FOCUS

I
ndia, with population of around 1.21
billion represents about 17% of the
The plastics industry is an important
world’s population and the second most manufacturing sector for human
populous country, next to China. Once upon
a time regarded as ‘bane’ for the country’s capital and employment generation
growth; today, the economists suggest the
‘population’ worked as ‘boon’ for growth of in the country, driven
all sectors in India. Population, with rapid
urbanisation and economic progress of the largely through skills of technicians / Rajeev Kumar Dwivedi
Director - Technical Institute
Indian society, led to increased demand of
all kinds of commodity goods and consumer
operators on the production Technical Training & Research Centre
(TTRC)
items. shop oors; potential exists for (A division of Lohia Corp. Ltd.)
Kanpur
The Plastics Processing Industry supervisors and engineers, as well.
Globally, consumption of plastics is expected
to reach 300 million tonnes by 2015-16. In India’s total plastics consumption (virgin
spite of a hold back in the industrial scenario, and recycled, both) is about to touch 10

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THE ECONOMIC TIMES POLYMERS DECEMBER, 2013 - JANUARY, 2014 1
 million tonnes in 2013 with major share of been able to operate with highest possible
polyolefin (Polyethylene and Polypropylene) production efficiency. Majority of MSME
consumption, accounting for over 70%. Surge processors are not able to achieve the
of retail chains across the country catalysed desired quality at par with global standards
the growth of plastics consumption; however, and one of the main reason for this weakness
there seems to be a wide gap in demand is non availability of skilled and formally
and availability of appropriate human trained workforce in the form of machine
resource, particularly on the shop floor of operators / technicians, maintenance
plastics processing units i.e. plastic product technicians, quality supervisors etc.
manufacturing industries.
Despite of double digit growth of the
In the petrochemical supply chain, the Indian plastics industry in recent years,
plastics industry can be classified into two comparative low level of per capita plastics
categories: First, the manufacturing of consumption of about 6 kg is indicative of
polymers and is called ‘upstream’ and the the growth potential of the plastics industry.
second one is conversion of processable Per capita consumption of plastics in USA
polymers (plastic raw materials) into useful is about 110 kg, China is at about 26 kg
end products by processing methods and Brazil is at 32 kg; the world’s average
like injection moulding, blow moulding, consumption stands around the figure of
The challenge different types of extrusion techniques, 25 kg. USA consumption has reached to a
of the plastics thermoforming, rotational moulding saturation level, while China’s higher level
processing industry etc. which are classified as ‘downstream’ of consumption is primarily due to exports.
processes. The downstream plastics processing industry
is to channelise in India is extremely fragmented often
The upstream polymer manufacturers
efforts in creating have commissioned globally competitive
operating at sub-optimal scales and using
obsolete technology, unskilled manpower
Skill Development size plants with imported state-of-the-art
which, in turn, inhibits its international
Centres for specic technology from the world leaders where
competitiveness and hence, is unable to boost
manpower of higher academic background
processing sectors is required i.e. engineers, polymer
exports. Trained and skilled manpower on
production shop floor, efficient maintenance
in various regions of scientists / technologists.
and quality control technicians would be the
the country based on The downstream plastics processing most significant factor in steering Indian
the available industry industries though witnessed significant processing industry to attain global prowess
growth in the last 10 years, yet have not in the present decade.
types and clusters.
Table 1: Plastics Processing Industry Status (as on March, 2011)
Sector No. of Machines Capacity (KT)
Installed

Injection Moulding 61000 6850

Blow Moulding 8000 1050
Extrusion 28400 15800
Monolayer Film 8650 1500
Multilayer Film 1125 875
BOPP 30 500
Raffia 1000 1950
PO Pipes 1125 1150
RPVC Pipes 4500 4375
TQPP Film 2765 600
PVC Film & Calendaring 425 310
Nonwoven & Fibre / Filament 170 210
Sheet Lines 735 720
Others 7875 3610
(Source : Subgroup report on Petrochemicals for 12th Five year plan, GoI)

