Alternicq and Pulpex Partner to Introduce Pulp-Fibre Bottles in India
Alternicq has signed an exclusive agreement with UK-based Pulpex to introduce pulp-fibre bottle technology in India. The companies will assess demand, regulatory requirements and manufacturing needs before determining the site and equipment for local production.
Exclusive partnership targets the Indian packaging market
Indian packaging manufacturer Alternicq has entered an exclusive partnership with UK-based Pulpex to introduce pulp-fibre bottle technology in India. The agreement adds a renewable packaging format to Alternicq’s existing rigid-plastic platform and is intended to support applications across fast-moving consumer-goods categories.
According to Silicon Village, the two companies will jointly assess the commercial opportunity for Pulpex bottles in India. Their work will cover customer demand, priority product categories, regulatory and product requirements, and the site and equipment needed for local manufacturing. The announcement does not specify an investment amount, production site, commissioning date or planned output.
The partnership gives Alternicq exclusive rights in India and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, with the potential for the agreement to expand to Australia. Pulpex Chief Executive Officer Sandy Westwater said the arrangement brings together a UK technology platform and Alternicq’s manufacturing capabilities and customer base. Scott Winston, Pulpex’s managing director and chief science and sustainability officer, described India as a natural market for the company’s next phase of growth.
Technology designed for existing filling lines
Pulpex bottles are food-grade and made from sustainably sourced wood pulp. They use a sprayed inner barrier coating that does not have to be separated from the bottle during recycling. The bottles are designed to enter normal household paper and cardboard recycling streams and to work with existing filling infrastructure. The technology also supports direct-to-shape decoration for FMCG applications.
Compatibility with current filling equipment could be important for consumer-goods manufacturers evaluating the format, because packaging changes can otherwise require additional modifications to production lines. However, the partners still need to test category suitability, customer interest and regulatory conditions in India before defining the local manufacturing configuration.
Alternicq expands beyond rigid plastic
Alternicq, formerly known as Manjushree Technopack, operates 29 manufacturing facilities across India and employs more than 2,400 people, Silicon Village reported. The company has annual production capacity exceeding 275,000 tonnes of preforms, containers, closures, pumps and dispensers, as well as more than 2 billion units of cartons, labels and leaflets. It serves over 1,000 customers in consumer goods, pharmaceuticals and beverages and is backed by Asia-Pacific private-equity firm PAG.
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Thimmaiah NP said the company is developing a one-stop packaging business covering multiple formats and materials. Alternicq is pairing that commercial strategy with international technology partnerships in materials, packaging formats, recycling and supply chains.
The Pulpex agreement therefore represents both a product addition and a test of Alternicq’s ability to industrialise a new packaging material through its Indian footprint. For FMCG producers, the immediate development is access to another bottle platform rather than confirmed commercial-scale supply. The next significant milestones will be evidence of customer demand, identification of priority categories, regulatory approval where required and a decision on the location and capacity of local production.