Bigbox: Packaged to perfection The next time you reach for the medicine bottle, there is every chance, that the container box, could have come from the stable of 'Bigbox', a unit located in the Verna Industrial estate, specialising in the manufacture of all aspects of packaging material.
A modest signboard points to a plain large shed, but once in, you are exposed to a bee-hive of activity, with nearly 200 workers busy at their different tasks, of either printing the daily newspaper "Herald", or churning out printed and finished packaging products that "could rival the best in the world", says its proud owner Raul Fernandes. Whether by design or serendipity, Fernandes, a home-spun personality, coupled with a shyness and an almost withdrawn modesty, has certainly added a new dimension to his business of owning and printing the "Herald", with the simultaneous package manufacturing industry. The sweet smell of newsprint and inks pervade the 5000 sq. mt. area of the shed with a high dome, dotted with specialised machinery for different tasks, right from the huge German Heidelbergs, UV printers, the compact and modern Repro or film processing and designing department, foil printers, a workshop for inhouse maintenance of machinery, and the small waste packaging compressor unit, which Fernandes says, fetches him Rs.6 - Rs.7 per kilo of waste. The 'Bigbox', may be a comparative fledgling - just a year and a half old - but it is big enough by any standards, to give similar units elsewhere in the country a run for their money, and as the name suggests, holds out great promise of keeping on growing. Infact, expansion work has already started on an adjoining 4-acre plot, with an additional investment of Rs. 25 crores for package manufacture, in addition to the already invested Rs. 20 crores in the present shed. "Makes sense to use bank loans", says Fernandes with a great measure of self-confidence, especially as the local banks have been eager to oblige any borrowers. Already, his annual turnover is in the region of Rs. 15 crores, per annum, he said. He disclosed that he had already been approached by a party in New Zealand to set up a similar packaging unit there and was debating the prospect, as he presently has his hands full, with orders not only from Indian firms but also from multinationals. As for infrastructure facilities provided at the Verna Industrial Estate, he had no problems, as he got his power supply from Reliance and had his own borewell for his water needs. With no shortage of optism, Fernandes now has other diversification plans on the anvil, like setting up of three authentic Italian, Chinese and Egyptian restaurants, which he is confident will create a new experience for gourmets. ########################################################################## # Send submissions for Goanet to [EMAIL PROTECTED] # # PLEASE remember to stay on-topic (related to Goa), and avoid top-posts # # More details on Goanet at http://joingoanet.shorturl.com/ # # Please keep your discussion/tone polite, to reflect respect to others # ##########################################################################
