How an Indore Company Is Using Automation to Make India’s Packaging Smarter and More Sustainable

Think about the last thing you ordered online or picked up from a supermarket shelf. Before it reached your hands, it travelled through factories, warehouses and delivery trucks — all protected by a simple cardboard box.

It’s something most of us rarely notice. Yet without it, products could be damaged, delayed, or never reach us at all.

As India’s manufacturing and e-commerce sectors continue to expand, the need for strong, reliable and eco-friendly packaging has never been greater.

Recognising this growing demand, Udaan Paper Industries, an Indore-based manufacturer, transformed its operations by moving from manual production to automated manufacturing. Today, the company produces nearly 50 lakh recyclable corrugated boxes every month, helping businesses receive high-quality packaging faster while reducing waste and supporting the shift away from plastic.

Turning an industry challenge into an opportunity

For decades, much of India’s corrugated packaging industry depended on manual processes. This often resulted in inconsistent quality, slower production and difficulties in keeping up with rising demand. At the same time, businesses were actively looking for sustainable alternatives to plastic packaging.

For Yash Bakliwal, Managing Director and Chairman of Udaan Paper Industries Limited, this presented an opportunity.

“India’s manufacturing and consumption economy was growing rapidly, but the packaging industry was still largely fragmented and dependent on manual processes,” says Yash.

“We saw a clear gap between the growing demand for high-quality packaging and the industry’s ability to deliver it consistently. Businesses were also looking for sustainable alternatives to plastic. That inspired us to build automated manufacturing facilities capable of producing recyclable paper packaging quickly, consistently and at scale.”

Although Udaan Paper Industries traces its roots back to 1986, the company entered a new phase of growth in 2021, when the current promoter group took over with a renewed focus on automation and sustainable packaging.

Their goal was to solve three long-standing industry challenges:

At the same time, they wanted to make recyclable paper packaging a practical alternative to plastic.

Today, Udaan operates two fully automated manufacturing plants—one in Pithampur, Madhya Pradesh, and another in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh—supplying corrugated packaging to businesses across North and Central India.

How automation changed the process

Inside Udaan’s manufacturing plants, the journey of every box begins with giant paper reels.

These rolls pass through automated corrugation lines, where multiple layers of paper are bonded together to create sturdy corrugated sheets capable of withstanding transportation.

The sheets are then cut, printed, folded and stacked before being converted into finished boxes of different sizes.

“Automation makes the entire process faster, more accurate and highly consistent,” explains Yash.

Unlike conventional manufacturing, where production depends heavily on manual handling, automation enables every box to be produced to the same quality standard while reducing material wastage and improving efficiency.

“Our goal is to deliver packaging that is consistent in quality, produced faster and reaches customers on time,” he says.

“Automation helps us improve production planning, reduce material wastage and support the shift from plastic to recyclable paper packaging.”

Despite the advanced machinery, people remain central to the operation.

Quality checks, machine monitoring, maintenance and dispatch planning are all handled by Udaan’s teams.

“Technology improves efficiency, but it is skilled people who ensure quality and reliability,” says Yash.

The company employs around 100 people across its two plants. As automation has expanded, many employees have transitioned from physically demanding manual work into more specialised technical roles.

“Every new machine requires trained operators,” Yash adds. “We see automation as an opportunity to upskill our people, not replace them.”

Packaging that supports India’s growing supply chains

A single cardboard box may seem ordinary. But when multiplied by 50 lakh every month, it becomes an essential part of India’s supply chain.

Today, Udaan’s two automated facilities produce nearly 50 lakh recyclable corrugated boxes every month, with a combined installed production capacity of 30,000 tonnes annually.

Its packaging supports businesses across sectors including FMCG, food processing, dairy, beverages, textiles and consumer goods, while the company continues to expand into pharmaceuticals and e-commerce.

Technology also plays a role beyond manufacturing.

GPS-enabled vehicles, optimised route planning and improved production scheduling help ensure that packaging reaches customers on time, allowing their own production lines to run without disruption.

“Our role doesn’t end when the box leaves the factory,” says Yash.

“By strengthening both manufacturing and logistics, we’re helping customers improve inventory movement, reduce turnaround time and build more efficient supply chains.”

Automation has also created a cleaner and safer production environment by reducing manual handling. This helps brands receive consistent, high-quality packaging—particularly important for sectors such as food processing, dairy and FMCG, where hygiene and product integrity are essential.

Looking ahead

With its two automated plants operating at scale, Udaan is already planning its next phase of growth.

The company aims to become a one-stop provider of sustainable packaging solutions by expanding into allied paper-based products, including paper bags. This will allow businesses to source a wider range of eco-friendly packaging from a single partner.

Alongside manufacturing, Udaan also plans to strengthen its technology-driven logistics and reverse logistics capabilities to help customers improve inventory movement and build more efficient supply chains.

The company is also looking to expand its presence in international markets, including the US, UK, North America, Latin America and Australia, where demand for sustainable paper-based packaging continues to grow.

Yash believes that automated manufacturing, technology-enabled logistics and sustainable packaging will help Indian businesses compete globally.

“As India’s manufacturing, e-commerce, FMCG and organised retail sectors continue to grow, automation will become essential,” he says.

“Future packaging companies will compete not only on price, but also on quality, speed, consistency, sustainability and supply-chain reliability. Automation will help Indian manufacturers compete globally. Our vision is to build one of India’s most trusted automated packaging companies.”

For most of us, a cardboard box is something we open and discard without a second thought.

But behind every one is a story of innovation, efficiency and the quiet systems that keep India’s factories, warehouses and delivery networks moving.

Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: thebetterindia.com