Fastest-Growing Packaging Companies of 2024_Profile

With the recent pandemic, the value chain has been affected the most from raw material sourcing to end customers. This disruption is eventually testing the organization. Operational. And commercial resilience of organizations across our planet. The deadly pandemic has exposed many risk and resiliency gaps for multiple organizations. Now as much as 67 percent of CEOs are planning to increase investment in disruption detection and innovation processes.

In this article we will discuss, how should businesses seek to build resiliency into their supply chain?

Disruption in Logistics: The disruption in global logistics due to the Covid19 pandemic continues to impact various businesses and consumers, as the flow of consumer goods into markets like the U.S, South East Asia, and Europe is restricted due to the continued lockdowns in China and other markets.

This disruption in logistics often creates a ripple effect across the global supply chains that eventually causes goods to pile up in their respective storage facilities. Assuming that these problems will be solved and the airfreight returns to the pre-pandemic levels, it’ll still take some time to get things back to normal. And during this time, one can easily expect to pay higher prices and a longer waiting time. With such a massive disruption in the global supply chain, consumers will have to reset their expectations as items that are needed to be repaired, could also be delayed in the lengthy service queues.

Delays in Production: The Covid19 induced production delays are leading to various consumers experiencing non-availability of products.

However, the pandemic has shifted businesses’ focus on supply chain evaluation and evolution. Most organizations nowadays are evaluating and investing in their supply chain strategies, which will eventually pave the way for a better and more efficient supply chain.

Over-Reliance: We all know, that focusing on one major trading partner comes with multiple risk factors. With the pandemic, organizations have understood the importance of equipping their supply chains by identifying alternative trading partnerships. The leaders from the supply chain industry are also turning their attention to third and fourth parties to monitor risks that might cripple their business.

By working with service providers, who provide services as a service, businesses can build greater agility and resilience into their supply chain. New technologies and additional logistics requirements are being provided as variable cost solutions instead of long-term fixed overheads, which in return provides flexibility and more control. All these together can create a nearly bulletproof system with a better appetite for risk and cost mitigation in the future.

Increasing Investment in Tech: During 2022, one should expect to see a growth in investment as businesses seek to improve their critical supply chain planning capabilities, by investing more and more in the digital in digital solutions, including AI-driven predictive analytics and adding much better integrity and visibility into secure supply chains by using various advanced track and trace and blockchain technologies.

Since the pandemic, one can easily observe that multiple supply chain managers are currently being troubled by a lack of visibility throughout their supply chain, due to a massive number of nodes and participants within the chain. Nowadays, most of the leading companies are using various advanced technologies, to improve their visibility, and have become much more responsive, to various disruptions, and variability in their global, and domestic supply chains.

Focus on Sustainability: As a growing number of consumers are prioritizing the environment, businesses have increased their efforts in sustainability. In the coming years, businesses around the world might take much more extreme or drastic measures to protect the environment. While some might choose sustainable manufacturing processes or attempt to become zero waste producers. However, most of the time, these attempts may not be sustainable in the long term, as such a drastic shift requires a complete overhaul of the supply chain, from sourcing raw materials to transporting goods to customers.

So, it’s always good to start with small things like updating packaging design and others. By making changes gradually, and deliberately one can increase his/her organization’s commitment to sustainability.

Workforce and Labor: The pandemic also caused massive uncertainties and shortages in the labor market, which further complicated the post-pandemic recovery for many organizations and industries. Companies are facing shortages in both blue- and white-collar jobs in terms of skills and numbers. Other than the labor-related issues, there are some non-Covid related factors in play companies must look at to reduce the issues related to labor and staffing.

Cloud-Based Solutions: Cloud-based solutions are the future of supply chain management. The post-pandemic world is slowly moving away from the traditional and localized chain supply management, and the older solutions won’t simply cut it. An organization needs to stay accurate, and agile to stay relevant in the industry. Software-as-a-service model is very much useful for supply chain management. Not only SaaS is much more reliable and secure, but it is much more efficient and convenient. With the ever-changing supply chain, the efficiency provided by SaaS is crucial to support an organization.

IoT: IoT always plays a great role in the supply chain. During the next few years, more than 50 percent of large organizations, could start using IoT, and other advanced technologies, to support various supply chain operations. Previously, it was believed that IoT technology can be used to provide oversight in operations and transportation. Additionally, IoT can also be used to create smart warehouses and fleets, which will increase the efficiency and accuracy of many areas in the supply chain.

