APRIL Group, a leading global producer of fibre, pulp and paper, has acquired a controlling stake in Origami, India’s leading consumer tissue products company, marking its entrance into the fast-growing India tissue and personal hygiene market. APRIL Group is a member of the Singapore-headquartered RGE group of companies.
Origami, a household name in India, is a fully integrated operation spanning tissue paper mills and converting plants operating at multiple locations and distribution centers across the country. As India’s leader in tissue and personal hygiene, Origami manufactures an extensive product range covering facial tissues, paper napkins, toilet tissue rolls, kitchen towels, hand towels, and wet wipes under the Origami and affiliated brands.
Origami was founded in 1995 by Neelam and Manoj Pachisia, who will continue to hold a significant minority stake in the company and continue to lead the business following the completion of the acquisition.
The Indian tissue market has shown significant year-on-year growth, driven on the back of India’s fast evolving middle class, consumer perceptions and habits on hygiene and personal care. This has created a market environment in which international-standard personal hygiene products are increasing in demand, with headroom to grow given that per capita consumption is well behind global standards.
“The Indian tissue market is rapidly expanding, driven by consumers’ evolving perceptions and habits on hygiene and personal care,” said Suneel Kulkarni, Country Head, APRIL India & Subcontinent. “By bringing together APRIL and Origami, we’re well placed to serve the growing national demand for high quality, sustainable personal hygiene products.”
APRIL has been a leading exporter of pulp and paper products into India over the last 25 years. The acquisition of the controlling stake of Origami is part of APRIL’s strategy to expand its global footprint into the world’s most populous markets following recent investments into the tissue markets in China, Southeast Asia and Brazil. In India, APRIL plans to follow its successful model to integrate leading local enterprises into its global growth plans and provide the resources to upgrade technology and processes to provide world class environmental conscious products at affordable prices.
Leveraging the company’s status as a leading supplier of pulp to India, APRIL’s acquisition of the controlling stake in Origami also enables the group to ‘Make in India’ to further support foreign direct investment in local production.
“Together, APRIL and Origami are stronger,” Mr. Kulkarni added. “With this acquisition, APRIL is well-positioned to drive increasing penetration and access to high quality and sustainably produced tissue paper and other products to the Indian consumer. This growth will be achieved through additional investments across manufacturing, deepening existing channels, expanding and developing new channels, and product innovation.”