India-based consumer products company Tata Consumer Products (TCP) has opened a tea packaging plant at Gopalpur Industrial Park near Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
The plant, built with a Rs1bn ($13.43m) investment, has successfully completed a production trial.
It features advanced packing machinery fitted with Internet of Things (IoT) capabilities to improve operational efficiency.
With an expected production capacity of around 60 million kilogrammes a year, the Gopalpur plant will become TCP’s largest tea packing plant once fully operational.
Tata Steel Special Economic Zone (TSSEZL), a subsidiary of Tata Steel, invested in infrastructure at the plant, while TCP spent capital on the machinery.
In its first year of operations, the project will create 250 direct and indirect jobs. A further 700 jobs will be created when the plant is fully operational by 2024-25.
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By GlobalDataIn keeping with TCP’s commitment to sustainability, the Gopalpur plant is powered by a solar power unit with 350kW of capacity.
Tata Consumer Products managing director and CEO Sunil D’Souza said: “The plant is an integral part of Tata Consumer Products’ plans to scale supply chain capabilities to meet growing consumer demand.
“It is a state-of-the-art unit, the largest tea packing plant for Tata Consumer, and will be a key hub in our supply chain network.
“It has also been built with a focus on green manufacturing in line with our sustainability agenda.”
Tata Steel CEO and managing director T V Narendran said: “It is a moment of great pride for us as another member of the Tata Group, TCP, is starting its maiden manufacturing operations in Odisha.
“Our investments across multiple locations in Odisha is a demonstration of our commitment to the development of the state and our firm belief in its growth story.”
Amalgamated Plantations Private Limited (APPL), an associate company of TCP, has been chosen to operate the Gopalpur plant.
APPL currently operates three other tea packing factories in India. Two of these are in the state of Assam and one is in West Bengal.
