mumbai

Friday, February 3, 2023

PrintWeek is celebrating the power of women with The Women to Watch in 2023

 PrintWeek is celebrating the power of women with The Women to Watch in 2023. The Women to Watch Awards are for outstanding women who lead, inspire, and motivate greatness in the printing and packaging community. As part of PrintWeek’s commitment to promote the advancement of diversity, inclusion, and equality in the printing industry, these awards, in their first ever year, celebrate the achievements of India’s business leaders, change makers, trailblazers, and rising stars.

We invite the industry (that is, you) to help us recognise the women who, over the last 12 months, have shown outstanding leadership and fostered groundbreaking innovation in the printing, packaging, research, and development, as well as the future leaders of tomorrow. Women may nominate themselves or any women, team and businesses that have inspired them and made an impact in the community.

We look forward to celebrating the achievements and championing the advancement of Women in 2023.



Friday, July 1, 2022

Cosmo Films appoints Justin Glass as President for North America operations

Cosmo Films Limited, a Global Leader in Films for Packaging, Labelling, Lamination and Synthetic Paper and an emerging player in Specialty Chemicals, Polymers & Pet care, appointed Mr. Justin Glass as President for their business operations across North America. In his new role, Justin will be responsible for devising growth strategies and expanding business in the North American region for the organisation. In this new role, Justin will report to Mr. Kulbhushan Malik, Sr. Vice President and Head of International Operations, Cosmo Films Limited. 

A seasoned business leader with over 25 years of experience, Justin comes to Cosmo Films with diverse experience and expertise in plastics and packaging industry. Justin started his career in plastic industry as a Process Engineer for Bi-axially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) tape films in the extrusion & coating functions and moved on to various technical functions across several primary polymer markets. A Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Virginia Tech University, and an MBA from Averett University, Justin will be responsible for devising strategy, market operations, and business growth at Cosmo. 

Justin holds 15 years of expertise in handling commercial & finance related business strategies and planned execution for large multinational packaging manufacturers serving the food, consumer packaging, pharmaceutical & medical packaging verticals. In his past tenures, he has been associated with DS Smith as Director Commercial Operations; Klöckner Pentaplast as Commercial Director Americas – Food & Consumer packaging; and other organizations. 

Welcoming him, Mr. Pankaj Poddar, Group CEO, Cosmo Films Limited said, “With more than two decades long career in films and packaging industry, Justin holds proficiency in leading teams across functions including engineering, sales, marketing, and operations. His expertise in leadership, strategy and business acumen will prove significant to Cosmo Films operations in North America. I am delighted to have him onboard and look forward to his contributions in achieving our strategic goals in thoughtful and innovative ways.” 

Commenting on his new role, Mr. Justin Glass, President, North America, Cosmo Films, “Cosmo’s market domination and growth in different film segments is testimony of the dedication of Cosmo team, vision of its leadership, and Cosmo’s Product Quality and Customer service. I am thankful that the leadership has entrusted me with the responsibility of leading and growing their business in North America. I look forward to leveraging the innovative teams at Cosmo Films to help unlock new market opportunities with our partner brands.”

Wednesday, June 29, 2022

EyeC announces distribution partnership with Total Packaging Solution for South Korea

EyeC, the global expert in print image inspection systems, is pleased to announce they have entered a strategic distribution partnership with Total Packaging Solution for the company's innovative artwork verification and print image inspection systems. The companies will now co-operate to leverage TP Solution strengths in each sales channel to extend EyeC’s unique portfolio and services in the South Korean market.

The distribution deal follows the announcement earlier this year when Total Packaging Solution was appointed as a distributor for EyeC. The partnership has already been hugely successful in promoting EyeC's range of quality control and vision inspection applications to pharmaceutical companies in South Korea. The cooperation aims to deliver sustainable value to EyeC’s global system and accelerate the opportunity to grow internationally. 

Ralph Beier, Sales Director at EyeC GmbH, said, “We are very pleased to welcome Total Packaging Solution to the global EyeC distribution Partner network. They are a strong and well-established company with many years of experience in print inspection solutions, especially in the pharmaceutical market for East Asian countries. Several new customer orders have already been generated, and we look forward to a very successful partnership." 

Total Packaging Solution is recognized for the reliability, durability, and high quality of its integrated packaging solutions to the pharmaceutical industry. Located in South Korea, the company has a headquarter in Seong-nam and a warehouse in Gwang-ju. 

Founded in 2002 in Hamburg, Germany, EyeC is the market’s only supplier to ensure the product quality throughout the entire printing process – from the first artwork file to the finished product. The product portfolio includes file-to-file comparison for artwork revision control and prepress applications, as well as print-to-file inspection systems for press sample testing and 100% print quality control of products such as folding cartons, labels, leaflets, or flexible packaging. The market’s most intelligent algorithms ensure that the systems show only relevant defects. With EyeC products, users avoid recalls, keep production costs and material waste in check and optimize their quality control. Worldwide, there are over 1,800 EyeC inspection systems in use by pharmaceutical companies, printers, and branded good manufacturers. The company currently has over 60 employees in Hamburg and has international sales partners in more than 20 countries.


Monday, June 27, 2022

Xeikon set for Australian premiere of Panther PX3300 UV inkjet label press at PacPrint 2022

Xeikon will be introducing the Panther PX3300 UV inkjet label press to visitors at PacPrint 2022 in Melbourne. The Australian show for the print, sign and graphics industries returns on Tuesday 28 June to Friday 1 July 2022 to the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC), where it will be co-located with Label & Packaging Expo and Visual Impact Expo. 

This will be the first showing of the Xeikon Panther 2.0 technology in Australia, where the high-end PX3300 UV inkjet press will form the focal point on Xeikon’s centrally located stand at the MCEC. Built for production of highly durable labels, the press was first unveiled towards the end of last year, as the next evolution of Xeikon’s high productivity inkjet portfolio. It offers full rotary printing at variable repeat length with CMYK or CMYK plus white UV inks, which are sunlight, water, chemical, temperature and mechanical resistant, allowing printers to address the industrial, chemical, and household markets, as well as the premium beer, spirits, beverages, and luxury health & beauty sectors. 

“We are very excited to bring the Xeikon PX3300 to Australia to show customers what our Panther UV inkjet technology can deliver in terms of high quality, speed, durability, and versatility. This press will enable printers to get into new markets where high durability is expected, and really change the game for them,” said Trevor Crowley, Sales General Manager. “In addition, we offer full color variable data capabilities with the Vari-One option, while the white UV ink can create embellishments and haptic effects inline for a luxury feel.” 

Under the motto ‘Review, Rebuild, Reconnect’, the four-day event will take over more than 8,000 square meters to show the latest technologies for the printing industry. Over 10,000 print professionals, mainly from Australia, New Zealand, China, and Japan, are expected to visit the show, which has not been held since 2017 due to the worldwide pandemic. 

“After the extreme challenges of the COVID pandemic, we can’t wait to get back to PacPrint and connect with our customers face-to-face. Our industry thrives on in-person networking and a hands-on approach. As much as we can extol the virtues of Xeikon technology during online presentations and virtual events, you really need to get up close and personal with the machinery to truly understand their power and the opportunities they can bring to your business,” concluded Crowley.