Skanem Interlabels expands in Kolkata

According to our report in February 2012, Skanem Group partnered with Interlabels and acquired a 51 percent stake in the company. Early this year Skanem acquired the balance stake holding in Skanem Interlabels thus making it a 100 percent subsidy of Skanem SA. Although ownership has changed, there is ­no change in the management.

 ‘I had met Skanem management at FINAT meetings. They were looking at investing in this part of the world,’ says Gautam Kothari, marketing director at Skanem Interlabels. ‘We met the owners and got along well. We, at Interlabels, were sure that a merger with an experienced and well connected company will bring a lot of value addition to the business.’ Large buyers across the world mostly look at established regional and global companies for business opportunities thus enabling them to implement the same artwork on their products while maintaining quality.

Elaborating on the venture, Kothari explains, ‘This is a very capital sensitive industry. To have larger plants and an increased footprint, while continuing to be leaders in the industry, requires a lot of investment. Much larger and financially stronger partners such as Skanem Group facilitate growth.’ Since the tie-up with Skanem, new technologies and innovations are being discussed and better systems are being set-up in each plant. After the final merger, Skanem has a total of 14 plants across the world. Skanem Interlabels in India, however, is manufacturing only for the domestic market and exporting very little to Africa.