Noida: South African Deputy President Paul Mashatile visited UFlex’s integrated manufacturing facility in Noida last week as part of his official visit to India aimed at strengthening bilateral trade and investment ties between South Africa and India. Accompanied by South African Ministers, Deputy Ministers and members of the official delegation, the visit highlighted growing economic engagement between the two countries and explored opportunities for collaboration in sustainable manufacturing, packaging innovation and circular economy initiatives.
The delegation was hosted by Mr. Ashok Chaturvedi, Chairman and Managing Director of UFlex, who provided an overview of the company’s global operations, innovation capabilities, and sustainability-led growth strategy.
During the visit, the South African delegation gained insights into UFlex’s integrated presence across the packaging value chain. The company operates across multiple business segments including packaging films, flexible packaging, chemicals, aseptic liquid packaging, holography, engineering solutions, printing cylinders, and recycling. As a one-stop packaging solutions provider, UFlex serves a wide range of industries including FMCG, consumer goods, pharmaceuticals, building materials, automobiles, and several other sectors.
Addressing the delegation, Chaturvedi highlighted the critical role of sustainable packaging in supporting resource efficiency, reducing waste, and strengthening supply chains. He shared UFlex’s vision of advancing a circular packaging economy through continuous investments in advanced manufacturing technologies, recycling infrastructure, design for recyclability, increased use of recycled content, and the development of sustainable packaging alternatives.
He noted that the packaging industry is increasingly evolving towards solutions that balance performance with sustainability, making innovation a key driver of future growth. Chaturvedi also emphasised the importance of collaboration between governments, industry, and businesses to accelerate the transition toward more sustainable production and consumption models.
The discussions also focused on opportunities for deeper cooperation between India and South Africa in areas such as sustainable packaging, recycling infrastructure, circular economy solutions, and value-added manufacturing. According to UFlex, both countries share a strong commitment to inclusive economic development and environmental responsibility, creating significant potential for long-term partnerships.
The visit comes at a time when sustainability and resource efficiency are becoming central themes in global manufacturing and industrial development. Industry experts believe that greater collaboration between emerging economies can play a crucial role in driving innovation and creating scalable solutions to address environmental challenges.
Founded in 1985, UFlex has grown into India’s largest multinational flexible packaging and solutions company with a presence across all major segments of the packaging value chain. The company employs more than 12,000 people globally and provides end-to-end packaging solutions to customers in over 150 countries.
Headquartered in Noida, UFlex has established a strong international manufacturing footprint with facilities in India, the UAE, Mexico, Egypt, the United States, Poland, CIS countries, Nigeria, and Hungary. Over the years, the company has received several global recognitions for innovation, product excellence, and sustainability initiatives.
UFlex is also credited with being the first company in the world to receive recognition at the Davos Recycle Forum in 1995 for conceptualizing the recycling of mixed plastic waste, reflecting its long-standing commitment to advancing sustainable packaging solutions.
