Indian packaging firms represented at a packaging industry expo here have said that there has been “significant interest” during the three-day meet for them to continue their engagement with firms in Sri Lanka.

“We have received about 200 enquiries,” said Mr V. Sreeram, Assistant Vice-President (Marketing), Hindustan National Glass and Industries, when asked about the quantum of business enquiries. In all, while more than $30 million worth of enquiries have been generated over the three-day meet, many industry insiders feel that this figure is misleading.

“Sometimes one enquiry will materialise. Sometimes multiple enquiries translate into business,” said Mr Kishen Agarwal of Paper Pack Industries, Chennai.

He said that he was not merely looking to sell, but also to buy materials from Sri Lanka.

As many as 28 Indian packaging firms were represented in ‘Lankapack 2012,' International Packaging Exhibition, a B2B event, organised by the Sri Lanka Institute of Packaging, said Mr U. Narendar Bafna, an organiser of the Complete Packaging Expo. There were two firms from China too.

The firm will hold its Chennai edition of the packaging expo from July 13 to 15.

Later this year, it will also hold a similar expo in Kenya, from September 17 to 19. Sri Lanka is seeking the help of Indian companies, in a bid to enter the vast Indian and Chinese markets.

“I believe our packaging industry can now open itself to the Asian region,” said Mr Rishad Bathiudeen, Sri Lankan Minister of Industry and Commerce, at the inauguration of the expo.

The global packaging market is estimated at $696 billion in 2011. Over the next five years, it is expected to touch $800 billion.

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