India's pioneering honours for the plastics and polymer industry, the ET Polymers Awards, has announced the winners for the 2022 cycle. In the jury meet held on 7 February 2022, a total of 40 finalists were confirmed who were contesting for 14 awards across six categories of automotive, consumer durables, electrical & electronics, packaging, recycling, houseware & kitchen, medical device & healthcare and open.
With a motto to honour the true flagbearers of ‘excellence in plastics', the awards were segregated into two categories: large, i.e., companies with an annual turnover of Rs 1000 cr and more, and SMEs, i.e., companies with turnover of less than Rs 1000 cr.
The champions of automotive
The event commenced with Varroc Engineering Limited (4w Lighting Division) bagging the award under the Automotive -- Large category for its modified polycarbonate material for automotive modern tail lamp lighting technology. Meanwhile, the runner up prize was presented to Tata Motors Limited for the world's first dual-layer rotomolded fuel tank under the same category.
Subsequently, while PPAP Automotive Limited received the runner up award for its waist seal outer belt-replacement of painted steel applique by polymer for appeal under the SMEs category for Automotive, Omnium Auto Exteriors (India) Pvt Ltd took home the award for its thermoplastic tailgate assembly (XUV700).
The well ‘packaged' winners
Under the following category - Packaging: Large - Huhtamaki India Ltd won first place for its limited-edition variable festive tea packs. Uflex Limited took home the runner up for its fully recyclable mono-polymer bags for large quantity rice packaging application for peacock 20 kg rice bag.
Lastly, Regent Plast Pvt Ltd won first place for its one ltr HPCL bottle under the SMEs category for Packaging.
Medical, healthcare and more…
Mitsu Chem Plast Ltd bagged the award for its head and foot bow for hospital bed with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) board in the SMEs category for Medical and Healthcare.
Under the Open category for Large, Garware Technical Fibres Ltd received the award for its X-18-Ultra Stiff Net, while Astral Limited took the runner up for its CPVC Multilayer Composite Pipe.
Subsequently, Xpro India Limited (Biax Division-Bariora Unit II) bagged the first prize for its dielectric biaxially oriented polypropylene (Bopp) film for manufacturing capacitor under the Consumer Durables & Electrical & Electronics category for SMEs, and OMG Auto Mould Pvt Ltd received the runner up for its Kyan-digital classroom solution.
Recognising the sustainable pioneers
To conclude, the last category awards for SMEs under Recycling was bagged by Banyan Nation for its recycled HDPE & PP granules, and the runner up was awarded to Aayush Plastic for its multilayer laminated disposable products.
The editor's choice awards
Post the awards, it was time to recognise the best in the industry with the Editorial Choice ET Polymers Awards 2022. The ‘Economic Times Polymers - Next Generation Leader Award for 2022' was conferred on the Director of Cello Group, Gaurav Rathod. Recognising the new-age spirit of entrepreneurship in India, Directors of Goldmedal India, Kishan Jain and Bishan Jain were awarded the Economic Times Polymers Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2022.
Rewarding the portentous leadership in the polymers industry, Shujaul Rehman, the CEO of Garware Technical Fibres, was conferred with the ET Polymers CEO of The Year 2022 award. Lastly, to recognise the highly esteemed personality of the polymers industry who has made a difference through and through the sector, the ET Polymers Lifetime Achievement Award 2022 was awarded endowed to Sandeep Engineer, the Chairman and Managing Director of Astral Ltd.