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Role of wrapping Apart from the quality of a given product, its packaging and presentation also play a crucial role in its marketability. Good packaging ensures that a product reaches the consumer safe and sound. The onus of attracting the consumer to the product and furnishing complete information about it in an appealing form also lies on packaging. Thus, in the present scenario, the importance of good packaging in selling a product cannot be over-emphasised. Today, all goods must be packed well for protection, easy transportation and storage. No wonder, the packaging industry is growing by leaps and bounds. India can boast of a huge packaging industry, but there is a shortage of trained manpower in the field. With more and more industrial units being set up to manufacture consumer and industrial goods, the demand of packaging professionals is expected to increase. Due to wide industrial expansion overseas, there is great scope for outsourcing packaging by manufacturers.
Wide scope Owing to the availability of cheap labour, raw material and conducive climate, India has the potential to emerge as a hub in this field. Incidentally, Essel packaging, one of the biggest packaging MNCs in the world, is an Indian company launched by the owners of the Zee TV group.
Course clues Seeing the growing demand for packaging experts, quite a few institutes have started courses in packaging, printing and graphics. The Union Ministry of Industry runs the Institute of Packaging Technology in New Delhi , with another centre at Mumbai. The institute offers a one-and-a-half year diploma in packaging technology. The Institute of Mass Communication and Media Technology, Kurukshetra University, Haryana, has also launched a B.Tech programme in Printing, Graphics and Packaging. Admissions to the four-year course are made on the basis of a qualifying exam. The students who have passed their plus two exam with physics, chemistry and mathematics are eligible for it.
Printed word Printing and graphics go hand in hand with packaging, as a sound knowledge of the appropriate printing technology, which varies with the packaging material, is a must for the professionals. Expertise in computer graphics is an added advantage. Since every consumer or industrial product is manufactured to be sold, it needs to be fit for use on reaching the buyer. Thus, packaging assumes great significance. With the advent of packaged foods, the demand for good-quality packaging has witnessed a spurt. Packaging of tablets and other pharmaceutical products is another specialised area. From toiletries to food stuff to industrial goods, packaging has to ensure the safety and saleability of a product.
Material concerns For good packaging, the selection of appropriate packaging material is the foremost requirement. The material should be safe for the product, eco-friendly and durable. Then, the packaging should be attractive to catch the attention of prospective customers. Also, it should be easy to handle and transport. The specific requirements of the product are also to be kept in mind. The printing technology thus varies in accordance with the material being used for packaging.
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If you want to understand the significance of packaging, just remember that bright coloured pill that you took out from an attractive covering before popping it into your mouth. Or recall the instance when you were tempted to buy a tetra pack of juice just because of its eye-catching packaging. Or simply take into account the way in which the makers of confectionery items entice children into becoming loyal consumers by packing their products in glowing wrappers with vibrant colours.
