Together with its Indian joint venture partner Godrej, SCA is building a greenfield personal care plant in Nashik, India. On March 19 a traditional Indian ground breaking ceremony, a ‘Bhoomi Poojan’,was performed for a fortunate building of the new plant.
From right to left: Samir Prasad, vice president & business head of Godrej SCA, Klaas Schepers, technology director SCA Personal Care, Gaurang Kiritkar, head of project of Godrej SCA during the Bhoomi Poojan ceremony.
The purpose of the rituals is that the project on hand should be blessed by the Five elements; Earth, Air, Space (Ether), Fire and Water.
“It is customary to invoke the different Gods before embarking on any important mission. Before ground breaking a formal permission is sought from Mother Earth because the earth is going to be dug by the humans,” explains Gaurang Kirtikar, who is responsible for the building project.
It was in March last year that SCA and Godrej Consumer Products Ltd – one of India’s fastest growing fast moving consumer products companies – formed a joint venture.
To the left: Samir Prasad, vice president & business head of Godrej SCA breaking a coconut during the ceremony.
The company will manufacture and market paper-based absorbent hygiene products, specifically sanitary towels and baby diapers, in India, Nepal and Bhutan. SCA and Godrej Consumer Products Limited will be equal partners incorporated as ‘Godrej SCA Hygiene Ltd’.
The land where the new plant is going to be built is 40,000 square meters large and situated in the Sinnar Industrial area, close to the town of Nashik (approx. 200 km north east of Mumbai). Building activities are expected to start soon and the hiring of plant people has started.
When do you think that the plant will be ready and what brands will you produce there?
“We expect the plant to be ready by October 2008 when we will start with the production of Libresse sanitary towels. The production of Libero and Snuggy diapers will start during next year,” says Klaas Schepers, Technology Director and responsible for the regional technology support.
To introduce the Libero brand to the Indian market, a launch campaign was made in November last year. It was supported by a humorous commercial called the ‘Laughing babies’ which was placed on www.youtube.com.
The Snuggy diaper brand (bought by Godrej SCA Hygiene Ltd in the joint venture) was also re-launched in India in November. The brand was previously produced in China. It has recently been upgraded and is currently produced in SCA’s factory in Shah Alam in Malaysia.
On top of all this, the launch of SCA’s sanitary towel brand Libresse is ongoing and planned in this very moment.
Facts about the Bhoomi Poojan ceremony
Bhoomi = Land /Mother Earth or the Ground
Poojan = "Performing auspicious rituals to appease the Mother Earth."
Breaking a coconut is supposed to be auspicious before starting any important work and coconuts were broken by all important people after the ground breaking ceremony.