A tale of two webinars
In the past seven weeks of the total lockdown, most of us have been offered gratuitous webinars for everything from sculpture to baking, how to improve our business, become explosive digital marketers, and super salespersons. Apart from the self-comeback opportunities, there take been some industry-related webinars. Of the four webinars that I have registered for, three were related to packaging. Two of these concerned the Indian packaging industry and were organized past exhibition companies – Messe Dusseldorf India and Reed-PackPlus, respectively.
The first of the two webinars took place on 27 April and was, I remember, it is fair to say, a bit hastily organized by Messe Dusseldorf Republic of india, and I was the moderator. The second, held on 28 April, was quite elegantly arranged and well in advance past Reed-PackPlus. The moderator was our blueprint and marketing columnist Deepak Manchanda. I was a bit wary of taking part in this jerky bit of gamesmanship, merely the organizers assured me that they would put together some panelists and took some of my suggestions to bring in a couple of new names. In any case, given the constraints, both the webinars went off reasonably well and revealed a bang-up bargain of the overall enthusiasm and concern of the Indian packaging industry. At that place is an upbeat feeling that the manufacture is contributing to national proficient in a fourth dimension of stress.
The MDI-Interpak webinar on 27 April attracted at ane signal something like 630 online participants and the Reed-PackPlus something like 1150 or 1200. Thus information technology is clear that there was a cracking desire of the packaging community to take part in these events.
I remember (and you must accept that I am biased) that the MDI webinar discussed the issue of the Covid-nineteen lockdown in a adequately balanced manner. In the discussion of how the economy and industry volition sally from the pandemic and the lockdown, there was great unbridled optimism from Amit Banga of SB Packaging and some pushback for realism and moderation from Akshay Kanoria of TCPL. In answer to Banga'south admirable intent to exist positive, Kanoria said at that place were many unknowns and that although i should hope for the best, it would be wise to prepare for the worst.
Similarly, the discussion on automation went from being inevitable and advantageous to a more nuanced answer past the young Kanoria, who said that automation CAPEX is rarely evaluated simply by looking at the return on investment (ROI). On the outcome of sustainability taking a knock from the economic compulsions of reviving the industry, the answers were also equivocal. Yep, sustainability may take a hit.
In dissimilarity, the Reed-PackPlus webinar non only drew a larger audition but had younger and more varied panelists in the primary. The panelists shared slides as they spoke. Yet, this panel consisted entirely of optimists who trotted out the usual mush about Bharat replacing Cathay in terms of investment, the Indian demographic dividend, and the country's super Gross domestic product growth.
I think that the GDP and packaging industry growth information was outdated and not based on whatsoever apparent or up to engagement research or what has been happening on the footing in the packaging industry. Information technology was a bit like the self-congratulatory online revival coming together of a sector which needs to feel good about itself and its prospects. Other parts of the webinar that discussed automation were insightful, although 1-sided. The presentation by a converter on innovation and sustainability at the finish was excellent. And when a panelist was asked if the coercion of reviving the industry would put sustainability on the back burner, the reply was unreservedly in favor of the continued priority of sustainable packaging.
Unfortunately, there is not going to be any demographic dividend. There cannot be any dividend without investment. Our government'southward investments in both teaching and wellness are dismal at around 2% of Gross domestic product in each. Secondly, the Indian economy has been in trouble for vii quarters before the Covid-19 lockdown. The GDP growth for FY 20-21 is now forecast by rating agencies and global institutions as anywhere from between 0% and one.ix%.
The Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown have revealed to u.s.a. the power of working from home, blue skies not seen in the cities since the early 1980s, and that there are other possible ways of doing what we have been doing past rote. The lockdown has also again revealed the vast and inexcusable inequities of our state that need to be overcome.
The question is whether we take the fresh opportunity to think anew and take up the hard challenges. Will we put sustainability in every sense ahead of costs and inequities? Or will we once again take the short cuts, and soon be back where we started?
Source: https://packagingsouthasia.com/events/a-tale-of-two-webinars/
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