Alongside the pandemic, a flurry of new technologies has fundamentally changed the way people shop and supply chains operate globally. Consumers around the planet are becoming more demanding, which is leading the change and helping to evolve the supply chains at a much faster rate than anticipated. The modern supply chain operations are entirely focused on technology and innovation, which in return makes it much more complex. With the changing supply chain management, the boundary between blue collared and white collared jobs is diminishing fast. We all know that technology cannot be operated in silos and it needs skilled workers who have the right capabilities. So, experts believe, that supply chain and manufacturing operations always need a combination of physical and technological skills in order to sustain and grow in this ever-changing industry. As these trends continue to evolve, the art of supply chain management will continue the same. New development often leads to unforeseen circumstances, both positive and negative. To stay up to date and position a supply chain company for success, one needs to adapt to these still unknown changes in the supply chain.

Did you know that 2010 was the breakthrough year for apps like Instagram, Ola, Uber & Quora – to name a few? Apart from these App. launches, 2010 was also the year Time Magazine rated Steve Jobs iPad as one of the Top 50 inventions of that year & Burj Khalifa, the World’s Tallest Building, was formally inaugurated in the first week of January 2010!

Cut to 2022, most of these apps and inventions have changed our lives massively and many of us can’t imagine living without them. In 2010, another company started its journey with a steadfast leader who quietly believed that businesses, like life, should be built on human relationships. A few falls, bruises, pains, and multiple experiences later, Mumbai-based Seven Twenty Ten (7.20.10), a Network of like-minded professionals, is now looking at building on its sound foundation.

Mr. Sheetal S Paknikar, the Company’s MD & CEO candidly takes us through the journey of this Media, Sports & Integrated Marketing Consulting Network, which is a great blend of vastly experienced analytical and creative professionals in planning and execution. Seven Twenty Ten offers end-to-end Media and Sports Consulting Services inclusive of Marketing Promotions, Identity Design, Brand Building, Digital Films & Videos, and Educational & Social Initiatives.

When Seven Twenty Ten entered the market during the global recession, they were just one of several other companies that tried to set up businesses but found it challenging to sustain. Yet, it was probably one of the very few organizations that used the market recession to build a then futuristic collaboration based ‘network’ model. This was intelligent innovation, driven by the Founder, who managed to motivate diverse professionals and SME’s to work together.

The Modern Vision-Mission Statement

According to Sheetal, the team take on the traditional ‘Vision-Mission’ Statement, is:

1.To Partner with Clients as Communication Problem Solvers.

2.Decide & Achieve Clear Communication Objectives.

3.Integrate Ideas, Consistent Message Strategy and Smart Execution.

4.Use Different Media, Understanding Consumer Touch-Points.

5.Effective Solutions, with Quicker Turnaround Times.

6.Lastly, the Seven Twenty Ten Approach is to create a value proposition with every penny/rupee spent, to ensure a mutually rewarding return-on-investment.

The Making of a Steadfast Leader

Armed with two decades of diverse work experience across domains, Sheetal founded Seven Twenty Ten in July 2010 with headquarters in Mumbai and Marketing Associates – largely his personal network, over the world. Having started his professional journey with Amit Khanna and Mahesh Bhatt’s Plus Channel as an Animator, he moved to The Times of India as an Infographic Artist, Graphic Designer & Feature Journalist. Sheetal was then a part of the core team that launched Bombay Times. After working for three years in Publication Design, he joined Ketan Mehta’s Maya Entertainment and was part of the team that launched Maya the Magic Shop, which became one of the pioneers of Animation & VFX in India in the 90s with India’s First Official Sci-Fi Television Series “Captain Vyom”. Later, based on this success, he was the Head of the Animation Team that started the Intel Centre for Advanced Cinematics, which is now the well known brand MAAC. His next assignment was to play a pivotal role in the core content & packaging of B4U Television Network in UK, USA, UAE & India. After 4 successful years in Television, Sheetal’s next project was with Mukta Arts Limited as the Creative Head where he worked on the launch of an International Lifestyle Channel and later with Nagesh Kukunoor on the Critically Acclaimed Iqbal. In 2004, he played his part of the team that saw the launch of Whistling Woods International. Next, he moved into mainstream advertising as the National Creative Director with focus Communication that worked for Brands like Edelweiss, Reid & Taylor, Finolex, Belmonte & Lilliput.

Hailing from a family of educators in Goa, Sheetal is an Applied Art Alumni of Goa College of Art and holds a Master’s Degree in Visual Communication from the Industrial Design Centre at Indian Institute of Technology in Mumbai.

Building Associations with Clients

As an Innovative & Niche IMC Consulting Brand, Seven Twenty Ten offers:

1.Consulting Services in multiple domains, building international collaboration in sport, tourism, wellness, education, infrastructure, music & culture.

