Cosmo Films enters Labelexpo arena

Cosmo Films enters Labelexpo arena

This is the first Labelexpo Americas exhibition for India-based films manufacturer Cosmo Films. Andy Thomas finds out more

Cosmo Films is a global manufacturer of packaging and label films. The company started manufacturing BOPP in India in 1981 and today has a BOPP production capacity of 96,000 tonnes a year. In addition the company manufactures 38,000 tonnes of thermal laminating films and 3,000 tonnes of coated films a year. Total annual production capacity is expected to reach 174,000 TPA by Q1 2013.

Cosmo Films runs a total of 10 state-of-the-art extrusion coating lines, seven BOPP lines, two metalizers and two coating lines, all supported by a comprehensive R&D laboratory. The company has two manufacturing plants in India – at Aurangabad and Baroda – and plants in the Netherlands, Korea and the US. It has distribution centers and sales offices in Japan and Singapore. The plants are certified to ISO 9001 and to the BRC-IOP product safety and hygiene management system.

Pankaj Poddar is company president and responsible for managing Cosmo Films’ Indian operations. So why did the company choose to exhibit for the first time at a Labelexpo Americas?

‘We already sell BOPP and thermal lamination films in the US and now intend to sell coated films,’ said Poddar. ‘The USA is the biggest market for label films in the world and we have a wide range of coated products including print receptive label films, PVDC, acrylic, velvet, scuff free matte and digital film.’

Continues Poddar, ‘The USA is an apt market for our company given our strength and focus on research and development and quality and we can provide a significant value as our advanced products are available at a reasonable cost.’  There is local service from the company’s distribution center in the US.

In terms of label films, Cosmo offers a wide range including wrap around, self-adhesive facestocks and In-mold (IML). Among other specialist products promoted at Labelexpo Americas will be metalized facestock film, HP Indigo digital printable label films, a range of over-laminating films including Velvet touch, linen and silk matte, as well as Holographic patterned film and clear films for liner and specialty packaging grades.

‘Next year capacities will expand by 40,000 MT/year which will give us an opportunity to expand our customer base globally,’ says Poddar.     

Looking to the future, Poddar sees a great future for in-mold labels inparticular. ‘In the coming future IML will take over self-adhesive labels because of its unique advantages. In IML labels the number of conversion operations are less and its cost effectiveness with better results are added advantages.’

On trends in the PS sector, Poddar comments, ‘Paper liner might be replaced by flexible film liner on account of environmental issues. Bio-degradable films may also be the future trend to nurture the environment. ‘

Poddar is certainly buoyant about the future. ‘We predict that the international label films market will grow by seven to eight percent in the coming years.’          

Pictured: Cosmo Films launches new coated products at Labelexpo Americas

This article was published in L&L issue 4, 2012

Andy Thomas

  • Strategic director