GEM OF PLASTICWARE

EVER SINCE the discovery of plastic, it has changed the way we lead our lives.

Though considered one of the major hazards for environment, we just cannot ignore plastic. Unless a very viable solution to plastic and plasticware is found, we will not be able to lead lives free of plastics.

Plastic is popular because it is durable and lightweight and has no problems like rusting or staining usually found in metal products. Among the numerous plastic products available in the market, the Nepali brand Gem Plasticware has been able to carve a niche for itself as a durable product that gives value for money .

Pioneer in its field "When we started, there were no prominent plas ticware manufacturing companies besides Nepothene, which could not give consistency to their production," said Kabindra Shrestha, Chairman and CEO of Gem Plasticrafts Pvt Ltd.

The company was established on May 15,1986 at Basundhara, Maharajgunj with only one machine in their factory after get ting loans from NIDC (Nepal Industrial Development Corporation).

"During that time, to gain the full credibility for taking loan was very hard. Sometimes you even had to wait two to three years for the loan grant and the accessibility of three-phase electricity and the connecting pillions had to be managed by ourselves. In general, opening a factory was not that simple as it is today," shared Shrestha.

Starting with the production of two products -- buckets and bowls, today they have 150 products in various sizes (litres). According to Shrestha, today their products are distributed all over Nepal through their company's depos located in various parts of the country .

Quality uncompromised "Plasticware don't have any specific class users. They are necessary to all classes from lower to upper, and moreover who has got all the money in the world to own every houseware applia n c e s made of copper and silver?"said Shrestha "From hotels to homes, our products are used by all and our products boast of quality right from the establishment of out company," affirmed Shrestha.

For the manufacturing of Gem plastic products, all the essential raw materials like high density polyethylene, poly propylene and colours are brought especially from Saudi Arabia, the US and Europe. "Saudi Arabia is our main raw material exporter," he emphasised.

Virgin Gem products According to Shrestha, the thickness of a plastic bucket does not guarantee its durability. "Generally people have been deceived by this," he said. According to him, the thicker products signify the highest possibility of mixing of raw materials which will easily end in breakage.

"Our products are much lighter because of the composition of virgin raw materials," said Shrestha. "Virgin in the sense that there is no mixing of raw materials which indicates the product being fully authentic and pure in the quality standards," he added.

Short but intensive process Plasticware products does not involve a long process, but the setting phase is considered to be the most important and delicate part of the whole process.

"In this phase, everything has to perfect -- from the applied temperature to the clamping of the semi prepared plastic products," said Shrestha.

All the required machineries in the factory are brought from India, Hong Kong and Japan. The moulds or the apparatus that determine and modify the size and shape of the products are one of the most essential equipment in this production of plas ticware. For every size, single mould is required for the process to complete.

"This is one of the reasons why this plastic manufacturing business is quite expensive and rather risky . If the size of a lot manufactured through a mould goes wrong or doesn't succeed in the market, we might be in financial jeopardy," said Shrestha.

However, he said that they have been experimenting with new products and a lot of time they have gained good response, with a downfall here and there.

Shrestha doesn't seem too optimistic about extending products lines or include any innovation in their production line citing the political situation of the country.

"It is not just us, every company is living this trauma," said Shrestha. "We will be consistent in what we were and are doing and see in the coming future what sort of amicable working environment will be created in the country," said Shrestha.