The building and construction industry is the nation’s second largest consumer of plastics. For instance, within the structure of a building, plastics contribute to insulation, door and window installation, wiring, piping, and roofing. Inside the home, plastics provide wallpapering, flooring, awnings, laminated kitchen surfaces, piping, valves and fittings, and bathroom furniture. Indeed, plastics have built a reputation for durability, aesthetics, easy handling, and high performance.
Plastic material in building additions as well as new construction also continues to add speed, save energy, and reduce costs. For example, plastic in bathroom fixtures such as tubs, showers, and sinks can be constructed in one piece and then hoisted into place and attached to the building frame, producing significant savings in construction and installation costs. Plastic is also safer to handle, as it is typically much lighter than metals. The lightness of plastic makes it easier to carry and lift into place; if a part drops suddenly, the chances of a crushing injury are greatly reduced.
Plastikraft started in 2002 as an acrylic table-top frame greetings manufacturer and has successfully grown into a business unit specializing in plastic fabrication, thermoforming and providing complete solutions in visual management required for various audits and management concepts like EHS, TPM, 5S, KAIZEN, TQM, LEAN, SIX SIGMA, etc.
The unit now is engaged in diverse business activities and established a name for itself as a one-stop-shop for industries looking for the customized plastic fabrication of various items, special purpose tanks, boxes, covers, machine guards, product display systems and documents display systems.
Since their inception, they have served many individuals, companies, and organizations ranging from small to big units.
Below are the highlights of the interview with Mohammed Zakir, Operations Manager of Plastikraft. Let us read what he has to say about the dynamics of the company with the industry he and his team are catering to:
What hygiene and quality-assurance standards does your company abide by to inspire the trust of its clients?
Our products are quality checked before they are delivered to clients since most of our products are customized and if at all there remain any issues, we make sure that customer requirements are fulfilled up to their expectation no matter if we must put some extra labour and time into it.
What, according to you, are your company’s USPs that make you stand out in the Plastic production sector?
Our USP is Providing ideal and customized solutions to customer problems/requirements up to their satisfaction.  We are not a bulk product manufacturer, products made/fabricated by us are usually those that are required by our clients in short numbers may be from 1 piece to 10,
50, or maximum 200. Beyond this, it is not commercially feasible for the customer as well as for us to produce more than this qty.
How has the featured person – CEO/Founder/Director helped to enhance the company’s outreach? What noteworthy contributions have the person made in favour of your company?
Starting from scratch as a novice in plastic fabrication, the journey of the founder is like a student. The key contribution of the founder was to learn new plastic fabrication techniques from different sources and then implement them with innovative ideas and sophistication to make products much better than what we’re being offered by our competitors. This made our fabricated products standout distinctly, thus giving us a clear advantage over other competitors.
Kindly mention his/her awards and accolades.
The founder received appreciation and awards from customers, from big names like Endress+Hauser Group, Waluj, Aurangabad
What challenges has your team faced in the earlier days of the company? What struggles is the team going through now?
A novice in the plastic fabrication industry without any experience was itself a big challenge. Initially executing each job was a challenge but divine guidance, determination to learn, a positive attitude, self-confidence, creativity, honesty, and hard work made things easier. We developed our own techniques while learning at the same time from others. While experimenting we incurred a lot of losses in terms of money, time and but never gave up till the required technique was learned. Currently retaining trained manpower is the biggest challenge for small organizations.
The global coronavirus outbreak has tested people, industries, governments, and supply chains all over the world. How exactly did the pandemic affect your company’s operations and finances?
Coronavirus outbreak was a complete disaster for every small organization, we were no exception to it. Now learning to cope up with repaying debt.
According to trustworthy market analysis, plastic and linoleum export from India stood at USD 7.55 billion in FY20. What potential do you see in this space and how does your company plan to use it?
Currently, we do not have any plans to go for any kind of exports.
What advice would you like to give to the young entrepreneurs who are aspiring to enter the personal protection equipment and personal safety space?
Young entrepreneurs must have the patience to realize their dream come true. There are a lot of innovative and creative products being made every day, it would not be wrong to say that the speed at which the innovation is taking place is making it harder for some very useful products to get noticed. Therefore, patience, determination, and a good marketing strategy will be the key to get noticed and achieve success.
What are the next milestones you plan to achieve in plastic production and export?
Our model of business is not suitable for exports and we mainly rely on the domestic market.
Please answer this question for our upcoming article on the service sector – Plastic industry in India – What the future holds?
Plastic since long has become a part of our lives and we cannot imagine life without it. We all have a responsibility towards nature and our environment. Due to plastic pollution, many countries are trying to bring alternatives to plastics wherever possible, therefore the plastic industry will face challenges in the future. We may not be able to do completely without plastics but certainly, we can do a lot on reducing the use of it, therefore the industry must think of developing more composite materials made up of plastic + others, that can reduce its use and at the same time contain the losses due to measures being taken for controlling plastic pollution.
