INDIA – Leading manufacturer and supplier of pulp and paper machinery, Parason has collaborated with ABB to automate and up-scale production of sustainable and compostable packaging solutions in India.
The partnership has been forged to help Parason’s customers reduce their reliance on single-use plastics and Styrofoam packaging.
ABB robots, integrated with Parason’s machinery, will help to facilitate the effective manufacturing of agro-waste products – creating 100 percent eco-friendly compostable packaging solutions.
Subrata Karmakar, Country President for Robotics & Discrete Automation Business at ABB India said: “The 3.5 million tonnes of plastic waste generated in India per annum creates various hazards, which is why India has initiated a nationwide ban on single-use plastic.
“ABB’s innovative robotic solutions, combined with Parason’s revolutionary turn-key manufacturing process using agro-waste, will be a key contributor to addressing climate change by adopting a 100% compostable alternative to plastics.”
ABB initially deployed 10 robots at Parason’s five forming machine cells and added another 20 robots at the end of last year.
Compared to manual pick-and-place applications, ABB robots will help increase OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) performance by 30 percent while eliminating ergonomic risks for the workforce, and improving overall health and safety.
The collaboration comes at a time when India generates about 500 million tonnes of farm waste every year which, can now be used to create sustainable packaging solutions.
ABB’s automated solutions have helped create a viable, cost-effective value chain and maintain a low-carbon environment, as per Madhure Desarda, Director of Operations, Parason Group.
This year, Parason intends to deploy 250 forming machine cells, which have the capacity to replace 150 tonnes of single-use plastic per day.
These efforts together with the country’s ban on single-use plastic will help greatly in the fight against plastic pollution.
Currently, India lacks an organized plastic waste management system, resulting in widespread littering. Plastics end up in rivers, oceans and landfills, threatening the lives of wildlife species.
For the ban to be successful, industry experts are calling on the government to carry out a thorough economic and environmental cost-benefit analysis, as well as chalk out a plan to take into account social and economic impacts.
with increased innovation and research on alternatives to plastics plus all stakeholders involvement in the fight against plastic pollution, India sees a solution in the near future.
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