2.Integrated Marketing after analysing the SWOTS of each medium and creatively working out the most effective ways to reach the consumer.

3.Building Brands & Brand Character balancing Strategic Planning & Smart Execution.

4.End-to-End Solutions from Concepts to Production of Films & Audio Visual

5.Original Content Development & Digital Solutions with Sustained Analytics & Social Media Management

6.Sports & Cultural Educational Initiatives

7.CSR Support to Corporate Partners

8.Export-Import Training with an Innovative Training Curriculum

The World is Our Playground

Apart from sustaining a steady growth in the business of Integrated Marketing & Sports Consulting, Sheetal wanted to create a sustainable organizational culture. The idea was to have stakeholders including associates and employees develop a mindset to work for the greater good of society. Seven Twenty Ten was one of the first to think of a collaboration model in 2010, which was ahead of its time. During the first few years, the organization’s target was to create a niche for itself and let the work build the portfolio. Looking at the world as their playground yet staying grounded, the company kept a low-key profile with practically no Marketing and PR. Meanwhile, the organization also tapped unexplored markets like East Africa and Croatia during the early years to build international exposure for the team up skilling.

The Pandemic has actually been a blessing in disguise for the team at Seven Twenty Ten – having enough time to consolidate a purpose driven organisational culture and build trust and bonding within the team. Work wise, it has also helped detail their Dream Sports Project: A Privately Funded Academy of Sport with its International Partners. The Company is currently looking at Investors for the same and hopes to be ready for a soft launch by 2025. After having successfully set up an Academy of Indian Classical Music, the team has decided to use the experience on building AI-driven Edu-Tech Apps that could use academics to solve real life challenges. Sheetal’s future plans include expanding the Seven Twenty Ten footprint across virtual offices & create employment for youth in the next 5-7 years.

“We are just about getting to the end of the pandemic and we are keeping an eye on segments like Travel & Hospitality to return to some normalcy from the later part of 2022. For us as a team, it will be another consolidation year. We are in no hurry!” says Sheetal.

Honestly, it is both a privilege and a little embarrassing to be looked upon as a Leader to be followed but it is no rocket science that a Leader is only as good as his team. In that way, I have been lucky, blessed by professionals & associates who have stuck around with the steadfast belief that we are together to work for the collective benefit & growth for all. Every day begins with an immense sense of gratitude that we are all living a dream to create responsible and accountable leaders for the future.

Why Sport Needs Attention

Sheetal believes that the Pandemic has opened a lot of new avenues in the area of Corporate Social Responsibility. “I feel that Mental Health & Sports should be a Key Area for Corporates to look at putting their CSR Funds to good use. In a way, they are related and essential to our well-being. Add to that India’s highest medal tally in the recently concluded Olympics but for a Country of over 1.3 billion, we must surely look at ways to increase this tally! Our success as a World Beater in Sports like Cricket needs to be studied and see how to develop other sports as well. The policy makers would do well to encourage investors to build sports schools offering a ‘formal’ career for all since it is also related to fitness which has now assumed enough importance in the post COVID world.”

With the multiplying anxiety on the possibilities of lockdowns even in times to come, people around the world have become heavily dependent on technology which has reduced human physical activity to a large extent. There are enough research reports to indicate that mental health and fitness issues, especially in children, are significantly higher than at any time in the past. Once again, Seven Twenty Ten kept ahead of its time and invested in Sports in 2016. For that reason, it is also looking at the future where it wants children to be able to balance their intellectual growth while keeping themselves fit.

Sheetal says, “Digital detox should be given as much importance as digital classrooms. Apart from organisations addressing these as part of new age CSR initiatives, educational institutions will hold the key to make the world a better place for our children.”

Tackling the Pandemic

Like many organisations, the team at Seven Twenty Ten successfully transitioned to the ‘WFH’ model during the Pandemic. They have arrived at a comfortable off-on line hybrid model and because of a highly aware and sensitive management team; no one from the company has had to look elsewhere for employment. With a steady stream of clients and a stable order book, the highly motivated team of Seven Twenty Ten continue to immerse themselves in up skilling, innovating and going about their business consulting – keeping a watch on time. COVID awareness campaigns, involvement in helping in the Crisis during the second wave and lead generation campaigns for clients to help in their business challenges were what kept the organization motivated during the tough times. Like they say, it is the challenges that are opportunities in disguise, and Sheetal Paknikar & his team at Seven Twenty Ten Network are a prime view of the same.

Category: Fastest-Growing Packaging Companies of 2024_Profile

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