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THE ECONOMIC TIMES POLYMERS DECEMBER, 2013 - JANUARY, 2014
The Industry Status
As per the Government of India estimates,
total investment in 3 broad categories
of machines - Injection moulding, Blow
moulding of all types, Extrusion of all
products (Film, sheet, pipe, profiles, raffia,
monofilament, box strapping, wire / cable
etc.) was about Rs 200 billion till 31 st
March, 2010. However, correspondingly the
investment figures in skilling or generating
the human capital to effectively operate /
handle or maintain these machines with
maximum possible efficiency may be
minimal. The census data of the plastics
processing industry in India as on March,
2011 is given in Table 1.
In early 90s, when plastics processing
industries in India were beginning to
commence their growth journey, the Plastics
Processing Operator Trade (PPOT) was
introduced at different Government run framework of AICTE is another option for
Industrial Training Institutes (ITI) across the the industry or associations to link up with
country with the support of the industry as technical institutions and to formulate
well as Government institutions after training need based specific courses on machine
of ITI instructors, trainers at institutions operation, maintenance (Hydraulic,
like CIPET, IPI etc. It is now important for pneumatic, electronic, PLC aspects), quality
all stakeholders (manufacturers of plastic management system etc.
raw materials, machine manufacturers,
processors) to consciously look at opening Looking Ahead
skill development centres to further this Alike investment incurred for market promotion
initiative as a priority agenda under varied through advertisements and organising / Despite of double
skill development schemes offered by the participating in National and international digit growth of the
Government. exhibitions, the associations of plastics
processing industry (mostly are in MSME sector) Indian plastics
National or regional level plastic
associations should pool these resources should create a ‘Human Capital Cell’ or ‘Skill industry in recent
either through National Skill Development Development Desk’ which may interact with years, comparative
Corporation by forming Plastics Sector stakeholder of the industries from all domains
of plastics processing in creating training low level of per capita
Councils or collaborating with Skill
Development Missions in different states infrastructure, devising specific curriculum plastics consumption
as per need, pooling of right kind of trainers
and work on a mission mode framework to of about 6 kg is
develop skilled manpower for all segments for all fragments of the industry who may be
conversant with the requirement. indicative of the
of the plastics processing industries. There
has been strong focus on higher education A National level need-assessment survey growth potential of
for producing engineers, technologist, across all plastics processing industries in the plastics industry.
scientist etc. in different institutions India is quite essential to assess the type
in India; but there is a mismatch in the / level / skill sets required by the plastics
‘demand’ and ‘supply’, more or surplus industry including tool / die / mould and
numbers of ‘jobseekers’ are found among plastic machinery manufacturers (both,
plastic / polymer engineering graduates primary and secondary, auxiliary and
than the trained ‘operators’, which are too laboratory equipment manufacturers), who
many in demand, but not obtainable. This are an integral part of the plastics and allied
scenario leads to the so called ‘grabbing’ of sector.
trained / skilled workforce from one industry
to the other. IITs of the country are no doubt Currently, the downstream plastics
the centres of excellence and pride of the processing industry is a significant employer
country, but we need to strengthen ITIs of over 3.5 million people who are dependent
of the country and popularise ‘Vocational on this sector for their livelihood. However,
Courses’ as ‘Mainstream’ options for youth. around 70% of the workforce constitutes
Community College model under NVQEF semi-skilled, unskilled workers or operators

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THE ECONOMIC TIMES POLYMERS DECEMBER, 2013 - JANUARY, 2014 3
 various regions of the country based on the
available industry types and clusters. Further,
there should be active involvement of
representatives from respective processing
industry segments (Injection moulding,
extrusion blow / stretch blow moulding,
extrusion industry related to pipe /
profile / cable / film-monolayer, multilayer /
sheet / raffia tape / monofilament / coating /
foams, thermoforming , rotational moulding
etc.) in development of training modules
and assessment of trainees through practical
test / evaluation.
Automation, application of robotics
and electronics / computer based control
system in advance processing machinery
have a strong impact on requirements of
production engineers / supervisors to have
electronics / electrical / mechanical
engineering background with exposure
who may not have received formal training or adequate training in plastic / polymer
but acquired the skill or training ‘on the job’; processing. Similarly, plastic engineers /
while approximately 10% manpower are in the supervisors need training on attributes of
supervisory and managerial role, rest belong electronic / mechanical engineering as well
to the non-technical function like to grow as ‘assets’ of the plastic fraternity.
Administration, HRD, Marketing, Accounts,
Stores, Logistics etc. To Summarise
Governmental and industry estimates In a nutshell, the plastics industry is an important
suggest manpower or human capital manufacturing sector for human capital and
requirement of another 3 millions in next employment generation in the country, driven
5-6 years. However, we should keep in mind largely through skills of technicians / operators
that 60-70% (around 2 million) human on the production shop floors; potential exists
capital requirements would be for the for supervisors and engineers, as well. The
‘blue collar’ level only. The challenge of the future growth of plastics processing industry
plastics processing industry is to channelise is directly proportional to the availability of
efforts in creating Skill Development skilled / trained manpower in the ensuing
Centres for specific processing sectors in years.

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The Economic Times Polymers

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THE ECONOMIC TIMES POLYMERS DECEMBER, 2013 - JANUARY, 2014